Re: Remote control car battery

I'm not familiar with remote control batteries but have successfully used burglar alarm types (sealed gel) both 6 and 12 volt several times with good results. I do however tend to be nervous about such things so check regularly......

It won't have damaged an electromechanical type regulator (as original) but may have allowed excess current through a solid state type.

Paul,

Clearly whoever put that in there was a brain donor or at the very least exceptionally thick.

That battery is utterly the wrong thing to even consider using. Those cells were NEVER designed to cope with the kind of charging you get in a motorcycle electrical system. You are very lucky the bike didn't catch fire because it looks like one of the cells has exploded while most of the others will have vented damaging them long before it overheated from extreme overcharging.

I suggest getting either a conventional battery or a sealed lead acid type remembering that if this kind is left flat it destroys them.

Jim

The gel battery alarm type recommended by Ian work very well and cope with a long period uncharged.

Previously paul_harrison wrote:

A few people have suggested gel type batterys so may look at that type over lead acid.

I think you'll find these are one and the same thing. Burglar alarm batteries are all marked as being sealed lead acid. However, there are two different types one for stand by use (the burglar alarm type) and one for higher current applications which is the one you ideally want for motorcycles. Both types should be checked monthly and charged if needed because once they go flat and are left even for as little as a week they can cease to take a charge. The same for if they get too deeply discharged.

One of the failure modes they will exhibit when they fail for either reason mentioned above is the voltage will rise very fast and if using an intelligent charger it will be fooled into thinking they are charged.

Oh, and if you notice the battery bulging it is time for a new one.

Jim

Listen up, running around without a working battery on your bike might mean you have no stop light or horn when parked at the traffic lights. Sort of thing we did in the 50s-60s. Your choice.

Gel batteries, come in many species, but a lot of the sealed, square with Luca connectors batteries are made for 'float' usage in burglar alarms and fire alarms and as such are not recommended for automotive usage where the charge is intermittent and highish.

The worse that happens is the battery dries out through over charging, I doubt if you will harm anything else on the bike.

To confirm where you are with this is not too hard, 1) When you know the number of the battery use Google to find its specification, you often find a charge rate specified say 2 amp max, then you find on your bike it often gets 4 amps!

2)The other answer is to get a receipt that actually specifies 'for automotive use' then when it fails early you can get your money back!

The only sealed battery that is partially usable is the Burlens Cyclon cells. These have a voltage specification, which most electronic dynamo regulator conform with. BUT the 6V version used with the old system of AC charge control by switching the output of the alternator is NOT good enough. ie if you use a 6V Cyclon battery with the traditional alternator switching system, a long ride (50 miles) will cook it.

Just my 2bobs worth, your '55 probably has a generator, so what I did was fit a alarm AGM battery, then I regulated the charge rate with a DVR2 voltage regulator. What I found was that the DVR2 appears to shut off when the gel battery is charged. judging by the AMP meter, only shows a quick charge when the horn is used. With the brake light on, it balances the charge as long as the battery is 'full'. I also use a 12V AGM alarm battery in an alternator , coil ignition bike, using a electronic rectifier/regulator. It only shows a quick charge upon starting, then the AMP needle settles down to zero charge as the electronic unit balances the power consumption. So there apparently is no over charging of either battery's as they have been in service for around 5 years each. I also soldered an automotive type connector on each battery's spade terminals, as the simple push on spades have a habit of working loose.

Paul