Gel Battery

[Destruktor77]

I did a search on this but couldn't find anything.

I know that you can't just use any battery charger with these. But my Dad has a optimizer for his bike and the instructions say 'For use with Lead-acid Battery's only'

Does this count for my Gel Battery or not? because some chargers say the same thing but also have an including wet, vented, sealed, Gel and AGM batteries. Should I try it or would their be catastrophic consequences?

Also we tried Jumping the battery from his car and could only get enough power to slightly turn the engine over... problem?

Regards
Rory

[warmshed]

If you mean an Optimate then yes it is Ok for gel batteries, Gel batteries are lead acid but don,t like high current charge due to venting problems, AGM are also lead acid but due to thier construction like specific voltage charging and are ok with high current. The optimate4 is OK for all these types. Optimate 3 you may have trouble with AGM sometimes they are ok other times it comes up as battery fault.

If the bike only just turns over with a car battery connected then either you connection on the jump lead are poor or your bikes battery and/or earth to the starter has high resistance. If all that is OK it can be the the starter motor, try to prove each part in turn, connect the jump leads direct to the starter terminals and try again. A meter helps if you are familiar with using them. Best of luck. Dave

[Destruktor77]

Okay thanks a lot!

Could you be able to tell me where the earths are located, it's a 2002 sv650.

Thanks again.
Rory

[warmshed]

The top, covered terminal on the starter motor is the live feed, the lower mounting bolt has two wires on these are the earth terminals. Check these terminals and the battery ones, make sure they are clean and correctly tightened, check where the wire ends are crimped into the lugs make sure they are connected well and not corroded. These take high current so a bit of crud on these will not allow the full current to flow. The battery +ve goes to the start relay first and then goes through the relay contacts ( when the start button is pressed,) then down to the starter.

If you make sure you bike is in neutral, then you can connect a -ve jump lead to the earth on the starter then touch the +ve on the terminal on the top on the starter, the one that has a protective cover on. Be careful you dont touch the +ve lead on any other metalwork. The starter will turn as soon as you touch this lead on the starter, if all ok, the starter is fine. If not either you have poor jump leads or the starter is suspect.

Do the same with the +ve lead on the batteyr +ve terminal, keep the earth where it is on the starter, press the start button, if not OK suspect the start relay or the +ve wires from the batter to the start relay and then on to the starter. If Ok put the earth on the batter_ve terminal so both jump leads are on the battery try again, if not ok then it will be the earth wires to the starter.

Do it methodically and you wont get confused and you should find the fault. Of course all above only valid if you have a good connection from the car battery. best of luck, Dave

[Destruktor77]

That's more info than I could have hoped for thank you muchly!

Got the battery on the optimizer so that should be go too.

I'll get started tomorrow bright an' early!

[Destruktor77]

Thanks for the help, the problem lies to a Ruined Battery.