Tips

What to do when the motorcycle battery has been idle for too long and runs out of power?

If you have a motorcycle sitting idle for too long and the battery is dead, follow these steps.

30 October, 2023

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When encountering a situation where the battery is depleted, if the motorcycle has pedals, you can temporarily handle it by pedaling, combined with twisting the throttle to start the bike. In case the bike doesn’t have pedals, the only way is to start handling the battery.

Cleaning and charging the battery

First, remove the battery from the motorcycle and proceed to clean it, wipe the terminals. You can use some baking soda to clean the rust that sticks to both ends of the terminal. This will help improve the flow of electricity.

After cleaning, you need to charge the battery according to the following steps:

– Prepare a suitable charger for the battery.

– Connect the charger to the terminals of the motorcycle battery and plug it in to charge. The charging time typically lasts between 2-5 hours, depending on the intensity of the battery current.

– Check if the battery is fully charged or not. If using a smart charger, the device will automatically notify when the battery is fully charged. But if using other types of chargers, you need to use a multimeter to measure the voltage. When the multimeter shows a value of 12.73V or higher, it means that the battery is fully charged.

– Reinstall the battery into the motorcycle for use.

Illustrative image: Atvtrailrider

Replacing the battery

If you have been charging for a long time and the battery is still not full, it means that the battery is damaged and needs to be replaced. Choosing to buy a motorcycle battery is not too difficult, you just need to go to maintenance and repair facilities, tell the technician the model and brand of the motorcycle, and they will advise you on the most suitable battery types.

Usually, when buying a battery at these facilities, you will also be supported with free battery replacement.

Causes of battery depletion

There are many reasons for the motorcycle battery to be depleted, some of which can be mentioned:

Not using the motorcycle for a long time: If you don’t use the motorcycle for a long time, the battery is very likely to be depleted. Therefore, to avoid this situation, you should start the motorcycle for 5-10 minutes (at least once a week).

The motorcycle battery is damaged: The battery is a device that stores electrical energy. But if it breaks, the battery will no longer be able to store electricity and may lose all electricity after just one night.

Forgetting to lock the motorcycle, turn off the engine, turn off the lights, turn signals… when stopping the motorcycle: This will waste the electricity of the motorcycle and quickly deplete the battery.

Connecting additional electrical devices to the motorcycle: Installing additional electrical devices such as high-power headlights, decorative lights, LED lights, etc. can overload the motorcycle battery, quickly deplete the battery, and even cause explosions.

Riding the motorcycle into a flooded area, causing electrical sparks and depleting the battery.

According to VTCnews