Types of batteries for mopeds and scooters, chargers for them

Moto battery. How to choose and serve

Choosing a battery for a motorcycle is not an easy task. Each type, from lead-acid with a liquid electrolyte, to lithium-ion, has its own pros and cons, and there are also a number of urban legends associated with each type.

I have been working as a motor electrician for several years, and before that I was mainly involved in the development and repair of small electronic devices, and I am ready to claim that I understand this topic well enough to tell you about it.

Let's start with the simplest thing.

Numbers on the battery

The battery has two important parameters (except for the on-board voltage). The first is volume or capacity. It is measured in ampere-hours (Ah, Ah, Ah), and it is very simple to understand: capacity means the ability to produce a certain current (in other words, a certain power or a certain amount of heat, for example) for a certain time. For example, a 10Ah battery has a capacity that allows it to deliver 1 ampere for 10 hours, or a current of 10 amperes for 1 hour. And so on. The more ampere-hours in the battery, the longer it can work under a certain load - be it light, music, or cranking the starter of a poorly starting engine.

The second important parameter is the cold cranking current (aka CCA). It characterizes the battery's ability to deliver high currents. The fact is that no battery is capable of delivering an infinite number of amperes, especially in cold weather. And if your big V-twin with thick oil barely turns over in the cold and does not want to start, the battery with its small CCA is to blame, not being able to provide enough current for the electric starter to crank the engine at high speed. On the fingers, cold start current means the current that the battery is capable of delivering for 30 seconds at a temperature of -18 degrees Celsius, without dropping the voltage below 7.2 volts. The larger the engine capacity, the heavier it is, the colder, thicker the oil, the higher the compression ratio, the smaller the thermal clearances, and so on, the more cold start current is required from the battery. Sometimes even the depressed clutch plays an important role in how difficult it is for the starter to turn the engine, however, this has little to do with motorcycles, because we rarely drive in weather when engine oil turns into engine grease.

There are three problems with this important parameter. Firstly, manufacturers of motorcycle batteries do not always indicate it at all. Secondly, it may be greatly overestimated, since it is impossible to check it at home. And thirdly, and this is the most important thing, the value of the maximum cold start current inevitably decreases during the operation of the battery due to its wear.

Numbers on a motorcycle battery

Rules for choosing batteries for scooters or mopeds

The main point when choosing a unit is the battery’s resistance to capsizing.
You should also choose batteries with a long service life and a high initial current - for reliable operation at low temperatures. Among acid-base batteries, you need to choose those made using the AGM method. They are more reliable when turning over and shaking.

The most popular batteries are with parameters of twelve volts and four ampere hours. If desired, you can find more powerful devices.

Lead acid batteries

The oldest type of starting battery is still relevant today because it has an excellent price-quality ratio. This type of battery was developed back in the mid-19th century, and since then work has been ongoing to improve the quality and ease of use of these batteries.

I suggest not turning this article into a chemistry lesson, so I’ll keep it short. A typical 12-volt lead-acid battery consists of six cells in a plastic case.

Actually, the word “battery” here meant “a string, a series, a series of elements of the same type” - it was only later that we began to call any current sources, including those consisting of a single cell, batteries.

So, the cells of lead-acid batteries consist of lead plates with various additives and coatings for strength and increased current output. Sometimes the plus and minus plates have identical composition and design, but more often they are designed slightly differently, but this does not affect the essence. The plates are immersed in a solution of sulfuric acid in water, called an electrolyte. In a charged battery, there is some lead dioxide present on the plate. During the current transfer process, lead dioxide in the presence of acid is converted into lead sulfate and water, and metal lead with a sulfate ion at the second pole is converted into lead sulfate. When charging, a reverse reaction occurs, consuming lead sulfate, reducing it to metallic lead at one pole and converting it to lead oxide at the other, consuming water in the process.

It is important for us to remember this: sulfuric acid converts a certain amount of lead metal into sulfate immediately after filling the battery, so after filling the electrolyte, the battery is capable of delivering some current, but it cannot be considered fully charged. A fully charged battery has almost no lead sulfate in the electrolyte, and on one of the plates there is a layer of lead dioxide, while the second remains purely metal.

Another important nuance: if the battery, in which all the lead sulfate has turned into metallic lead and lead dioxide, is not disconnected from the current source, then the water in its electrolyte will begin to decompose into oxygen and hydrogen. There is one interesting feature here: the intensity of water decomposition depends on the voltage applied to the cell, because if it does not exceed a certain level, then oxygen and hydrogen do not fly away from the electrolyte, but combine back into the water, releasing a little heat. This is what ideally should be the maximum voltage in the on-board network of a car and motorcycle - at which the battery can be fully charged, i.e. to exhaust the supply of lead sulfate in the electrolyte, but at which water does not yet begin to evaporate in the form of detonating gas.

And here's where the fun part begins: the ideal voltage for different types of lead-acid batteries varies. Moreover, this is influenced not only and not so much by the type of battery design itself, but by additives to the plates. But more on that later.

Lead acid batteries

Types of Lead Acid Batteries

Depending on the form in which this acid is between the plates, batteries are divided into several types.

Standard wet batteries are the oldest type. In them, a solution of sulfuric acid in water literally splashes inside, and when charging such a battery, the solution mixes quite poorly, and although lead sulfate still remains in it, a certain amount of water necessarily decomposes into oxygen and hydrogen, regardless of the applied voltage. This is why such batteries require the addition of distilled water. The advantage of such batteries is their simplicity of design, and therefore their low cost. The downside is that liquid electrolyte can spill out of the battery if it is tilted at a certain angle, and it cannot be sealed due to the release of gases.

