bmw airhead battery
You lost a high percentage of the stock battery capacity. This write-up documents the order in which I assembled the bike from the frame through the gas cap. Regular price $99.00 Sale price $99.00 Sale. You could have APM ...Absorbed Paper Mat, or many other things, but fiberglass mats are very common. The AGM and GEL batteries and, in particular the lithium batteries, are less affected than the flooded types. The larger (28AH) battery, does not generally fit the R65, GS, /5, ST. $16.00. This can not be done by filling & then immediately putting it into your bike & then you go for a ride, which also removes a substantial amount of life from your battery. Luckily, the voltage regulator in the Airheads is either adjustable or low cost adjustable ones are available. The AP is a vertical threaded post. 02/28/2018: Minor fixes to spacing, underlines, layout...mostly appearance things. A more accurate indication is the battery voltage 1 or 2 hours after being disconnected from the charger is ~12.6 to ~12.7. These sealed batteries contain a one-way valve, and if gas pressure rises too much in the battery, from such as excessive temperature and/or charging, the valve opens, and gases escape. If you have no access to one, then crank the bike for 10 to 15 measured seconds, without starting the engine. At least one brand now has internal protection against excessive discharge. A much better compromise is 14.2 to 14.4 volts, which covers all conditions of usage reasonably well, and takes into account lamps life, battery types, etc. Some do work fairly well; but, many, if not most, are only partially good at reducing sulfation; and hardly do much for the large hard crystal type of sulfation. It is typical for a stock BMW Airhead fairing voltmeter, to read 0.2 to 0.5 v. lower than an accurate digital meter at the battery itself would read. For AGM's, the conversion is more efficient, perhaps as low as a 5% loss in efficiency (The lithium batteries may be even better). My preference is for round, not hexagon, metal mounts ...due to possible interferences. Note that if the lithium battery has internal protection against too high a discharge, the re-charging possibly can be (?) Many of the aftermarket batteries, such as the AGM/VRLA types, are slightly taller, & often much less wide, than the stock motorcycle battery. Coat the entire positive (+) terminal, and + wires metal ends, after assembly; ...and, if the insulation is poor, force some into the wire/insulation junction. I recommend you do not purchase a lithium battery that is rated at 6AH (approximately) in actual capacity, as you can discharge it much too easily ...but, this is up to you and your needs, in your real world usage. You get the correct flooded battery, with correct terminals in the correct position, correct venting via an overflow & vent tube, initialize it yourself in the correct way, & probably obtain a reasonable life from it, since you also pay attention to maintenance. This is Beemerboy’s new Stainless Steel Battery Box, suitable for all years of R65/R80/R100 Airhead BMW’s. Nerdy: On good quality batteries, CA is typically going to be CCA divided by 1.25. You can expect reliability for at least 5, but increasingly less reliable as 8 years approaches, ...all only if taken care of, and in motorcycle use. The testing should always be done with the Harbor Freight analog meter in the same horizontal or vertical position, to eliminate meter needle mechanical balance irregularities. :
The additional wear is due to the old battery ...but it starts your bike ...no problems (so far)! 1. ...then, if under 12.5, be sure to recharge the battery. Although I have given you rather specific advice in this long article on various voltages, the following is practical advice, since voltage regulators on the various motorcycles will vary considerably ...or, you may want to know what is practical for setting yours if it is adjustable. The only really important drawback is expansion/contraction with temperature changes (which are from engine heat and environmental conditions and also from high current charging in the bike). The storage or available capacity of that lithium battery (6 AH being assumed here), assuming no other large drains than just to start the engine, and means that you could crank, for a bit of time, each, quite a number of times ...allowing the starter to cool off between starting attempts (the way you really should use a starter). So, what's with this stuff about AH (ampere-hour) ratings? If you think the battery is fully charged & does not need charging first, at least check the voltage first. Sticker "Bosch" for Battery Case. Of course, the battery could be no good, but it will not hurt to try a conventional charger on the battery for awhile. For flooded batteries, no matter the calcium or tin or antimony or selenium added to the chemistry of the plates (or not), when re-charging, it is a good idea to charge to at least 14.2 volts, and 14.5 is good. Improve clarity of explanations. Be careful with flooded types, as if no overflow/vent tube, the fumes from the caps vents WILL rot out your steel pan seat, mess with electronics, etc., over many years. As noted much earlier in this long article, beware of de-sulfation mode use. I leave you to change to Fahrenheit, and calculate your conditions-effects. YES...this means that as the drain rate increases (you use more amperes for any given period of time), the REAL Ampere-Hour capacity goes down. These lithium batteries are pricey even in their small AH sizes. Methods that are safe and cheap will be described here. Do check the battery terminal voltage for all methods, before & during the charging. Some literature will say there is an official sweet spot at 13.2-13.5 for flooded batteries. 