User Manual
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per week may not keep the battery charged enough to start the
engine. The vehicle’s charging system will not be able to keep up
with the use of the starter motor and electrical accessories (lights,
ignition, fuel injection) over time. To keep the battery’s capacity
high enough to operate the starter it will have to be charged with
a battery charger when the vehicle is not in use—about once per
month for a Conventional battery depending on temperature. An
AGM battery will discharge at a slower rate than a Conventional
battery and does not need to be recharged as often.
Battery Charging
Chemistry. Charging a battery reverses the chemical process
that occurred during discharge. The sulfate and hydrogen ions
basically switch places. The electrical energy used to charge a
battery is converted back to chemical energy and stored inside the
battery. Battery chargers, including alternators and generators,
produce a higher voltage (higher “electrical pressure”) than the
battery’s open circuit voltage. For example if a battery charger
that outputs
14-volts is connected to a 12-volt battery, current
fl ow will be from the charger into the battery. This high electrical
pressure, or voltage, is required to push electrical current back
into the battery, overcoming its open circuit voltage and thus
providing charging current. The charging device (alternator,
generator, or battery charger) produces excess electrons at the
negative battery plates where positive hydrogen ions are then
attracted to them. The hydrogen ions combine to form sulfuric
acid and lead, which
ultimately reduces the
amount of water in the
electrolytic solution and
increases the battery’s
specifi c gravity during
the charging process.
How Many Amps?
Applying a charging
current to a battery,
without overheating it,
is called the “natural
absorption rate.”
Because of their smaller
size, when compared
to automotive types of
batteries, powersports
batteries are more
sensitive to how much
current they can safely
absorb. When charging
a motorcycle or
other small battery,
the battery charger
should not exceed
3
amps. Most automotive
types of battery
chargers are not suitable
for charging a motorcycle battery because they output current
above
3 amps. For the correct charge rate a rule of thumb is
to divide the battery’s amp hour rating by
10. For example a
14 AH battery should be charged at 1.4 amps (14AH ÷ 10 = 1.4
amps). See the section on “Choosing a Battery Charger” for
more details.
When charging amperage exceeds the level of the natural
absorption rate, the battery may overheat, causing the
electrolyte solution to bubble creating fl ammable hydrogen
gas. Hydrogen gas, when combined with oxygen from the
air, is highly explosive and can easily be ignited by a spark.
Consequently, always remember to turn the power off
before connecting or disconnecting a battery charger
to prevent a spark at the battery terminals! Many
“Smart” solid-state battery chargers, that are designed for use
with small batteries, have a “no spark” feature, when being
connected or disconnected from the battery. In addition to
excessive out gassing during charging, a battery that has been
rapidly discharging (cranking an engine over until it’s dead for
instance) may also produce excessive hydrogen gas.
Checking a Battery. A routine should be established by
which a battery is checked for state-of-charge and charged
if necessary. Because access to the battery may be diffi cult
on some vehicles, a permanent, quick connect/disconnect
connector can be installed allowing the battery charger to be
connected to the vehicle’s battery externally. When charging
Charging Times
State of
Charge YB14 YB30L YTX14
Battery Types
Approximate Charge Times (Hours) Using a 1 Amp Taper Charger
Approximate Charge Times (Hours) Using a 1 Amp Constant Current Charger
Approximate Charge Times (Hours) Using a “Trickle” (0.25 Amp) Charger
YTX20HL YIX30L GYZ20L
75%
50%
25%
0%
18
35
53
70
38
75
113
150
15
30
45
60
23
45
68
90
38
75
113
150
25
50
75
100
75%
50%
25%
0%
8
14
20
27
17
30
42
56
7
13
18
23
10
18
25
33
17
30
42
56
11
20
28
37
75%
50%
25%
0%
4
9
13
18
9
19
28
38
4
8
11
15
6
11
17
23
9
19
28
38
6
13
19
25
The relative charging times are shown for several types of batteries using three types of battery chargers; Trickle,
Taper and Constant Current.