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Battery needs water?

3K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  amishgeoff 
#1 ·
I’ve got a 2003 and the battery is dead so I went to the store and the guy said my battery was bone dry and I was supposed to have been adding water to it every 3 to 6 months. I asked if there was a replacement I could buy that I didn’t need to check the water level and he said that was the only one that would fit. Anybody have a suggestion for a non water filling battery?
 
#2 ·
Among the very first things I did after buying my TW was lose the stock "wet" battery. I don't even know why they put one in a Dual-Sport that might from time-to-time be on it's side if you really do you it off-road. I went with an AGM YTZ72 which was much lighter and smaller than the battery and battery compartment of the TW. So very important that you fill-in that area so the batt is as solid and un-movable as before. Want to go even lighter and maybe even smaller... go with a Lithium which folks that have them, swear by them.

In any case, lose the wet battery all together. A think of the past in any vehicle no matter how many wheels it has.

Stock vs. the YTZ72. Procycle sells them but you can get a better price if you shop around.


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You want to make absolutely sure you keep the battery nice and tight as it would be with the original stock battery. Can't stress that enough. I used a couple piece of UHMW but you can use anything you want. Once this went in years ago well... have never really had to look at the battery again. I do keep it on a Battery Tender during the Winter months 24/7 but that's mostly because I'm not riding this bike at all, way in the back of the garage. But always ready to go.
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#3 ·
I have this same battery and it is the only one that has worked correctly and consistently for over 2 years. All previous wet batteries would last about 6 months and then I would be kickstarting it for a few years. Someone even used a small container to fill up some of the space around the battery and added a few small tools in it.
 
#4 ·
I've used a Bikemaster AGM battery which is the same size. I've had 2 and one didn't last very long but one has lasted well over 2 years. I can't say I recommend it but there are "maintenance free" sealed batteries that fit. If I need another battery I'll probably look for a Yuasa sealed battery that will fit as they are a much better brand.
 
#5 ·
My Shorai Li Po4 came with enough dense foam blocks to fill the space created by the much smaller & lighter lithium battery . Others have added tools or a small air compressor to take up the space created by a more compact, more efficient battery. Another option is to shop for a higher capacity LiPo4 lithium battery with the same physical dimensions as the stock battery but significantly greater electrical output.

While a rare occurrence leaving any battery charger un-monitored for extended periods of time can result in a catastrophic fire like my neighbor's. Fire Marshall said his Battery Tender trickle charger initiated the fire that consumed his garage and about $50K of motorcycles and ATVs in addition to the garage structure. Whether a wet cell depleted of its distilled water was a contributor is unknown; my neighbor, like most others, was likely reluctant to admit any errors on his part.

Just my opinions based on experience rather than anecdote:
1) Use any of the Battery Tender chargers 24/7 at your own risk.
2) Lithium batteries can hold their charge for significantly extended periods of time without need for a trickle charger.
 
#12 ·
My Shorai Li Po4 came with enough dense foam blocks to fill the space created by the much smaller & lighter lithium battery . Others have added tools or a small air compressor to take up the space created by a more compact, more efficient battery. Another option is to shop for a higher capacity LiPo4 lithium battery with the same physical dimensions as the stock battery but significantly greater electrical output.

While a rare occurrence leaving any battery charger un-monitored for extended periods of time can result in a catastrophic fire like my neighbor's. Fire Marshall said his Battery Tender trickle charger initiated the fire that consumed his garage and about $50K of motorcycles and ATVs in addition to the garage structure. Whether a wet cell depleted of its distilled water was a contributor is unknown; my neighbor, like most others, was likely reluctant to admit any errors on his part.

Just my opinions based on experience rather than anecdote:
1) Use any of the Battery Tender chargers 24/7 at your own risk.
2) Lithium batteries can hold their charge for significantly extended periods of time without need for a trickle charger.
Thank you!
 
#10 ·
Amish Geoff – to save you some time trying to work all this terminology out (and cutting through the bullcrap your getting from the dealer), you presently have a liquid lead acid battery – cheap as chips, but they can go dry or spill, which does you no favours

There are two alternatives to this – firstly the AGM battery, (same physical size) which is basically the same as lead acid, except that the liquid is held in a “gel”, making it spill proof, and topping up becomes a thing of the past – think “maintenance free” and you’d be about right. These are no more than 15% more expensive than liquid lead acid

Then there are the Lithium batteries, which are “solid state”, same sort of thing you’d put in a torch but re-chargeable. Upside is they are significantly lighter (by around 70%), downside is they are significantly more expensive (by around 70%). Because these are smaller, they come with foam packing to stop them rattling around in there

Your dollar, your choice – but at least you now know what your choices are

Any questions, please ask on here – there’s a wealth of knowledge on here that goes well beyond what the dealer is telling you ….
 
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