Author Topic: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat  (Read 934 times)

Offline Nurse Julie

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Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« on: April 11, 2018, 03:50:36 PM »
Hi Chaps
The Thundercat has been in the conservatory for the winter. Today, the alarm went off on the bike as the battery was low. It's a sealed acid battery and when it went on the battery charger the sides of the battery sucked in !!!.Removed the plug strip that says 'Do not remove'  ::) ::) just to be nosey and the sides popped back out a little but not all the way. What's happening??
« Last Edit: April 11, 2018, 04:13:20 PM by Nurse Julie »
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Offline tom400f

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Re: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2018, 05:42:00 PM »
Not sure Julie but when I put my charger on to the 400F AGM battery (Motobatt) the thing that covers the tops of the cells popped up overnight, so the opposite really.

What charger do you have? Mine is the CTEK MXS 5.0, which I think I chose because someone else on here recommended them.

I've found that sealed batteries don't like being discharged (nearly) completely. That will finish them off and even an old-school charger won't shock (no pun intended) them back to life. I trashed one of my VFR batteries like that, precisely because it has a 1990s alarm.

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Offline Nurse Julie

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Re: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2018, 06:52:54 PM »
It's this monster charger Tom, £4.99 off eBay  ;D
The battery seems to be taking a charge so I will pop it back on the bike later and see what occurs.

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Re: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2018, 07:02:49 PM »
Never seen that before Julie, usually if something in wrong with them you may get the case pushing out.

There is a but,  if they are charged too fast they can pressurise and expel through a safety valve to prevent them distorting and holding at pressure within the case. So, if it was over charging before you layed it up from its own system perhaps,  then the pressure would blead off and leaving it to contract as it's voltage ran down. Really the only thing I can think of.

Maybe worth checking the charging voltage once it's started to see if that's a consideration.

Offline Green1

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Re: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2018, 07:17:53 PM »
My Triumph AMG one did the same thing and wouldn't keep its charge after. The alarm would kill it within days. What Iv found is charging them at around 1.5amps will often recover them without the sides distorting.
I did this to my Guzzi when I bought it as it was as flat as a pancake and its been fine since and can now stand for ages before needing a top up
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Offline Nurse Julie

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Re: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2018, 07:21:44 PM »
Ok Nigel, I will check . Mick, I will have to wait and see if it holds a charge.
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Offline Nurse Julie

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Re: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« Reply #6 on: April 12, 2018, 10:02:40 AM »
Put battery back on bike this morning, shows 14.10v with engine running and 12.80v with engine not running. Will just have to wait and see if it holds a charge until it's ridden next.
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Re: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« Reply #7 on: April 12, 2018, 10:23:51 AM »
Looks like it's right on the cusp of charging limit (or just over) at 14.10volts divided by 6 cells equals 2.35volts per cell.

http://batteriesbyfisher.com/agm-batteries

This link gives quite a good overview of what's going on in AGM batteries during use.
Third section down "construction" covers this area to give a good insight.

Nigel.


Offline Trigger

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Re: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« Reply #8 on: April 12, 2018, 06:03:07 PM »
Looks like it's right on the cusp of charging limit (or just over) at 14.10volts divided by 6 cells equals 2.35volts per cell.

http://batteriesbyfisher.com/agm-batteries

This link gives quite a good overview of what's going on in AGM batteries during use.
Third section down "construction" covers this area to give a good insight.

Nigel.

The link is not for Acid sealed battery's, Only AGM (Absorbed glass mat) and Gel battery's  ;)

Offline Nurse Julie

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Re: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« Reply #9 on: April 12, 2018, 06:11:52 PM »
Thanks for the link Nigel.
LINK TO MY EBAY PAGE. As many of you know already, I give 10% discount and do post at cost to forum members if you PM me direct.
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Re: Strange thing with the battery on the Thundercat
« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2018, 07:20:11 PM »
Apologies for the confusion.

The VRLA refers to all types of battery,  gel, AGM and the old sloshy type with visible acid leve that are fitted with a check valve to allow excess pressure to be blead off safely. Just that link gives a very clear explanation of voltage etc.

The sloshy ones may have been called SLA (sealed lead acid) or maintenance free. If they are not charged too fast then any pressure build up should not breach the valve so you won't get them suck in when you recharge a depleted one as the chamber contains the same volume. They try to avoid that old routine of topping up with distilled water during normal life by not letting it evaporate out of the case. But if the valve has let out any gases during high level charging it'll try to suck it back into the plates later on.

Nigel.

 

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