Good day;Riders. I purchased a gel cel battery two years ago for use on my 2006 FLHTCUSE. The battery lost a cell this month and had to be replaced. Took the battery back to the "All Battery" store that confirmed a "dead cell" was the issue. When I first purchased that battery I was told that the battery should last 6 years but the warranty was good for only 2 years. So no warranty replacement.
While considering whether I buy another similar battery; I spoke with an employee who ask me how I used the battery. I explained that when the motorcycle was taken off the road for the winter months I put a battery tender (Deltran 13.85v o/p) onto the battery. He asked for "How long"; I said for the entire winter (4 months), he said that's your problem.
Here's his explanation: The gel cel battery is a sealed battery with a pressure controlled o/p vent. When the battery is constantly "under charge" by the battery tender, there is a gas pressure that builds up within the battery and then that pressure is "vented" off the battery through the pressure release vent. With that vented gas goes some of the water from the gel. Over the course of winter a lot of moisture is vented out of the battery. Over the course of time (2 years) the gel becomes dried out; hence, the battery fails.
His recommendation is to NOT use a tender on a gel cell.
When one reads the technical description of a battery tender, (Deltran), the description says that the tender can and should be used on all types of batteries including gel cells when the battery is "unused" for a period of time. They say nothing about limited use of the possibility of "drying out" a gel cell.
So the question becomes: Should a battery tender be used on a gel cell battery or not?
Thanks for you time and responses.
G

 

You need to get a charger that has a "floating" capability. That is a tender that is a trickle charger until the proper voltage is reached, then the tender shuts off but monitors the voltage and does not turn back on until the voltage drops back under a specific voltage. This keeps the battery from being overcharged. They cost a bit more but are worth the extra cost unless you only use the tender overnight, in which case a good quality trickle would do just fine.

 

I believe the Deltran tender is automatic. It is not simply a battery charger. It monitors the battery voltage and charges as needed. I have the feeling that the salesperson at the store has the wrong impression of the tender and thinks you are over charging the battery.

 

Their were a couple of threads about this but with Lead Acid batteries. I use a Battery Tender model that has the float mode. My 2010 Ultra, never saw a battery charger, didn't ride it all winter, battery lasted 5 years. 2015 Street Glide put on a tender when ever not riding it, battery lasted 2 years. Coincidence, I dunno, but now I let them get charged and unplug them. Oh....and the 2015, I moved to Fl, where I ride all year round, and the battery still took a dump in 2 years.
Some say the batteries have gotten cheaper, manufactured to fail at a certain interval, so they have to be replaced.

 

I have a battery minder charger specifically for gel cell/AGM batteries it also changes the charge rate for temperature and reconditions the cells, not sure if it’s hocus-pocus or not. You can read on the subject to your hearts content at battery minder’s website. I own some expensive batteries along with the HD LTD thought it was worth the investment.

 

just like cell phone batteries?

and they wonder why we are so gun shy for electric vehicles

 

You are correct that gel batteries should use a “float” charger. But, your description of how it works is wrong.

Follows is description of how to maintain a gel battery:

“Charging Gel Batteries Basics

There are several methods for charging gel cell batteries, however, constant voltage charging is the best way. For this type of charging, a fixed, regulated voltage source is used to charge the battery. Special attention must be paid to the exact charging voltage and the initial charging current.

There are two modes for constant voltage charging: fast charging and float charging. Smart chargers, which are available commercially, automatically switch between these two modes. In addition, the most sophisticated chargers will monitor the ambient temperature and adjust the charging parameters accordingly.

Fast Charging (aka Cyclic Charging)

In this mode, the battery is charged with a fixed charging voltage until the terminal voltage reaches 2.40 to 2.45 volts per cell (14.4 to 14.7 volts for a 12-volt battery) at 20° C. The battery is then held at this voltage until the charging current drops to a value of 0.01 x C amps (where C is the battery's amp-hour rating). At this point, the battery is fully charged and you must either stop the charging or switch to the float-charging mode. Continual charging in the fast charge mode will overheat the battery and damage it. Do not let the battery voltage exceed 2.45 volts per cell or allow the charge current to exceed 0.20 x C amps.

Float Charging (aka Standby Service)

In this mode, the battery is connected to a constant voltage source of 2.25 to 2.30 volts per cell (13.5 to 13.8 volts for a 12-volt battery) at 20° C. Provided that the charging source is regulated at the proper float voltage, the battery will establish its own current level and will be maintained in a fully charged condition. Gel cell batteries can be left in the float charge mode for extended periods of time without damage. This mode is often used to maintain gel cell batteries used in backup power applications.

 

That tells me the "All Battery" store clerk is just trying to make a sale....

There is a reason that battery had a 2-year warranty.... To say a 2 yr warranty battery should get 6 years is plan ignorant.... too many variables to make a bold, blanket statement like that... it may get 6 years, but if that was the norm, it would have a longer warranty. Most anything with a warranty has had it's replacement cycle tested/documented. They will have a "fudge factor" to minimize warranty replacement costs, but the fudge factor won't be 3 times the warranty period....

I learned a lot about batteries; types, charging, and battery life, while running boats (36' & 46') for the last 30 years. Boat batteries are big, expensive, a lot of work to replace, and may sit for long periods....

The old ferroresonant chargers had a "trickle" charge that constantly put voltage to the batteries... in a lead acid battery, you would need to constantly check fluid levels to keep them topped off, or it would dry-out and kill the battery.... those chargers could cause early failure to any sealed battery. I remember when the new thing was when the ferroresonant chargers came out with a feature where they would turn off and then back on at certain voltages... Wow, technology!

With today's technology, as long as your battery tender is a smart charger, most are, it will take proper care of the battery when hooked up... even if hooked up all the time.

From my experience (to include my bikes), I'd get a good battery (the warranty period is clue to how well it's made). Then for a vehicle not used daily, get a good smart charger/tender and keep it plugged in whenever the vehicle is parked. This will usually give you the max life, for your use/environment, from your batteries...

 

I wasn't attempting to give an electronic description of how it worked, just a brief description of what a float was. But glad you feel better.

 

Kinda turning into an oil thread