Battery Question?

[Gregster613]

Hi to all the TYM folks,

I know that replacement battery questions have been asked & answered. I wonder if anyone has ever attempted to add (or even check) the water level that is in the original Atlas BX45R battery that came with the 273's??

Today I removed my battery for the first time (2009 273) to check out the battery in general & the water level. I could not figure out a way to remove -- what looks like a removable? -- water replenishment cap. Is the Atlasbx45r a no-refillable water battery? My battery still works fine [as long as I "always"] use the glow plugs! I don't have any problems with doing that; but seeing as I reside in sunny - always warm - Ca., it would seem like I shouldn't need to use glow plugs to initially start my beast? ((After it's once started, it "always" fires right off again)).

Yet, I always do or else it will not crank over fast/long enough to initially fire up. I had some down time and thought I'd pull the battery and check it over...not successful results obviously. I thought I'd ask for thoughts. Any out there?

Thanks for a thought. Greg

 

[Xfaxman]

If it looks like this, it is sealed, maintance free.

http://www.atlasbx.com/

 

[Gregster613]

Yes Xfaxman that's what it looks like; and what I guessed it was. I thought that maybe the top portion that covered where the fill holes should be - could pop off - it has small slots that looked sorta like screwdriver pop-up spots? But it didn't want to budge at all so I figured I was wrong and that it was a maintenance free style. It has a sight hole in the center that is supposed to show different colors? The writing on battery top is Korean and I've no clue as to what it actually says. Ha! Oh well, it's 5 years old and as long as I use my trickle charger to keep it at least warmed up it always works to start. I'll just keep on keepin' on.
Thanks for your advise. Greg

 

[the old grind]

Trouble with Maintenance-free batts is that they dry out, too. Also, as electrolyte level goes down so does the reliability of the 'eye', an abbreviated floating-ball SG indicator. Some of the small SLA/AGM batteries can be de-capped & topped up with distilled water like a conventional but watch for excessive gassing on them too even with low charge rates, a sure sign of a dead (sulphate-shorted?) cell. (Isn't it always the one at the '+' terminal, tho'?)

btw: a local rebuilder stays in biz by ??? despite modern 'green' pressure. I guess lead and acid are reclaimed. Local boneyards have racks of 'em with their label and warranty (5yr IIRC) <$50. A pal swears by 'em, has used for decades. Shop around if yours is on its last legs.

The most cause of battery decline is allowing them to self-discharge when idle, something that M-F batteries are less vulnerable to than conventionals and #1 reason the one in your daily driver always outlasts those in boats, tractors, etc. I use old school chargers for bulk-charging but swear by the 'floating circuit' ones for on-the-shelf or long-parked maintenance.

My take on M-Fs is that they put out more amperage as the cells lose their fill (evaporate), but as 'Grampy' said. "Nuthin' lasts forever, including balloons and a good time". If you replace, treat 'er well. You wouldn't want to buy again if ever selling or trading-up, and few things 'sell' a buyer like a quick/easy-starting machine. :2cents: Good luck!

 

[Gregster613]

Thanks for the input Old Grind. I do/will continue to use my HF trickle charger and I am not planning on changing out this battery until it totally goes dead. I was just curious because some of the M-F batteries can have their tops popped off and distilled water added. This top just didn't seem to budge a fraction!
Greg

 

[the old grind]

I've forced Group 24-size tops off (mostly Delco M-F) for years & it's a mess getting one back on tidily, sometimes tough to see the exact level thru the fill holes. I see rubber or plastic caps under some of the simpler-applied tops on AGMs from say 4-20Ah sizes with tabs or lugs. Doubt I've ever topped-up any M-F soon enough not to find that one dead cell at the end ... that bubbles like a kettle at ~ 1/2A charge . Bye bye to a Group 26 (T5C), a 35 Ah from my 22hp ZTR, and a 7 Ah from a CRT underwater cam that I did my best on earlier this Spring and continued my uh, impeccable streak. :duh:

Greg, IMO you're doing the best you could to squeeze what's left out of the oldie, will know when to say when & recycle it. btw: In the past I've tended to go to the very last day on the bikes, but IMO the demise of the kick-starter on the big twins changed the rules and one would be lucky to get half the service life out of the average wimp-a__ 16Ah battery.... (I'm doing my best not to rant-on about this grievous and unwelcome omission for the sake of more gears to haul hard luggage, trailers, radios, cup-holders, and chrome. ......:hissyfit ... :laughing: tog