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ARKnapp
Senior Guru
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Posted: Fri Aug 8th, 2008 05:19 pm | 1st Post |
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Battery life
The life span of a battery can be a crapshoot especially when you purchase a cheaper battery. What constitutes a cheaper battery? Besides, the initial price, the so-called price point battery contains inferior baffle plates, lead plates, smaller quantity of the electrolyte, small terminations and often a smaller physical battery. The materials holding the battery together is often compromised by poor engineering, and very poor quality.
Some guys really don't care they see a battery for 15 to 30 bucks and that’s all they want to spend. And that's all they're willing to spend, but there could be disaster in depending on a cheaper quality battery. On the other hand, some guys want only the best. They will spend more money than is typical. So what should you do? I am not here to tell you what to do with your money.
It is easy to advise; spend only as much as your comfortable but in today's world, with many compromised products, and also many high quality products you really must make an informed decision.
So let me try to inform you. Batteries as you know are not equal. The best battery is one that lasts around 10 years and never lets you down. It is possible to get 10 years of service from most batteries. As long as these batteries are built with conditions that they must supply and work in, that is, the environment, heat, cold, ampacity and vibration.
Operating a battery within a Goldwing offers extremes of all these conditions. To ask a cheaper type battery to last 10 years is impossible but a quality motorcycle battery can last if looked after. As long as the battery meets the conditions mentioned above and is well maintained it should last.
The environment, heat, cold, ampacity and vibration
Environment--- sitting and working in a Gold wing is hot and cold. The relative humidity is all over the map, the dust conditions are low and high, so if a battery cannot withstand the environment it is placed in it dies. Better batteries are simply built to withstand the hot and cold, and especially if the temperature is outside the 65-67 F degree range of the best temperature the battery has to be compensated for the conditions that it it is to work in. So if you ask a 12 Ah battery to work in this environment, it has to be built to deliver.
Heat/Cold--- as part of the overall environment the temperature at which the battery has to work is critical. People living in the South, where it gets hot, and people living in the North, where it gets cold have similar problems with their batteries. Ideal temperature for a lead acid battery is around 65°F, as the temperature goes up or down. The battery is reduced in its overall amp hour delivery. So it must deliver its rated ampacity at a given temperature, above or below that temperature the rated delivery falls short. The battery needs some reserve.
Ampacity--- is the delivery of current at rated voltage. Maintaining 12 V is a piece of cake for a battery, but maintaining 12 V at a specified current is where the work comes in. The battery is no more than a chemical storage tank, if the chemical composition is wrong then the amount of energy stored is lowered. The size of the tank is also important, because it allows more energy to be delivered. So as soon as the chemical conditions and the storage conditions change for the worse the amount of energy also changes for the worse.
Vibration--- is also an equal partner in the longevity or lack of life in a battery. As any motorcycle rider can attest to their comfort in the saddle determines how long they will drive. This is also true of the battery. It should be mounted in a space that is as comfortable as the seat is for the driver. If a battery wobbles or bounces around it can be damaged, and its life shortened. Thicker plates, more robust walls make for a better battery in conditions of heavy vibrations.
Now because the battery is only a storage facility for the alternator, the combination of the alternator and battery is a system. The system of the complete electrical network for the motorcycle, consists of more than the alternator and battery; just as important are the connections, the wire, terminations, fuses and devices. All these components, must work together, if any of them fail the system fails.
The electrical system as a whole is the only way to approach any part of the electrical system. If the battery is failing, looking only at the battery does not necessarily solve the problem, there may be wiring issues, termination issues or even alternator issues. The same goes with the headlight that's out, it may be a burned bulb or it may be wiring or relays, or even as simple as a dirty connection.
An electrical system for a motorcycle can be very complex and as such to ease the complexity you must take each component at a time, verify them and then add them to the next. Remember that when working with electrical devices you are working within a system, and that system relies on each component to work properly. A malfunction in any part of the system will affect the system; after all volts = current flow x resistance. The many variations of resistance and current can equal the total voltage of 12V; so looking only at the outcome of 12V, is short sighted.
