Quick Ways to Extend ATV and Motorcycle Battery Life in Summer and Winter
Wow, with fall weather knocking on our door (pounding on some?) it looks like we have just about wrapped up another summer season. And what a summer it was! Some of you had a real blistering summer, while others have got off way too easy. For sure, the weather here is Southern Oregon was absolutely fantastic, with a grand total of 0 days breaking the 100F mark. That is the first time I remember this happening in the 30+ years I have lived here. At the same time, I know some locales have seen record strings of hot weather. I guess it all balances out in the end. So, being a battery related post, you may be wondering what the tie in is to batteries? Actually, the weather plays a very important role in the lifespan of our batteries First, let’s start with the hot:
If you are using flooded, liquid acid batteries (they type with removable caps), now would be a very good time to make sure that the acid levels are topped up to the full level. Even for the not so technically minded, this is about as easy as it gets. Simply get some distilled water from a local grocery store, pop the caps off with a screwdriver and fill ‘em up. Remember, when a battery dries out, it is only the water that evaporates. All the chemicals needed to make your battery do what it does are still in there so there is no need to add more sulfuric acid. Replenish the water, and you will be good to go.
A quick note on that: Do not add mineral water, tap water, or regular bottled water. Distilled Water is the way to go as the natural elements that can ‘plug up’ your battery have been removed and only pure H20 remains
Secondly, now that it looks like our weather will be cooling off soon, it is just as important to keep your batteries fully charged during any lapse in use. We recommend a good quality 12 volt battery charger that will work for car, motorcycle batteries, marine batteries, or RV batteries. We have quite a selection to choose from, so feel free to email or call our tech department for help selecting one for your specific application. What this will do is keep your battery at an optimal rate of charge between uses. Doing this will provide two benefits.
Because your battery will be fully charged all the time, you can bet that your application will be ready to go whenever you are. There is nothing more disappointing than planning a ride or drive only to find out that you cannot get started due to a flat battery.
Another important point is what happens to a battery when it is not kept fully charged. In simple terms the acid in your battery is composed of water and chemical. When a battery is charged, the chemical migrates off the lead plates, into the water solution. When it is discharged, the chemical migrates out of the water, and on to the lead plates. If the chemical is allowed to stay on the plates for too long it will harden and form a barrier that prevents the cycle from happening as efficiently as it did before. For more on that, I highly recommend this short video tutorial for more info on how that works.
