Triumphrat

TBAbob · 08-12-2005, 01:41 PM

Jim,

I'm a wrench but I HATE any kind of electrical problem. I can always fix what I can see but those darn #!%&* electrons......! However, this appears to be something you love. Hopefully, you will have an opinion on this.

Are the gel (glass mat) batteries better able to handle (read "more reliable") the unregulated current from the alternator?? I just pulled the 1 1/2 year old "maintenance free" sealed battery from my '01 Legend and pried off the "DO NOT REMOVE" cover strip from the cells. Both outer cells were bone dry! Topped them off with a bit of distilled water but this shouldn't happen this fast! Will the gel type be more resistant as it doesn't depend on a water/acid fluid electrolyte??

Wadda ya think, dude?

Cogito ergo equito

Bob

jimmyj900 · 08-13-2005, 12:49 AM

Well, now you know the secret of sealed "never need maintenance" batteries -- they're supposed to be thrown away when they go dry!

It's sort of like "corrosion resistant" -- meaning it just takes a bit longer to go bad.

I don't know jack about the gel cells, but I will do some research and see if I can find anything that makes sense. The last time I looked, all I found was sales hype and not enough intelligent content to determine if they were worth the extra bucks.

The glass matt batteries are kind of interesting. In a normal lead-acid battery you depend on the bubbles formed on the plates to reduce acid stratification and knock some of the sulfation (sp?) particles off the plates, so I suspect that replacing the fiber insulators with glass fiber insulators doesn't make much difference in that respect.

The glass fiber insulators have the potential for improved consistancy and (if fused) much greater strength which would allow more plated in the same size battery. I just don't know if that potential has been realized.

So now you know about as much as I do, but I'll see what I can find on the gel cells.

Jim

TBAbob · 08-13-2005, 11:07 AM

Jim,

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping someone (like you) already knew the answer. Sigh! However, it could be worth the effort to find out considering the fair amount of problems these bikes seem to have. I will keep digging on my end as well and will post any valid info.

Actually, this isn't the first "maintenance free" battery I've watered. That's why there is a partially full gallon of distilled water sitting in my shop! LOL! Everything is getting to be "throw away" rather than repairable these days. Double sigh! Pretty soon, the moderators of this site will delete the wrench icon that we use and replace it with a bloody credit card! Ahahahahah.........wait a minute, why am I laughing?

Cogito ergo equito

Bob

Saigon5 · 08-13-2005, 01:59 PM

I just had to throw away a maintenance free battery, a YUASA. Costed me twice the price of a regular battery and lasted a few months before it was completly toasted.

So much for 5 years of no maintenance. I am starting to think that the charging system on the Triumph is a bit powerfull.

At least with a regular battery, I can add water.

jimmyj900 · 08-14-2005, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Cogito ergo equito

Is that "I think therefore I am equal?"

Anyhow, the GEL batteries use some kind of silica gel or silicon beads to carry the acid -- dunno how that works -- and supposedly allow recombination of the oxygen and hydrogen produced by electrolysis within the insulating matrix.

It sounds like most of the gasses are trapped and recombined rather than allowed to bubble off and dissipate.

That would certainly let the battery go a lot longer without needing refilling, but the fluid levels will eventually drop.

There's an AGM battery that's supposed to be better, than the gel battery but even that's going to require a topup eventually or go dry.

I think I'm going to stick with the conventional Yuasa batteries. At least I can tell when they're going dry and get 3-5 years from them at much less cost than the others.

Jim

bobshields55 · 08-14-2005, 07:35 PM

"I think I'm going to stick with the conventional Yuasa batteries. At least I can tell when they're going dry and get 3-5 years from them at much less cost than the others"

My thoughts exactly Jimmyj.

I am much happier with the conventional battery that I can maintain and do a true test of it's status.

TBAbob · 08-15-2005, 07:42 PM

Jim,

Not quite. It means "I think, therefore I ride". Ahh..Triumphs, that is. I had some t-shirts made up with the slogan and the Centennial badge on the front and the English translation followed by "Triumph 100 years 1902-2002" on the back. Great to wear at bike shows. You get all kinds of stares. It seems to really upset some HD posers although there is nothing about HD on the shirt. Must be terrible to be that insecure about your ride, huh? Ahahahaha! I love it.

Actually, the Latin "equito" means "to ride a horse". There are so many parallels between bikes and ponies that I figured it was close enough. Oddly enough, there is no Latin verb that means "to ride a motorcycle". Go figure. LOL! Probably would only have referred to Guzzis and Ducs anyway.

It's probably best just to replace the dam battery. I am in the habit of changing them every 2-3 years regardless but it shouldn't happen this fast. Something's not right and that bothers me. Oh, well.

Cogito ergo equito

Bob

jimmyj900 · 08-15-2005, 10:43 PM

AHA! Equito = Riding a horse!

Now it makes a lot more sense. Someday I've got to work on my language skills...

Anyhow, the big problem with the Triumph system is lousy voltage regulation. The regulator chip is simply inadequate for the job and the lack of external sensing and control gurantees boiled batteries.

There's no way around it unless somebody can find the same alterntor on another brand of bike that has a better regulator or somebody designs a replacement.

Jim