new battery - how to charge for first time ?
 

as title says really ?

im thinking of just sticking it on the optimate SPIII for a 24 hours,

am i ok to do this ? ive read many sites telling me how to charge a battery for the first time before using it, but they all say different things and to use different types of chargers.

what u guys recon ?

its a 12v sealed gel mainenance free battery BTW

Re: new battery - how to charge for first time ?
 

As you have an Optimate, an automatic charger, you can happily connect it to your new battery and let it do it's stuff, when the battery is charged the Optimate will give you a green light and you can be pleased.

Re: new battery - how to charge for first time ?
 

THis is interesting as I fitted a new battery to my curvy last week (YT12A-BS Yuasa) and was told that it shouldn't need charging if it's the type where you pour in the acid and let it settle for about an hour. What battery is it btw?
But otherwise, as has been said, an optimate or Oximiser should be ok as they are 'intelligent' trickle chargers.

Re: new battery - how to charge for first time ?
 

I was told the same when I got a new Yuasa a while ago. It wont hurt on the optimate though as if its fully charged as Sid says the optimate will detect that and just show a green light to say all is OK.

Re: new battery - how to charge for first time ?
 

yeah i recently got a new batt, poured in the sulphuric, and there you go

you have fresh lead, and fresh acid - i.e. battery at optimum

thats what i believe to be the case anyway? not too sure how lead acid works, but i imagine if you have fresh lead and acid its ready to roll

Re: new battery - how to charge for first time ?
 

Putting "new" acid in won't cause the battery to be charged, although the condition of the acid - it's specific gravity - can give some information as to the state of charge.
New batteries are commonly supplied "dry charged", this means that the battery's plates are produced with the chemical properties that they would have when the battery were charged. New batteries aren't stored with acid in them as they would, of course, start to deteriorate quite quickly as soon as they were made, (a common estimation is that good condition battery will lose about 1% charge per day, and a battery left flat will soon become unrecoverable), but left dry the chemical reaction that allows the battery to charge/discharge won't commence.
Even though batteries are made "dry charged" it's very rare to find a new one that's anything like fully charged, most commonly it'll have enough charge to be usable, but to get the best from it it's advisable to charge it before putting it in to use.

Re: new battery - how to charge for first time ?
 

When I got stuck in the summer, dead battery and no charger I just bought a new one. Filled it with acid and off I rode. The original battery was 7 years old by then so I'm hoping the new one will last the same amount of time.

Re: new battery - how to charge for first time ?
 

Yuasa has told me that new batteries must be fully charged on a battery charger (after the acid is poured in) before they're put into service or else their life will probably be shortened.

Re: new battery - how to charge for first time ?
 

I just got me new oxford optimate, all looks good to me, battery charged and its up to full power.....gonna stick my car battery on it as well as that for is on its way out!

Re: new battery - how to charge for first time ?
 

Morning all.

When filling a new battery of the sealed type, it's also advisable to let it stand for 3 or 4 hours before fitting the sealing strip.
You can put a battery straight into service without charging it, but it's noticeable how much stronger they seem if you charge it on an Optimate or similar.

Cheers.