12 volt battery suggestions

[Little Al]

I know I've heard/read about the various batteries available but need to be refreshed on what to buy.

so what's the one to buy?
what about those ones' I see on ebay? gel or not?

I'm running points, if that matters for a suggestion, '54 FL

12 volt
fit in bag
reasonable price

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Motorcycle-Parts-Accessories__Gel-battery-12-volt-Panhead-Knucklehead-stock-oil-tank_W0QQitemZ220377079751QQadiZ2863QQadnZMotorcycleQ20PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotorcycles_Parts_Accessories?hash=item220377079751&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=65%3A2|39%3A1|240%3A1318

[CraigArizona85248]

About 4 years ago I switch from the little 12v/5amp lead-acid battery to a YUASA YTZ14S (12v/12amp) sealed AGM battery.  That battery cost me $75.  It lasted 3 years where the 12v/5amp batteries only lasted about a year.  It was worth the extra expense.  No acid overflow with an AGM battery.  BUT... last year I had to replace my battery and the price had gone from $75 to anywhere from $150-$225 buying it online!  OUCH!  That price was for the YUASA branded battery.  So I found a off-branded equivalent battery for $70 and bought that instead.  Been running it a year so far and it's doing great.  Heat kills batteries and I ride year round everyday... and it get HOT here.  Wrapped up in that oil tank has to be torcher for a battery.  So I figure 3 years is doing pretty well.

This battery has to be set on it's end in order to fit in the oil tank.  I just made up a wiring harness that I attach to the battery and install it.  The wiring harness has a quick disconnect for (+) and (-) that makes it easy to disconnect if needed.



Here is where I bought my last battery:  http://www.batterymart.com/p-YTZ14S-BS-AGM-Maintenance-Free-Battery.html

-Craig

[Little Al]

Upon a bit of investigation I found some recommendations for this one too, anybody here try this one? A couple of guys are running them in 12V Pans and recommend them highly. claim they last 3-4 seasons and the price is pretty good.

dimensions are L 1.94" W 3.90" H 3.98" and it's totally sealed so can and does work in any position. they say the terminal is the only weird part but they've. like you Craig, made up quick disconnects to work and to make it easy & quick to take it in and out.

http://www.batteriesplus.com/p-32620-werker-12v-12ah-agm-battery-with-250-terminal.aspx

and I agree, the heat inside that oil bag has GOT to be the killer!

[Pynzo]

Before I went to the Magneto no battery setup I used the 12N5.5A batterys in the extension box with original battery top (although you've got to modify the top to clear the terminals). Acid spills wrecked my chrome oil bag and battery tray. If that little battery can be used on it's side, it looks like a winner! Yo Craig! Where in AZ do you live? I used to live in Wickenburg and man it was too hot to ride in the daytime! A 20 mile ride left me feeling like a raisin!

[Erichill]

For Craig and others.  This is just an FYI, but all these batteries are being made by one company in China. My friend has the excellent job of selling their batteries worldwide. The same batteries get different labels and packaging. Sells to HD, Napa, Aoto Zone, Sears, Interstate, and a whole lot  of others.  I always knew this happens with products, but I was suprised at how many different labels were on same battery. 21 labels in US alone! Same company, same quality of battery.  Amazing what we pay for names huh? So that HD battery is no better than Auto Zone or Yamaha.
Eric
P.S. Not wanting to start a controversy or anything, just an observation that amazed me when I found out how many were the same

[CraigArizona85248]

That Werker battery looks interesting.  Once you set it on it's end the terminals will be up at the top (unlike mine, where on terminal ends up at the bottom of the battery box.  I'd give it a shot for $45.

Eric, I noticed when I got my new off-brand battery, that it was identical to the YUASA.  Casting marks in the plastic were all in the same places.  I suspected that they had been made in the same place.

Pynzo, I'm located in Chandler (Southeast side of the Phoenix metro area).  I've gone through 10 summers now without a car so I'm pretty used to the heat.  But I don't care how much you ride in it... 50 miles in 115F temps will cook you good!  If I stop for gas on the way home in the summer, I can feel how tight the panhead motor has gotten from the heat when I go to kick it.  I do all my pleasure riding in the summer between 4am and 9am.   

