Morning all,

     I've got a problem with my battery that i'm not sure about.

On the left hand side i have a flow of white powder running down the battery and onto the frame.  I clean it off regularly but it comes back in a few days.

The breather hose is connected so it's not acid coming from there.

I can't see or find a leak anywhere and it's working perfectly well.

I use it every day of the working week.

Any ideas?

Mike

Funny you should mention that...the same happens to me. The previous battery, I didn't have a "breather tube" and thought that was the cause of the problem. New battery and breather tube...improvement, but not a fix. The retaining bar across the battery gets a real workout with the white corrosive stuff. Pain in the proverbial.

Ulrich_Grabau wrote:Funny you should mention that...the same happens to me. The previous battery, I didn't have a "breather tube" and thought that was the cause of the problem. New battery and breather tube...improvement, but not a fix. The retaining bar across the battery gets a real workout with the white corrosive stuff. Pain in the proverbial.

Yes i agree...the bar on top of the battery is white all the time.

Would a sealed gel battery be any good?

Mike

Mike101 wrote:Morning all,

     I've got a problem with my battery that i'm not sure about.

On the left hand side i have a flow of white powder running down the battery and onto the frame.  I clean it off regularly but it comes back in a few days.

The breather hose is connected so it's not acid coming from there.

I can't see or find a leak anywhere and it's working perfectly well.

I use it every day of the working week.

Any ideas?

Mike

Check your charging voltage if it is over 14.2 volts it may be over charging and causing the battery to blow a bit of acid out the breathers and then the acid is running down the channel the caps are in and when on the side stand down the left side onto the frame.

Mike101 wrote:

Ulrich_Grabau wrote:Funny you should mention that...the same happens to me. The previous battery, I didn't have a "breather tube" and thought that was the cause of the problem. New battery and breather tube...improvement, but not a fix. The retaining bar across the battery gets a real workout with the white corrosive stuff. Pain in the proverbial.

Yes i agree...the bar on top of the battery is white all the time.

Would a sealed gel battery be any good?

Mike

From what I've read, the BMW gel batts can have issues. However, sealed AGM batteries are great batteries with a good lifespan.

I put a smaller (cheaper too) AGM in my K100 last summer and am happy that I did.

http://classickbikes.com/ckb.tech/0.ckb.tech.files/batts/batteries.htm

All BMWs were fitted with a gel battery from about 2000. I have a Odysey AGM with no breather in my bike it is the PC680 model and is around half the size of the original with more cranking amps.

The only actual GEL battery is the BMW/Exide 61 21 2 346 800 which came in all Oilheads, can fit K75/K100/K1100/K12RS/GT Brick models, and the later Hexhead R12RT, K13GT & six cylinder K16GT/GTL, and it will retrofit to the narrow mount Airheads.

All of the other batteries supplied for the newer across-the-frame four cylinder K12/13S & K12/K13R, some Hexhead R12, C series scooters & F series twins are AGMs, yet still the G650GS single uses a 'traditional' lead acid.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partxref.do?part=61212346800

I have an Odyssey PC680 in one bike and a Westco AGM in two others, and the Odyssey is the best battery I have ever used. It's like a deep cycle in that it can be 'flattened' many times and will charge back to life with ease.

It is possible to kill an Odyssey.  It took me seven years and numerous deep discharges but I did manage to kill one. LOL.

What a cruel bastard! Poor battery.

X 3 on Bikerboy's & TWB's comments , I have a PC680 as well in my thing , prior to fitting it I used the original BMW lead-acid , after replacing the hold-down-bar plus the bolts a few times I thought I'd better get into the 21st century & ditched the free acid thing & go with an AGM , it's been in for 5 or so years no dramas , IMHO it's the way to go

JR

duck wrote:It is possible to kill an Odyssey.  It took me seven years and numerous deep discharges but I did manage to kill one. LOL.

A lithium battery will deliver good cranking amps and voltage till very suddenly they don't deliver till a recharge and can keep going on like that for a long time however if you continue to use them after the drop off stage and it drains them further that will kill them.
As an example If you are trying to start and it wont start and you flatten the battery to the point that it barely turns the engine then leave the headlight on by mistake for a half hour it will kill the battery.
Don't let a Lithium battery get into a situation where it can over discharge other than that they are often good for 1000 full discharge and recharge cycles.
I would use one except that the power capacity is not a good as an AGM or lead acid and I need to have capacity as much as cranking power. My MotoBatt is now 7 years old and still going strong. I can run my CPAP machine for 3 nights running and it still easily starts the bike.