[Ducati Scotty]

Oh, and if you pull a battery off the charger and measure it and it's way over 12.5V this may just be a 'surface charge'.  Connect the battery to the bike, turn on the ignition and headlight but DON'T start the bike.  Let it sit like that for a few minutes, then turn it off.  Check the voltage again.  It will probably be in the 12.5-12.7V range.

"For any of these methods, you must first fully charge the battery and then remove the surface charge. If the battery has been sitting at least several hours (I prefer at least 12 hours) you may begin testing. To remove surface charge the battery must be discharged for several minutes. Using a headlight (high beam) will do the trick. After turning off the light you are ready to test the battery."
http://www.batterystuff.com/kb/articles/battery-articles/battery-basics.html

Scott

[Ducati Scotty]

My new battery, a Chrome Battery YTX14AHL-BS arrived yesterday. 

Mattsz,
Your battery and mine are different numbers but the same physical size according to the specs on the Chrome Battery website.  When I measured my old Exide this seemed like a perfect match BUT my Chrome battery is actually about 1/4" narrower and 3/16" shorter than the battery box that was a snug fit for the Exide. 

Is your Chrome battery smaller than the battery box or is it a snug fit?

Oh, and both batteries on the Chome site have the same battery list for what they replace.  I think we may have the same battery with two different labels

Thanks,
Scott

[singhg5]

This term 'Chrome' Battery had me confused. I am not familiar with this battery.

Is it a new generation of batteries made with Chromium instead of Lead ? After all there are Silver, Nickel, Cadmium, Lithium (all metals like Cr) batteries on the market. Well I kept searching and found an old reference of using Chromic Acid in the quest to generate electricity with chemicals or something of that sort.

Coming back to what Ducati and Matt really have is a lead-acid battery with a generic-brand name 'Chrome' and has nothing to do with Chrome or Chromium - learnt something new today, may be coming out of this confused state .

[Ducati Scotty]

Yeah, "Chrome" is the brand name.   These are AGM batteries.

Scott

[mattsz]

Whoa, a lot has happened here since this morning!

Here's what happened:  I checked the voltage out of the box: 11.9 volts.  I attached my small (wall wart) 750mA Battery Tender Jr and its light went red, indicating charging.  14 hours later, it still showed red.  I unhitched the charger and took a reading on the battery: 13.9 volts.  I reattached it and left it alone.

I just checked it again (8 more hours) and the charger showed green, indicating fully charged and in "maintenance" mode; I unhitched the charger again, and now the battery reads 13.2 volts.  When I reconnect the charger, it shows red again (charging), but only for a few minutes, before it goes to flashing green (almost charged) for about 15 minutes, to solid green (maintenance).

So it seems that it's topped up, and held steady by the BTJr at about 13.2 volts.  It's not on the bike - I've got it in my basement, where it's warm and dry.

Scott, I don't know how it will fit in my battery box, since I refuse to go out there into my unheated garage to test the fit!  Actual measurements with a tape measure show the new battery to be, by my eye, virtually the same size as my OEM Exide.  Interesting, since the specs for both our new batteries show them to be virtually the same size; I wonder if your OEM battery was larger than mine?

I can't understand why they have so many models that appear to have the exact same specs - ours seem to be that way, except that your'n has a 14AH capacity and 190 cold-cranking amps, and mine has 12AH and 210 CCA's.  I don't really understand what the real-world differences are for our purposes; I'm a battery virgin, and I'm just looking for advice about whether any of you more experienced guys think I might have gotten a questionable battery, or if it's just fine.

One other question: while it sits in my heated basement, is it wise to keep it trickle-charging all the time, or is it ok simply to plug it in every so often to top it up?  If the latter, how often?

ps: Singhg5 - nothing so exotic... as Scotty says, "Chrome" is simply the name of their business.

[gashousegorilla]

Whoa, a lot has happened here since this morning!

Here's what happened:  I checked the voltage out of the box: 11.9 volts.  I attached my small (wall wart) 750mA Battery Tender Jr and its light went red, indicating charging.  14 hours later, it still showed red.  I unhitched the charger and took a reading on the battery: 13.9 volts.  I reattached it and left it alone.

I just checked it again (8 more hours) and the charger showed green, indicating fully charged and in "maintenance" mode; I unhitched the charger again, and now the battery reads 13.2 volts.  When I reconnect the charger, it shows red again (charging), but only for a few minutes, before it goes to flashing green (almost charged) for about 15 minutes, to solid green (maintenance).

So it seems that it's topped up, and held steady by the BTJr at about 13.2 volts.  It's not on the bike - I've got it in my basement, where it's warm and dry.


I can't understand why they have so many models that appear to have the exact same specs - ours seem to be that way, except that your'n has a 14AH capacity and 190 cold-cranking amps, and mine has 12AH and 210 CCA's.  I don't really understand what the real-world differences are for our purposes; I'm a battery virgin, and I'm just looking for advice about whether any of you more experienced guys think I might have gotten a questionable battery, or if it's just fine.

One other question: while it sits in my heated basement, is it wise to keep it trickle-charging all the time, or is it ok simply to plug it in every so often to top it up?  If the latter, how often?

   That seems like normal battery tender behavior.  Although, it seems like it took an awfully long time for it to get to full charge and then float in a warm basement.  I would leave the tender off for now and check the voltage tomorrow  and see where the voltage settles in at.    You should be in the upper 12's  or lower 13's......  If it drops below 12.5 and keeps going south in a relatively short time ?   Not good....