AGM batteries with absorbent glass mats are the most popular on modern motorcycles. Here, the liquid electrolyte is absorbed into a layer of glass wool placed between the plates, so it does not spill out of them under any conditions. However, the volume of electrolyte here is smaller, and therefore there is less water in it, so such batteries die especially easily when overcharged. But the acid concentration here is higher, so they produce more current, and at the top of the cells there is a recombination chamber in which the oxygen and hydrogen released when the cell is charged combine back into water, and its drops fall back into the cell and are absorbed into the glass wool. This is in an ideal world. But in fact, if overcharged too much, such a battery can turn into a bomb, so a valve is installed in the cell that releases detonating gas when a certain pressure is exceeded. Such batteries are also called by the abbreviation VRLA (which translates as valve-regulated lead-acid). Their advantages are the ability to work in a supine position, the absence of liquid electrolyte that can leak, good capacity and current output. Another advantage is the low tendency to form sulfation (which will be discussed below). One of the disadvantages is the small volume of water, as a result of which such batteries quickly deteriorate when overcharged.

There are also gel batteries, under which unscrupulous manufacturers often disguise batteries made using AGM technology. In real gel batteries, the electrolyte is thickened with a gelling agent, which prevents it from leaking out, but at the same time slows down the flow of ions, so such batteries do not have a very high current output, and they also need to be charged with a low current. Their use as starter batteries is extremely limited by these factors, and at least now I have not seen real gel models on sale. Anything marked with the words GEL or iGel are regular AGM batteries. The main thing that surprises is why the respected public decided that gel batteries in a motorcycle are something good. The best type of lead-acid starter battery is, without a doubt, AGM.

Exploitation

And in conclusion, a few words about the operation of batteries for scooters.

Selecting a memory

To charge the batteries of scooters belonging to the WET category with liquid electrolyte, it is quite possible to use charger models for car batteries. If you have an AGM or GEL type battery, then you need to use specialized devices to charge them.

The problem is that when overcharged (usually at 14.4 volts), gases begin to be released. This is the result of hydrolysis, which releases hydrogen and oxygen. In the case of liquid electrolyte, the gas is gradually released outside or recombined inside using a special system of channels in the lids.

In AGM and GEL batteries, when overcharged, gas will be released directly at the electrode plates, causing the fiberglass or gel to peel off from them. This will quickly lead to battery failure.

The charger (charger) must be able to charge the battery with a current of 10% of the rated capacity. In the case of AGM and GEL batteries, the charger must conduct the charging process according to a special algorithm that does not allow the release of gases on the electrodes. Typically, recommendations for a charger can be obtained from the manufacturers of batteries or vehicles of this type of battery.

Below are examples of scooter battery chargers.

Storage and maintenance

It is best to store a lead-acid battery in a fully charged state. This applies to both WET and AGM, GEL batteries. In some cases, batteries with liquid electrolyte are even constantly charged at a low current, which compensates for the self-discharge of the battery. As a result, the battery is constantly in a charged state.

Periodically (once a quarter) you need to recharge the battery from the mains charger. The fact is that when charging only from the on-board network during trips, the battery may be in an undercharged state. In winter, such recharging can be done more often (once a month).

There is no need to carry out any “training” of scooter batteries either before use or during use. Lead-acid batteries do not need this. Moreover, it is harmful for them. For WET batteries, complete discharge is generally unacceptable.

If you do not use the scooter for a long time (for example, in winter), you need to remove the battery, fully charge it and store it separately. If you have a lithium-ion battery, you need to store it in a half-charged state. It is also worth adding that the scooter battery must be kept clean. There should be no dust, dirt, or electrolyte leaks on it. Otherwise, a conductive layer is formed on the surface, which contributes to the self-discharge of the battery.

How does a motorcycle battery work?

The battery installed in the electrical circuit of a motorcycle is one of the sources of electromotive force and currents flowing in the electrical circuit. In the battery itself, current flows due to the transfer of electrical charge by ions that give or take away electrons, and the main thing that is important for us to understand here is that chemical reactions in the battery cannot be stopped, unlike, for example, the rotation of an engine.

While the battery is disconnected, the electrons in it move from one pole to the other, and very little energy is spent on this, but when an external consumer is connected, everything speeds up: the electrons have the opportunity to go a different way, transferring the energy of chemical reactions with their movement. A large load, such as starting the engine with an electric starter, leads to the fact that a large flow of charge carriers - electrons - leaves the battery and the same large flow returns to the second terminal from the electrical network, and under the influence of such powerful dynamics of the exchange of charge carriers, chemical processes in the battery are significantly accelerated. Sulfate ions of sulfuric acid combine with the lead atoms of the plates, emit “extra” electrons, giving them additional energy, and they transfer it to where it is spent - to the electric starter, to power the switch or ECU, and so on, until the battery is exhausted. chemical energy for these reactions to occur. This occurs at the point when all the sulfuric acid (H2SO4) has not been converted into lead sulfate covering the surfaces of the plates, and the electrolyte in this state is water. Roughly speaking, lead sulfate is a waste product from the reaction in a battery that produces electricity, but unlike most waste, this type of waste can be reused.

When the battery is charged, the process of lead sulfate formation is reversed: lead oxide, sulfuric acid and metallic lead are formed in the battery, and thus chemical energy is returned to this system, which the system again becomes capable of delivering.

The motorcycle electrical network works on the following principle: to start the engine, the electric starter and other consumers take a fairly large portion of energy from the battery, and when the engine is started and running, the generator, which is usually located on the engine shaft, begins to generate electricity. This energy enters the relay-regulator, which is a rectifier and stabilizer: it rectifies alternating current from the generator into direct current and supplies a stable (if possible) voltage to the on-board network. At idle speed, it is usually only enough to operate the main systems of the motorcycle (lights, ECU, dashboard, ignition, etc.), but as soon as the engine starts operating at higher speeds, the battery connected to the on-board network begins to charge.

