Battery life

[fracture]

In June of '01 I installed a Westco battery in my R100RT. This is the first time I have ever used anything other than a "conventional" lead-acid battery.

The battery is still functioning. The bike is ridden year round and if I know it will be in the garage for an extended time during bad weather I will put it on a trickle charge.

How long do these batteries last? I never got this kind of life from a lead-acid battery.

When these sealed batteries, either gel or AGM, start to fail, are there any warning signs?

I have no complaints about this battery. It appears to be an "install and forget" item since no regular maintenance is required. But, I worry about a sudden failure since I have no previous history in dealing with them.

[20774]

Seems like you've gotten your money's worth! It's my impression that the lead-acid batteries will give you a bit of warning but that the other types might not. Bob Fleischer (aka Snowbum) has a webpage devoted to battery types and charging at http://home.jps.net/~snowbum/newbattery.htm. IIRC he has done some extended testing of the Westco/Panasonic batteries and that information may be at the above location.

Kurt in S.A.

[Motor31]

I've gotten 4 to 5 years freom lead acid batteries using the same methods you do. To me the other styles just aren't worth the extra money. YMMV.

[Isamemon]

ok
this is not stock
the previous owner installed a SEARS garden tractor battery, it says that on the side anyway
it is now 3 years old and doing fine, even in the cold

[GregFeeler]

In June of '01 I installed a Westco battery in my R100RT. This is the first time I have ever used anything other than a "conventional" lead-acid battery.

The battery is still functioning. The bike is ridden year round and if I know it will be in the garage for an extended time during bad weather I will put it on a trickle charge.

How long do these batteries last? I never got this kind of life from a lead-acid battery.

When these sealed batteries, either gel or AGM, start to fail, are there any warning signs?

I have no complaints about this battery. It appears to be an "install and forget" item since no regular maintenance is required. But, I worry about a sudden failure since I have no previous history in dealing with them.


Good question. I've heard some say that the AGM batteries (like the Westco/Panasonic) will die on you suddenly, but then I've seen conventional flooded batteries do the same thing, and so far seen no data to prove that AGM batteries die any differently than the flooded type. The oldest Westco I have is a year newer than yours and still going strong. :dunno

[aprarye]

How a battery dies depends on the type. Wet, gell, agm, and Odyssey Drycells slowley loss their capacity (when measuring the voltage). New w/full charge is
13.2V nominal. The rest depends upon the ambient temperature and if the bike is hot or cold. Hot weather hurts the battery by causing increased chemical activity increasing self discharge. Cold dosent hurts the battery unless it freezes it just slows chemical activity decreasing self discharge. Thats is why I store extra camera, flashlight, radio, lithium, and alkalines in the refirgator.

NiCd NiMh and similars will have a steeper voltage drop off as the charge wanes appearing to die more abruptly.

[lkchris]

ok
this is not stock
the previous owner installed a SEARS garden tractor battery, it says that on the side anyway
it is now 3 years old and doing fine, even in the cold

Of course it vents out the top and is corroding his seat pan.

[Isamemon]

actually I have seen no coroision or problems
but thats good to know as I am gonna replace it this year with a "correct" battery, as preventive , since it is 3 years old