How to charge a motorcycle battery with a car charger

A motorcycle battery needs to be charged when it is completely discharged. Lead batteries require this procedure every 2 months. Power supplies used for more than 2 years are charged once a month. Gel batteries have the lowest self-discharge. It is enough to service them once every 3 months.

After storage, a power source that has been discharged over the winter should be charged immediately. Don't wait until your motorcycle won't start. A critical discharge negatively affects the performance of the battery. A voltmeter is used to monitor the condition of the power source.

Testing is done like this:

The indicator is set to 20. The red probe is connected to the positive current terminal, the black one to the negative one.
Evaluate the reading appearing on the tester screen. The normal value is 12.3. When you receive the number 11.2, you need to urgently start charging. A critical loss of energy is indicated by an indicator of less than 11. Recharging in this case may not help.

How to charge a 12 volt motorcycle battery

It's no secret that motorcycle batteries need to be recharged regularly. Moreover, this procedure must be carried out from time to time even when the battery is removed from the bike and lying quietly at home. On average, this should be done once every month to a month and a half, depending on the level of self-discharge of the battery. In our article we will tell you what chargers should be used to charge motorcycle batteries, how to do it correctly, and what factors will shorten or extend the life of your battery.

12 volt battery chargers

The main question that almost every novice motorist asks is: is it possible to charge the battery with a car charger? The answer to this question is quite ambiguous. On the one hand, car chargers with a current regulator allow you to do this. On the other hand, it is better for a novice motorcyclist not to undertake such recharging, since the procedure requires attention and experience.

After all, the modern market offers a wide variety of different (including cost) chargers for twelve-volt batteries. The most expensive ones are automatic. When working with such a charger, you just need to connect it to the battery. And you can forget about him. And literally. Some motorists connect an automatic charger for the whole winter - it controls the charge level itself. However, not everyone can afford such a device.

A cheaper option is a non-automatic charger, the operation of which will need to be constantly monitored. Ideally, this should be done with a multimeter. And in its absence, you will have to unscrew all 6 plugs from the battery and monitor the electrolyte. A sufficient charge level will be achieved at the moment when gas bubbles begin to form at both poles. But visual inspection is only possible for serviceable batteries (you can read more about different types of batteries on this page). Read below about proper charging of maintenance-free batteries.

Preserving the engine for the winter

A separate point worth highlighting is the question of how to preserve the engine for the winter. I don’t think it’s worth explaining why in a separate paragraph: the engine is the most important component of a scooter.

As you have already noticed in this publication, we provide information on the ideal preservation of a scooter for the winter. Such preparation of a moped for winter requires physical, material, and some moral costs (however, as with any maintenance, repair or tuning of a moped). But the result will not be long in coming in the spring :).

Preserving the engine for the winter begins by treating the crankshaft journals with a special aerosol lubricant. This will prevent the engine shaft from seizing due to rust on the journals.

If there is carbon deposits on the piston and valves, then you should disassemble the CPG and clean these elements. Also, when preparing the engine for winter, it is recommended to add a fuel system cleaner to the fuel, as well as purchase and apply a carbon remover and drive approximately 50 km. Removing carbon deposits should be taken seriously, as its parts can lead to mechanical damage to the cylinder-piston group.

To protect the internal surfaces of the CPG from corrosion, special aerosols must be used. For 4t engines, this aerosol is launched through the spark plug hole, and then the crankshaft is cranked with a kick starter or starter for 5-10 s. For 2t scooters, the spray is first sprayed directly into the carburetor of a running engine for 15-20 s. Then the engine is turned off and the product is launched through the spark plug hole in the same way as with four-stroke engines. Instead of an aerosol, you can pour 3-5 cubic meters into the candle hole with a syringe. see engine oil and crank the starter a couple of times. This way we will lubricate the walls of the cylinder and piston.