Making a battery last
A new battery, just installed needs to be maintained on a continual basis when it is in operation as well, as when it is in storage. From the beginning it is dying a slow death, because as a storage unit it also act as a capacitor and as such it is being consumed.
While in operation, the fuses and wires should be the correct size. All terminations should be of the proper size, and snug, as well as clean. Electrons don't like greasy dirt. A 12 V system can be easily blocked from current flow by dirty greasy connections so all connections must be clean, I would not recommend the use dielectric grease to most bikers. Caution must be exercised.
Dielectric Grease
Dielectric substances are those that inhibit electron flow. As mentioned earlier, 12 V systems are easily made redundant in their flow of electrons, simply because the potential is 12 V not a very large potential. Manufacturers use dielectric grease, just as you would, simply to keep crap and dirt out of the connections. But manufacturers have a set point of warranty, about three years. Dielectric grease and the electrical components should be able to last during this warranty period.
When warranty is no longer in force and problems arise with electrical devices. The manufacturer does not worry about time consuming removal of this dielectric grease, simply this time is added on to the bill. And the bill can be quite large, because removing grease from terminals, terminations devices can be some time. This is why I do not suggest the using of dialect grease… it has to be removed when a joint is opened. Because when the joint is closed, and if dielectric grease is in between the joint the conduction of electricity stops. It is very important that when working on joints that they be tested as to there conductivity, before putting the bike back into service.
Most of us are working on Goldwings work on them outside warranty. We are also determined to do regular maintenance. If we do this regular maintenance, the use of the dielectric grease is redundant, because within a short time we will be back, checking the joints. If you insist on using dielectric grease, make sure that you use it properly.
All joints should be clean and tight, and then dielectric grease applied. Do not apply grease before making up the joint. Be careful using this type of grease in a hot environment, the melting point of the grease will be reached, and it may ooze into the joint.
Now, with the battery properly installed, we must take precautions to prove it is working as it should. The battery voltage and battery electrolyte must be examined every so often. With a 12 V system, the battery charging takes place, with up to 15 V being pumped into the storage tank. Periodically, it doesn't hurt simply to measure the voltage across the terminals of the battery at different conditions of the bike running. We must know the voltage when the bike is off, when the bike is idling, when the bike is at around 2500 rpm. All these tests can be easily done and recorded. The condition of the battery and the alternator, along with the regulator and the diode rectifier can be checked in this manner.
The battery state of charge is easily determined by a battery hydrometer, a device similar to a turkey-baster. At around 10 bucks this instrument is an invaluable tool. It will stop all guessing as to the condition of your battery. In simple terms, it measures the specific gravity of the electrolyte and compares it to water. The S.G. of pure water is 1.0, the battery acid or electrolyte should be around 1.2.to 1.3. Remember this specific gravity is also determined by the ambient temperature of the electrolyte. Knowing the specific gravity of your battery helps to determine the state of charge and the state of charge determines the state of health. With a decent SOC condition the length of time between bike usages can be increased. A battery in good condition will allow you to start the bike weeks later after sitting.
The cleanliness of the exterior and interior of the battery determines how long it will live. On the outside, the battery should be cleaned with mild soap and water to get any accident residue off along with dirt and corrosion. The inside of the battery gets dirty also. The dirt comes from the simple use of the electrons traveling through the lead. The lead can be sponge form or plate form and is used as part of the lead acid system. But every time the electrons leave or come into contact with the lead, a deposit of waste materials in the form of a lead drops to the bottom of the battery. Over time, this layer of waste material builds up and can short out the lead plates. So the battery must be made big enough to take this waste, hold it and not allow it to touch the bottom plates.