Here's where the catch lies: a perfectly manufactured lead-acid battery that, once the engine starts, is fully charged (i.e. it depletes the supply of lead sulfate on the plates, turning into metallic lead and lead oxide), but is not recharged (i.e. in it, water does not decompose or is completely returned to the cells), it can work almost forever. But if, after starting the engine, the lead sulfate on the plates is not allowed to completely dissolve and turn into oxide and metallic lead, then it forms lead sulfate crystals, which turn into a dielectric film on the surface of the plate, through which ions do not pass, which reduces the operating plate area, and therefore current output and capacity. This process is called sulfation (and the battery that has undergone it becomes sulfated), and only a special form of current issued by smart chargers in desulfation mode can remove this film from the plate. In this mode, a battery whose plates are not too heavily sulfated can be restored to almost its full condition.

Three more unpleasant effects associated with lead sulfate are that the plates of conventional lead-acid batteries with liquid electrolyte are made porous in order to increase their effective ion exchange area. When lead sulfate crystals begin to grow in these pores, over time they grow to such a size that they destroy the metal lead around them, making the plate loose and increasing its volume. Such crystals are even more difficult to dissolve because the metal area of ​​the plate around them decreases and its ability to conduct current deteriorates.

The second effect is that the crumbled plates can form a bridge at the bottom of the cell, and then it (the cell) stops producing current altogether. And the third effect of sulfation is that it is very undesirable to leave an undercharged battery in the cold, since lead sulfate much more readily forms a dense insoluble layer in the cold, and water (which the electrolyte of a discharged battery turns into) freezes in the cold, swelling the battery and damaging its plates .

Moto AGM battery: commissioning

Hello, Habr! Today we will put into operation a dry-charged motorcycle AGM battery
. This manual can also be used for conventional dry-charged calcium batteries with liquid electrolyte.

At the same time, we will discuss how different types of lead-acid batteries differ, and how this affects their use. As always, there will be videos and instrument readings.

Such small batteries are used in motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, jet skis, snowmobiles, cultivators, mini-tractors and even sprayers.

The main difference between a motorcycle AGM battery and conventional backup batteries (for uninterruptible power supplies, UPS) and traction batteries is the purpose, according to which key parameters are standardized. Batteries intended for different purposes and conditions of use have different parameters.

The voltages in this article will be given for the most common 12-volt batteries, which includes the experimental one.

For a starter or low-power backup battery, the title is the useful capacity of a 20-hour, sometimes 10-hour discharge to 10.5 or 10.8 volts under load. Example
- GS-12-12 L: 12 volts, 12 amp hours.

For traction (deep cycle) as the main parameter

the capacity of a 2-hour discharge is normalized (6-DZM-12: 6 cans, that is, 12V, 12 A*h), for a powerful backup - the power of a 15-minute discharge (HR-W 12-34: 12V, 34 watts per can ). Here is the answer to the question why a traction or premium UPS battery of the same voltage, the same title capacity has a weight, price and sometimes size noticeably higher than that of a budget UPS line.

, Peukert's law comes into force

, according to which the useful delivered capacity will be lower than at lower currents.
The reasons for this phenomenon
are polarization and clogging of the pores of the active masses with reaction products, in the case of a lead battery - with lead sulfate crystals. The way out is to add more active masses, which, along with a more durable design of current leads, plates and separators that prevent their destruction, will also be useful for improving the following characteristics.

The second and third most important parameters

are the number of charge-discharge cycles and service life with constant buffer charging until the capacity is reduced by 20-40 percent. In addition, in the information sheet (datasheet) for the battery, manufacturers usually provide tables and graphs of capacity at different currents and discharge power to different voltages, taking into account temperature.

Unlike traction and reserve batteries, after capacity, the starter battery has the second, most key parameter

- starting current, normalized as cold cranking current according to one or another measurement standard.
It is this that determines the ability to start the engine with a starter, which is the primary task of a car or motorcycle battery. Therefore, the main property
of a starter battery is to produce a very significant current for a short time, and then promptly replenish the expended charge from the generator.

The starter battery of a modern vehicle, in which there are many consumers of electricity, including such powerful ones as heating devices and winches, which is often operated in the “urban” mode for short trips, in addition to decent capacity, must have a third important property

- the ability to withstand cycling and long-term stay in a state of partial charge -
PSoC, partial state of charge
. That is why AGM or EFB (SFB, etc.) are increasingly being installed under the hood - starter batteries that have some features of traction batteries.

In AGM - absorbent glass mat

- the liquid electrolyte does not splash freely, but impregnates fiberglass separators - glass mats. Similar glass mats, along with envelopes protecting the plates, can be used in the EFB design, where the electrolyte splashes freely. Also, these premium-segment batteries are equipped with reinforced grids and thicker active masses compared to conventional starter and cheap reserve ones. All this increases reliability and durability, but most often complicates the diffusion of ions and mixing of the electrolyte, therefore, when operating advanced batteries, their features should be taken into account.

So, we have a new AGM battery Siltech DC MF 1205 12 V 5 Ah. The kit includes a passport with instructions in Russian, the battery itself, screws with nuts for the terminals, a convenient battery of capsules with dosed electrolyte and valve plugs for the filler necks, structurally combined with the top cover.

Containers with electrolyte should not be opened; the films on the necks of the capsules are pierced by the needles of the filler necks when installing the container on the battery. But we will still pierce one of the films to measure the density with a refractometer. (Don't repeat this!)

The density is slightly higher than 1.31. Once again we are convinced that high-density electrolyte is poured into the AGM.

Forming of dry-charged batteries is carried out at the factory, then the plates are dried, and the battery is assembled from the dry molded plates. We tear off the sticker that protects from oxygen, moisture and dust, we see the filler necks with needles.

Before filling the electrolyte, connect a voltmeter with a recorder to the battery terminals to see how the chemical current source is activated. The initial battery temperature is 24.3 degrees Celsius.