How to properly charge a 12-volt maintenance-free battery

Let's take a little more detail on charging a 12-volt sealed (maintenance-free) battery with a non-automatic charger. After connecting it to the terminals (observing polarity, of course), the minimum current strength is set to the charger. After this, the charger can be plugged into a power outlet. To charge the battery normally, we need a current of one tenth of the battery capacity. That is, with a capacity of 30A/h we set the current to 3 amperes. In the future, the ammeter will have to be regularly monitored, since the current strength will change naturally and will need to be returned to the required value.

In this form, charging should occur until the voltage reaches 13.8 volts (a voltmeter is used for measurement). After this milestone, we reduce the current to the charger by about a third (for example, from 3 amperes to 2). And again we catch up to 13.8 volts. Then we repeat the same procedure with the current reduced by half (in our case, from 2 to 1 ampere). After this, the charger can be turned off. Typically, a full charging cycle for a 12-volt motorcycle battery takes about 10-12 hours.

What does the price depend on?

In addition to the brand and logos on the outside of the product, the main pricing factors are:

Operating voltage.
Battery capacity.
Type of terminals for connecting the positive wire and ground to the scooter frame.
Dimensions.
Battery Type.

If everything is clear with the operating voltage, since all consumers require 12V power (the exception is Soviet motorcycles with 6V power), then it’s worth understanding the type of battery. There are three types to choose from, namely:

Gel (the most expensive due to the practical effectiveness of maintaining capacity in any conditions).
AGM (unlike standard lead-acid models, they have a porous filler-separator made of fiberglass, which during wear does not release sediment with the subsequent closure of one of the compartments).
Lead-acid (divided into low-maintenance and maintenance-free models).

The cheapest batteries are traditional lead-acid ones with a service life of up to 3 years. They lose capacity if there are technological holes in the covers for maintenance or mechanical damage to the outer casing or the order of the structure of the internal submersible cathodes and anodes. This class of battery, as a rule, loses operating voltage instantly, which is affected by its initial small capacity. Despite this, such a battery is installed in 70% of scooters produced.

The type of terminals plays a less significant role in determining the price. They come with blades, which is common among all Asian mopeds and scooters. On German vehicles, a screw mechanism is used for fastening to the terminal. A less common scheme is with a clamp connection.

Which factors shorten and which extend the life of the battery?

There are many ways to significantly reduce battery capacity and shorten its service life. For example, regular recharges and discharge below the critical level. A clear sign of abnormal battery use is the formation of a white coating on the battery. This is lead sulfate, which, in addition to the cases described above, can also appear when:

battery heating above 40 degrees;
loads on the battery at low temperatures;
storing the battery in a discharged state;
voltage drops below 10.5 volts (in this case, however, the white coating should not worry you, since the battery will still have to be thrown away).

As you understand, the task of every motorbike owner is to prevent the formation of lead sulfate. To do this, just carefully monitor the condition of the motorcycle's electrical system. If the bike is expected to be idle for a long time (for example, in winter), it is better to remove the battery and store it at home at room temperature, avoiding excessive discharge.

If a white coating does begin to appear, it is recommended to continuously charge the battery with a current strength 2-3 times lower than normal. The duration of such charging increases to a day or more.

Source

Advantages and disadvantages

The use of the gel determines the special performance characteristics of the power source. The advantages of gel car batteries are the following:

The design can withstand up to 400 full discharges. The use of a gel in the form of an electrolyte determines that even with strong discharge, the density indicator remains unchanged.
You can recharge the battery when it is partially or completely discharged.
The service life is about 10 years. Options with conventional electrolyte last about 5 years.
There is no need to urgently charge the battery if it is deeply discharged.
The self-discharge rate is approximately 20% per year.
Low internal resistance determines the high efficiency of the battery.
The design does not require investment.
High safety, which is achieved through the use of modern production technologies.

