Brand New Battery Leaking Acid? By we350z (Read 4,889 times)

[we350z]

Is that normal? I wouldn't think so. It's a Yuasa YTX9-BS that the scooter mechanics replaced my dead stock China battery (Tewe 6MF8). Noticed it as I was removing the plastic seat frame (for battery box cut-out). Thought it might somehow be water until I poured it on the concrete and watched it sizzle. If this ain't right I'm going to get my money back. I've heard Yuwasa are good batteries?!

[Cruiser]

Regular "wet cell" batteries have a vent on one end. If the battery is tilted toward the vent tube end, then acid can leak out. These batteries are supposed to be installed in a level compartment with a plastic tube which vents the vapors and liquid droplets to a safe place. A lot of the 250cc scoots have tilted battery compartments and it is important to use AGM (sealed) batteries to avoid any acid spilling.

[we350z]

As far as I understand - this model is supposed to be sealed, maintenance free. Though when I look on the internet I see you can buy acid packs for it which makes no sense to me.

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120588433666&crlp=1_263602_263622&ff4=263602_263622&viewitem=&guid=23802f591290a03664c3b083ffef30ca&rvr_id=&ua=WXS%3F&itemid=120588433666

What battery SHOULD I be using? I would think this scooter shop should know better.

--Thanks

Jul 7, 2010 17:51:45 GMT -6 Cruiser said:

Regular "wet cell" batteries have a vent on one end. If the battery is tilted toward the vent tube end, then acid can leak out. These batteries are supposed to be installed in a level compartment with a plastic tube which vents the vapors and liquid droplets to a safe place. A lot of the 250cc scoots have tilted battery compartments and it is important to use AGM (sealed) batteries to avoid any acid spilling.

[jpilkinton]

From what I have been told, in order to ship batteries, they must be dry. and the end-user fills the acid with the acid pack and the top cap seals the battery and never needs removing again. Thus calling it maintenance free and sealed.
Of course it has to be charged after filling with acid.

[zugzug]

Actually the YUASA batteries are good batteries but most of them are not sealed. Non sealed batteries are shipped empty and come with a acid pack and have to be marked as hazardous (corrosive) and can only be ground shipped. I personally like the AGM battery and have been using them for years. They are sealed, can me mounted in any location/angle, charge a lot faster and have minimum leakdown, can even freeze and still work when they thaw. Thier main drawbackk is they are easy to damage from overcharging. The price is comparable to the stock replacement. The past few I have bought from this place
www.batterystuff.com/batteries/motorcycle/sYT6.5L.html
and were about 1/2 the cost of what the local shops want for a stock replacement YUASA even after shipping. If you look in some of my pics where I was working on my variator or when replacing valve stems you can see the AGM I took out of my wrecked nighthawk. After sitting on the shelf for 6 months (thru winter) I hooked up a impact wrench and removed/replaced the vari weights with it. Thats how little the power leak down is on these batteries.

[we350z]

Yeah - he just gave me a new one with the sealed acid packs and everything. I have a feeling this will happen again since the battery is slightly tilted. I might see if i can get the battery to sit flat(ter) with some shims. Hopefully I can still get the seat to clear it.

Jul 11, 2010 8:37:24 GMT -6 jpilkinton said:

From what I have been told, in order to ship batteries, they must be dry. and the end-user fills the acid with the acid pack and the top cap seals the battery and never needs removing again. Thus calling it maintenance free and sealed.
Of course it has to be charged after filling with acid.