Carefully turn the dispenser container over, place it on top of the battery and push it down, piercing the films on the necks. This had to be done with both hands. it was necessary to apply force evenly on the left and right sides.

Not all the electrolyte has yet reached the battery banks, and its temperature has already risen by almost 2 degrees, to 26.2.

After making sure that all the electrolyte has leaked out, remove the dispenser container. Temperature 31 degrees.

Activation is in full swing, with heat being released. The reaction is exothermic.

Since the electrolyte entered the jars unevenly, the voltage increase during activation was also uneven. In one minute, the open circuit voltage (OCV) rose from 10.72 to 12.55 volts, then for two minutes it rose to 12.7 and continues to rise.

Half an hour has passed, 12.78 V at the terminals. The temperature drops, activation can be considered complete.

Motorcycle batteries are marked according to the Japanese industrial standard JIS. The manufacturer labeled our battery with its own code DC MF 1205, but in JIS this size is designated UT5L-BS. We select this item in the tester menu.

Internal resistance 18.18 mOhm, cold cranking current 165 A, NRC 12.72 V. The battery is working.

The tester shows that the battery is fully charged, but the instructions prescribe that before installing the battery on the vehicle after activation, it must be charged, otherwise the battery loses up to 20% of its capacity.

The instructions recommend charging with a current of 1/10 of the capacity (in our case, 500 mA), and stopping the charge when the voltage reaches 16 volts. It is recommended to fully charge on a stationary charger at least once every 3 months.

In the Vector auto electrics laboratory, when charging with direct current, before high-voltage additional charging, we prefer to carry out the main charge stage with a current of 10% of the capacity to a voltage of 14.1 to 14.8 volts, depending on the type of battery, (usually 14.4-14.7), wait for the current to decrease at this voltage , and then charge at higher voltage with a lower current, usually 2% of capacity.

However, the one-stage profile from the Siltech instructions instructs not to keep the battery at 16 volts, but to immediately turn off the charge when this voltage is reached. Since this is a starter AGM, this profile can be considered suitable for a safe charge, but in this case it is important not to miss the moment it reaches 16 volts and immediately turn off the current.

You can charge either with a stabilized source of current and voltage in the form of a charger (charger) or power supply, or with a charger with automatic adjustment of charge parameters with microprocessor control in real time. There are many such advanced machines today, for example, foreign STEC, Optimate, NOCO and domestic products from LB-Electro, Avtoelektro, Balsat. We will use the Berezhok-V device based on the Vympel-30 charger manufactured by Orion St. Petersburg.

When starting the charge, the machine supplied a current to our 5 A*h battery, which increased in about a second from the 0.5 to 5 amperes recommended in the instructions, that is, 1C, 100% of the capacity, a seemingly tenfold increase. What is this, a glitch, a glitch, an error or a flaw in the algorithm?

In fact, there is no excess.

According to Woodbridge, the current at the start of constant voltage charging is exactly 100% of the capacity. And such a beginning of the first stage is far from uncommon in the world of ultra-fast charging methods and useful models that implement them. On the contrary, it happens every day - under the hood of a car. A car's generator often supplies 60 amps, or even more, 60 Ah to the battery. But this does not mean that this way you can charge the battery in an hour, or that this current can be kept up to 16 volts. As soon as the terminal voltage reaches the voltage regulator setting, the charging current is reduced.

The condition of the battery does not always allow it to accept such a high current after starting the engine with the starter; a progressive imbalance due to undercharging and sulfation often interferes. And alas, a full equalizing restoration charge can never be carried out at the voltages of the car’s on-board network (if we don’t talk about hypothetical complex microprocessor systems, where the on-board network has a charge controller, a battery current sensor, and so on). Therefore, at least once every 3 months, the battery needs a stationary charge. Stationary - that is, not from a standard generator, but from a specialized charger or power source, adequately controlled manually or automatically.

There were 5 amps at 13.5 volts, and after 5 minutes at 14.1 V there were only 4 amps. Further, the voltages will increase, and the maximum currents will decrease; this is a general rule for almost all methods and charge profiles. The exception is special modes for effective mixing of the electrolyte, when significant currents are supplied during overvoltages for a standardized time, as well as buffer and periodic recharging modes in storage. The stage parameters also depend on the battery temperature, which can change in one direction or another for internal and external reasons several times during the charge.

The next morning the charger is in storage mode and the charge is complete. There are 13 volts at the terminals.

The tester shows 16.38 mOhm, 184 A, 12.88 V. The battery parameters have improved compared to those before charging: 18.18 mOhm, 165 A, NRC 12.72 V.

We will configure the electronic load for a 20-hour discharge current according to GOST up to 10.5 volts. For a 5 Ah battery, this current is 250 mA.

The battery delivered 5.461 Ah. Excellent result.

On a discharged battery, the tester shows 129.87 mOhm, TCP 24 A, health 16%, NRC 11.03 V, and instructs to charge and recheck.

The degree of charge is 0%, therefore the internal resistance is high, health and current output are low. We'll charge.

2 hours have passed after charging, you can close the lid and use the battery for its intended purpose. It has been put into operation.

The tester readings after the discharge are 15.27 mOhm, 196 A, 12.92 V. Thanks to the control and training cycle (CTC), they have improved even more from the previous 16.38 mOhm, 184 A, 12.88 V. Battery health is 100%.

Based on the results of measurements

, both the starting current and the capacity of this battery correspond to the declared ones, the manufacturer is not deceiving, this dry-charged battery can be recommended for purchase.

So, after filling a dry-charged lead-acid battery, it really needs to be charged so as not to lose capacity and current output, which we saw from the instrument readings in this experiment.

The article was compiled in collaboration with battery engineer Victor VECTOR.

Why do batteries die?