There are also some disadvantages of using the gel composition. GEL technology results in the following:

The design is sensitive to the supplied voltage. If you apply too much current, the process of destruction of the main components will begin.
The high density leads to difficulties in operating such batteries in winter. As a rule, at sub-zero temperatures the liquid begins to crystallize and it solidifies.
The design is characterized by high sensitivity to short circuits. That is why you need to pay a lot of attention to the rules for using batteries with gel.
Lead-acid versions with liquid electrolyte are much cheaper.

When comparing Sa-Sa and Gel type batteries, we note that the first version is much cheaper and is found on almost all cars. However, a significant increase in the number of consumers leads to the fact that lead-acid versions do not last long under constant and high periodic loads. Therefore, for cars of medium and high price categories, it is recommended to purchase a Gel-type battery.

How often should you charge your motorcycle battery?

After storage, a power source that has been discharged over the winter should be charged immediately. Don't wait until your motorcycle won't start. A critical discharge negatively affects the performance of the battery. A voltmeter is used to monitor the condition of the power source.

Testing is done like this:

The indicator is set to 20. The red probe is connected to the positive current terminal, the black one to the negative one.
Evaluate the reading appearing on the tester screen. The normal value is 12.3. When you receive the number 11.2, you need to urgently start charging. A critical loss of energy is indicated by an indicator of less than 11. Recharging in this case may not help.

Types of chargers

Chargers for motorcycle batteries are divided into 2 types:

Automatic. When using such devices, user control is not required. The control unit regulates the current and voltage throughout the entire cycle. This is convenient in winter when the battery is charged at home.
Non-automatic. Using such devices, the user is forced to fully monitor the process. This requires a multimeter. In the absence of a tester, the charging progress is monitored visually. The battery is freed from the plugs and the density of the electrolyte is assessed. The main characteristics of budget non-automatic chargers do not differ from those of expensive models.

You need to use the car charger carefully. Car and motorcycle batteries differ in capacity. The former have a higher rate, so the charger supplies a higher current. If such devices are used frequently, the motorcycle's battery may become damaged. The exception is chargers with current characteristics regulators.

About choosing a memory

As you know, charging gel batteries using traditional devices can greatly harm it. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the charger for a gel battery. When choosing, you should consider the type of battery. Since the design of the battery is quite specific, and the final voltage of the batteries is different, the high voltages that are permissible for an AGM-type battery can cause the electrolyte to boil.

Temperature compensation parameters in specific chargers must correspond to the values required for specific batteries. If there is no thermal compensation, this will cause overdischarge, and then a reduction in battery life. It is also necessary that the charger produces the correct voltages. Before charging a gel battery, remember that the battery is very sensitive to sudden changes in current. Therefore, the process must be performed only under strictly defined voltages. Also, when choosing a charger, the charging stages are also taken into account. If you take a lead battery, the procedure is divided into three stages. At the first stage, charging is carried out with constant currents at increasing voltage. Then the voltage is constant and is reduced by half. And then the charged battery is maintained at a low constant voltage and minimal current.

Rules and methods for charging a 12 Volt motorcycle battery

When charging a 12 V battery, you must follow the rules to extend the life of the element.

General charging scheme

The general charging algorithm includes the following actions:

Removing the battery from the socket. The plugs are unscrewed from the battery being serviced. After this, a hydrometer is prepared to measure the density of the electrolyte.
Charge level assessment. A hydrometer reading of 12.3 g/cm³ indicates full charge. At 50% power recovery, the density is 1.2 g/cm³. With a full discharge, the indicator will be 1.12 g/cm³.
Connecting the charger. The positive contact is connected to the positive terminal of the battery. Set the desired charging current. If there is no marking, the supplied power should be 10% of the battery capacity. You need to charge the battery until the density of the filler increases to 1.26 g/cm³.

How to charge a gel battery for a scooter

Do not completely discharge the power source. You need to start the procedure when the battery is in good working order. Otherwise, the battery capacity may decrease. Gel batteries function normally at 20% charge.
Always monitor your charge level. A multimeter is used for this.