The act of charging is similar to the act of discharging, whether electrons are leaving the battery or entering the battery there is always a waste discharge and over time this waste destroys a battery. But it is possible to remove this buildup. As consumers we can maintain these batteries in and as new condition, but and this is a big but, most people do not want to work on the battery acid.
Charging a battery with a tender, a device that operates at about one amp has an effect that actually diminishes the battery over time. Most lead acid automotive style batteries and the motorcycle battery is considered automotive, like to be discharged, and charged at a higher rate of amperage. When the act of charging is diminished, as in the use of a battery tender the battery itself becomes reduced in amp hours. The slow act of putting in one amp over time causes the electrolyte to change chemically. The
chemical change causes the conductive liquid to become nonconductive, mostly closer to the lead sponge plates. So over time, the 12 amp-hour battery is reduced to 11, 10 nine and so on until the battery itself cannot deliver enough current.
This type of reaction may also take place over time with the battery left in-service and not being maintained. The process of bringing the battery back to its normal life is done by overcharging in control time periods or equalizing. You can buy equalizing chargers or buy a good multi-amperage charger. These chargers have three ratings 2 A, 10 A and 50 A. The 50 amp is called boost, and is usually used to help the starter in cold weather. But if used correctly, these Chargers can be used as equalizers to bring at tired battery back to life. In fact my own battery was dead. My neighbour took it off his Harley and gave it to me. It had 2 cells showing no sign of life. Cleaned and equalized, the battery is now working at its rated capacity.
So if you're using a tender, and you have noticed your battery has diminished in ampacity, hookup to equalize. After the tender says the battery is fully charged, but on the equalizer, set to 50 amps, charge for two minutes. Do not leave while the battery is hooked up to the charger. Doing this charge time frame will stop any overheating. You may have to equalize two or three times to get the battery back. What happens inside the battery is that the electrolyte becomes hot and there is so much current flowing from the charger that the electrolyte bubbles. The bubbling, in effect, stirs up the electrolyte; the stirring of the electrolyte causes the solid portion of the mixture to re-liquefy back into the electrolyte and allows the electrolyte to act normally as a liquid conductor.
Charging and discharging are a normal facts of battery life. A 12 Ah M/C battery will deliver 100 A on start up and then take 30 A to charge. Time is critical in a battery, to recharge 100 A the charger delivers only 30A at a maximum, so time is used to help out. Once the battery reaches full charge the alternator diminishes its amps to the battery and any excess is dumped to ground, the negative side. The start up took about 10 seconds but the putting back of electrons will take much longer. Now that the bike is running electrons are used to power the many systems on the bike including the battery. The storage battery cannot flex its size so when the battery gets closer to full the amount of electrons must be made smaller, but with a fixed output alternator, the electrons are directed away from the battery and to the grounded frame.
The alternator on older wings is delivering its full load, 30A DC all the time. The alternator is an AC device that delivers watts, reactive power and apparent power. Since the wing is only interested in keeping the battery charged, only the watts are used. Although the other types of power are there they are not considered. The 3 phase alternator is more efficient than 1 phase or DC generators. It is lighter and can be made less expensively. It produces variable AC frequency dependant on RPM. The faster it spins the higher the voltage and more current it produces. But Goldwings are battery users and charging the battery is the prime directive. Simply put; moving a closed wire through a magnetic field produces a current, move the field, or the wire faster creates more current. So this knowledge tells us what could take place. Decrease speed of the rotating device decreases voltage output.
Alternator does not work as it did
Stops rotating
Rotates slower than normal
No field to rotate wires through
No wires to rotate through field
Wires do not have connection to outside world
Space between pole faces and wires too big
Magnetic interference
Wires get hot
Wires of differing sizes can carry more or less electrons, amps. When a given wire becomes hot there is a problem. So what happens to make to wire hot? The wire has become less of a good conductor. It may be nicked which makes it smaller, the wire becomes brittle, so the composition of its copper structure has been altered and carries less current. The devices using electrons are shorted so more current is traveling along the conductor. The devices are OK but voltage has dropped, to use the same amount of work the current increases. The wires getting hot may be an effect of the wire itself or the device attached and using the power or the supply.