As I already mentioned, from too much lead sulfate, that is, from operation in an undercharged state. Or from long-term storage in an undercharged state in the cold - do you hear where I’m going with this? That's right. It is necessary to charge the battery in the winter, and if you want to keep it longer, it makes sense to connect a so-called standby or maintenance charger to it. This device connects to the battery and monitors its condition, maintaining a constant charge level in it, but without causing water decomposition. Sounds risky? Don’t want to leave the charger on in a garage that you don’t visit for six months? Then alas.

What kills batteries

Undercharging leading to sulfation, which leads to a decrease in capacity and a decrease in current output. But the worst thing is to let the battery run out, and then smoke the motorcycle from the car - it will greedily and gladly take current from the powerful on-board network of the car, but will not be able to cope with it. This is especially true for lithium batteries (more on that below). Frost is also fatal for a discharged battery. Overcharging (from a low-quality, faulty charger or on-board network relay regulator) first of all dries out the battery, and too high a voltage can even decompose the acid (in this case, the battery smells like rotten eggs). But this smell cannot be ignored, and I personally recommend adding water even to supposedly maintenance-free AGM batteries - therefore, I still consider undercharging to be the main enemy of the battery.

How to check the battery

How to check the battery
Very simple. But you need to understand that checking it in idle mode is not enough. We are interested in its operating parameters.

Set your multimeter to 20V DC (i.e., measure DC voltage between 0 and 20 volts), make sure the probes are in the voltage sockets (there are often other sockets for measuring current, and you don't want to see how your multimeter will burn when it is shorted with the motorcycle battery probes), and connect the black probe to the negative and the red probe to the positive of the battery.

A live battery will show from 12.5 to 12.9 volts, it depends on the technology and additives. For example, for AGM, plates alloyed with calcium are most often used - such batteries boil away less and withstand a slightly higher charging voltage, and therefore their no-load voltage is slightly higher). But don’t worry too much about this, because your motorcycle’s relay-regulator still doesn’t have the slightest idea about what kind of battery is in the on-board network.

A voltage below 12.5 volts indicates that the battery is either undercharged or already dying. Above 12.9 means that the engine has recently been started and the battery has had time to charge and warm up. You need to wait half an hour and measure the voltage again.

Next we start the motorcycle. During startup, the voltage should not drop too much. Here I won’t give true numbers, because they depend on the speed of the multimeter and a whole bunch of other factors, but the guideline is this: if when starting the engine the voltage in the on-board network does not drop below 9 volts, then everything is most likely in order.

Now let's spin the engine up to 3-4 thousand rpm. Here the voltage in the on-board network (that is, at the battery terminals) should be in the range from 13.5 to 14.5 volts. More than 15 is definitely not good, but in the range from 14.5 to 15 it is acceptable, but usually indicates that the battery does not take current well, and therefore is not able to drain the on-board network. If you have access to a service manual for your motorcycle, it may indicate a procedure for checking the battery. There can be indicated two values ​​of engine rotation speed and the corresponding nominal voltage values ​​​​in the on-board network - for example, at idle and at 5000 rpm.

Some modern motorcycles have smart relay regulators that first allow the battery to restore charge as quickly as possible, and then reduce the voltage to 14 volts to reduce water breakdown.

How to determine that the battery is not being charged in the on-board network? Honestly, the best way is to drive for a couple of hours outside the city, let it cool down for an hour, and then plug the charger into it and see how much charge it takes. Normally it shouldn’t, but if it takes a lot and greedily, it means it’s not charging enough.

Choosing a scooter battery

When choosing a battery for a scooter or moped, you need to consider the following points:

• electrical characteristics;
• form factor and design (dimensions, type of terminals, etc.);
• battery type;
• the presence of additional functions that simplify operation (charge indicator);
• brand.

About the types of scooter batteries, suffice it to say here that they are WET, AGM and GEL. In electric scooters you can find lithium-ion batteries, which act as traction batteries rather than starter batteries. Although starter Li-Ion models can sometimes be found on scooters with internal combustion engines (ICE). More details about the types of batteries for scooters will be discussed in a separate section. Examples of battery lines for scooters from various brands will also be given below. Here we will look at the main parameters of batteries.

Electrical characteristics

One of the key parameters for choosing a battery is its capacity. The other two electrical specifications are rated voltage and inrush current.

The vast majority of scooter models are equipped with a battery with a nominal voltage of 12 volts and a capacity of 4 to 9 Ah. On sale you can find motorcycle batteries with a capacity of up to 30 Ah. However, models over 15 Ah are usually installed on motorcycles and ATVs with a large engine capacity. The starting current ranges from 20 to 90 amperes. In the case of lithium-ion starter batteries, this value can reach 180 amperes. However, in most cases, this current is not required to start the scooter engine.

The capacity of the scooter battery should be greater, the higher the engine capacity. A similar relationship can be seen between the magnitude of the starting current and the volume of the motor.

Dimensions and terminals

In the case of scooter batteries, there are significantly more form factors and types of terminals than for car starter batteries. Therefore, the choice here must be made in accordance with the recommendations of the scooter manufacturer or purchase a battery completely similar to the old one. In most cases, the larger the battery's dimensions, the greater its rated capacity. Common sizes include the following:

• 114×39×87, 115×50×86, 120×61×129, 150×86×94, 151×71×107 mm (models with a capacity of up to 9 Ah);
• 150×87×131, 151×71×130, 151×88×147, 207×71.5×164, 151×88×164, 177×88×154 mm (models with a capacity of 10─20 Ah);
• 181×77×167, 176×87×154, 168×126×175, 165×125×175, 205×85×162, 166×130×175 mm (models with a capacity of 20─30 Ah).