03/04/2005: Update entire article to reflect latest information and include all prior revisions, greatly expand information. ***Avoid ...any flooded battery without a venting tube. 10/02/2017: Some improvement in clarity, and a bit on color reduction. Allow a minute or two, depending on how much you used the starter motor. Many specialized chargers designed for these lithium batteries have special recovery modes, if the battery gets seriously drained. Critically, a sulfate coating caused by a discharge of the battery comes in two types. Be sure it is the LiFePO4 type. ... is being discussed here ... as all other lithium types should not be used at all, due to possibility of fires. Electrifying technology: The Original BMW Battery with AGM Technology provides peak energy performance for your BMW with a high level of energy throughput. You continue to use that battery with no problems. One is to use an old wal-wort charger, with some modifications in usage. Watch the wording in the advertisements. Flooded batteries, by common use of that description (liquid sloshes around in them) are "lead-acid" batteries made in a few basic types. That is not enough to quickly or even moderately quickly, recharge any battery from such as cranking, sitting at traffic signals, stop and go, etc., but on a flooded battery, water use is lessened with the lower voltage. at a higher rate ....see the manufacturer's information. It is important that gas bubbles be eliminated now & then during the initialization period & a full & complete soaking of the internal parts accomplished before any high current charging. If any type of battery is not taken care of, its life expectancy will be lower. BMW released it as a sort of classic roadster … Gel batteries have the sulfuric acid mixture combined with an absorbent material, usually powdered silica (sand). This are just two of the possible problems if you only check the voltage or only hydrometer check, ...or both. Said another way, true CCA, as far as real world use, will be somewhat less than the CCA as advertised, because the battery is not usable for starting the engine at 7.2 volts ...in fact, under 10 volts is getting very iffy. Panasonic made small changes in its battery part numbers, and there are several different versions of the battery posts Panasonic offers. Some lithium batteries are becoming available that have internal electronics that are more protective and some slightly higher voltages, etc., may be allowable. Very knowledgeable BMW guy. 5. HINT: When a battery is old or getting closer to failure (even not very old batteries can start dying), if your stock BMW dash voltmeter is wildly swinging during use of the directional (trafficators) flasher, & you have already checked the wiring and connections at various places, the battery may need replacing. An AGM battery needs a bit more oooomph to fully charge it than does a lead acid battery. Right Side only. For the Odyssey brand of battery, you can initialize at up to 50% of AH rating per Odyssey; but I say 40% maximum, and 30% is better as a maximum. They are available for $180 from Hansens BMW: (541) 535-3342, www.hansensmc.com. Be careful what method you use for the particular make & model of motorcycle. You use a small wal-wart charger, not a smart charger, every month or two, the battery is mounted in your bike, you have a clock that draws a teeny bit of power, maybe something else (or not). Scenario #11:
Chargers (SMART ....and not). ... Airheads Beemer Club Devoted to BMW airhead bikes and owners; No guarantees. There is VERY MUCH LESS WARNING that the battery is discharging and nearly dead. I have successfully done that in my own shop on a lithium battery that was completely dead, but I have chargers that I can control the input and output, quite carefully. see (wear eye protection) if a cell cover is removed. Safe too, and will not damage the battery. I have a 10/12 ampere charger that works fine. The 'GS' designation is still a staple of BMW's range, but it's evolved a lot since 1980—both technologically and visually. Please pay attention to my advice here, which is all for your safety! Scenario #5:
The truth is that constant very long-term use of a Smart-Charger can somewhat reduce the life of the battery. However, battery life decreases if not kept fully charged. ((Hopefully you never forget wire connection direction, as you will fry at least the diode board). LiFePO4 batteries are considered fully charged at 13.6 volts; & should not be charged to too high a voltage. Walmart sells distilled water in 1 gallon plastic jugs for under a dollar, your supermarket price is likely not much higher; ...a gallon will last a long time. I did a lot of testing and gathering of information over many years, and still do some testing (I have sophisticated testing equipment, and I also do cold weather testing of various types). This is part of the reason for not leaving a Smart Charger connected & powered for years, during extended storage, & even 1 year is sometimes damaging. ***AVOID ...any battery that has its + and - terminals reversed. 05/22/2013: Update the lithium battery information, condense it. Odyssey's have a peculiarity ...or, well, somewhat. ANTIGRAVITY LITHIUM ION BATTERY. Connect your accurate digital voltmeter to the Harbor Freight units big alligator clamps. No matter the type of charger, smart or not, you certainly can disconnect the charger if you want to, after the charge is at 14.7 and the current is maybe 100 ma. A slightly better total method is a capacity test, but is not likely going to be what you do ...and is almost never really needed. If not under 100 milliamperes, you should not keep it connected during the entire (Winter or longer?) A few tenths drop over 15 seconds means the battery is VERY likely to be in VERY good condition. Another problem is that the Lithium battery has a very quick and very sudden cutting-off of output....this is commonly described as a very steep discharge curve. Congratulations! The suffix P is the one you probably will prefer. Yes folks use the odessey in airheads and it is the 680. If the battery is quite discharged, terminal voltage may be too low to trigger a Smart Charger to turn-on. Watch out for 'equivalent to' ratings... xx AH ...Ampere Hours...as that is MEANINGLESS! As soon as the engine warms, the heat rises into the regulator causing the voltage to go down a tenth or two, so do checks and any adjustment before heat develops. initial upload 02/04/2003 and initial copyright. A very sophisticated type of battery tester that measures conductance/impedance is available, these testers are hundreds to thousands of dollars. Battery Relocation Kit. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=757934&page=18. The battery must be filled properly and must sit at least overnight before being used in your motorcycle, and you should charge it overnight, but only carefully ...which is all explained here. Set the Harbor Freight unit either standing up or the back is flat downwards, whichever position you intend to use, & so indicate it on the Tester, so you will always use it. Battery charge tends to decrease in stop and go traffic, in some circumstances this can happen rather quickly. Construction methods can be wildly different. There are types of batteries that are not normally considered 'flooded' types, that you do add liquid to ...but just once. If you do use a Load Tester: load tests on batteries are done at approximately three times the battery capacity in AH. These are at common 'room temperature'. Add the extra grounding wires too. A problem with this type of test is whether or not you do, or even could, know the real condition and ampere draw of the starter motor, and condition of peripherals like the solenoid switch, wiring, etc. Production of motorcycles with flat-twin engines continues to this day, however BMW has also produced many … Here is how to do it properly: 1. It needs to be installed into the starter relay plug. I recommend you do not use golf-cart and similar batteries! 10/12/2017: Substantial revision. You will also certainly want a disconnected battery if replacing the diode board mounts. Boxer Magic: A BMW airhead cafe racer from Lithuania Like many things from the early 90s, the BMW R100R suffers from an identity crisis. Be sure to disconnect the charger, or unplug it, at 14.9 maximum on your digital meter; I use 14.8 to 14.85 as an absolute maximum! Collection: BMW AIRHEAD PARTS ... WESTCO 12V20P AGM BATTERY. Friday, December 18, 2020, https://bmwmotorcycletech.info/newbattery.htm, https://bmwmotorcycletech.info/boxerelectrics.htm, http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=757934&page=18, https://www.yuasabatteries.com/resources/how-to-activate-an-agm-battery/, https://bmwmotorcycletech.info/diodebds&grdgwires.htm, http://www.largiader.com/articles/battery.html, https://bmwmotorcycletech.info/startingprobs.htm. Scenario #9:
Some makers/sellers literature rate their batteries in watts ...tricky to properly understand, and not informative. These batteries were slightly later used for electronics and other back-up systems, often systems that are hardly, if ever, looked at. The only battery that might be thought of this way are some from Yuasa (and maybe others?) This is fairly common; as is sulfation, which can have little to no effect on voltage without a known load. Testing this way depends on the condition of the starter, the temperature of the engine, starter, battery; even the oil grade and if a high compression engine or not ...etc. The reason they are probably OK is because while they start off with a moderately high ampere charge, they very quickly taper off, within a few minutes. Original BMW Batteries are designed and tested to deliver a longer service … The voltage should be considerably higher, typically between 14.2 and 14.5, but not over 14.9. If it does not reach 13.7 minimum; 14.5 maximum (although 14.9 is OK at quite cold temperatures) as the rpm gets higher & higher (might take 4000 rpm depending on the lights, etc. Black CNC Billet Axle … De-sulfation chargers do work 'sort-of', at least sometimes, but if the battery charge was quite low for any goodly period of time, de-sulfation modes, if they work at all, will be unlikely to give much more battery life, compared to you using a standard charger, or a smart charger without de-sulfation protocols, in trying to resurrect the battery. Eventually the battery is ruined. With over 40 years experience in the Airhead world, we offer exceptional quality BMW Airhead Motorcycle replacement, accessory and classic replica parts. However, just how to deal with these voltages is not clear when you see them in the literature ...as the voltage during actual practical charging, is not that voltage. By continuing to use this site you agree to our use of cookies. Some types come dry, and you add the acid mixture, but only once, thereafter you may have to watch the liquid level over time. There is a serious need for watching the charging process; ...particularly if using a Smart Charger that has a de-sulfation mode (charges to a rather high voltage for short periods or uses sharp voltage spikes). What happens in battery use, particularly charging (something similar, in reverse, can happen under heavy drain) is that oxygen is formed at the positive (+) plate, and the oxygen reduces or eliminates the normally otherwise produced hydrogen at the negative (-) plate. Another popular brand is the Enersys-Odyssey, sold as a premium product. You make sure it is kept close to 100% charged. 35. Free shipping . By 1987, the R100GS already had a very different vibe to its predecessor, and the modern GS machines carry almost none of the original's DNA. I have seen it even longer with constantly cycling wall-wart chargers. If you do use such a mode on such a motorcycle, there IS a safe way to do it! This is a real peculiarity, but it is true. 09/16/2016: Update metacodes, scripts, layout, content improvements for clarity. Batteries self-discharge. No matter what brand you get, be sure that the negative & positive terminals are on the correct side and correct left-right. If they do not....use the small meter adjusting screw on the Harbor Freight meter face to reset the meter needle slightly (it will then be off-zero). Date: Wed, 05 Nov 1997 13:33:38 -0800 From: Max C. McHatton
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