Gel battery - charging and maintenance

This type of battery is recharged using a special device. A car charger is not suitable for this purpose. During the procedure, the voltage supplied to the battery is monitored.

This parameter should not be more than 14.4 V. If this rule is violated, the gel filler turns into gas and comes out. Adding electrolyte is not possible. Charging can be done anywhere.

Charger

To restore the charge of the gel battery, a charger with a voltage regulator is used. Before starting the procedure, the value is set at 10% of the battery capacity. The latter can be found on the body of the product.

How long to charge a gel battery for a scooter

You can achieve 100% power recovery after 12 hours.

What does the price depend on?

In addition to the brand and logos on the outside of the product, the main pricing factors are:

Operating voltage.
Battery capacity.
Type of terminals for connecting the positive wire and ground to the scooter frame.
Dimensions.
Battery Type.

Gel (the most expensive due to the practical effectiveness of maintaining capacity in any conditions).
AGM (unlike standard lead-acid models, they have a porous filler-separator made of fiberglass, which during wear does not release sediment with the subsequent closure of one of the compartments).
Lead-acid (divided into low-maintenance and maintenance-free models).

Which factors shorten and which extend battery life?

The following factors can reduce battery life:

Frequent full discharges and charges. The first sign of element failure is a light coating.
Overheat. If the case temperature reaches 50°C, the likelihood of failure increases.
Operation in frosty weather.
Long-term storage in a discharged state. When the voltage drops to 10 V, the battery can be disposed of.

The service life is extended by reducing the output voltage to 0.3 A. The charging duration increases to 24 hours, but the loss of capacity is reduced.

Source

Charging Features

The most basic and important rule that must be followed when charging gel batteries is compliance with the maximum values of the supplied voltages. If you exceed the permissible limit, the battery will simply fail.

Most often, in the documentation that comes with any battery, the manufacturer indicates how to charge a gel battery, threshold voltages and permissible ones. Often the last parameter is in the range from 14.3 to 14.5 V. Also keep in mind that batteries of this type can remain discharged to zero for a long time. But if too high voltages are applied to the battery, the electrolytic gel will begin to release huge amounts of gases. As a result, the battery will simply swell.

How often should you charge your motorcycle battery?

The battery must be charged each time it is completely discharged. Conventional acid (in common parlance, lead) batteries, if they are not worn out, require recharging on average after 45-60 days; Old ones need to be recharged more often. But gel motorcycle batteries are more viable - 1-2 recharges per season will be enough for them.

Do not forget that the battery is characterized by a certain degree of self-discharge, even when turned off. This most often occurs in winter, when bikers park their motorcycles and batteries sit idle on racks.

It is hardly advisable to delay recharging until the time when the battery has stopped showing all signs of life during any attempts to start the motorcycle. This may ultimately result in over-discharging, which is highly undesirable and can greatly affect the health of the battery.

To eliminate undesirable consequences, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the device and regularly test it with a voltmeter.

A simple testing procedure involves the following steps: the indicator is set at 20 volts, the red probe goes to ( +) , the black probe goes to ( –) . We look at the readings (volts):

12.3 – position within normal limits, no recharging required;
11-12.2 – the battery needs to be charged;
before 11 – critical condition, urgent recharging is needed, although it may not save the situation.

Rules and methods for charging a 12-volt motorcycle battery

General charging scheme

If a new battery is used on a motorcycle with a tuned electrical system, there will generally be no need for regular charging. In other cases, you need to perform the following algorithm of actions:

Remove the battery from the motorcycle.
Remove the plugs from the serviceable batteries and prepare a hydrometer (voltmeter for maintenance-free sealed batteries) to check the density of the electrolyte.
Take in the required amount of electrolyte (the hydrometer - spindle - should float freely) and watch the charge reading: 1.28 g/cm3 - full; 1.20 kg/l – 50 percent; 1.12 g/cm3 – battery is discharged.
Connect the charger (positive wire and battery positive terminal).
Set the charging current (the parameters should be looked at the packaging or on the battery itself).
When there is no marking, you need to charge with a current that is equal to 10% of the capacity (at 10A/h, the charging current is not >1A for ten hours). Charge until the electrolyte density reaches 1.26-1.27 g/cc. cm.