The polarity of the batteries can be either direct or reverse. Scooter batteries also have a wide variety of terminals. Some manufacturers may adhere to accepted standards, while others produce batteries with their own type of mounts. At the following links you can read more information about battery polarity and terminals.

Other

Some manufacturers produce battery models with additional capabilities. For example, this could be a charge indicator.

On car batteries, similar indicators have an “eye” that changes color depending on the state of charge. On scooter batteries, similar indicators can be found in the form of a liquid crystal display.

Below you can see what this looks like using Red Energy batteries as an example.

Is it possible to charge a motorcycle battery with a car charger?

Complex issue. Manufacturers of smart motorcycle battery chargers want you to trust them and be afraid to use products from other brands. But they forget that most motorcyclists are thinking people.

On the one hand, car batteries are much larger than motorcycle batteries and are capable of both delivering and taking much higher currents. Therefore, chargers for them are made more powerful. If the charge tracking circuit of such a charger is implemented clumsily, it is quite capable of overlooking the fact that the motorcycle battery has already been charged and boiling it.

On the other hand, a battery installed in the on-board network of a motorcycle is charged according to the Spartan principle: it is supplied with a voltage higher than its output, and it takes as much current from the on-board network as it can take. Approximately the same process occurs when charging a motorcycle battery from a car charger. If the battery is not completely empty, that is, it is used in normal mode, then the car charger will not do anything particularly new with it.

The main thing is to disconnect the positive terminal from the battery if you charge it with a powerful charger right on the motorcycle. This is because some of them implement desulfation algorithms that try to “break through” the sulfate film with pulses of increased voltage. The on-board network (in particular, the ECU) is often not completely de-energized when the key is removed, and may not evaluate pulses with an amplitude of 18-20 volts.

How to find out the battery capacity of your motorcycle

Each battery is marked with all the necessary data.

Sometimes the marking is in a continuous format and looks something like this: 12V12Ah. Explanation: voltage – 12 volts, capacity – 12 ampere-hours.

There are several other types of less common markings, which are shown in the diagram below.

If for some reason this parameter is not indicated on your battery, you can look at the data sheet. It usually lists not only the capacity of the battery installed at the factory, but also the range of battery capacities that can be installed on the bike. This is done in case a specific factory battery model cannot be found. Well, or if you think that you need a higher starting current than provided by the manufacturer (we’ll talk about why such situations can arise a little lower).

If this option does not work (the registration certificate is far away or lost), you can use the services of one of the online services, which will not only tell you the battery capacity, but also select the right battery according to the model of your motorcycle.

Charging algorithms

The simplest charger works like this: it supplies current to the battery until the voltage across it reaches the ceiling, then turns off until the terminal is disconnected from the battery. However, this is a very “gentle” mode, which essentially does not allow the battery to be fully charged. The fact is that the maximum voltage on the battery is reached long before it runs out of lead sulfate. Therefore, if the charger stops pouring current into the battery (that is, turns off the voltage supply to it), then under no circumstances will it be able to recharge this battery. One way to get around this problem is to reconnect the battery to it half an hour to an hour after it shows a full charge.

More advanced chargers use various smart and patented algorithms that allow you to use up the entire supply of lead sulfate without boiling the electrolyte - for example, we charge for half an hour, wait for half an hour, then check whether the voltage has dropped, and if so, then add more current, and so on. Duty chargers work in much the same way - they constantly monitor the voltage on the connected battery and recharge it when it drops below a certain level. Note that simply connecting the battery to a constant voltage source is not the best solution, because the ions in the electrolyte do not migrate to the plates very quickly, and it is possible that the electrolyte has already decomposed at the plates, but still contains lead sulfate somewhere in between.

By the way, most standby chargers are directly designed for use with a connected battery. Many are equipped with a special connector that can be brought out somewhere convenient and a charger can be connected to it without the need to attach additional terminals or clamps to the battery terminals. And some on-duty chargers generally recommend connecting it to the battery and leaving it like that, if necessary, simply plugging the charger into a 220V network. There are options for connecting via the cigarette lighter socket, however, it depends on its implementation: if it is connected via a relay, then when the ignition is turned off, the cigarette lighter is disconnected from the battery.

Predicted battery wear

Those who use uninterruptible power supplies know that the batteries in them last 2-3 years, after which they dry out completely. Conspiracy theorists will talk about predictable wear and tear, and Occam's razor supporters will talk about the not-so-smart designer. The truth is that both of these options only work when the main stupid link is the user: in a UPS, the batteries are constantly under voltage, so even a very small evaporation of water over a couple of years leads to complete failure of the battery. By adding water to the battery, you will definitely extend its life. This also applies to motorcycle batteries.

The importance of choosing a battery with the correct capacity

If you purchase a battery with insufficient capacity, it may not have enough cranking current to start your motorcycle engine. Or for the normal operation of headlights, lighting and other electrical equipment, which is becoming more and more common on modern bikes. In addition, it is worth considering that in the cold season, starting the engine is even more difficult due to low temperatures. And in such a situation, it is extremely useful to have some reserve battery capacity.

You can buy a battery with a slightly larger capacity than was installed at the factory. Many manufacturers try to save money and do not equip their products with the most powerful available options. But before you take this step, make sure that a battery with a higher capacity will fit in the space allocated to it. In the table above, you can see that the larger the battery capacity, the more space it takes up in all three parameters. In addition, do not forget that buying a battery with a larger capacity means an additional overpayment, which is most often unjustified. And this overpayment can be avoided if you correctly select the battery capacity.

Pros of lithium-ion batteries

The fact is that they lack one of the main disadvantages of lead-acid. The capacity of lead-acid batteries seems quite large, for example 10 amp hours implies that this battery can hold a load of 10 amps for an hour, or 20 amps continuously for half an hour, or 40 amps for 15 minutes at a time. Yes, but not so. 40 amperes is a current quite sufficient to turn over a medium-sized motorcycle engine, and 15 minutes of such work seems like a lot. But in fact, lead-acid batteries are not capable of delivering really high current at any state of charge.

