How to kill an ATV battery
#1
11-08-1999, 06:46 PM
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Fellow ATV'ers,
Learned the hard way this past weekend as to how to kill an ATV battery.
Here I am on friday, all excited about tomorrow's opening gun season for deer here in Texas. Rolled my Bayou 220 out of the garage to load in my pickup, hit the starter switch and yeah, you guessed it, all I hear is "click". Not the time for an electrical problem for sure, not the day before season opener.
Well a quick check of the lights and it was evident the battery was close to dead. Even the neutral switch light was dim. Now I will admit that I hadn't started it in a few weeks, however my Bayou had never failed me, not until now.
Then I quickly remembered that I added water to the battery about three weeks ago. My thoughts were that the fresh water had changed the electrolite level and that a fresh charge was necessary. Thankfully it started on about the third pull from the recoil starter and I was soon on my way to the lease. I decided to wait and charge the battery at camp.
After a three-hour charge at camp, I learned that this battery was not going to old a charge. The amp meter on my charger had not moved at all and lights were no brighter. It seems (after talking to several friends) that I screwed up by not charging (either manually or by running the engine for a sufficient period) the battery after adding water. I must admit that I have added water to car batteries many times without this problem, however I always drove them shortly thereafter. In this case, the battery had not received any charge for at least three weeks after water was added to the cells.
If this story sounds familiar, please let me know.
Thanks.
Learned the hard way this past weekend as to how to kill an ATV battery.
Here I am on friday, all excited about tomorrow's opening gun season for deer here in Texas. Rolled my Bayou 220 out of the garage to load in my pickup, hit the starter switch and yeah, you guessed it, all I hear is "click". Not the time for an electrical problem for sure, not the day before season opener.
Well a quick check of the lights and it was evident the battery was close to dead. Even the neutral switch light was dim. Now I will admit that I hadn't started it in a few weeks, however my Bayou had never failed me, not until now.
Then I quickly remembered that I added water to the battery about three weeks ago. My thoughts were that the fresh water had changed the electrolite level and that a fresh charge was necessary. Thankfully it started on about the third pull from the recoil starter and I was soon on my way to the lease. I decided to wait and charge the battery at camp.
After a three-hour charge at camp, I learned that this battery was not going to old a charge. The amp meter on my charger had not moved at all and lights were no brighter. It seems (after talking to several friends) that I screwed up by not charging (either manually or by running the engine for a sufficient period) the battery after adding water. I must admit that I have added water to car batteries many times without this problem, however I always drove them shortly thereafter. In this case, the battery had not received any charge for at least three weeks after water was added to the cells.
If this story sounds familiar, please let me know.
Thanks.
#2
11-08-1999, 08:40 PM
#3
11-09-1999, 01:20 AM
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#4
11-09-1999, 11:34 AM
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#5
11-10-1999, 02:43 PM
The only reason to use distilled water is that it has the impurities of tap water removed.Tap water can be used but do not recommend it, but it is definitely better then no water at all.
Part of the problem with an atv battery (and motocyle is due to there small size. With the number of plates in them they do not have a lot of room for electrolyte.
As the battery charges a chemical reaction takes place. I won't bore you with the details of the reaction but the thing to remember is that during the charging it heats up and water is lossed as it evaporates. As the water is lossed the top part of the plates are uncovered and that is not good. At this time it can be difficult to recover the battery.
Again the fact of the small size of the casing/battery there is not a lot of extra electrolyte available. So you need tokeep the level up or risk permanent damage.
Also the battery is under constant charge when the atv is running, I know that at low RPMs on some machines it will actually discharge the batter but in theory when the atv is running the battery is being charge (unless you have a load in excess of your alternator/generator, then you have other problems). So therefore you have a chemical reaction taking place which also generators heat therefore evaporation.
Just remember to 1) check level frequently, 2) use distilled water if possible and 3) charge it after adding water either with battery charger or even better, ride it for about 30 minutes or more.
Also if you add acid to the battery it will not cause it to explode. Have done it many times on a submarine and they have big batteries, 1750 amps, discharge rate for 3 hours.
Eric Baatz EM1(SS) USN Retired
1996 Suzuki King Quad, Remember the KING LIVES!!
Part of the problem with an atv battery (and motocyle is due to there small size. With the number of plates in them they do not have a lot of room for electrolyte.
As the battery charges a chemical reaction takes place. I won't bore you with the details of the reaction but the thing to remember is that during the charging it heats up and water is lossed as it evaporates. As the water is lossed the top part of the plates are uncovered and that is not good. At this time it can be difficult to recover the battery.
Again the fact of the small size of the casing/battery there is not a lot of extra electrolyte available. So you need tokeep the level up or risk permanent damage.
Also the battery is under constant charge when the atv is running, I know that at low RPMs on some machines it will actually discharge the batter but in theory when the atv is running the battery is being charge (unless you have a load in excess of your alternator/generator, then you have other problems). So therefore you have a chemical reaction taking place which also generators heat therefore evaporation.
Just remember to 1) check level frequently, 2) use distilled water if possible and 3) charge it after adding water either with battery charger or even better, ride it for about 30 minutes or more.
