what battery is everyone using

toddr513

toddr513

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so i have a stock 1975 and i need a battery would like to get a sealed one

1.)should i go large or medium?
2.)Which brand?
3.) Is a AGM good, with this be alright with my stock electronics?

also just doing kick start, with H4 bulb, turn signals, brake light, speed/tach....and say i ever decided to upgrade charging and ignition would that same battery work or would i have to upgrade?
 
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I also have the Chrome battery, just installed beginning of this season. It's only a few months old but good so far. We'll see how long it lasts. Previous to this, I went through two wet cell type, each lasting 4 or 5 seasons. That's pretty much normal for a wet cell and what I expected. That's about what I've normally gotten on any of my bikes over the years with a wet cell.

My last battery was just the Walmart brand but I managed to squeeze 5 seasons out of it. I could tell it was getting weak last season as cranking power in cold, cold weather was limited. It only cost me like $35 so I was going to get another. Walmart's price has gone up to about $45 now. I could get this sealed Chrome battery for the same so went with it.
 
what amp should i be looking for with these batteries dont want the bare minimum, but whats the lowest number i could use to be safe
 
toddr513 said:
what amp should i be looking for with these batteries dont want the bare minimum, but whats the lowest number i could use to be safe
Click to expand...

Why not use the size that Yamaha recommended................14 amp-hour. A good quality lead/acid battery will last 8 years or more in these bikes, if your charging system is working properly, and if you maintain the water level.
 
Sparky,
Has that Autozone AGM battery worked out well for you?
Approximately how much did you pay?
Could you give me a part number or model number so I could buy one; I called my local store and struck out....
Thanks !
 
If you are going to use a battery other than the common wet cell lead acid, then I would recommend that you replace your crude stock relay type of regulator with a solid state regulator because the more exotic batteries are more susceptible to damage due to improper charging, especially overcharging, which the stock relay type of regulator is know for.

A lot of people think that the cure to a short lifespan for their wet cell battery is to upgrade to an expensive exotic battery without first fixing the underlying problem with short battery life and they end up with a short and expensive battery life. As 5twins and RG have said in this thread, you can get 5 or more years of service from an ordinary wet cell battery if your charging system is well maintained.
 
Pete,
Thanks for the advice.
My concern is not battery life (I have had no problems, there) but rather acid staining my chrome. I do a good job of making sure any acid exits through the drain tube at the bottom of the bike, but there is no guarantee that wind currents won't splash it up on the wheels and exhaust. An AGM battery would give me peace of mind in that regard.

If I go the AGM route, I'll certainly consider going full solid state. For my '76 resto build (in progress), I constructed the rectifier (easy) from Radio Shack components (designed by you and posted 7-9-2010), however, I'm not confident that I can successfully build and install the regulator (given my skill level) you outlined in the same article. Perhaps I should consider buying the combo unit Recifier/Regulator sold by MikesXS (part number 24-2089). That unit would seem to replace BOTH my rectifier AND my old regulator?
 
Building the rectifier like you did is more complicated than adding the regulator. You don't "build" the regulator, you use a ready-made automotive unit. All you need do is wire it in. Obviously, the plug on the regulator isn't a match for your harness plug. You simply change it to one that is or make a short adapter harness so they match. If you buy the regulator from an auto parts store and they warranty it, they may not accept a return if you change the plug. For that reason, I feel the adapter harness is the better install method.

I think the regulator install you may be referring to was the early one Pete came up with, the one that adapts an '80 and later type regulator (switched ground) to work on the '79 and older alternators. It involves some rewiring and switching to nylon screws on one of the brush mounts. There's no need for that any more because there are other regulators available that are the proper type (switched power) for the '79 and older alternators. They are simply "plug and play" with no changes required. One such is the VR115.
 
Thanks 5Twins,
Yes, it was the 7/2010 post of Pete's that I was reading, which involved the switching of the posts to nylon screws. I see that there are a number of posts about the VR115 , so I will study them; looks like an easy conversion. Can you suggest a post that outlines the harness conversion most clearly?

BTW, are there any implications in the conversion to solid state Rectifier and Regulator if I have an old Dyna ignition (replacing the stock points) ?
 
This thread pretty much covers it all, including the rectifier. No need to assemble them from parts any more either. There are ready-made 3 phase rectifiers with heat sinks available for dirt cheap. Just add wires and a mount and you're good to go. The harness I made up is rather long. It only needs to be probably half that long .....

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21485

The charging system and the ignition are two different animals. Changing one really doesn't effect the other except that having a good charge in the battery all the time will allow the ignition to work as it should. The ignition starts acting up on these bikes if the battery gets too low.
 
Yup, after reading all of that posted string, I see that the use of VR-115 regulator is an easy hook-up. And no mods needed at the alternator. Almost a plug-N-play !

Altho EBay has a bunch of "old-stock" VR-115's for sale, cheap, I'm going for the new stock at AutoZone for 25 bucks. The current part number is VR-727.

Now to working out a good spot on the battery box....
 

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I'm running the specked battery made by mottobat, and have the vr-115 wired into my 1971 xs. A very good battery, abou one hundred bucks. I accedently left the key on for a week, and completely drained it. Charged with trickle charger for a week, and the battery survived. If you can stomach the price for a premium agm, get it.
 

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