How long are batteries guaranteed for?

[pasmith73]

My battery has had it but it's only a little older than a year. It's also kept linked up to a ctek when not in use. I bought it from a Honda dealer but it's not Honda-branded, it's a Rob Hunter one.

Just tried to call the dealer I bought it from but they're closed for a couple of weeks.

Any chance it'll still be guaranteed?

[moanthebairns]

2 years is it not?

[Mr OCD]

moanthebairns said:

2 years is it not?

Depends on the battery... some are 1yr ... some are 5yrs ...

[bass gt3]

In my experience, usually 3 days before they pack up!!

[y2blade]

What do people do with them to ruin them so quickly?
The one on my FireBlade is over 10years old.


Edit to clarify: not aimed at the OP, just saying!!!

Edited by y2blade on Wednesday 5th September 14:12

[pasmith73]

Popped into Halfords. Their's (Bosch) only guaranteed 1 year.

[podman]

It woukd have lasted longer if you hadnt of left it hooked up to a charger 24/7.

Bring them into the house, charge every few months and they last years..

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

podman said:

It woukd have lasted longer if you hadnt of left it hooked up to a charger 24/7.

Bring them into the house, charge every few months and they last years..

There are typically 3 (sometimes 4) charge stages - constant current, topping and float.
I would have thought a Ctec would have these three stages so should be safe to be left connected indefinitely.

[pozi]

Your problem is Rob Hunter batteries are crap, I think they have a 1 year warranty but do not expect them to last much over that.

[pasmith73]

podman said:

It woukd have lasted longer if you hadnt of left it hooked up to a charger 24/7.

Bring them into the house, charge every few months and they last years..

I think that's true for trickle chargers, which constantly send a small charge to the battery 24/7. But cteks (and other intelligent chargers) monitor the battery and only send a charge when it's needed. They're designed to be plugged-in long periods.

[pasmith73]

pozi said:

Your problem is Rob Hunter batteries are crap, I think they have a 1 year warranty but do not expect them to last much over that.

Yes, I think I'll insist on a decent brand next time. Are Yuasa the best?

[pozi]

I use either Yuasa or Varta depending on who is doing a deal at the time and my oldest Yuasa is coming up for its 7th birthday with just a weekly top up charge.

I would just leave it hooked up to my CTEK permanently but my bike count out numbers my chargers so I have to rotate them around a bit.

[Yazza54]

pasmith73 said:

Popped into Halfords. Their's (Bosch) only guaranteed 1 year.

Surprised a make as high quality as bosch only has 1yr! st really

[Mr2Mike]

y2blade said:

What do people do with them to ruin them so quickly?

Honestly, I think the quality of modern batteries is crap. My dad bought a brand new Yuasa for his SV650 a couple of years back and it was dead within 9 months, despite being on a maintenance charger pretty regularly when it wasn't being used. I dug out an old battery from my RSV (I think it was a Varta) which was covered in crap in the back of the garage slotted it into the SV and it fired up straight away and has been perfect ever since.

[pozi]

Mr2Mike said:

y2blade said:

What do people do with them to ruin them so quickly?

Honestly, I think the quality of modern batteries is crap. My dad bought a brand new Yuasa for his SV650 a couple of years back and it was dead within 9 months, despite being on a maintenance charger pretty regularly when it wasn't being used. I dug out an old battery from my RSV (I think it was a Varta) which was covered in crap in the back of the garage slotted it into the SV and it fired up straight away and has been perfect ever since.

I have found a lot depends on how the battery is prepared before first use, for example putting the acid in, waiting an hour then fully charging it up before fitting in the bike generally makes batteries last longer.

But as I said earlier, the cheap batteries are a false economy, one of my bikes has the battery mounted vertically (as in the positive terminal is above the negative) and the new Rob Hunter it came from the dealer with did not even last the week before one of the cells died.

[podman]

pasmith73 said:

podman said:

It woukd have lasted longer if you hadnt of left it hooked up to a charger 24/7.

Bring them into the house, charge every few months and they last years..

I think that's true for trickle chargers, which constantly send a small charge to the battery 24/7. But cteks (and other intelligent chargers) monitor the battery and only send a charge when it's needed. They're designed to be plugged-in long periods.

I know the chargers are designed to plugged in for long periods, I have one, but from what im hearing and seeing, despite the charger manufacturers claims, the batteries themselves are not taking too kindly too it...and as I say, if STORED correctly (ie in the warmth of your house) they will go months without needing a charge.

[skon]

Little tip...DONT part with your hard earned for a Rob Hunter battery! Total c***...lucky if you get 9 months
out of it...with or without an intel charger..Yuasa or varta pretty safe bet for a couple of years use..longer
if taken off and fully charged up occasionally...longer still if removed when not in use over winter/freezing conditions..