Devices getting hot
Things that use electricity are generally efficient. When devices are built to use their electricity they generally do not use more than what they're designed for. So if they are using more than what they were designed to use there is generally a problem. Electrical devices will also get too hot if the voltage is more than 10% high. They will also get hot, if the voltage is too low. Although voltage has to be relatively stable the current will make the device hot if it rises. So you can see that an electrical device must be relatively stable in voltage and in current. To gather the use of voltage and current in the DC circuit produces watts, most devices have a watt rating. And this rating must be adhered to.
Motors, whether AC or DC operate using watts, kilowatts or horsepower as their prime power. Because they are rotating devices with fluctuating magnetic currents they also fluctuate in the amount of current that they draw. Any electrical device that operates magnetically through open air will draw more current than it does when it doesn't have to operate in open air. The same is true upon startup, as compared to full running conditions. During start up motors can draw current up to seven times their usual running current and this is considered normal. This high current is typical to AC motors. Some DC motors are able to ramp up in a controlled fashion and exhibit less startup current.
Motors have definite purpose to them, when operated beyond this purpose, or for extended length of time motors get hot.
Maintenance of Battery
Keep battery clean
Keep terminations clean and tight
When cleaning the termination posts with a wire type cleaner do not use excessively, or you will diminish the size of the post.
Remove cell covers when charging at a high rate to allow H gas to escape.
Keep battery snug in its holder.
Keep holder clean
Keep electrolyte level up
Check and record SOC, state of charge
Check voltage
Do not over fuse, keep ratings correct
Do not drop battery
Maintenance of Motors
Keep clean
Keep terminations clean and tight
When cleaning the termination posts with a wire type cleaner do not use force
Do not force the studs for current carrying conductors
Keep brushes in tact, and clean
Keep bearings and bushings clean and snug
Keep commutators in good repair
Keep brushes on commutators well aligned, spring force correct, smooth
Basic tools
Multimeter--- learn how to use
Hydrometer--- “
Wire brush, post brushes
Baking soda
Hand tools
Safety
Face protector, eye protection
Apron
Gloves
Warning
A battery is a time bomb waiting to go off, many things and many conditions can set a battery to explode. During the process of charging an excess of hydrogen is produced, this gas is lighter than air and in concentrations around the battery are very explosive. Any spark will set this hydrogen gas to burning and if enclosed an explosion could take place.
When working on the electrical system on your bike be cautious of your actions. No shorts, causing shorts is very dangerous. Burning of motorcycle parts is bad enough but burning human parts is worse. Electrical burns go deep and can cause serious problems. 12 V is seemed very low energy but along with high amps can cripple or kill.
Be sure all safety devices are in place, never by-pass, never install a greater sized fuse.
Battery acid is highly corrosive, protect yourself, your property, and keep children away. When storing battery in the house and on a charger, I use a leather cover over the battery. It allows H2 gas to escape from around the battery and in case the battery explodes it contains the battery acid. Make sure family members know that the battery is there and they understand the perils and precautions, keep pets away.
Be knowing
Be safe
Be aware
A little knowledge in electricity is dangerous…be informed.
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wexy
Admin 2
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Posted: Fri Aug 8th, 2008 05:27 pm | 2nd Post |
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Good article ,well done 
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Looks like Miss Tanygaer has taken over possession of my Tango 1800 ,so I have to be nice if I want to borrow it 
http://www.goreybikes.com
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redbaron
Moderator
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Posted: Fri Aug 8th, 2008 06:08 pm | 3rd Post |
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GREAT POST!!!!!!!! ......I was taught about that "dead cell" part in a class over batteries I took years ago....The thing that got all of us taking that class, was the part about the height of the plates inside a battery...Closer to the bottom of the caes, was a cheap battery , the higher the plates were and thicker, the more expensive and longer lasting that battery was....
