How to recharge a flat battery?

[shanks]

Hey guys,

How can I recharge the batteries of my Hornet 250? I had a crash two months ago n whilst Im currently fixing the bike, the battery has gone flat.

Can I use the normal jumper leads of my car to the bike battery? I somehow doubt that since they are both different volts/amps I suppose?
Any advice?

Cheers

[Edbear]

Put it on a trickle charger, pref under 5amps after checking fluid level if that is poss. Once charged, test with a multi-tester that it is showing 12-13v.

You may not be able to recover it after this time flat but hopefully will.

The bike and car should both be 12v so worth a try jump starting at first.

[Hopeful Bastard]

I use my old mans Commercial Battery Charger hooked up through a Lightbulb which is then connected to my Battery. Works all the time for me.

Not recommended if you dont know what you doing.

[Virago]

You can't charge a battery by simply hooking it up across another battery - the balanced float voltage will be below that needed to effect a charge. Unless of course you keep the engine running in the car...

You need to charge the battery properly. Unless something was drawing power on the bike, it's unlikely that it's been dragged down to 0V, so it should recover.

Don't be tempted to jump-start it and let the bike charge the battery, the regulator/rectifier isn't designed for that, and you have a good chance of frying it.

[Macontour]

I am sure the bike will be 12 volts so a jump start off a car battery is no dramas as long as you connect negative(earth) connections first so as not to get a spark. Even better if the jumper leads are surge protected to protect the electrical systems of both vehicles from spikes.

Better though is a small or bike dedicated battery charger(trickle charger) that will charge at about half to one and a half amps.

Ensure taht the caps are off the battery if possible and do it ina well ventilated place as the Hydrogen gas produced is explosive.

Don't let the cells dry out.

[Macontour]

I am sure the bike will be 12 volts so a jump start off a car battery is no dramas as long as you connect negative(earth) connections first so as not to get a spark. Even better if the jumper leads are surge protected to protect the electrical systems of both vehicles from spikes.

Better though is a small or bike dedicated battery charger(trickle charger) that will charge at about half to one and a half amps.

Ensure that the caps are off the battery if possible and do it ina well ventilated place as the Hydrogen gas produced is explosive.

Don't let the cells dry out.

Oops Sorry!!

[Tigadee]

Better though is a small or bike dedicated battery charger(trickle charger) that will charge at about half to one and a half amps.


What about 2.5 amps? I have a charger already but not sure if it does MC batteries too...

[jellywrestler]

I am sure the bike will be 12 volts so a jump start off a car battery is no dramas as long as you connect negative(earth) connections first so as not to get a spark.

whoa, bad bad advice you always connect the earth LAST when jump starting and disconnect the earth FIRST. The reason for this is if while connecting to the live terminal if you slip and hit earth it's not connected to another battery and won't short out, then when that's done you connect the earth one.

[bikaholic]

There is an assumption here that both car and bike have a grounded negative.

[SMOKEU]

Buy yourself a small battery charger. I bought one about 4 years ago for around $15. Mine even does 6V batteries as well as 12V. It's a 1A model.

[jellywrestler]

There is an assumption here that both car and bike have a grounded negative.

not in my comment i never mentioned which pole was earthed...
Been a sparky for 33 years and used to work on 4400ampere hour batteries so know how they work well.
there's often a spark when hooking up jumper leads which people don't expect it's normal and no harm if they jump a little and touch an earth when they're going for an earth but if they jump a little when going for the other and slip onto an earth when the other ends already connected you've got yourself a welder right there and then...

[bikaholic]

not in my comment i never mentioned which pole was earthed...
Been a sparky for 33 years and used to work on 4400ampere hour batteries so know how they work well.
there's often a spark when hooking up jumper leads which people don't expect it's normal and no harm if they jump a little and touch an earth when they're going for an earth but if they jump a little when going for the other and slip onto an earth when the other ends already connected you've got yourself a welder right there and then...whoa bad advice, none of the above posts have considered that a cars polarity may not be that of the bikes. There are some oddball cars out there, and 6 volt ones too. I hire sparkies and if they don't do as they are told they are gone.

[jellywrestler]

whoa bad advice, none of the above posts have considered that a cars polarity may not be that of the bikes. There are some oddball cars out there, and 6 volt ones too. I hire sparkies and if they don't do as they are told they are gone.

listen carefully i didn't mention polarity at all, i mentioned earth and not earthed
, if someone doesn't know red to red and black to black at each end like the cables are colour coded then they shouldn't even be around a job like that.+

[bikaholic]

listen carefully i didn't mention polarity at all, i mentioned earth and not earthed
, if someone doesn't know red to red and black to black at each end like the cables are colour coded then they shouldn't even be around a job like that.+
Where have i indicated you mentioned polarity. And when a battery is positively earthed, the red lead goes to the frame, so it is not all about colour.