[Ducati Scotty]

AGMs are lead acid but one of the advantages is they have a very low self discharge rate.  The Exide probably loses 3-4% a week just sitting there.  I'd leave the Chrome off the charger, maybe put it on the night before you plan to install it.  This is just my paranoia.  I've heard too many stories of batteries getting toasted when a trickle charger goes bad and overcharges it, so I don't tend to leave them connected indefinitely though many people do.

Also, the behavior you noticed of red, disconnect, green, disconnect for a while, then quick cycle to red, flashy red, green is pretty typical on a healthy battery with my Battery Tender Jr. too.

Mattsz, mine looked the same size sitting on the shelf next to the Exide but was obviously smaller when I put it in the battery box.  The C5 battery box is very snug for the original battery.  I sent an e-mail to Chrome Battery, so I guess we'll see how good their cutsomer service and no questions asked return policy are.

And for everyone wondering about Chrome Battery:
http://www.chromebattery.com/
http://www.chromebattery.com/motorcycle-batteries.html

Scott

[gashousegorilla]

  This is just my paranoia.  I've heard too many stories of batteries getting toasted when a trickle charger goes bad and overcharges it, so I don't tend to leave them connected indefinitely though many people do.


Scott

  And well founded paranoia !   It's happened to me.   I once  left a tender on a battery on the bike, In a trailer  out in the cold over the entire winter.... and forgot about it.  NOT good !  That constent charging and discharging.... the tender trying to keep up with the cold I surmise?  Boiled off all the water in the battery, which was full.  It left a bit of a mess in the battery compartment.... Thank gawd I had a vent tube ran down to the bottom of the bike, or it would  have been much worse.

  In the winter, as the bikes sit. I switch around my battery tender every few days to once a week, between my bikes.... depending on how cold it is.   For a battery sitting in the house ?  I would probably stick the tender on it every week or so, then take it back off.

[mattsz]

I'll remove the charger and let it rest for a day or so.

I've got the batteries sitting next to each other on the shelf - they look the same, and by my tape measure and failing eyesight ( ) they are the same size.  The original is a tight fit behind my B5's square box cover; I wish my new one were a bit smaller!

[Ducati Scotty]

If it's not, I'll trade you if you like   If it is, well then they lied to both of us

[mattsz]

 

I'll be happy as long as it's not a defective battery!  I'm not worried about it being a tight fit - if I can get the damn cable end terminal breakage thing sorted, it won't matter if it's a pain to get the battery in and out.  In in the spring, out in the fall - no big deal!

BTW, I got one of these on Ebay for $20, shipped:



http://batterytender.com/products/accessories/digital-voltage-indicator-with-lcd-display.html

It seems like it's well made, easy to use (plugs right into the BT harness), and it measures reasonably comparably with my baby VOM, which I'm not too sure I'd trust with my life anyway: Battery Tender meter = 13.2v, VOM = 13.13v...

[Ducati Scotty]

I just measured the stock Exide battery and my Chrome replacement battery:

Exide Freedom 12MF 14L-A2
139mm W x 90mm D x 167mm H

Chrome Battery YB14L-A2
(14L-A2 on the label)
133mm W x 90mm D x 162mm H

So mine is 6mm narrower and 5mm shorter than the Exide

I checked the Chrome Battery website for the battery I got and the one Mattsz got:
Mine - YB14L-A2
    12 V
    14AH
    168 Watts
REPLACES
Sears 44005, UTX14AHL-BS, EXT15L, PTX14AHL-BS, GT14L-BS, M62H4L, CTX14AHL-BS
Length    5.31
Width    3.58
Height    6.57

Mattsz's - YTX14AHL-BS
    12 V
    12AH
    144 Watts
REPLACES
Sears 44005, UTX14AHL-BS, EXT15L, PTX14AHL-BS, GT14L-BS, M62H4L, CTX14AHL-BS
Length    5.31
Width    3.54
Height    6.57

Converting the listed dimensions of my battery to mm, it ends up 138.74mm x 90.932mm x 166.878mm.  By the specs it's a dead on match for the Exide, but it's not when measured.  I have some 1/4" kayak seat foam which can take up the extra space nicely if need be.

The listed size specs on the two batteries are nearly identical but mine is listed as 14Ah and Matsz's is 12Ah.  All else being equal in batteries, size is power, so I can't believe that difference.

So, not sure if I got the wrong battery or if the listed specs are wrong.  I'm also curious to see if Mattsz's is the same or if his really is a dead on match for the Exide.  I guess we'll know once it warms up enough for him to make it to the garage with a ruler

Scott

[mattsz]

Scott, you must have missed my previous post...

I've got the batteries sitting next to each other on the shelf - they look the same, and by my tape measure and failing eyesight ( ) they are the same size.  The original is a tight fit behind my B5's square box cover; I wish my new one were a bit smaller!

The Exide isn't out in the garage, it's warm and dry in my basement.  My two batteries are the same size, certainly within 1mm in all dimensions... except for the Exide's little tab sticking out of the top, which apparently is for a drain pipe (although mine is sealed and has no drain hole there).

[JVS]

Scott, you must have missed my previous post...

The Exide isn't out in the garage, it's warm and dry in my basement.  My two batteries are the same size, certainly within 1mm in all dimensions... except for the Exide's little tab sticking out of the top, which apparently is for a drain pipe (although mine is sealed and has no drain hole there).

Same as mine!

[Ducati Scotty]

Ah!  Sorry, I did miss that.  Guess I'll be returning mine and getting yours.  My Exide just has a tiny vent too.  No hook up for a drain tube.

Scott