tj3777 Posted January 12, 2019 Share #1 Posted January 12, 2019 Hey I have a 99 RSTD. I bought a AGM battery. What modifcations do I need to do to the charging system in order to not overcharge the battery? Has someone wrote a link on this issue or anything related to it? My battery tender will not work on it. I was told I may have to install diodes? Thanx tj3777 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted January 12, 2019 Share #2 Posted January 12, 2019 I think you were told wrong. I've used my battery tenders on many AGM batteries and there were no issues. You should use a normal charger for an initial charge at about 2 amps or so for a few hours. Them the battery charger will maintain it just fine. I don't know why you were told you need diodes or anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Du-Rron Posted January 12, 2019 Share #3 Posted January 12, 2019 Hey I have a 99 RSTD. I bought a AGM battery. What modifcations do I need to do to the charging system in order to not overcharge the battery? Has someone wrote a link on this issue or anything related to it? My battery tender will not work on it. I was told I may have to install diodes? Thanx tj3777 Your new AGM battery, unless factory activated, will need a battery charger with an AGM setting on it, or one capable of properly "Activating" an AGM battery. Goto PowerSonic or Yuasa for details. Basic need is to throw 14.7 volts and keep at that way till amps fall to 1. See basic chart included. Your RSV will not damage an AGM battery with a properly functioning regulator/rectifier. Next to impossible to "overcharge" the AGM battery on the RSV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leo3wheel Posted January 13, 2019 Share #4 Posted January 13, 2019 "Your new AGM battery, unless factory activated, will need a battery charger with an AGM setting on it, or one capable of properly "Activating" an AGM battery." Really! Bought AGM battery from Walmart years ago, added acid and used my battery tender to charge it. Never had problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiCarl Posted January 13, 2019 Share #5 Posted January 13, 2019 "Your new AGM battery, unless factory activated, will need a battery charger with an AGM setting on it, or one capable of properly "Activating" an AGM battery." Really! Bought AGM battery from Walmart years ago, added acid and used my battery tender to charge it. Never had problems. Yeah, I've done a bunch of them that way too. Never had a problem. I don't believe there is any difference between AGM and a conventional wet cell other than with an AGM the acid is Absorbed in a Glass Mat (AGM). Lets you use it in any position without spilling or shorting internally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Du-Rron Posted January 13, 2019 Share #6 Posted January 13, 2019 "Your new AGM battery, unless factory activated, will need a battery charger with an AGM setting on it, or one capable of properly "Activating" an AGM battery." Really! Bought AGM battery from Walmart years ago, added acid and used my battery tender to charge it. Never had problems. Dear @leo3wheel and @MiCarl Gee guys... I thought you would give me a pass on this one since I did include the data sheet on it. However, I guess that we want to deal in absolutes nowadays, so pardon me, I SHOULD have said, FOR BEST RESULTS... blah blah blah. But, I was trying to give this guy @tj3777 the "best" answer I had, with no qualifications according to the manufacturer. I know that you have charged up an AGM or two with old sparkey, with "no problems" but, I was trying to plant a seed of correct agm battery charging from someone asking a question about it. Lets try again. If @ 70 degrees F your battery does not produce 12.8 to 13 volts after sitting around a couple hours, then you could have done better on your initial charging. Let me get your attention now class. If you want blown up, swelling batteries, hook them up to a manual 10 amp charger and walk away. Come back tomorrow and this is what you will find. You may not be able to tell from the pictures, but, these formerly rectangle shaped batteries are now more spheroid. These babies got nasty hot and had an internal meltdown suffered from a manual charger. A car battery, similar to the one say in a toyota corolla, would have/could have easily withstood this abuse metted out by this charger, but not these poor little AGM batteries. These batteries are the same size, YTX20HL-BS that goes in our RSV's. So, keep your hi-amp (greater then three) manual car chargers away from them please. Next post will answer @leo3wheel and @MiCarl and @tj3777 as I believe I have run out of space here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Du-Rron Posted January 13, 2019 Share #7 Posted January 13, 2019 Hey I have a 99 RSTD. I bought a AGM battery. What modifcations do I need to do to the charging system in order to not overcharge the battery? Has someone wrote a link on this issue or anything related to it? My battery tender will not work on it. I was told I may have to install diodes? Thanx tj3777 No modifications to your motorcycle charging system is necessary. If your battery tender will not work on it, the battery may be "undervolt" and not sensed by the battery tender. Do you have a volt meter? What is the voltage of the battery now? Did you buy the battery dry or did you have to add acid to it? What is the manufacturer, make, model of battery you bought? No diodes required anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Du-Rron Posted January 13, 2019 Share #8 Posted January 13, 2019 (edited) Dear @leo3wheel and @MiCarl I deal with Yuasa and Powersonic batteries a lot. Included are "Best Practices" hi-lights to getting 13 standing volts out of your battery and having it last lots of years. This