Check battery externally before charging
If the battery box is damaged or deformed, replace the battery.
Clean dirty terminals with a wire brush.
Remove oils, fluids or other deposits.
For batteries with plugs, check fluid level and refill to MAX with distilled water if necessary.
What is wear and what can you do about it?
With a worn battery, the active material has degraded due to excessive load. Modern vehicles with many consumers constantly place higher demands on the battery. The capacity of the installed batteries is often not designed for this.
Prevention
The choice …
Always select a battery that matches the charging behavior
Starter batteries, including motorcycle batteries, are charged by the alternator while driving.
The charge takes place over a longer period of time with low current. Starter batteries are designed for this charging behaviour.
Some starter batteries …
In a nutshell, the battery generates electricity, which it delivers to the consumers. It is charged and is ready again.
So far, so good. Meanwhile, a bit of chemistry happens inside the battery.
Current flow
In principle, current flows between a positive …
Depending on the type, this battery is low-maintenance or maintenance-free.
Low maintenance version - TV types
Low-maintenance batteries can be recognised by the removable sealing plugs on the top, the vent hose and the white or transparent housing. In …
AGM or GEL drive batteries
Drive batteries in AGM or GEL technology are sealed, absolutely maintenance-free, leak-proof batteries in a closed design with a fixed electrolyte (in fleece or gel). Both are suitable for medium to heavy cyclic use, for example in cleaning machines, …
What is sulfation and what can you do about it?
Sulphation or sulphation is an undesirable ageing process in batteries where too much lead sulphate forms on the lead plates, which cannot be removed even with prolonged charging. The battery's capacity drops significantly, or it fails altogether. Sulfation …
Identifying and filling the liquid level
Markings on the outside of the white or transparent housing of a wet battery indicate the minimum (MIN) and maximum (MAX) fill levels.
During commissioning or initial filling, the battery must be filled with battery acid up to the upper mark (MAX).
During …
Drive batteries with armoured plates
Wet deep-cycle batteries in armoured plate or tubular plate technology are designed for the heaviest loads. Several tubes, in which the active mass is quasi "armoured", are joined together to form plates. This design makes them extremely resilient …
What do deposits on the battery plugs mean?
Black deposits on the plugs indicate a battery that has worn out prematurely due to continuous excessive load.
Tip: Always ensure a good balance between current drain and charging.
Information on capacity calculations and charging behaviour can be found …
