Gel batteries any good?

[mashman]

Hi all... having finally sent my forks off, it's that time to pull certain things apart and grease my little heart out. Another thing that was added to the list was a battery. I've come across a few articles that explain the idea behind the gel ones etc... but haven't really found any reviews, ya know, how well they hold their charge in comparison to the water cells, whether the CCA ratings are equivalent etc...

Anyone have any experience with them? or should i just chuck another "normal" battery in again?

cheers

[Cajun]

Hi all... having finally sent my forks off, it's that time to pull certain things apart and grease my little heart out. Another thing that was added to the list was a battery. I've come across a few articles that explain the idea behind the gel ones etc... but haven't really found any reviews, ya know, how well they hold their charge in comparison to the water cells, whether the CCA ratings are equivalent etc...

Anyone have any experience with them? or should i just chuck another "normal" battery in again?

cheers

Just replaced ours with the normal standard one yucas one

But while at it got a motorcycle battery tender/charger. means can keep the ape on the trickle charge

[Juzz976]

They're real good, definatly a good brand is well worth the extra you pay.

check warrenty, a good one will have at least 5 years.

we use them for marine and genset applications

[slofox]

I used to have one on a 12v spray unit - worked for ages...

[imdying]

Yeah they're good. Checkout the LiFePO4 conversions too. The R1 forum is a good place to start.

[Blackbird]

Had one on the Blackbird which lasted for 5 years. Replacement cost was over $300 so went for a sealed conventional replacement at less than half the cost and this was running fine after 3 years when I sold it.

Have just done the same on my wife's MX5

[mashman]

Thanks all. Looks like there's no major benefits. The battery in the Prila must be about 5 years old by now, and only really suffers after not having been ridden for 3 - 4 days... Will likely just get a like for like and add a tender like Cajun i guess.

Cheers

[mashman]

Yeah they're good. Checkout the LiFePO4 conversions too. The R1 forum is a good place to start.

A silent twin, ha ha ha, kinda defeats the purpose i guess... although could get a voice box for the throttle... drop in the sound of a duc with termis... shudderdudder

[White trash]

I'm unsure but I think you'll notice a difference in longevity in a high vibration (such as V-twin) application.

It's all I'd put in a Harley for example.

[imdying]

A silent twin, ha ha ha, kinda defeats the purpose i guess... although could get a voice box for the throttle... drop in the sound of a duc with termis... shudderdudderlol... do check them out... easy way to save 2kg from your RSV, and cheap if you convert a Makita 28v nanotech battery.

[meowmix]

I have an Exide gel battery, as its the only one I could find that would fit. No real benefits for my application. Great for jetskis or offroaders, or anything where it might go upside down. Otherwise, not really. Cost was $75 14 AH.

[yachtie10]

IMHO for an offroader could be worth it but not for a roadbike

[scumdog]

Seem to get between 8 and 10 years out of all my batteries, CB's Sporty had its original battery in it until '07 - and it's a '97 bike, my '01 Superglide still has its original battery in it.

Got an Optima gel? battery in my hot-rod, it never seems to balk, even after a dozen starts of a hot big block on a hot day it still starts the beast.

Having said that, if your bike starts easily a standard battery will do the trick.

[tri boy]

Gel batteries suit vib/shock/jolt loadings better than conventional wet cells.
Not really any advantage besides that.
A well cared for m/cycle battery should get at least 3-4yrs.
Don't buy cheap though. MHO

[breakaway]

[QUOTE=mashman;1129614813and only really suffers after not having been ridden for 3 - 4 days... [/QUOTE]

Really? That doesn't sound like normal behaviour. I've left my K1 GSXR1000 for over a month once and it started on the button.

[mashman]

Really? That doesn't sound like normal behaviour. I've left my K1 GSXR1000 for over a month once and it started on the button.

the battery must have been in it for about 5 - 6 years and over the last year has seen hardly any k's for one reason or another, plus i've just been away for 6 weeks and she was laid up a couple of weeks before that to get my forks out due to leaky seal... all in all she deserves a new battery.