Maintenance-free batteries that cannot be topped up with water are charged exclusively by devices that have automatic voltage maintenance.

Charging an acid battery

They are charged with current depending on their capacity in a ratio of 1:10. The regulator sets the desired value.

The process continues until the voltage is equal to the number of battery cells when multiplied by 2.4 (the average is 14.4 for a typical battery). Visual observation of the electrolyte will show the onset of this moment by the formation of bubbles on the surface of the acid. It will be necessary to reduce the current by 2 times and continue charging for 2 hours.

Charging the gel battery

Its current-to-capacity ratio is the same as that of lead batteries. But there is a distinctive feature in the process itself - the voltage supplied to the battery should not be higher than the threshold. For most of these batteries the figure is 14.2-14.4 V.

Another feature is that there is no need to reduce the current at the second charging stage. The process will occur automatically until fully charged. Typically it will take approximately 10 hours to complete.

If the battery is excessively discharged (there is no difference - lead or gel), it must be restored using a current strength 2 times lower than usual. This will be 5% capacity. This will significantly increase the charging time.

Constant current charging

The average charging rate of acid batteries, which are used more often than alkaline ones (although the latter are less sensitive in operation), is calculated by dividing the battery capacity (see technical specifications) by 10. Therefore, it is recommended to select the battery charging current from the capacity ratios. So, at 6A/h, a current of 0.6 Ampere will be sufficient. This current is provided by a portable pulse-type charging device #171; Aida UP-12#187.

This method will require checking the temperature, electrolyte density, and voltage. In order for the process to proceed efficiently, the check must be carried out periodically, at least every 60 minutes, while simultaneously adjusting the current strength. To increase the charge level, the current strength must be reduced by half when the voltage increases to 14.4V.

The completion of charging can be judged by the level of voltage, density and gas output.

Charging at a stable voltage

With this option, the charge level is closely related to the charger voltage. This is clearly visible in the parameters of the maximum voltage at the output of the device (volts) - the first line and the battery charge level (%) with continuous 24-hour charging - the second line:

One hundred percent charging in 24 hours is achieved only with 16.4 V output. It happens automatically, so there is no need to control the process. Complete completion can be judged by the voltage - it will be equal at the terminals of the battery and charger. If you use a device with a lower voltage - 14.4 V, then to charge the battery, for example, to 95%, it will take not a day, but a longer period.

Fast charging

The principle of operation is to use increased current parameters. In less time, you can breathe life into a dead battery.

The procedure is somewhat similar to that described above, but the difference is that a slightly higher current is required to charge the battery. Its value must be set according to the maximum capabilities. Before you start charging, you need to familiarize yourself with all the parameters and study the inscriptions on the battery case (find out whether it supports fast charging).

For the most part, companies that produce batteries do not recommend using the accelerated method, as this shortens the battery life and causes sulfation of the plates. This is explained by the fact that during the charging process, the current strength is stored in memory, and the battery is no longer able to be charged 100% by the generator.

With constant accelerated charging of the battery, the service life is significantly reduced. Exceeding the battery charging current may cause an explosion!

Since this method excludes absolute restoration of capacity, one or more subsequent charges are required, but not in an accelerated mode, but in a more gentle mode.

Charging the battery with pulse current

It involves the use of a charger of variable current or voltage, that is, when the parameters increase or decrease at certain intervals.