info is from the manufacturer. There is no doubt that "old sparky" or a $30.00 Harbor Freight charger throwing 12.8 volts can ignite an AGM battery every now and then, with "no problems", but it will not stand a chance of safely doing so dependably, hundreds of times, like a Deltran 4 bank $600 charger the dealership uses. I know that the answer you give someone depends on their position of use, but if they have no tools yet at all, might as well steer them away from a $30.00 harbor freight manual charger and towards a $70 (something smart charger your favorite brand here) from Wal-mart. Here are some "Best Practices" from the manufacturers I deal with. The "over 16 volt" is true only if you have a charger capable of throwing that much voltage (usually a smart charger) while cutting the amps next to nothing. . Edited January 13, 2019 by Du-Rron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leo3wheel Posted January 13, 2019 Share #9 Posted January 13, 2019 My Battery Tender Plus seems to do the trick. Good to be a lucky guy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Du-Rron Posted January 13, 2019 Share #10 Posted January 13, 2019 My Battery Tender Plus seems to do the trick. Good to be a lucky guy! Your "Battery Tender Plus" is a smart charger with a two step charging process. By the way... "Battery Tender" is like "Coke" even if you are drinking Dr. Pepper. Some other folks might have something they think is a real "Battery Tender" but it is not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Du-Rron Posted January 14, 2019 Share #11 Posted January 14, 2019 (edited) Maybe it looks better in Video. Just trying to educate others (not you) what not to do to little AGM batteries. Edited January 14, 2019 by Du-Rron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSky Posted January 14, 2019 Share #12 Posted January 14, 2019 My "smart" battery charger bought at Walmart for about $30 or more does have an AGM setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Du-Rron Posted January 14, 2019 Share #13 Posted January 14, 2019 My "smart" battery charger bought at Walmart for about $30 or more does have an AGM setting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tj3777 Posted January 16, 2019 Author Share #14 Posted January 16, 2019 Thanx everyone for all the help. Manufacturer is Chrome battery. Model # YTX20L-BS500008-20184. My 99 RSTD has 5500 mi. I am using a Deltron Battery Tender Junior with a very low output of .750ma. The charger only stays in the red light constantly. I only charge during the cool of overnight as rule of thumb. Earlier Delton technical support advised me to send in the charger so they can peak inside to repair it if it is defective under the 5 yr. warranty. So for 5 or 6 bucks for shipping, if they do find an issue and can not repair it, then they will sell me another new one for 16.00 plus shipping with a new 5 yr warranty. I told him that I live in southeast Tennessee and this is the 1st agm battery. That the Everstart brand only last 1 yr due to batteries overcharging and sulfate signs. I will begin to diagnose my stator and rectifier as all the pertinent links have shown...… I do like all the response's because I am getting educated. Yes I do have a nice Fluke meter. I did try to "rejuvenate" the acid filled battery with the warm distilled water and baking soda. But it does not work well. I am the 2nd owner. I have only ridden it approx. 600 mi. I will replace the battery cables as well and insure a proper clean bonded ground. Plus use battery protectant too....I may have to diagnose further before I decide to return the tender. Diagnose all mentioned..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Du-Rron Posted January 16, 2019 Share #15 Posted January 16, 2019 ... I did try to "rejuvenate" the acid filled battery with the warm distilled water and baking soda.... Say what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiCarl Posted January 16, 2019 Share #16 Posted January 16, 2019 I did try to "rejuvenate" the acid filled battery with the warm distilled water and baking soda. But it does not work well. I'm surprised it works at all. Baking soda is not going to be good for a battery. Also, the RSV has some electronics that have a continuous draw. I'm not sure a Battery Tender Junior will ever catch up if you only run it at night. My suggestion: Get a new battery and leave the tender on any time you're not riding. Say what? Yeah, me too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grubsie Posted January 16, 2019 Share #17 Posted January 16, 2019 I'm surprised it works at all. Baking soda is not going to be good for a battery...............My suggestion: Get a new battery and leave the tender on any time you're not riding. Couldn't agree more. I'm not sure a Battery Tender Junior will ever catch up if you only run it at night. I have 5 of the Battery Tender Juniors. I use 2 of them switching back and forth between various bikes every couple of days during riding season if they haven't been ridden for a few days and in a matter of hours they go from the red light (low), to the green light (charged), including the RSV. During the winter, I keep my lawn tractor hooked up constantly in the cold barn when not in use. I pull the batteries from all my bikes and store them in my warm basement. They stay on the tenders all winter until spring unless I pull one temporarily for the particular bike I am working on. I even have a few batteries that I double up in parallel with the Juniors because I don't have enough of them and they keep both batteries up to snuff over the winter. Been doing it for years and have never had a problem with the batteries or the Juniors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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