Any one using the new gel batteries out there .

Need to replace my battery .wondering if any one has used the gel type battery yet ......my p o says the battery is new but it sure spends a lot of time on the charger . Like the carbs i guess that just spent a week on my bench throwing every thing the previous owner told me about the bike out the window at this point and fixing all his hack work .I even found a straw from an aresol can in tank rebuilding the petcock for crying out loud .Starting from scratch with repairs and maint .

 

Only experience I have with other than regular battery was when I bought an AGM battery for my XS650, all I could say is: wow, what a difference it made! It was 5 years ago and it is still like new! Ive even used it several times to start my lawn tractor when its battery died.

I was told that gel and AGM batteries are not the same, but don't ask me to explain in which way they are different.

 

i use gel batteries in all my bikes when i replace them. this will be the fourth year for the seca, third for the bmw

 

Just found this on Google:

"AGM (absorbed glass mat) is a special design glass mat designed to wick the battery electrolyte between the battery plates. AGM batteries contain only enough liquid to keep the mat wet with the electrolyte and if the battery is broken no free liquid is available to leak out.

Gel Cell batteries contain a silica type gel that the battery electrolyte is suspended in, this thick paste like material allows electrons to flow between plates but will not leak from the battery if the case is broken.

More often than not AGM Batteries are mistakenly identified as Gel Cell Batteries. Both batteries have similar traits; such as being non spillable, deep cycle, may be mounted in any position, low self discharge, safe for use in limited ventilation areas, and may be transported via Air or Ground safely without special handling.

AGM Batteries outsell Gel Cell by at least a 100 to 1. AGM is preferred when a high burst of amps may be required. In most cases recharge can be accomplished by using a good quality standard battery charger or engine alternator. The life expectancy; measured as cycle life or years remains excellent in most AGM batteries if the batteries are not discharged more than 60% between recharge. There are some AGM batteries we sell that offer excellent 80%+ deep cycle abilities.

Gel Cell Batteries are typically a bit more costly and do not offer the same power capacity as do the same physical size AGM battery. The Gel Cell Battery excels in slow discharge rates and slightly higher ambient operating temperatures. One big issue with Gel Batteries that must be addressing is the GEL CHARGE PROFILE. Gel Cell Batteries must be recharged correctly or the battery will suffer premature failure. The battery charger being used to recharge the battery(s) must be designed or adjustable for Gel Cell Batteries. If you are using an alternator to recharge a true Gel Cell a special regulator must be installed."

 

AGM batteries are rolled up like a jelly roll with lead sheet and fiberglass insulator that's soaked with acid, that's why they have the tubular shape.
gel batteries are like regular batteries that have jell-o in the acid.
basically the same chemistry, just made different

 

i don't know where you got the price part but i find gel is way way cheaper than AGM

 

www.batterystuff.com

 

Now that's funny, because the AGM I bought for my XS looks exactly like a regular battery.

 

MBTX14AU MotoBatt AGM Battery Yamaha FJ1200 XJ900R XS850 FZ750 XJ750 XS750 FZ700

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MBTX14AU-MotoBa ... s&hash=ite

 

batteryspace.com
three years, maybe i'am just lucky

 

Motobatt. Yet to find a more superior performer

 

All AGM cases are not all tubular, as a matter of fact, the majority are not.

It's the optima's that have the easily recognized round "cells", but its not a consistency with all AGM battery cases.

 

There are two different types of AGM battery on the market, Regular and Spiral core. Optima is a spiral core and hence has the tubular case. Regular ones are not rolled up and the plates are set similar to Lead Acid Plates.

One thing that many will not go into with AGM and Gel batteries is that they are VERY sensitive to overcharging. Gel in particular. This is why Gel batteries are not recommended for applications without a voltage regulator on the Alternator. A gel battery is usually very specific to the maximum Voltage that it can accept in a charge. Usually 14.2 or 14.3 volts. If the battery is continuously subjected to voltages above that the battery will swell and the outside case will eventually fail.

AGM batteries have this same trait but are not nearly as sensitive. Something to keep in mind when selecting a battery. I use an AGM in my car since it is fairly new and has a voltage regulator. But I will probably never stray from the Flooded Lead Acid battery on the bike.

As far as longevity, you should expect a MINIMUM of 5 years from a Gel or AGM battery. If it is not lasting that long, your charging system is destroying the battery.

 

even when i charge a battery i only use the trickle charge 2 amp . i think i will give this battery a shot . the one in the bike looks pretty new but who knows how it was charged or cared for in the beginning of its life .

 

I bought a AGM battery today for my XJ650, love those batterys. It was a 1/4 inch taller and would not fit; bummer. I guess I'll have to use a standard battery. The AGMs last much longer don't leak acid and have a lot more CCA.
Look for a Decca battery. They have great prices and you can buy seconds.

 

When they were the only AGM batteries on the block I used Odyssey and they are really good. I was lent a second hand one ten years ago and it was still good when I replaced it a couple of years ago (I actually needed to upgrade the starter, not the battery)

Since then I have found Motobatt batteries nearly as good, but available in far more sizes and a fair bit cheaper and I have them on three bikes now.

Lead acid batteries are cheaper, but I have had a fair few duff ones - they are sold as bargain basement these days and don't seem to work as well as I remember 20-odd years ago. I don't have time to keep fiddling with batteries, especially if the bike sits in the garage for more than a week and not using a bike for a month or two (the girlfriend's in particular...) sees the battery dead and needing replacement. With the AGM it will still start a bike after sitting for six months or more and the battery is still good, so they save me money and hassle fairly quickly.

I've not had problems with charging them either, though I hardly ever have to do that ;-)

 

I just ordered the AGM motobatt for my seca . look forward to a decent battery soon