[Reckless]

Hey guys,

How can I recharge the batteries of my Hornet 250? I had a crash two months ago n whilst Im currently fixing the bike, the battery has gone flat.

Well my first thought is WTF a kiwi bloke that dont even know how to charge a battery jeepers??
Secondly your fixing a crashed bike that could hurt you with that sorta knowledge base??
Please get someone of experience to help you :)


And you two bloody hell LOL!!



whoa, bad bad advice you always connect the earth LAST when jump starting and disconnect the earth FIRST. The reason for this is if while connecting to the live terminal if you slip and hit earth it's not connected to another battery and won't short out, then when that's done you connect the earth one.


There is an assumption here that both car and bike have a grounded negative.

Given the extent of the knowledge above and the nature of posts you two have provided??
Should have well confused the living fuck outa the kid that's for sure.

Made my night you 2 have LMAO.

ok seeing as how I've stirred up a hornets nest I better put up or shut up :) here goes put simply I hope.

1 borrow/buy a 12v car or bike battery trickle charger
2 disconnect the battery. Earth lead first (negative or minus side) , then the positive (positive is the one with the plus next to it, should be coded red)
3 you might want to check water levels if required?? if its a sealed battery it will be ok
4 Correctly hook the battery up to the charger, plus to plus/red to red and minus to minus or black to black etc, then plug in and turn the charger on at the mains. Charge it overnight.
5 ensure you turn the mains supply to the charger off before disconnecting it from the battery once its charged. This is the most dangerous time for explosions from sparks when disconnecting the charger leads with gases around it from a freshly charged hot battery, so turn it off at the wall before you touch the connection leads.
6 Reinstall the battery hooking up the positive first then ground or earth/negative lead (usually black or Minus) last.

Jeepers that brings me back to the block coarse days :)

And seeing as how I've had a little giggle about you guys above I expect quite a few comments back, specially if I've missed anything LMAO!!!

[jonbuoy]

Where have i indicated you mentioned polarity. And when a battery is positively earthed, the red lead goes to the frame, so it is not all about colour.

You think he drives an Austin 7?? As long as the two vehicles aren´t touching it doesn´t matter if the car/bike he is jumping from or to is positive or negative earth as long as the positive goes to positive and negative goes to negative on the battery. 12V is 12V, unless its a 6v Willys Jeep or something. But yeah better to charge than jump start a car or bike with fuel injection.

[jellywrestler]

Where have i indicated you mentioned polarity. And when a battery is positively earthed, the red lead goes to the frame, so it is not all about colour.

They don't paint all the frames and chassis red when it's a positive earth I'm sure so it still means you have to work from the battery for polarity as they don't often put labels on vehicles these days either.

[jellywrestler]

2 disconnect the battery. Earth lead first (negative or minus side) , then the positive (positive is the one with the plus next to it, should be coded red)

there is absolutely no need to disconnect the second terminal, once one is disconnected there is a break in the 'circuit' and all is safe. This is why birds can sit on one power line without getting a shock...
just disconnect the earth will be fine rest is good advice though

[Reckless]

there is absolutely no need to disconnect the second terminal, once one is disconnected there is a break in the 'circuit' and all is safe. This is why birds can sit on one power line without getting a shock...
just disconnect the earth will be fine rest is good advice though

ah yes your quite right mr jelly I knew you'd spot something :)

I was automatically removing it for charging in the bench as I would normally do :yes:

Mind you?? I always remove and clean both terminals as part of normal charging procedure. :innocent:

anyway all good :love:

[Padmei]

Hey Shanks
I think after that time it'll be toast. Try it with a battery charger but i wouldn't hold my breath. (figuratively for the anal types)

[shanks]

Hey guys,

Thanks a lot for taking the time to give me procedures and suggestions!
The battery is finely working after charging it up with trickle charger from none other than our GiJoe!

Thanks again!

[Premature Accelerato]

So what about trickle chargers. How do these work? Can they be connected to your battery while it is still connected? or do you have to take one or both of the leads off. Like most late model bikes, getting the battery in and out is a pain in the arse so to be able to charge it in situ would be great. Are they worth the money or are they just a gimmick?

[shanks]

I had to take my battery out to and then connect it to the trickle charger. The charger runs on mains so they are not like the jump start ones that you can use when you're car breaks down in the middle of nowehere. But they are really handy when you havent used your bike for a while

[Coldrider]

I had to take my battery out to and then connect it to the trickle charger. The charger runs on mains so they are not like the jump start ones that you can use when you're car breaks down in the middle of nowehere. But they are really handy when you havent used your bike for a whileMy understanding is ( my out when it all goes wrong), is that the so called 'battery conditoners' can be connected to your battery while your battery is connected. Provided your motorcycyle is reletavely modern (i think this means post 1975).