-Craig

[Little Al]

The have a store for that battery 17 miles from my house. Think I'm gonna run over tomorrow morning. For $45 even if I get one season out of it no big deal. I'll be the "tester" on this battery for all of use here. Even if i don't get over there tomorrow, I will soon, damn, their even open Sunday 12-5. I called them, they have 6 in stock, say it's a pretty popular battery.

Eric, you're right, there are tons of products made by the same manufacturer for many companies. Lots of time the unit IS identical, but there are also many times the manufacturer produces what may look like the same unit for different companies but they actually build to the companies specs. a good example that I know to be true is household dishwashers (actually its VERY common with appliances). One company makes them for almost 100 different companies to be sold under their brand name. There might be 80 that are identical except for a few cosmetic differences, but in those last 20 one company might order them made with a 2 amp stronger motor, another might want a stainless steel pump impeller, etc. you get the idea. Same manufacturer, built to order off a basic model, to the specs or "offered options" of the purchasing company. This is good in one respect, the volume and manufacturing machines & workers are consistent which means lower prices. the other side of that sword is if the manufacturer has poor quality control, ALL brands and models suffer. we see this on bikes all the time too, Showa, for example, probably makes close to 90% of all forks for all bike brands, belts for belt drives (gates), etc.

wow, way off the track, lol

Gonna buy that battery, I'll report back, with pics installed and the terminals, once I got it in my hands

[MBSKEAM]

http://www.hydra-glide.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5114

45.00

I did read about the batterys just a few weeks back...same place, different brands...
way different prices...LOL

just like contract packaging... same bakery, diffrent labels on the bread same bread inside....
ya pay for a name.....
5.00 a loaf or 1.00.... same bread....
what to buy....hhhmmm

mbskeam

[Little Al]

Well I got the battery, looks like a nice unit. fits with plenty of room to spare in the oil bag. once you take the plastic caps off the terminals I slipped on standard females. once I start running it I'll report back

[CraigArizona85248]

Little Al,

Looks good!  You'll want to take some sort of spacer material (I used some 2x4 blocks painted black) and bring the battery up to standard height.  That way you can use the OEM battery cover which will hold the batter securly in place.  I don't think you'd want the battery rattling around unrestrained in the oil tank.  You could damage the plastic case (leading to a leak of acid) and or break the battery plates.  Just a thought.

Here is a photo of my battery and the blocks of wood I used.  Looks like a piece of 2x4 and a piece of 1x4 screwed together.  This is before I painted them black.

[Pzokes]

Little Al,
It looks like you can put the wood blocks on top of this new battery and cut them to fit under the OEM cover.

[Little Al]

yep, gonna put wood block on the battery tray then the battery to raise it up high enough to use the battery cover to hold it all secure.

[CraigArizona85248]

I took Pzokes method.  I put the battery in the oil tank first, then put the wood blocks on top of the battery and secured it all with the battery cover.

-Craig

[Pzokes]

The reason that I think that putting the battery in the tray first is best, is because the battery is heavier than the 2X4's and might vibrate more if it was on top of the wood.  I realize that these new batteries are "glass mat" technology, and are less subject to vibration than the old style batteries.  Also on most of these new batteries you have to cut the top cover for the battery wires if you put it on top of the wood.

[Pynzo]

Al-
How's the battery this season? Are you healed up enough to start your Pan?

[fourthgear]

Here's who makes HD batteries ,http://www.eastpenn-deka.com/ , I have the EXT9 in one of my Pan's ,the 65 has one ,I will have to look to see what Deka it has in it ,its for a super glide, cause that's the way my 65 is set up.
The Deka's are made in Pa.,USA.
I got five years off the last EXT9 & it was my fault I did not get longer (only intermittently put the Batt.Tender on it ,I have them on 24/7 on both now)

[4DWUDS]

Craig, Have you ever though about mounting a small computer type fan in the battery box to help circulate some cool air into the box, Maybe in the bottom pulling air up through the holes in the tray and surrounding area. Just a thought.

