how to charge a motorcycle battery

Learning How To Safely Charge A Motorcycle Battery By Easy Steps

Many people enjoy the luxuries that a bike offers, such as not being held back in traffic jams, less fuel consumption, easy parking, and mobility. However, people do so without worrying about the maintenance of the vehicle. While cleaning and oiling is easy, these tasks are just scratching the surface. There are many other things that require attention such as changing the chain and charging the battery, etc. A battery is a key component in your motorcycle that requires checkups and maintenance, every now and then, to stay in good condition and have a long and healthy life so you can get the most out of it in every way.

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An uncharged battery can be a big problem if not looked into soon. Often, people use the battery but don’t bother charging it. A battery is allowed to collect years without any attention and care. It is usually because charging the battery sounds like a very tedious task that will require quite a bit of money and effort. It sounds complicated to do on your own and pricey if we take it down to a garage and let the mechanic deal with the complicated wiring and changing. However, there is an end to all that misery. You can keep it low cost and charge your battery at the same time.

Using a battery charger is the simplest and best way to charge your battery, but a battery charger can be slightly costly. For a new charger, you can put aside a small amount of money each month, and before you know it, you’ll have enough to get a new charger. When you get your new charger, you can start charging in a few easy steps.

The first thing you need to do is identify the type of battery that your motorcycle contains. This is usually written on the battery. However, if it isn’t or if it has faded, you can look up the company’s website and find out. Once you have this information, you will know which charger to get.

But before you begin, here are a few items you will need and some precautions you must take:

  • It is always much safer to work with safety gloves and glasses when working with electricity and chemicals.
  • Ensure that no battery acid spills onto you or anywhere else.
  • There should be no flames nearby, and it should be a no smoking environment.• Ensure that the motorcycle is in a stable resting position so it does not topple over and get damaged or injure you.
  • Pick an airy area to work in to ensure no released gases collect in one spot. This could be very dangerous.
  • Make sure that you connect the wires to the correct battery terminals.

Once you have these things covered, you can proceed with charging your battery!

1. Read the manual to determine the specifications of the battery such as what voltage your battery will require.

2. Put on your protective gear to ensure safety at all times. Make sure the motorcycle is off.

3. Locate your battery. This is usually found under the seat. You may remove the sear and set it aside.

4. Identify the negative and positive terminals of the battery. The positive one will have a clear plus sign next to it and will most likely be red, while the negative terminal will be blue or black with a minus sign.

5. Remove the terminals. To ensure no short circuits or electrocution, remove the negative lead before the positive one. The shock could cause severe burns or even a heart attack. Do not let either of the terminals touch any metal. If your motorcycle comes with a sensor, you will want to carefully disconnect and remove that as well.

6. If your manual says removing the battery from its case is a requirement for charging the battery, take it out and set it down. If this is not a requirement, skip this step.

7. Now you need to clean the terminals. You can use an old toothbrush, a rag and some baking soda solution. Please make sure there is no damage to the terminals otherwise you might have to see a mechanic and get them replaced. Do not bring your skin in contact with any white stuff (congealed sulfuric acid) on the battery terminals. Do NOT touch your body anywhere until you have properly washed them after cleaning.

8. Uncap the cells and pour distilled water till each battery cell is full. Recap the cells once done.

9. Put the charger as far away from the battery as the wires allow and then set the charger at the correct voltage.

10. Connect the first charger clip to the positive terminal of the battery. Connect the second one to the ground terminal.

11. Place the three pin charger plug into an outlet and switch it on. Leave it on until the battery is charged

12. Once the battery is fully charged, you must switch off the outlet before removing the plug.

13. Disconnect all wires one by one. First, remove the clip connected to the grounded terminal. Then, remove the positive one.

14. Place the battery back into its case and reconnect the terminals.

15. Put the seat back and fix it in place.

Congratulations! You have successfully charged your battery!

Remember that it is essential to take care of your battery regularly.

You must carefully inspect the battery every month and check for any signs of damage such as cracks, bulges, leaks and cuts.

Clean the terminals regularly so that the dirt does not collect and cause any problems. Spray the terminals to keep them from corrosion so there are no problems while starting the motorcycle.

You also need to check the terminals regularly, or after accidents, to ensure that they are not loose. If the connectors are loose, they will cause problems with the starting of the motorcycle.

It is essential to keep the battery of the motorcycle charged. It should be charged at least once a week to keep it from losing battery life and keep it from dying. A low charged battery can also affect the motorcycle performance.

If all these steps are taken, a motorcycle will perform well and the battery will cause no issues and have a long battery life. These steps, taken to care for the battery, also reduce any risks and accidents that might be caused by a bad battery in the future.

It is best to keep the battery in check and pin point the exact time when the motorcycle is ready for its battery to be charged. It is human nature to put things off but in situations like these, delaying a task is far from sensible. A battery that has gone bad can give way to a lot of problems and reduce vehicle performance. While charging a battery does seem like a tiresome thing to do at first, the truth is that it can be completed quickly and easily with this simple tutorial.

Don’t forget to share and let us know if you found the tutorial useful!

So enjoy owning your motorcycle in a safe and smart way!

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