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Battery options on and upgraded 12v TR6

2K views 9 replies 2 participants last post by  rambo 
#1 ·
Hi guys,
I've been asking you all some questions about my TR6R. It has been upgraded to 12v, hard tailed (hold the tomatoes!) and has an upgraded ignition switch that I am still trying to get my head around.
Anyways. Battery dead. Ordered a new TruGel MG5L-BS, for some dumb late-night reason.
(I must have been reading a post on someone who tried this particular battery)

The battery that was in there was a Duralast CTX7L-BSFP. (expensive Autozone battery with a 3 mo warranty, heh)

A cross ref for a typical 12v Triumph battery is, say, A Yuasa 2N7-3B

A pattern I'm noticing here is the "5" vs "7"
I assume this means 5AH and 7AH.
Does Amp Hours matter that much? This bobbed Tr6 is only operating the ignition and a headlight/tail light (which has been hard wired to always be on when the key is on. More on that latter).

Here are the Specs on the TruGel MG5L-BS, as written on the spec sheet that came with the new battery:
Capacity 5 / Charging Current (amps) .50 / Minimum Charging Current (amps) 1.50 / CCA(-18) 90

Should I try this, or return and get a 7ah?

Thanks for any help!
 
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#2 ·
If you want to run headlight or indicators,a 7 amp would be minimum.I use a 9 amp agm battery.Just remember that at lower engine speeds,the alternator could be putting back a lot less than you are taking out.For this reason,i use an LED day riding lamp and not a headlight lamp for day riding.I also remove the instrument lamps.Of course,measure the space and compare with the battery before buying.
I did use 7 amp batteries for many years so it is a safe option.
 
#4 ·
My batteries are designed for motorcycle use and made by Yuasa.If you do have fire alarm batteries,they work very well and i used them for many years when i was working on fire alarms.I was using 4 year old standby batteries and fitting them on the bike with no problems at all.Since retiring,i no longer have that source.The fire alarm batteries will last a considerable time and the vibration of a bike posed no problems.Often,the fire alarm batteries commonly used are the 7 amp type although different systems had many different capacities.UPS back up batteries were often banks of 10 or more batteries for a small system.They would also be the same type of valve regulated battery.
If you know a fire alarm engineer,ask for some of the old 4 year old ones that have to be replaced at the 4 year age.They have only been on standby so still work for quite a few years.
 
#6 ·
That cheap battery is worth a try.I was using the same style made by Yuasa and they were much more expensive.Of course,fire alarm batteries are supposed to last 4 years on standby but they last a lot longer.I have used them for another 3 or 4 years on a bike after they have been in a fire alarm for the first 4 years..Keep an eye on it for any signs of the case buckling.They are valve regulated but mine never showed any sign of any leakage.Any fire alarm battery should be good quality anyway.The thing to bear in mind is they are designed for trickle charging and not the higher charge that an alternator will put in.
But,all my fire alarm batteries did survive so maybe not a problem.Consider,electric wheelchair or mobility scooter batteries but generally,these are larger.
 
#7 ·
Great ideas! Just a matter of figuring out a suitable connector then for the terminals! I have a 6V tr6 as well and also have a 6v Hodaka I might try this trick on. For this round, on the bobber, I might step up to the gel 9amp model however.

This turned out to be a great thread.

I have a few 4watt fish pump solar panels, and would love to build a trickle system to toss on the roof of my shed.
Have you ever used a solar trickle charger? It would need some sort of load resistor element to back off when the battery reaches a certain voltage.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I do use solar panel chargers but only on large batteries that power my outside lights.For small batteries,the panels are often less than 1 watt if you want to leave it on.Personally,i just use an optimate on all my bikes that i connect every 6 weeks during the Winter lay up.Just top it up,then disconnect again.
The small solar panels are around £10 over here.They have a blocking diode so that there is no reverse of the charging at night.Just self contained and comes with two battery clips.
This picture shows one small unit and one 1.5watt unit.I have 3 but one is further over on the roof.If using something like a 7 amp battery,it might maintain using a 0.5watt panel.Its a bit of a risk having a battery on charge unattended for me due to the value of the bikes in the garage.The large car batteries would not have much chance of overheating or boiling using a small panel.There are regulators available but then you might as well just use a cheaper mains powered charger as the cost would never be recovered in the energy saving.
 

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#9 ·
Hey look at that! cool Rambo.
If i could figure out this blocking diode thing I could make one for 12V and one for 6v.
Do you need one set up for each battery? I bought a battery tender solar interface once.
It didn't work and was sort of frustrated by it. I think the unit was defective.
 
#10 ·
I do not interconnect the solar panels.They each have an incoming pair of wires.Solar panels are a good way to maintain batteries if there is no mains electricity available in your bike store.Some people worry that the panel output appears to be at about 30 volt but the battery regulates that.The blocking diodes are incorporated in the panel so its ready to use out of the box.
The type i am using are supplied by Maplins although ebay will have the same units for sale.
They have been perfect in maintaining my large battery for outside lighting and the battery never goes flat bearing in mind the lights are controlled by a timer which will turn off after no one is in the area.
I still prefer to use a motorcycle charger designed for the small AGM battery type in the old bikes.
 
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