[CraigArizona85248]

It's not worth the trouble Patrick.  Those computer fans are lucky to last through one good rain.  They just don't like the moisture.  I'm still running strong on my second YTZ14S AGM battery.  The first one lasted about 3 years and the one that is in there now (the "no brand" cheap-o) seems to be lasting even better then the first.  The first one started letting the lights dim at idle after only a couple years.  The current battery has been in there 2 years now and no signs of the lights dimming at idle.

-Craig

[4DWUDS]

Craig, We live in Arizona, what's this RAIN stuff you speak of.

[CraigArizona85248]

It's that weird stuff that falls from the sky and soaks me to the bone on the way to work in the morning... just like last Wednesday morning.  I smelled like a wet dog for half the day.  Keeps people from bothering me at work though.   

[twincamzz]

Upon a bit of investigation I found some recommendations for this one too, anybody here try this one? A couple of guys are running them in 12V Pans and recommend them highly. claim they last 3-4 seasons and the price is pretty good.

dimensions are L 1.94" W 3.90" H 3.98" and it's totally sealed so can and does work in any position. they say the terminal is the only weird part but they've. like you Craig, made up quick disconnects to work and to make it easy & quick to take it in and out.

http://www.batteriesplus.com/p-32620-werker-12v-12ah-agm-battery-with-250-terminal.aspx

and I agree, the heat inside that oil bag has GOT to be the killer!

Little Al, I am using a battery from battery plus that looks alot like the one you got. I cut some pieces of rubber from a ergo-mat I had laying around to make a cushion for the battery to sit on that brought it up to the original height. Then I added another piece of rubber for a top cushion, under the original battery cover. Once installed you have to look really close to see the modifcation. 

[4DWUDS]

OH, you mean Liquid Sunshine.  Still seems to me that there has to be a small enough, waterproof and durable fan that could fit in that area. Don't know how much good it would do, but then you could have a "Fanhead". on your Panhead. 

[Pzokes]

Maybe one of those small 12v computer box fans that was previously suggested.  We need a volunteer.

[Little Al]

Pynzo, funny you should ask, I've been riding about 2 weeks and just fired up the Pan from her winter nap last weekend. I didn't do a damn thing with the battery except take it inside for the winter. no charging, no nothing. I do NOT believe in using trickle chargers and on my bikes (all except the Pan using OEM HD batteries) i have never gotten less then 5 years from them. if i don't ride a particular bike in the winter I just take the battery into my kitchen. I usually do charge it at 2 amps overnight before I put it back in, but did nothing on the Pan battery and she fired right up. even the headlight was nice & bright before i started her.

[Pynzo]

Sweet!  I was thinking about picking one up for my new ride and wanted to know how it was holding up. Glad you're feeling better!

[Little Al]

twincamzz, I have the battery sitting on the stock dense foam mat that's on top of the wood block. seems to work just fine. I did have to notch the battery cover ever so slightly. in the bike it looks good

[Little Al]

thanks Pynzo.

btw, my club is coming to Philly for our annual "Philly cheese steak run" sometime in the next few weeks. I have to look at our schedule to see which Sunday it will be. I'll bring down some Brooklyn and we'll finally have to get together. I'll let you know the date but I know it's soon.

[Little Al]

Pynzo, I checked our calender, we'll be in Philly on Sunday April 18th. I'll give you more details (arrival time, etc.) a few days before. but you can probably expect around noon. we usually get a cheese steak near Independence hall although I remember you mentioned someplace last year when we spoke about me coming to Philly. I'm the Pres of the club so they'll go where I say, lol

I will be bringing the Brooklyn for you for sure...

[Pynzo]

Al-
The place I mentioned is called Downey's, an old school Irish Pub located at the corner of Front and South Streets. Plenty of beer there, so you can save the Brooklyn for later!

[Mule]

The last agm battery I bought for a pan was from great plains cycle, it worked well. I just found and bought one on Ebay for my latest Pan, from moto batteries 39.95 plus shipping, 2 year warranty ,sealed AGM type 5 1/2" X4 1/2" X 2 13/16" , 7 amp  real close dimensions  to the great plains battery. Has the same type of terminal set up as a odyssey battery. Should fit well in the oil bag with a little help... I tried the battery from batteries plus and did not have good luck with it, it had an intermittent short on the inside that drove me crazy for a little while.   Mule...