Am interested in the no shaking thing though as she do vibrate a little... I'll do a little more research

cheers

[scumdog]

the battery must have been in it for about 5 - 6 years and over the last year has seen hardly any k's for one reason or another, plus i've just been away for 6 weeks and she was laid up a couple of weeks before that to get my forks out due to leaky seal... all in all she deserves a new battery.

Am interested in the no shaking thing though as she do vibrate a little... I'll do a little more research

cheers

My batteries often just sit through the winter - possibly up to three months but I put the charger on them overnight every 4 weeks or so.

And in mountings/boxes that shake the battery i have put the battery on a 'mat' of dense foam (although thick wet-suit stuff is not too bad) to help however there's not always room - and you have to find a way to make sure the clamps or whatever is still going to hold the battery in place.

[Sensei]

Don't forget to do your linkage dogbones & swingarm needle bearings . Just done mine & all looked good after 53,000k's pulled them all out & cleaned them then repacked with Bellray waterproof grease plus checked the side link plates for wear . Have you replaced your plates with the stronger units for the 04 onwards from AF1 ?

[imdying]

BTW, a LiFePO4 will lose only 1% of charge per year. You could come back in 2 years and it'll still turn your RSV over as fast as ever.

[reofix]

gel battery in bighorn... huge crank amps advantage ... excellent charge hold (park up for a month at airport ... swt start... 5 years old).. will put in my 07 bm when the original dies ( holds charge ... huge crank amps .. no acid spill .. ever ... no brainer ... its not about themoney)

[Owl]

I thought AGM (absorbed glass mat) would be superior to Gel for motor vehicle applications, as they are better suited to high bursts of amps.

[Swoop]

I have been informed that an advantage of a gel battery, is that it can be mounted in any orientation (on its side, end). Marine use sometimes makes this necessary.

[cheesemethod]

A friend of mine was looking for a gel cell for his race car, didn't want to shell out $350+ for one from a 'race supplies' shop. Turns out those little $50ish jumper packs you can buy from Supercheap or Repco have a nice little gel cell in them. This battery is no bigger than a bike one, but starts the car every time even if it has been sitting for 6 months.

[Pixie]

It's unlikely any of these are gel batteries.
They'll be AGM because AGM does everything gel used to only better.

[cheesemethod]

It's unlikely any of these are gel batteries.
They'll be AGM because AGM does everything gel used to only better.

You could be right there, there's only numbers and strange chinese characters on the battery so I'm only guessing.

[Pedrostt500]

The only difference between a Gel Battery and standard Lead Acid is, the Acid in the gel Battery has a Gel agent in the battery, and are obviously non serviceable, though you have to watch recharging a Gel battery, as there is a pressure valve in the battery if the battery gets to hot, it can loose electrolite, I have seen Gel batteries where the battery has been seriously over charged, and the relife valve has failed, and the battery has ended up looking like a ball.
Gel batteries are usualy used in the likes of electric scooters, golf carts etc, all lead acid batteries are best stored fully charged, as Scummy does, though over charging a lead acid battery is just as detrimental to the life of the battery as under charging, a good rule of thum is not recharging a battery any longer than 24hrs max, and if you are recharging a lead acid battery regurly, then 4 to 8 hrs should be sufficiant in most cases.
Trical chargers keep putting a continuious charge into your battery, and have been known to ruin batteries reasonably quickly, so it is wise to disconect these battery chargers after you have recharged your battery.

[Pixie]

The only difference between a Gel Battery and standard Lead Acid is, the Acid in the gel Battery has a Gel agent in the battery, and are obviously non serviceable, though you have to watch recharging a Gel battery, as there is a pressure valve in the battery if the battery gets to hot, it can loose electrolite, I have seen Gel batteries where the battery has been seriously over charged, and the relife valve has failed, and the battery has ended up looking like a ball.
Gel batteries are usualy used in the likes of electric scooters, golf carts etc, all lead acid batteries are best stored fully charged, as Scummy does, though over charging a lead acid battery is just as detrimental to the life of the battery as under charging, a good rule of thum is not recharging a battery any longer than 24hrs max, and if you are recharging a lead acid battery regurly, then 4 to 8 hrs should be sufficiant in most cases.
Trical chargers keep putting a continuious charge into your battery, and have been known to ruin batteries reasonably quickly, so it is wise to disconect these battery chargers after you have recharged your battery.