Thank you for reminding me about some of the things I had forgotten....
Claude....
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1982 GL-1100 Goldwing Interstate
http://www.RudysBackyard.com
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Foosman(5)
Very Active Member
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 01:08 am | 4th Post |
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Wow. Must be working on a thesis or dissertation.
So, what are we to do about our tender loving battery tenders which I never bought.
How much life extension can be expected by "equalizing" a battery as such? Or, how much premature degradation can be expected for our batteries due to use of a battery tender or due to the stratification and sulfate reaction.
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Texas _Foosman
1988 GL1500
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ARKnapp
Senior Guru
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 01:45 am | 5th Post |
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Wow. Must be working on a thesis or dissertation.
So, what are we to do about our tender loving battery tenders which I never bought.
How much life extension can be expected by "equalizing" a battery as such? Or, how much premature degradation can be expected for our batteries due to use of a battery tender or due to the stratification and sulfate reaction.
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Equalizing batteries is a common practice in battery intensive applications such as deep cycle batteries used in solar power. If it works in keeping those deep cycle batteries around for 20 years, why not automotive style batteries. Well the answer is it will extend life. But the equalization period and frequency of doing it should be watched closely. DO NOT OVER DO. This is where maintenance and keeping an eye on your battery and system pays off. On my 1100 (1980) I equalize 2x a year, but if the battery shows no sign of fatique I do not. I can leave the bike idle for months come back and it starts right up.
Now remember the whole bike is a bunch of independant systems that I make sure are all working. When all the parts work it is likely that the whole will work. So how much life? I get about 10 years from a so called standard battery. I am using a battery given to me for the bike that was considered dead, it is now in its 6 th year..
The battery replaced was in its 9 th year.
Battery tenders are great power sources for constantly keeping a lead acid battery in a SOC in the upper end or float. But over time the battery can exhibit premature death simply because of the very gentlle charging. Deep cycle batteries exhibit this aso. That is why they go through a period of eqalizing. If its good enough for a $2000 battery it is good enough for my battery.
The gentle charging affects different batteries in differing time frequencies. If you have been on a tender for extended time take the effort to find out what the SOC is, use a hydrometer and use a multimeter and add up all the cell"s voltage and see what you have. A weak cell may come back with equalizing.
Your question "due to the stratification and sulfate reaction."is just the answer, but I was trying my best to keep the technical jargon out of the document. No disortation, just good therapy for a guy trying to get over the effects of a stroke. My background is heavily into electrics in all its forms.
Be safe and cautiou!s when working on lead acid batteries
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Foosman(5)
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 02:50 am | 6th Post |
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I agree that equalization has been a common practice on deep cycle batteries as you just said. Deep cycle batteries may not have a power source for charging such as them trolling for fish. They say its fairly critical to equalize deep cycle which bubbles the electrolytes at 14.7 vdc. Vehicle batteries is basically in a constant charging state at that voltage.
I did read a little on equalization of lead acid batteries, but it did not discriminate between the standard car battery vs the marine deep cycle (lead acid) batteries. I know there are major differences and the deep cycle marine battery has a recovery.
I use to think it was a myth to turn the battery upside down, but maybe there is something to that.
I think I am going to get a quick charger and shock my one year old battery.
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Texas _Foosman
1988 GL1500
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ARKnapp
Senior Guru
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Posted: Sat Aug 9th, 2008 04:12 am | 7th Post |
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Be careful in what you do, yes deep discharge batteries and auotomobile batteries have different characteristics, but they enjoy similarities also. I say treat the auto battery like a deep cycle battery and you start getting a battery with both characteristics, especially long(er) life. Both types see a gain with high charge and soft charge, but when mixing the charge types up memory has difficulty in taking over. A kick in the pants is an awakening, in more than one way. Be safe in your experimenting and remember a little kick at a time until you are both comfortable with the extra electrons.
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