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Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve got a battery, charger, fuel or solar question that you think has been asked before, here is where you are likely to find an answer. Shorter than our tutorials, these easy answers to quick question will leave you feeling like a genius. Well, you get the picture anyways….oh, and check back often, as we are adding to this page all the time!

Categories


Powersports Batteries FAQ

  • Power Sports Battery FAQ
    Following are a few of our most asked questions regarding our Power Sports batteries. If you have questions that are not covered here, feel free to call our tech line. read more
  • Lithium Iron FAQ
    Shorai LFX batteries contain proprietary eXtreme-Rate Lithium Iron prismatic cells (chemistry LiFePO4). Shorai LFX batteries contain no poisonous lead, no acid, and do not create gasses during charge, as traditional Lead-Acid batteries do. Compared to lead-acid, Shorai LFX lithium are also extremely light, have much lower self-discharge, do not sulfate, and are environmentally friendly. read more
  • Why Don't You List the AH Rating on the Scorpion Stinger Batteries?
    Scorpion decided to not rate their batteries in AH ratings at all. Instead, they graph out the real performance of the batteries, side by side the best lead-acid and lithium batteries on the market. This gives the user the confidence to know exactly how much starting power your Scorpion Stinger has without giving a confusing and seemingly inflated number or a confusingly low number that is not practical. read more
  • Will I Need to Charge My Motorcycle, ATV, or Snowmobile Battery When it Arrives?
    When you order an AGM maintenance free battery from BatteryStuff.com, it is first filled, charged, and load tested before it is shipped out. This process allows for you to receive your battery ready to install and ride! read more
  • Why is My 12 Volt Battery Reading as 13 Volts?
    All Lead acid batteries are made up of a series of 2.2-volt cells that are bridged together in series to reach their final desired voltage. The actual resting voltage, or the voltage a battery will settle at 12-24 hours after being removed from the charger, is closer to 2.1 volts per cell. read more
  • Does Starting My Motorcycle in the Winter Charge the Battery?
    While starting your bike every few weeks in the winter may be good for the mechanics of it, it could end up harming your battery. Your vehicle's charging system does not truly ramp up until it gets far above idle, sometimes as high as 5000rpm! Unless you hold'er wide open for 10 or 15 minutes, you may not get enough of a charge. You either need to keep it on a decent maintenance charger, such as a Battery Tender, or you need to suck it up and go for a 20+ mile ride every couple weeks! read more
  • What is the difference between Yuasa and Motocross batteries?
    Not much really. Motocross is manufactured in the same factory, the same assembly process, at the same time as the Yuasa. The only difference is the label applied at the end of the manufacturing process. For a more in-depth comparison between the two, check out our Guilty As Charged Blog post: Motocross vs Yuasa. read more
  • What Is The Best Battery Charger For My Motorcycle Battery?
    That depends on the size and voltage of your battery. For the sake of popularity, we’ll cover 12-volt Sealed Lead Acid Motorcycle and Powersport Batteries. If you have a small battery, under 20 AH(Amp/Hrs), the Battery Tender Junior may be the best choice. If you have a larger battery, you may want to use a slightly higher amp charger in order to not overwork your charger. For those larger Motorcycle / ATV batteries that fall within the 21-30 AH range we recommend the Noco Genius G-1100, or if you really want to prolong your batteries life the Battery Minder 1510 is a great desulfating charger for any powersport battery. read more
  • How do I Find a Battery that Fits the Dimensions of a Custom Motorcycle Application?
    If you have a custom application, and need to find a battery that will fit specific dimensions, you can have a look through our complete list of powersports batteries we sell, listed by dimensions, polarity and capacity. read more
  • Why Do You Only Sell AGM Powersports Batteries and not Gel Cell Batteries?
    Gel batteries are a specific type of sealed battery as are AGM batteries. AGM battery technology has all the positive attributes of the Gel Battery but does not require the special charge profile, thus allowing for easier integration without the added cost of purchasing a special charger. In fact, no major Powersports battery manufacturer currently offers Gel batteries for their applications. This includes Yuasa, Scorpion, Westco, Interstate and more. read more
  • How Often Should I Charge My Motorcycle, ATV or Boat Battery?
    You should either charge your battery every 30 days or so, or consider getting a smart charger to maintain your battery all the time. These new smart chargers will hold the voltage at its prime voltage, while reducing the current to almost nil, thus preventing overcharge even when left on for months at a time. A battery will self-discharge over time, even while not in use or connected to anything, thus the benefit of constant maintenance charger. read more
  • Does My Motorcycle Have a Gel Cell battery?
    Except for a few European bikes such as limited BMW and Ducati models, AGM is the standard battery type. In almost all motorcycles that have sealed batteries, that sealed battery is an AGM, not a Gel. In fact, if you were to find a correctly sized Gel battery, it is very likely that using it in your snowmobile, ATV, or motorcycle will lead to early battery failure. read more
  • Did I Receive a Bad Battery?
    When we ship our maintenance free AGM powersports batteries, they are pre-filled, charged and ready to install. These batteries are sealed and considered “dry” batteries. Because our batteries are freshly activated you may occasionally see small acid stains on the packaging. However, if there is a pool of acid on the box or packaging this is NOT considered normal. If this is the case, please contact us as soon as possible. read more
  • Do I Need a Special Battery for My ATV with a Winch?
    The short answer is that Powersports batteries are just not designed to handle the amp draw of a winch. They are not made for deep cycling, only for starting. That being said, in the real world, we have winches. Having a higher CCA is a bit helpful, but what you really want is higher storage amps, and a battery capable of deep cycle. read more
  • Can I Use a Battery Tender on my Shorai Battery?
    While your typical Battery Tender charger is compatible with these LiFeP04 batteries, Shorai says you should use a Battery Tender "only if you really need to". The best charger to use on a Shorai Battery is their Sho-BMS01 LFX charger. Using Shorai's own charger will enable the battery to reach the possible lifespan of 5-7 years. Be aware of what Shorai says is considered safe and not safe when it comes to charging their batteries. If you have any other questions, give us a call at 541-474-4421. read more
  • What Do I Do With My Old Dead Battery?
    When you see a price for a new battery at BatteryStuff.com, there is no core charge. What you see is what you get. Please do not send us your old batteries by mail. Not only is it expensive, but it may be considered hazardous. However, if you stop by any of our locations, you can drop off your old battery and we'll gladly take it off your hands. Free of charge. Any business that sells batteries will also accept them for battery recycling. read more

