MotoBatt iGel battery first impressions

[Atesz792]

So, I've been struggling with my POS Exide battery for a while now. These days, the only way it would start my Suzuki GS500 is if I charge it for a few hours before even trying, and even then, it would turn over the engine juuuuuuust enough to start it IF I was playing with the choke lever correctly.
Decided to replace it this Spring (I do know that I should've done that earlier).

So I ordered a new MotoBatt YB10L-B*S (no star but otherwise censored) battery. It's really nice, comes in a nice see-through package of its own, with detailed English instructions for use (note: English is a popular second language here). Not perfect English, but not Google translate from Chinese either.
Comes with its own voltmeter attached, that looks like the display of my casual charger-maintainer. One less hassle if I don't know why she wouldn't start, no charger or voltmeter to look for, just push the button and it shows the exact voltage.
Even a little image of a battery divided in 3 subsections for those of us who don't know too much about correct voltage.
Oh, and it counts days from installation and displays that too. Today is day 001, and it can count to 1999 or so it says. Not a must-have feature, but one less thing to remember.

Installed it after reading the instructions, applied choke, pressed the starter button and she started so beautifully I don't even remember the last time it was so hassle-free. Nice!
Not any more expensive than other batteries from known brands (around here) either.
Oh, and it's a nice orange colour.

I know, pics or didn't happen

http://i.imgur.com/VjEdDqg.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/giUjAOE.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/tx02edp.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2Zen4fr.jpg

 

[901Memphis]

I like the display

 

[Quattro Pete]

Neat!

 

[michaelluscher]

I've never been so interested in a battery

Countdown clock and volts on board, why don't car battieres have this?

Obligatory RRRRGGGRRRRGGGHHHH THIS ISN'T A CAR!, because GS500

 

[EdwardC]

I like the display! I had a Walmart Gel battery for about 8 years in my GS500, worked great. I miss my GS500!!

 

[901Memphis]

The trick to getting long life out of batteries is charging them on the grid once a month with the correct charger and putting them on a maintainer if you park it for the winter.

 

[Atesz792]

Originally Posted By: EdwardC
I like the display! I had a Walmart Gel battery for about 8 years in my GS500, worked great. I miss my GS500!!

That sounds great!

I keep reading posts like yours from ex-GS owners about selling the GS when 'upgrading'.
Do you think you'd still ride it often enough to justify keeping it if you would've done that?
I'm thinking of buying something bigger one day 'just because', but I feel I should keep the GS while doing so.

 

[alarmguy]

Do you know the CCA - cold cranking amps rating?

 

[wrcsixeight]

When I first copy pasted and searched the battery and saw a Pic my first thought that this was just another Chinese UPG AGM battery relabelled in a different color plastic case and marketed for a specific crowd.

I was also ready to condemn the iGel as there are not really all tham many actual gelled electrolyte batteries on the market, but sure enough the instruction set says they inject a gelled electrolyte.

So many people call an AGM battery a 'Gel cell' that the term gel battery is often abused.

Actual GEl batteries make excellent deep cycle batteries, but have very specicific charging parameters, that if exceeded cause bubbles to form in the GEL, instantly reducing capacity forever.

I've not heard of their use as starting batteries before, I wonder if they now use a thinner gel that can still be 'spill proof' yet also not form voids when charged rapidly at a high voltage.

So I find the 'fast charge 11 amp for 30 minutes' and charge voltage of 13.8 to 15volts, recommendation on a 14.5AH battery, especially an actual GEL battery to raise an eyebrow, as this charge rate and voltage on a Deep cycle Gel battery of yesteryear, would cause the voids in the gelled electrolyte instantly reducing capacity forever. The gelled batteries never really caught on in deep cycle service because of this, even though they can outcycle either AGM or flooded if their charge specs are kept within the limits.

As far as the voltage display, well it is neat. Voltage can indicate state of charge, when there has not been any loads or charging sources applied for many hours, but voltage is not a good indicator of state of health/ remaining capacity, unless one is actually tracking things closely with proper tools and interest to do so, and is noticing a regular decline in voltage in use.

Those wanting this feature, a voltmeter on the battery, could easily rig up something.

I like these little 3 wire voltmeters, the third wire is a voltage sense wire. These can be calibrated.

https://www.amazon.com/bayite-wires-Digi...+wire+voltmeter

One attach black to - and white to +, and when they want to take a voltage reading, touch the red wire to the + too, or rig up a momentary switch. After calibration, put a blob of liquid electrical tape on the backside of the voltmeter and then tape it to the battery where nicely visible.

Having a voltmeter where the driver can see it while driving is also enlightening in some ways, especially when the vehicle's electrical system is heavily loaded right before parking. If one sees voltages only high 12's when the engine is running, then one should probably put the battery on a charger when the vehicle is parked.

Any lead acid battery wants to be at 100% state of charge always. Worst thing one can do is deplete them deeply, and then let them sit deeply discharged. Self discharge and parasitic draws are battery killers, that if negated will allow a battery to last many many trouble free years.

So get them full, keep them full, and if possible, cool, and they will easily last many many years.

 

[Atesz792]

alarmguy:
One source says 180CCA, another says 185.

wrcsixeight:
Good info, thank you!

 

[barryh]

The thing about Gels and the damage done by too high a charging voltage may have changed with a new type of GEL/AGM hybrid battery. What that means exactly in terms of construction I don't know but they are real because I have one on my motorcycle. The manufacturers data sheet talks of charging at up to 14.9 volts depending on temperature which is 0.5 volts higher than would be usual with a Gel. I don't go above 14.6 volts and have found it to be an excellent battery over 3 years with a really low self discharge rate and a rested voltage of 13.05 volts at full charge.

All very AGM like but it's not just an AGM as the manufacturer makes a straight AGM with a different data sheet and different parameters.