[Little Al]

The Brooklyn will be warm by time I get there, take it home & we'll hoist a few cold ones at Downey's

I'll pm you a day or two before to set up a meet time

[twincamzz]

Here's a couple shots of my 12 volt, 12 AH battery in place. I really need to cover that RED ground wire with some black shrink wrap...

[rbonner]

Yeah sore thumb, but gee the rest looks wonderful...  I'm envious.  BOB

[rbonner]

Also on the food trips.  When I was in college we drove to Chicago for Pizza...  That's real pizza not that flat stuff, hahahahaha.  I know, I'll climb back in my hole now with all you New Yorkers on here.

BOB

[Little Al]

sorry Bob, New York City pizza is just the best!

I remember years ago (early '70's) when I lived in Juarez Mexico we thought going into El Paso (being the US and all) we'd be able to get Italian food. what a freakin' joke. we had to go all the way to Albuquerque, NM to get real NY style Italian food from a little restaurant owned by a transplanted NY'er. he had everything trucked in, even the water, from NYC. Everyplace else in the southwest, egg noodles & ketchup was passed off as pasta.

being a borne & bred NY'er I still have trouble getting a satisfying Italian meal when I travel the country. I try to stick with sampling local food, at least my expectations are realistic! LOL

 

[rbonner]

Oh I know what you mean....  Not being Italian, but enjoying the stuff, I have to look for it too.  Am bit of a pizza snob myself.

How about if we call the deep dish stuff I love a Calzone...  It will avoid a brawl over how deep the pan is to make our favorite food.

BUT seriously, if I can ever get you (and me for that matter) into one or two of the wonderful establishments in the windy city, I'll treat you to some Calzone you will truly enjoy...  So what if they call it Pizza.     Blues Brothers.

Yeah my buddy is sitting in a bar in Chicago, listening to a guy blow harp with a local Blues band...  The guy packs up and leaves...  John says to the bartender, that guy does a great Dan Ackroyd imitation.  Yeah he should that was Dan Ackroyd....

OVER

[Pzokes]

I grew up with Italian food.
When I was a kid I worked as a busboy in an Italian Restaurant halfway between Boston and Providence.  It was a Mafia meeting place, and sometimes I was given a hand wave to leave the table, when I was filling water glasses.  Guess it was best that I didn't hear what was going on.

The Italian food is better in NYC, Prov, and Boston because Ellis Island is where a lot of Italians landed.  The local joke is the reason so many Italians are named Tony is because they had signs saying "To NY".

We sent the ones that couldn't cook to Chicago.

[Pzokes]

I switched to glass mat batteries when I used to post on the original computer biker website: Virtual Biker.  Some genius there tried these batteries.  I used to get a year with the old 12v mini batteries that were crap. 

[rbonner]

Oh laughing hard that was good.  BOB

[Little Al]

Well Pzokes, you're certainly right about NY, lol.
my mom was born in Italy, came through Ellis with my grandparents and 6 siblings when she was about 4 years old back in the mid 1920's. I found all their names in the books at Ellis when they opened them up about 10 years ago. They of course brought their cooking with them. My grandmother never left the block she moved to when released from Ellis and died on that same block some 70 years later.

Italian food in New York is more Italian then in Italy, lol

Bob, I'll take you up on that offer. I'll be passing through Chicago this Thursday, maybe we can meet up for lunch. I'll be passing back through Sunday on my way home. I'm riding out to Milwaukee, leaving late Wednesday evening and leaving for home early Sunday morning.

In the first week of August I'll be staying in Chicago for 4 days. I'm the promoter on a police/civilian motorcycle competition. I'll have some time there then, we should definitely hook up then.

[Pzokes]

Little Al,
While you're in Chicago, you might enjoy spending some time in some of the clubs where the original Chicago Blues are still played. They got that right, but the original players, Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Jimmy Reed etc. originally moved up from the Delta during the "great migration".  I took lessons from Muddy's last Harp player for 5 years when Jerry Portnoy lived in a 3rd floor walk up in Boston, and nobody remembered him.  He was moving furniture to make ends meet.  He always told me not to quit my day job, and I always told him that I only played because it made "Momma" (my wife) "wet".
Good luck on your Chicago trip.  I'm hoping that my wife (the "Momma") will be well enough for a road trip this summer.  After 39 years of riding together I hate to go alone.  I've got to go to Southern CA & circle back to the Lincoln Hwy in NE. 

