Battery Experts?

[cooperxs650]

Hello,
I'm finally getting around to wiring my bike. I'll be using LED's, except for the headlight, a Hughs Handbuilt PMA, stock points and timing advance. Kick start only
I found the batter shown in the photograph. I've run the bike on the battery only (no PMA, lights etc.) without issues. I left it on the charger for a few days, then, put it into the bike after I got the wiring set up with the reg/rectifier and PMA. I was checking the continuity and the voltage on my wiring, and, I was getting 18+volts! It's supposed to be a 12 volt battery?
My question is, can I use this battery? Will it fry my PMA / reg / rect or the bike wiring? What about a fire hazard?
Thanks

 

[timbeck]

I'm no expert but it seems like a reg/rec problem. HHB is notorious for reg/rec/ from China. Just saying.......

 

[cooperxs650]

I haven't run it on the PMA. The 18+V is after being on a trickle charger for a few days.

 

[gggGary]

it wont hurt the charging system. But if it'll hold 18 volts with a bit of load, it might be hard on the Pamco.

 

[weaselbeak]

How does a battery with no charging system in use get to 18 volts? I've never seen one get over 14.

 

[xjwmx]

I don't now what kind of battery you have but I'm guessing when there's any load on it at all it'll drop to where it should be.

 

[xjwmx]

See what it reads with the "trickle charger that was attached for a few days" attached and turned on. If it reads the same it isn't really a trickle charger or it's broken. I have an old 1 amp charger, manual with no automatic shut off. It's not a trickle charger just because it's small. It'll charge to 13 v in about 6 hrs.