Large/RV/Marine Batteries FAQ

  • Can I Use a Solar Battery Charger to Keep My RV Battery Charged?
    Yes! You first must calculate how much power you used, so you know how much you need to replace. Keep in mind that solar only charges when the sun is shining on the panel, which is roughly 6-7 hours per day average. To charge a discharged RV sized battery with a solar panel in 6 hours would take a couple 100 watt+ panels. read more
  • Will a Small Charger Maintain a Large Bank of Batteries?
    Quick answer: No.
    When you are dealing with a bank of batteries that is collectively larger than a car battery (max 100 amp/hours), you should crunch the numbers to find the ideal charger for your situation. Normal static power drain on a brand-new battery can be as high as 2-3% a month, which in the case of a 1000-amp battery pack (total) would translate to roughly 30 amps. read more
  • How Do I Keep My RV Battery Charged When in Storage?
    If your starting battery is going dead in about a month while your vehicle is in storage, it would be fair to assume you are using about 60-75 amps (typical RV sized starting battery) in that period. You will need to figure out how much drain you have and then estimate your drain per day. All that is need from here is to select a panel that will produce the right amount of amps. read more
  • When Should I Add Extra Sulfuric Acid to my Battery?
    Unless a battery was tipped over and all the acid spilled out, we recommend that you add only distilled water. All the chemical needed to make sulfuric acid is still in the battery; the water that is just gone. If you add more acid, you will be changing the chemical makeup of the battery which can lead to incorrect sulfuric content. read more
  • Can I Store My Battery on a Concrete Floor?
    Battery cases made of plastic do not leak and can be stored on nearly any surface, including a surface with standing water with no negative effects. Old Battery cases made of inferior material, such as hard rubber or tar, would develop micro cracks over time and become porous, which when left on wet ground or damp concrete would begin to self-discharge. read more
  • Solar Systems the Right Way
    There is quite a bit of info needed to correctly size your solar power backup system. We try to help answer these solar power questions and more daily here at BatteryStuff.com. Because these types of questions are so common, we have created an easy path that guides you with a few easy steps. Please refer to our article for further info. read more
  • What Size Solar Panel Do I need?
    We created a solar calculator to assist with sizing your panels and batteries. Keep in mind that this is only a calculator, and it will directly reflect whatever you input into the fields. If your base calculations are off by even a little bit, the results reflected can be skewed by quite a bit, so view this as a guide and not an absolute. read more
  • Do you have any Solar Panel Installation Tips? - RV and Marine
    Yes! Please refer to our Solar Panel Installation Tips article. You can also check out our Solar Tutorials, or call 541-474-4421 for Tech Help. read more

Solar Charging FAQ

  • Solar Systems the Right Way
    There is quite a bit of info needed to correctly size your solar power backup system. We try to help answer these solar power questions and more daily here at BatteryStuff.com. Because these types of questions are so common, we have created an easy path that guides you with a few easy steps. Please refer to our article for further info. read more
  • What Size Solar Panel Do I need?
    We created a solar calculator to assist with sizing your panels and batteries. Keep in mind that this is only a calculator, and it will directly reflect whatever you input into the fields. If your base calculations are off by even a little bit, the results reflected can be skewed by quite a bit, so view this as a guide and not an absolute. read more
  • Can I Use a Solar Battery Charger to Keep My RV Battery Charged?
    Yes! You first must calculate how much power you used, so you know how much you need to replace. Keep in mind that solar only charges when the sun is shining on the panel, which is roughly 6-7 hours per day average. To charge a discharged RV sized battery with a solar panel in 6 hours would take a couple 100 watt+ panels. read more
  • Solar Panel Installation Tips
    BatteryStuff Solar Panels use high quality Poly-Crystalline solar cells. Diodes contained within the junction box insure reliable operation and no drain during low light conditions. Anodized aluminum frames add strength and durability to the modules. Includes pre-drilled mounting holes. The modules have a 20-year, 80% power output warranty. read more
  • How Do I Keep My RV Battery Charged When in Storage?
    If your starting battery is going dead in about a month while your vehicle is in storage, it would be fair to assume you are using about 60-75 amps (typical RV sized starting battery) in that period. You will need to figure out how much drain you have and then estimate your drain per day. All that is need from here is to select a panel that will produce the right amount of amps. read more
  • Can I Run my Device Directly from Solar Power?
    We get asked this question a lot: Can I run (enter device here) directly off solar energy? The simple answer is this: Yes and no. Learn more... read more