Which gel battery

Here is am article from a Battery suppliers web site-I stole.

What is a AGM or Absorbed Glass Mat Battery?
The newer type of sealed nonspillable maintenance free valve regulated battery uses "Absorbed Glass Mats", or AGM separators between the plates. This is a very fine fiber Boron-Silicate glass mat. These type of batteries have all the advantages of gelled, but can take much more abuse. These are also called "starved electrolyte.” Just like the Gel batteries, the AGM Battery will not leak acid if broken.

What are the advantages of the AGM battery?
The advantages of AGM batteries are no maintenance, sealed against fumes, hydrogen, leakage, or non-spilling even if they are broken, and can survive most freezes. AGM batteries are "recombinant" – which means the Oxygen and Hydrogen recombine inside the battery. These use gas phase transfer of oxygen to the negative plates to recombine them back into water while charging and prevent the loss of water through electrolysis. The recombining is typically 99+% efficient, so almost no water is lost. Charging voltages for most AGM batteries are the same as for a standard type battery so there is no need for special charging adjustments or problems with incompatible chargers or charge controls. Since the internal resistance is extremely low, there is almost no heating of the battery even under heavy charge and discharge currents. AGM batteries have a very low self-discharge rate (from 1% to 3% per month). So they can sit in storage for much longer periods without charging. The plates in AGM's are tightly packed and rigidly mounted, and will withstand shock and vibration better than any standard battery.

Maybe this will help in the debate?
I have 3 bikes and 2 cars with lead acid, fully recyclable, but lead smelters are another story.

Last year I replaced the original AGM in my ZRX - 9 years, no maint., no battery tender, plenty of neglect. Did I put another AGM in? You bet.

I'm sold AGM it is. I'll spend the extra bucks. Probably well worth it in the long run :laugh:

Battery Plus Stores....

X-Power AGM....

www.batteriesplus.com/product/40578-X2--...CC-1977-to-1980.aspx

Since I was fabbing a battery box anyways, went with the 18AH model... nice....

Well I went ahead and ordered a Yuasa Maintenance Free AGM Powersport battery.
It has Amp/Hr: 18
C.C.A.: 310 :woohoo:
That should keep my Kaw fired up nice and strong.:laugh:
Thanks for all the input
here's the link
www.batterystuff.com/batteries/motorcycle/YTX20HL-BS.html

Yeow, $97? I just priced a new wet cell battery for my KZ-750 (it uses the biggest size) and it was $45 at the local bike shop for their premium brand. I am getting 6 years or more out of the wet cells, I think I'll stick with them.

Bountyhunter, I think the important point here is that He said that he "wanted" to purchase a gel cell battery. Sure the good ole wet cell battery is fine and perfectly useable in his bike. Sure the AGM that he bought was twice as much money, but it is what he wanted. It's no different that the guy who drinks rotgut vs the guy who will only have single malt scotch. Both get you drunk just the same, but one guy has the means and he spends $100 on a bottle vs $12.99.

One more consideration. For a person who regularly rides his bike, and thus keeps a steady charge on the battery, the wet cell will last quite a long time. However, if like most motorcycle owners, the bike is neglected all winter, and maybe ridden once or twice a month. The AGM will pay for itself. AGM's have a very low internal discharge rate, and tolerate a deep cycle way better than a wet cell battery. I used to live in a city with a very high percentage of elderly people who seldom drive their car. At the time, I worked in the parts department at a local dealership. We sold a lot of batteries to those people. They would be in yearly for a new battery, and it was always after the first cold snap or the first really good string of hot days. That tought me alot about how to treat a battery.

Testarossa hit the nail right on the head.
I don't have any kids to spend all my money, and my wife doesn't spend too much either. I'm not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but I do make a decent living out at the airplane factory. I'm a Captain Morgan or Miller Lite kind of guy but ... My Kaw is my baby and deservs the best I can give it when she is in need. :blush:
Ride On!
:woohoo:

testarossa wrote:

Bountyhunter, I think the important point here is that He said that he "wanted" to purchase a gel cell battery. Sure the good ole wet cell battery is fine and perfectly useable in his bike. Sure the AGM that he bought was twice as much money, but it is what he wanted.

It just strikes me funny that the mod I posted which went ignored will easily triple the life of the battery over the entire service life of the bike and it costs about $10. Install a relay (or two) which disconnects the lights when the starter is energized and the battery depth of discharge is dramatically reduced and the peak current demand is dropped. I did it back in 1984 because my first three batteries only lasted about 18 months each, all the batteries after the mod lasted at least six years and in most cases I "retired" them while they are still servicable for safety reasons.

Think of the load on that poor battery: on mine (stock) key on puts on the 40W low beam, and three rear running lights at about 10W each. I recall there are four instrument lights at 4W each. That's close to 90W of unneeded light load sitting on the battery (along with the ignition/coil load) when you hit the starter button. Considering a typical bike battery is 12 - 15 A-hr ballpark, that's a severe load.

It's true you can throw a bigger battery at it or a more expensive one with more discharge capability. Or, you can quit destroying the battery by cranking it with the lights on. Imagine how long your car battery would last if you turned on the headlights, tail lights, dash lights etc every time you started the car.

dblhdr wrote:

Testarossa hit the nail right on the head.
I don't have any kids to spend all my money, and my wife doesn't spend too much either. I'm not rich by any stretch of the imagination, but I do make a decent living out at the airplane factory. I'm a Captain Morgan or Miller Lite kind of guy but ... My Kaw is my baby and deservs the best I can give it when she is in need. :blush:
Ride On!
:woohoo:

OK. Put relays in to disconnect the lights from the battery when the starter relay is energized and that AGM battery will probably outlive your baby. All you need is a 12V relay with normally closed contacts rated for maybe 20A. Run the light power through those NC contacts and connect the 12V relay coil lead to the starter relay energizer lead. When the starter relay gets it's 12V to turn the starter, that same +12V line hits the other relay and opens the normally closed contacts disconnecting the lights. Release the starter button, lights back on. The relay(s) go in just downstream of the power lead to the ignition which remains on when cranking.

I can't speak for others outside of hotter then hell environment (Arizona heat) but one thing that is fact.... batteries don't like heat....

Wet cell batteries here in this heat, no way for they do and will boil over here regardless.... It's just too fricking hot....

Whether you buy a new battery annually or spend a little more and get twice to three times the life... Really comes out the same in the long run...

I'm on my second summer here with my AGM battery, no power/battery issues what so ever @ considering the cold cranking amps, she starts right up with a simple push of the starter button...

I'm with the others on this one... AGM or even GEL batteries are better then the wet acid cell batteries with out a doubt.... Especially in the heat!

OMR

bountyhunter wrote:
[ OK. Put relays in to disconnect the lights from the battery when the starter relay is energized and that AGM battery will probably outlive your baby. All you need is a 12V relay with normally closed contacts rated for maybe 20A. Run the light power through those NC contacts and connect the 12V relay coil lead to the starter relay energizer lead. When the starter relay gets it's 12V to turn the starter, that same +12V line hits the other relay and opens the normally closed contacts disconnecting the lights. Release the starter button, lights back on. The relay(s) go in just downstream of the power lead to the ignition which remains on when cranking.[/quote]

Bountyhunter makes a good point about running the headlight while cranking the bike. On my newer bike, that's just how it is. You can't even get the headlight to come on until you have released the starter button. On my KZ1000, no relay needed. Just turn the headlight switch to "off". I realize that this has changed on the newer KZ's.

Not another relay mod. Its the bountyhunter headlight relay mod. Run away, run away! :laugh: JK.