Also if you add acid to the battery it will not cause it to explode. Have done it many times on a submarine and they have big batteries, 1750 amps, discharge rate for 3 hours.
Eric Baatz EM1(SS) USN Retired
1996 Suzuki King Quad, Remember the KING LIVES!!
#6
11-10-1999, 03:34 PM
Eric,
Good post on battery maintenance.
I’d like to make two minor points though. First Japanese motorcycles/quads are notorious for overcharging their batteries. From my ’68 Honda CL350 right through my ’87 Kawasaki ZG1000 Concours, every Japanese bike I’ve ever owned has overcharged its battery. My ’96 Bayou is nowhere near as bad though, so perhaps the manufacturers have begun to recognize the problem. Still, I only got three years service from the OEM battery in the Bayou before it went dead and was replaced with a new one from Wal-Mart.
Interestingly, and weirdly, enough my MTD lawn tractor uses the same battery as does my Concours. I have owned both for about 10 years. I have put one battery in the MTD and three batteries in the Concours in that period of time. I always use distilled water to top them off as needed. And I always throw them on a 1 Amp trickle charger for 8 hours after adding water. But I need to add water to the Concours battery about every three rides, while I can go over a year before I have to add water to the MTD battery.
Second, and correct me if I’m wrong on this, but it is my understanding that the optimum specific gravity for the electrolyte (H2SO4) in a lead/acid storage battery is 1.268. If the amount of sulfuric acid is increased, as would occur with the addition of sulfuric acid to a battery instead of water, then the specific gravity of the electrolyte would increase and electron transfer, and hence current flow, would actually decrease. That is why maintenance manuals always recommend that only water ever be added to a battery after it has received its initial charge of electrolyte.
This leads me to ask you under what circumstances you added electrolyte to submarine batteries, and what was the effect on current output and subsequent battery life?
Army Man
Good post on battery maintenance.
I’d like to make two minor points though. First Japanese motorcycles/quads are notorious for overcharging their batteries. From my ’68 Honda CL350 right through my ’87 Kawasaki ZG1000 Concours, every Japanese bike I’ve ever owned has overcharged its battery. My ’96 Bayou is nowhere near as bad though, so perhaps the manufacturers have begun to recognize the problem. Still, I only got three years service from the OEM battery in the Bayou before it went dead and was replaced with a new one from Wal-Mart.
Interestingly, and weirdly, enough my MTD lawn tractor uses the same battery as does my Concours. I have owned both for about 10 years. I have put one battery in the MTD and three batteries in the Concours in that period of time. I always use distilled water to top them off as needed. And I always throw them on a 1 Amp trickle charger for 8 hours after adding water. But I need to add water to the Concours battery about every three rides, while I can go over a year before I have to add water to the MTD battery.
Second, and correct me if I’m wrong on this, but it is my understanding that the optimum specific gravity for the electrolyte (H2SO4) in a lead/acid storage battery is 1.268. If the amount of sulfuric acid is increased, as would occur with the addition of sulfuric acid to a battery instead of water, then the specific gravity of the electrolyte would increase and electron transfer, and hence current flow, would actually decrease. That is why maintenance manuals always recommend that only water ever be added to a battery after it has received its initial charge of electrolyte.
This leads me to ask you under what circumstances you added electrolyte to submarine batteries, and what was the effect on current output and subsequent battery life?
Army Man
#7
11-10-1999, 04:13 PM
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#8
11-11-1999, 10:13 PM
the hardest thing on a quad/bike/ mower battery is letting it go dead. they do notlike to be deep cycled. always charge your battery if you do not use you toy for more than 30 days. in the off season i remove my battery and recharge it every 30 days. my polaris exp 400 battery is 4 years and goin strong.
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clem in PA
[This message has been edited by motorman (edited 11-11-1999).]
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clem in PA
[This message has been edited by motorman (edited 11-11-1999).]
#9
11-11-1999, 10:14 PM
#10
11-13-1999, 08:01 PM
drlaney,
yeah.. been there, done that... My son begged me to let him pull the Scrambler around to the back yard.. I finally let him. two days later I go to load up for a big mudrun.. AND THE BATTERY IS DEAD...
For future note here's a CHEAP TRICK to keep you going for a weekend...
On a battery that size, top off water level as needed, then drop a half an asprin in each hole... pull start it and it'll charge up... DON'T depend on this for the entire hunting season.. but it will work for a weekend to get you out of a jamb. It CANNOT be Tylenol.. just plain old everyday ordinary asprin. On a car battery, drop two asprin in each hole.
Good Luck!!..
yeah.. been there, done that... My son begged me to let him pull the Scrambler around to the back yard.. I finally let him. two days later I go to load up for a big mudrun.. AND THE BATTERY IS DEAD...
For future note here's a CHEAP TRICK to keep you going for a weekend...
On a battery that size, top off water level as needed, then drop a half an asprin in each hole... pull start it and it'll charge up... DON'T depend on this for the entire hunting season.. but it will work for a weekend to get you out of a jamb. It CANNOT be Tylenol.. just plain old everyday ordinary asprin. On a car battery, drop two asprin in each hole.
Good Luck!!..