[rbonner]

Little Al, like you I don't live anywhere near Chicago, but I'll be going through the 13th of MAY... on my way to Ohio and back on the 16th.  I hooked all my Minneapolis buds on the chow and we always enjoy stopping for some PIE.     BOB

PS you are riding out?  It's 45 and raining here right now...  First week of August, mighty close to STURGIS, you should find your way.

[Little Al]

Pzokes, I'll keep that in mind for when I'm there in August and have some time. this trip I'll just be passing through.

Bob, sorry, thought you lived there. of course I'm riding. is there any other way to travel? lol Not taking the Pan though. I'm too old to ride a rigid that far. I'll be riding my lounge chair (aka my Ultra). going out is easy, 1 1/2 days. coming home almost as easy, 914 miles, leaving Milwaukee Sunday 6 am and should be back home in NYC for 8 pm a short 14 hours...

[rbonner]

Sounds like a nice ride, hope the WX holds up for you.  52 and windy today here.  They had a blizzard out west yesterday and rained all day here.  Supposed to be one or two higher 70's this weekend. Early for a 2000 mile trip but have at it.  I rode the sidecar rig to Laughlin in 98 had every kind of WX.  Hailed three times and snowed twice & that's in May.

Rode the VRSCR and my EZ-GO golf cart home from the shop.  Need to move some stuff around, have 5 bikes and the GC to go in the garage.  Will go run to Grocery Store in the GC now.  Varoom!

BOB

[Little Al]

Well I wound up leaving Milwaukee at 9 am (a bit hung over) and got back to NYC at midnight. ride home was very good, on the way out Thursday temps went from 65 down to 35 through the day. 3 hours of cold rain in Ohio, 2 hours of light snow in Indiana and finished off with 30 minutes of hail between Chicago & Milwaukee. just your average spring trip in the the north, lol the switch over to snow was actually good, snow don't hurt your face like hail & cold rain does at 85 mph.

[rbonner]

My hot tub broke and froze over the winter.  My big find yesterday.

When I got hailed in New Mexico in 98, that was the low point of my trip.  I got my face cut even with a windshield.  Still a great trip.  There was moments I didn't enjoy but when everything heals, you'll only remember the good.

BOB

[Little Al]

when riding through bad crap two thoughts keep going through my head

1) why in God's name am I doing this
2) what a great story this will make

lol

[rbonner]

AL, I think you and I think a lot alike except in pizza.

My return trip was brutal on that ride and I got everything thrown at me except a hurricaine or tornado.  People in cars would go by and you could see them say, look at that crazy motorcyclist, or look at that poor guy.  I'd just smile, well after getting the dirty water slammed into my teeth I stopped smiling...  But I was smiling on the inside and I just kept saying, "look at those poor people in that cage, they should be out here motorcycling!"  It got me through the tough spots.

The story is getting old and not too much fun to retell...  Its time for another adventure.

BOB

[48pan]

My only suggestion would be to make sure it's not a black battery that you can't see through to keep it filled up between the min and max lines. I bought a everstart black battery that is very difficult to fill and maintain.
I don't even know why they put lines on the outside of the battery when you can't see the water level. 

[RussW]

I have had good luck (third season so far) with an Interstate AGM battery, CYTX5L-BS, a 4 AH, 70CCA unit. It uses standard battery screw-type terminals, not spades. It's a perfect size so that you can tape TWO of them together, and fit them right into the horseshoe with a little shimming underneath.
I then mounted a Single pole, double throw marine grade toggle switch,in the picture. Switch is an (on)(off)(on) position type. I ran a ground wire from both batteries to the frame tab, positive lead from one battery to one side of the switch, other positive lead to other side of switch. This allows me to chose which battery is in the circuit at any time,the other just sits and waits. I change from one to the other every once in a while riding along, to keep both charged. The day I get out of work and find I have a dead battery, just throw the switch. Seems like overkill, but was fairly simple to do and I DO NOT like pushing the bike with a dead battery. Also, in the center position, neither battery is connected for when I want to disconnect the power.

[rbonner]

Mad Science, I just love it.

BOB