That is, a half-empty lead-acid battery will no longer be able to produce 40 amperes, but the same 10 amperes will be sufficient. Therefore, formally its capacity is large, but its useful capacity (for the operation of the electric starter) is half, or even four times less.

Lithium-ion batteries are capable of delivering powerful currents up to the deepest discharge. Therefore, a 4-amp-hour lithium battery can start the engine more times than a 10-amp-hour lead battery. Plus, lithium batteries are lighter and more compact, even with comparable capacities. But they also have disadvantages, in particular the price.

Is lithium safe?

Of course, these batteries are certified and tested under adequate conditions. The main thing is that their operation occurs in normal modes.

For example, overcharging a lithium-ion battery can cause it to catch fire, so if you're thinking of replacing your stock lead-acid battery with a lithium one, check to see if your motorcycle's electrical system is compatible with lithium. For example, if the voltage in it can exceed 14.6 volts, it’s better not to, since this is the upper safe limit for a lithium-ion motor battery. Once again, the worst thing that can happen to a lithium-ion battery is overcharging.

Such batteries have a much lower self-discharge than lead-acid ones, but in most modern motorcycles there is bound to be some leakage to power the ECU, immobilizer and the like, even when the key is removed from the ignition. This is not to mention the alarm system, which can use up the charge of even a full lead battery in a couple of days if it is noisy or windy outside, or the feedback signal is unstable, and so on. Here we come to another point: lithium motorcycle batteries do not tolerate deep discharge and also become dangerous. The third nuance is that it is highly advisable to purchase a special charger for such a battery.

How do you choose a battery?

When you go to an online battery store, does the variety of batteries give you a headache? Let's try to sort everything out. Battery size – Firstly, it is worth determining what size battery is suitable for our motorcycle or scooter. Most manufacturers have unified their names, so that batteries with the same external dimensions have names, for example: YTX9. Often the first letter of the battery name is the manufacturer's designation, for example MTX9 = YTX9.

Motorcycle batteries

Types of Lithium Ion Batteries

There is some confusion with the term "lithium-ion" - it describes the technology rather than the specific chemistry of the battery. To make matters worse, different lithium-ion batteries have different cell voltages, but this information can help you understand what type of battery is used in a particular device (including a motorcycle).

All lithium-ion cells are divided into two groups. The nominal voltage in the first is 3.2-3.3 volts, and in the second - 3.6-3.7 volts.

Motorcycle batteries built on lithium ferrophosphate (LiFePO4) technology, also known as iron phosphate or nanophosphate, consist of four cells with a nominal value of 3.2 volts, giving a total of 12.8 volts and charging up to 14.4 volts (maximum - 14.6 volts).

Some manufacturers, for marketing reasons, state that their batteries have a nominal cell voltage of 3.3 volts (and together they then give 13.2 volts), but the LFP or LiFe marking will tell an understanding person that this is still the same 12.8- volt LiFePO4.

There are other lithium-ion battery chemistries, such as lithium cobalt oxide, lithium manganese, or even a combination of the two known as lithium polymer (the cells in these batteries are soft and can be molded into different shapes in the factory), but they all have a nominal cell voltage equal to 3.6-3.7 volts. Nowadays, 3.6-volt cells are almost never found, but high-voltage lithium-polymer cells with a nominal value of 3.85 volts can be found. Cells with a voltage of 3.7 volts should be charged with a voltage no higher than 4.2 volts, and at 3.85 V - no higher than 4.35 V.

However, these are not used in motorcycles. Mainly because three of these cells provide 11.1 volts (such a battery can be charged up to 12.6 volts, higher is dangerous), and four - 14.8 volts, which is outside the permissible voltage range for standard 12-volt motorcycle electrics . However, three- and four-cell batteries are used in jump starters, and three-cell batteries have a protective board built into the positive wire that prevents the flow of current from the on-board network to the jump starter to avoid overcharging and overheating.

No lithium-ion technology can withstand overcharging and can ignite if overheated.

Lines of scooter batteries from some manufacturers

Below is a brief look at the range of batteries for scooters from well-known global brands.

Varta

Varta's scooter battery offerings include AGM, GEL and WET models.

• Powersports AGM;
• Powersports Freshpack;
• Powersports GEL.

Bosch

Bosch offers two lines of batteries for scooters.

Exide

The Tab company presents various models for motorcycle equipment in the Moto line.

• Standard Conventional;
• High Performance;
• Maintenance Free;
• Factory Sealed Activated (AGM);
• Gel (GEL).

Mutlu

The Turkish manufacturer offers batteries for scooters and other motorcycles under the Golden brand. They are supplied dry-charged and with a kit for filling electrolyte.

How does a LiFePO4 motorbattery work?

Each cell contains an anode made of carbon, a cathode made of lithium ferrophosphate, and between them is an electrolyte made of lithium perchloride. In a discharged state, all the lithium is in the cathode and electrolyte, and in a charged battery, lithium ions move to the carbon anode. It's porous, so lithium ions fill those pores, and the battery is charged when they're all filled.

When the battery discharges, lithium ions leave the anode and are directed to the cathode, simultaneously creating an electromotive force between them and transferring energy through the flow of electrons through the connected load. Looks simple? But there are nuances.

When discharging, you should not completely empty the carbon anode, and when charging, you should not direct more lithium ions to it than enters it, and it is also undesirable to dissolve the lithium cathode. During overdischarge, when a deficiency of lithium ions occurs in the carbon anode, it begins to collapse as the walls of its pores become brittle. When overcharging, two troubles occur at once: at the cathode, pores capable of emitting lithium ions close, and at the anode, excess ions collide with carbon and heat it, which can cause it to ignite.