The pulse current can be:

Charging a battery with asymmetrical current is characterized by polarity changes in each cycle. But the electric charge is higher with direct than reverse polarity (charge-discharge - 10:1, pulse duration - 1:2). In this rhythm the battery is charged.

If there is no charge

To fix this problem, let’s first figure out how the battery is charged in general. While the engine is running (over 2 thousand revolutions), the generator is switched on, creating current (alternating current). To convert alternating current into direct current, a converter is provided in the scooter's electrical system. In this case, the stabilizer. The stabilizer also serves to prevent the scooter's battery from overcharging. If there is a problem in this system (generator-stabilizer-battery), the battery will not receive charging.

In order for charging to be constant, it is necessary to do the following:

Check contacts and fuse. Clean the contacts and replace the fuse if broken.
You should also pay attention to the battery terminals. They must be properly stripped and tightly attached.
Inspect all plugs and connections (wires).
Check for ground (wire connected to the equipment frame and battery negative.)

In most cases, the operations performed are enough to correct the problem in question. But there are other, more advanced cases. Let’s go even deeper and consider a number of actions that will certainly help.

First, let's install a working, fully charged battery on the scooter. Next, connect the multimeter to the installed battery. The multimeter scale should show 13.1 V. Then you need to start the engine, add gas so that the engine speed increases to 3 thousand per minute. We connect the multimeter back, it should output 14.5 V. If this is true, then the problem is in the battery itself. It needs to be replaced. For reference: the best battery for a scooter is considered to be acid-based.

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How to revive a dead battery?

Before you start reviving a completely dead battery, you need to find out the possible reasons for its failure.

Electrolyte boils when charging

If this is observed in one of the sections, then in all likelihood a short circuit of the plates has occurred. In this situation, instead of charging the battery, rinse the jar with distilled water. Do the procedure until all the coal chips disappear. Then bring the electrolyte in the battery to the required density and charge it.

If this method turns out to be useless, then the battery will no longer be of any use: with a closed battery, one conversation - to the landfill. Alternatively, you can mechanically close the plate (in road conditions) to get home.

Reducing battery capacity to zero

Most likely the battery plates have become sulfated. To revive a motorcycle battery, you need to stock up on:

distilled water;
nominal (1.28 g/cc) electrolyte density;
hydrometer - a device that measures the density of the electrolyte (small devices are available for motorcycles);
a charger with adjustable current;
to the electrolyte - a desulfating additive.

As a rule, the process of cleaning battery plates is described in the instructions, but the key points are as follows:

Fill the battery with electrolyte.
We add an additive to the jars (there are also those that are added before filling).
We expect it to dissolve in the electrolyte within 48 hours.
We carry out a cycle of running the battery: we charge and immediately discharge the battery (we use the brake light lamp for this, but not the bike starter).

The discharge process should be continued until the voltage is at 10 volts. The cycle must be repeated until the nominal density of the electrolyte in the battery is reached.

The battery being serviced must have a special tube that will facilitate the removal of gases and condensate during operation. It should extend outside the bike and not close.

Where is the battery located on a moped and how to connect it

Once you find yourself in an unpleasant situation with a battery in the middle of the road, you begin to think about how to avoid this again. You can get home without a battery, but if you ride for a long time, the scooter’s electronics will begin to fail. The battery requires care, so knowing where it is located and how to change it is absolutely necessary.

Connecting the battery is easier than doing any of the operations described above. Its location depends on the model. On Chinese scooters it is usually located under your feet. We remove the floor and look for a rectangular hatch. There is a place for the battery right in it. If the model is made in Japan, then you will have to check other places. The battery may be located in front of the driver's seat or under the seat.

If you don't know what kind of battery your two-wheeled friend needs, then measure the space for it before you go shopping. Or, using one of the methods, get to the seller directly on a moped.

You need to connect the battery like any other electrical device: minus to minus, and plus to plus. The terminals should be as close to the wires as possible. A red wire usually means positive, and a green or black wire usually means negative.