RD04 Maintenance Free/Gel Battery?

[Zenarchy]

Does anyone know of a decent reasonably priced maintenance free battery that'll fit an rd04? Preferably 12ah or higher.

There's a few listed on ebay (numax ones reputed to be made at the same place as varta and look reasonable), but the dimensions they list for the rd04 model don't seem to tally up with the dimensions of my old battery (136mm x 168mm x 91mm).

I've looked on some of the bigger battery places online (tanya.co.uk etc.) and can only seem to find the ones you fill with water for the rd04 (which drove me nuts about the last one - to the point I was actually pleased when it finally died).

Not really sure if I can buy just any battery that's close to those dimensions that'll fit (have managed to find a couple albeit pricey).

Was hoping for about £40ish delivered (maybe that's a bit optimistic? - it's in line with the prices on ebay if they were the right size).

[AlanH]

The shelf life of a gel battery is much more limited than that of a "dry charged" lead acid. The gel battery for the RD04 is a very uncommon part. There is a more common one that is the same dimensions and that fits the battery holder, but the +ve and -ve are the wrong way around.

I tracked the obscure RD04 one down and spoke with a UK supplier who had one in stock. He said it was too old to sell to me and that I would be unlikely to find one that hadn't been sitting on a shelf going off for months/years. He recommended that i give up on the idea and just get hold of a decent quality standard battery rather than a gel one. In the end I didn't bother looking any further.

If your old battery continually needed water, have you done a thorough charging system check?

[futter]

There is a more common one that is the same dimensions and that fits the battery holder, but the +ve and -ve are the wrong way around.

If that is the case and the gel batteries are that good would it not be worth extending the lead required?

[AlanH]

I didn't think it was worth the effort. After all, these motorcycle batteries marketed as "Gel" batteries are not really gel batteries at all. They are just factory pre-filled AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology batteries. They are basically still conventional lead acid but with wadding between the plates that retains the acid.

If your bike's going to spend any considerable time upside down, it may be worth it - but if your battery vent tube is correctly fitted, even that shouldn't be a real issue.

If a charging system is in good order, battery maintenance shouldn't be a real issue. If the bike is left standing unused, an optimate or similar will keep it in good condition.

[Lutin]

Wemoto list a sealed battery for the RD04 - SLA Battery

Is that the sort of thing that you were looking for?

[AlanH]

Typical. I sell my AT and Wemoto start doing the battery I was looking for!

As long as the battery has been looked after on the shelf (inspected and charged every three months) then one of those should do the job nicely assuming the listing is correct.

According to the motobatt listings, this replaces multiple batteries so you may find the terminals are the wrong way around. Worst case scenario is you may need to fit longer battery leads although, as there is no vent, the battery could be fitted either way around.

[Zenarchy]

Thanks for all the replies guys

The shelf life of a gel battery is much more limited than that of a "dry charged" lead acid.

I'm sure I've read that somewhere myself too. There's one battery that claims to avoid that I think (odysey? might be mistaken) but they're silly money. I was thinking one of those that come with the activation packs might be better in this respect (assuming the gel doesn't go off).

I don't really mind if its sealed from the factory, or if I have to fill it with something to get it started the once, just that I don't have to keep checking it, refilling it with water, then having it in the back of my mind that it might be going dry when I'm not checking it.

There is a more common one that is the same dimensions and that fits the battery holder, but the +ve and -ve are the wrong way around.

Good point. Looks like I'll need to check that too. I'm not sure the leads will reach the other way around as I seem to remember them being a fairly tight fit to begin with.

If your old battery continually needed water, have you done a thorough charging system check?

I think the old battery has been on its way out for a while. The charging system is OK, but I've neglected the battery a bit letting it run down too much at times when the bike hasn't been used,and there was one point where I'd left the bike attached to a battery tender and forgot about it for a while, and too much of the water evaporated which I think may have caused some damage. It seems to have been a bit iffy since then (it did get me around europe last summer since, but I'm sure it wasn't the way it should be as after 3 long days on the motorway when I checked it, it was only reading 12.0 volts and I'd have expected it to be fully charged at that point).

Even once a month taking the side panels off and having to remove the battery then messing about trying to get the water in those little holes and shining torches through it messing about trying to get the water levels even in each cell I find a bit of a pain though (find it really hard to see the levels properly when it's on the bike).

I've got a maintenance charger wired up to a cigarette plug, so I was hoping with a maintenance free battery I'd just be able to plug it in when I'm not using the bike and not be having to worry about checking the water first, then going back and checking it every couple of weeks if I'm not using the bike, and then having to refill it regularly too.

I'm probably being a bit lazy really as I know there's other things I need to check regularly on the bike, but refilling the battery is one of my least favourite tasks for some reason, so I'm going to try to avoid it if I can.

[Zenarchy]

Wemoto list a sealed battery for the RD04 - SLA Battery

Is that the sort of thing that you were looking for?

Thanks. That's the sort of thing - or just one with the little gel bottles you tip into the battery to get it going then seal it yourself would be good too.

I spotted that one on wemoto, but the dimensions look like an rd07 battery (the one on the rd04 is slimmer and taller), the + and - leads on the bike look like they might not fit the terminals properly (as they're a weird double terminal mounting from the sides rather than the top) and there was the concern Alan mentions about shelf life too.

I guess I should give wemoto a call and see if they can check the dimensions for me. They have these ones too:

Honda XRV 750 L/M Africa Twin RD04 90-91 Battery Nitro Replacement Motorcycle Parts at Wemoto

But the photo shows all three types and it doesn't mention which one it is (I'm guessing it's the water filled type though).

Anyway, thanks for your help guys. The hunt continues... If I find one I'll post it up here for future reference incase anyone else is looking for one

[Zenarchy]

Worst case scenario is you may need to fit longer battery leads although, as there is no vent, the battery could be fitted either way around.

Just spotted this bit. Doh! Why didn't that occur to me Shouldn't matter which way around it goes in that case, as long as there's no need to connect that overflow pipe up. I'll keep an eye out for that (not sure if the ones you fill with the activation packs then seal yourself still have some form of overflow or gas release but will check).

[rodent]

Bit late replying to this, I know, but I just thought that you might like to know I fitted one of those yellow MotoBatt batteries to my RD04, and in fact the terminals unscrew and can be screwed on the other side, so it can fit either way round.

The terminals also can be fitted in a couple of different ways up, so to speak, the idea being it's easy to fit into a variety of models, I think - although I still had to faff around a bit to get it connected. I might have been missing a couple of parts, but I was in a hurry so just fitted it anyway.

Had it on a month or two now, and it seems fine - happy to crank away like a good 'un even after being stood for a couple of weeks. haven't really had it long enough to tell you if it really worth the extra, but AGM batteries are claimed to stay charged for longer if the bike isn't being used - compared to bog-standard batteries - but they would claim that, wouldn't they?

Cheers,

R.