Unlike lead-acid batteries, it is better to keep lithium-ion batteries undercharged (since a fully charged battery is vulnerable to overcharging), but it should not be allowed to overdischarge below 30% - 13 volts, in other words.

How to maintain a gel battery for a scooter?

Gel battery maintenance

Do not allow the battery to completely discharge. Although the battery continues to operate during deep discharge, this mode leads to a decrease in its electrical capacity. The charge level should be periodically monitored with a multimeter and must be charged at least once a season.

The battery can withstand long-term storage in a discharged state, and can be stored at low temperatures. It is advisable to carry the charger with you so that in the event of a deep discharge it is possible to recharge in any place where there is an electrical outlet.

How to extend the life of gel batteries?

During charging, the voltage at the terminals should be monitored; it should not exceed 15 V. If the voltage is exceeded, the battery, due to its complete sealing, may swell due to internal gas formation, and the active plates inside will corrode.

IMPORTANT: To extend the service life of a completely discharged battery, it is necessary to reduce the charging current from 10% of the nominal capacity by half, to 5% of the capacity, and increase the charging time to 24 hours. Following the example above, the charging current should be 0.35 A. If it so happens that the scooter’s battery is completely discharged, it should be restored in this mode, with a low charging current and an increase in charging time.

With proper use of a gel battery, its service life is extended to 10 years, the number of charge/discharge cycles it can withstand reaches 1000.

Limitations of Li-ion Batteries

With a lot of advantages, lithium-ion batteries for a motorcycle are not an absolute blessing. Usually you need a good reason to replace lead with lithium: they have excellent starting current, but they really don't like to work in the cold, they are light and good for sports driving, but have either a small volume or a significant price tag. And they are also not at all suitable for motorcycles in which small consumers operate with the ignition off - for example, trackers or alarms. For tourism, when weight and volume do not impose critical restrictions, it is better to choose a high-quality AGM battery.

Which memory is better to use?

When purchasing a scooter or moped, it is strongly recommended to read the operating instructions. It describes which batteries are suitable for the selected model and which chargers to use.

Do not try to charge the battery of a charger that is not suitable for this type of battery.

Do you have a scooter or moped? Tell us in the comments what kind of battery you use and how much you like it. This will help make the site content more complete and useful.

Source

How to charge a lithium battery

Only with a special charger for lithium batteries. If the battery can be recharged safely from the on-board network (the voltage of which does not exceed 14.6 volts), then in chargers for lead batteries there may well be voltage peaks that can explode a lithium battery. Moreover, its charge level must be carefully monitored to prevent it from falling below a critical value. If this does happen and the voltage drops below 12 volts, then the initial restoration of the anode should occur with a very low current until the battery begins to take a charge normally, reaching a voltage of 12.8 volts. Conventional lead chargers cannot provide anything similar.

Some (but not all) lithium batteries have a built-in protection board. Such boards are called BMS (battery management system) and provide protection against overcharge and overdischarge by turning off the battery output when unsuitable conditions are detected, and BMS also provide cell balancing (equalizing the voltage across them for a more uniform charge and current output). If the BMS has disconnected the battery output, then you can reset it using a special lithium charger - it determines that the correct voltage source is connected to it and connects the battery back.

So, after spending on a new high-tech battery, don't forget about a charger for it. It will be unprofitable and even dangerous to manage with just the on-board network of a motorcycle.

Typical capacities of motor batteries

The category of motor batteries includes not only batteries directly for bikes, but also devices for a wide range of motor vehicles: scooters, mopeds, ATVs, snowmobiles, jet skis and even lawn mowers. Therefore, the range of capacities of such batteries is very wide: from 2.3 to 30 ampere-hours. If we take into account only batteries directly for motorcycles, then a rare bike is designed for a battery with a capacity of less than 6 Ah.

The table below shows typical battery capacities. For clarity, here are additional data about them. Using these data, you can trace the influence of battery capacity on its other parameters.

The first line is typical battery capacities (when you click on the link, you will be taken to a page with a full range of batteries of the corresponding capacity). Next - indicators of voltage, size, weight and starting current level of batteries from Yuasa, Skyrich and Kyoto brands

The table shows typical capacities that are used to produce most modern batteries. But you can find a battery with any other capacity in the range from 2.3 to 30 ampere-hours. It is also worth noting that all of the above models are designed for a voltage of 2 V 12 V. There are batteries with other voltage ratings (for example, 6 V).

The starting (or cranking) current that the battery is capable of providing directly depends on the battery capacity. This is the amount of electricity that the motorcycle needs to start and run all the electrical mechanisms. Pay attention to the table row dedicated to Skyrich batteries. The larger the battery capacity, the greater the starting current. According to this indicator, all batteries can be divided into 3 classes:

1. Batteries with a capacity of less than 12 Ah. They are capable of powering the lighting, ignition and speakers of medium and large motorcycles (if used as an additional battery). In addition, such batteries are used to start the engine and ensure the operation of all electrical circuits of some models of small-capacity motorcycles. The engine capacity of such bikes rarely exceeds 500 cubic centimeters. They are often used on ATVs, snowmobiles, etc.

2. Batteries with a capacity of 12 Ah. They are used to provide current to all systems and start the engine of medium-sized motorcycles, of which the majority are on the market. The engine capacity of a significant part of these bikes is within 900 cc. see. But there are exceptions. Thus, the Skyrich YT14B-BS battery can be installed on some Yamaha motorcycle models (XV17P Road Star Warrior and Silverado). But this is precisely an exception to the general rule.

3. Batteries with a capacity of more than 12 Ah. Used for installation on heavy motorcycles (with an engine capacity of 900 cc).

2. Battery voltage is the potential difference immersed in the electrolyte and acting on the positive and negative electrodes. Battery voltage is not constant. It changes depending on the battery charge level.