A friend of mine who services UPS's calls them "pregnant" batteries.
It's not caused by failure of the valve and internal pressure increase,but by a chemical reaction causing excess lead sulphate making the plates swell.

[Big Dave]

Gel also allows the battery to be housed/mounted on an angle or...not bolt upright like Acid...man.

Some lies down under the seats's

[mashman]

though you have to watch recharging a Gel battery, as there is a pressure valve in the battery if the battery gets to hot, it can loose electrolite, I have seen Gel batteries where the battery has been seriously over charged, and the relife valve has failed, and the battery has ended up looking like a ball.


I had read about the sensitivity of charging gel batteries, pretty much puts them out of the running for me as the Prila is a hot sucka.



It's not caused by failure of the valve and internal pressure increase,but by a chemical reaction causing excess lead sulphate making the plates swell.

Apparantly you can get that sorted, some form of descaling... again, too much of a downside for me.

I see that they're building AGM/Gel hybrid batteries too. Way too confusing at the moment, so i'll just go for plain old wet-cells and pad the battery floor and sides.

[vifferman]

Gel also allows the battery to be housed/mounted on an angle or...not bolt upright like Acid...man.

Some lies down under the seats's
My battery is mounted at an angle - it's normal for the VFR due to lack of clearance. It's an AGM one - currently a 'MotoBatt' from Cycletreads, and blardy good value. Cost me less than the last crappy Koyo battery, and it's got higher CCAs and amp-hours than the standard Yuasa one.
If you haven't got a battery yet, check out Cycletreads.

[mashman]

Don't forget to do your linkage dogbones & swingarm needle bearings . Just done mine & all looked good after 53,000k's pulled them all out & cleaned them then repacked with Bellray waterproof grease plus checked the side link plates for wear . Have you replaced your plates with the stronger units for the 04 onwards from AF1 ?

Aye, i've had the new plates on for a couple of years now, well, since people started crashing anyway. The greasing is on the list. Only did it about 6k ago, but figure it's worth doing them whilst she's parked up for maintenance, just hope i don't drop any...

[mashman]

My battery is mounted at an angle - it's normal for the VFR due to lack of clearance. It's an AGM one - currently a 'MotoBatt' from Cycletreads, and blardy good value. Cost me less than the last crappy Koyo battery, and it's got higher CCAs and amp-hours than the standard Yuasa one.
If you haven't got a battery yet, check out Cycletreads.

Damn you man, you've gone and made me all confused again...

[mashman]

Wellllll the maintenance was all done. Bought myself a battery over the weekend, AGM no less for 50 bucks... forks are back in, still daylight left yesterday evening, gettin twitchy, excited at the prospect of thumbing the starter with absolutely anywhere to go... Fuckin battery doesn't fit... Ok, so it's a battery that's a general battery, replacing a few models etc... Pretty much any spec info I checked pointed to this battery being a simple fit... It fits straight into the space where the old battery was, but that's about it... seems like the spec is lies lies and damned lies, or at the very least, muchos misleading.

Problems are as follows:

My battery retainer (dunno it's proper name, the bit that holds the battery in place) has a tip over sensor on it. Unfortunately this battery, when viewed from the top, is a pretty symetrical plus symbol, albeit more rectangle along the width, whereas the Yuasa that it's replacing has the top of the plus sign removed so that the battery retainer can function. You can reverse the retainer, but the tip over sensor sits at a slightly different angle... something that i'm not comfortable with.

The spades on the wiring loom are too large for the space left for connecting the leads. Again, i could cut the wiring harness and change the spades, but again, i'm just not comfotable doing that either. Even with the spades slightly bent (was just checking) the screw still will not allow attachment to the battery.

All of the above is a bit of an assumption as these batteries are generic... but i'm starting to wonder if there are slightly different configurations of this battery i.e. with the top of the plus ripped off for an Aprilia... failing that, looks like i'll have to go back to the original battery...

Oh yeah, and no ride until then... grrrrrrrrr