Gel batteries

A fully charged 6 cell lead/acid battery should show 13.2v, so yours is reading a little low.

What does the voltage drop to while you are cranking the engine?

Have you checked the condition of the cables and terminals? Maybe the voltage cannot reach the starter?

Mike

Hi Dave,

Have a look at www.motobatt.com These are Absorbed Glass Matt batteries which wereinitiallydesigned for high temp / vibrationapplications.

Seehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRLA_battery

Yes I know rotaries do not vibrate but this is alsousefulfor Commando's, some of which I am told do. They are as good as a Gel battery, can be mounted in any orientation.

I have been using a Gel on the Commando for a couple of years and it seems to have more oomph (technical term) than the standard lead acid and you never need to fill or worry about discharge.

If you are dropping to 6.5 - 8 then it is shot. Replace it.

Cheers

Tony

I bought a gel battery for my Interpol 2 as they are supposed to have a higher cranking current and be resilient to being left discharged in the cold (not that I would on purpose, but we all forget to connect up the charger quite as often as we should in the winter).

Unfortunately, I got a duff one which failed the first winter. I didn't have the receipt, but the vendor, tayna.co.uk, had a record of the purchase and gave me a replacement, so I must give them credit for their honesty. The current one is holding up just fine.

Previously wrote:

Hi Dave,

Have a look at www.motobatt.com These are Absorbed Glass Matt batteries which wereinitiallydesigned for high temp / vibrationapplications.

Seehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VRLA_battery

Yes I know rotaries do not vibrate but this is alsousefulfor Commando's, some of which I am told do. They are as good as a Gel battery, can be mounted in any orientation.

I have been using a Gel on the Commando for a couple of years and it seems to have more oomph (technical term) than the standard lead acid and you never need to fill or worry about discharge.

If you are dropping to 6.5 - 8 then it is shot. Replace it.

Cheers

Tony

I've fitted a MotoBat MBTX16U to my 850-ES and am pleased with the result - it's a proper cranker!

Suppied by WEMOTO.COM

Rgds

Mark

Previously wrote:

Despite a week on the Accumen charger, my 18 month old Varta will not crank my Interpol 2 (rotary) despite showing 12.8v A car battery at about the same voltage spins it over well enough to start on jump leads. I'm pretty sure the battery is shot for electric start purposes. What are the views on gel batteries (I'm thinking Odyssey) when it comes to cranking power? are they worth the money?

Dave

Before you bin this battery (if you still have it?) I would give it a proper charge on a 'normal' battery charger. The low level charges that are designed to trickle charge a battery for long periods often do not bring a low battery up despite leaving it on for some time. A good half a day on a decent charger might bring it back to life.

Al Osborn.