At the very beginning of motorcycles, the battery wasn’t even needed. The ignition system was made of points and a condenser. A rider started the engine with a quick lever kick, and he was ready to go. Most riders think about their battery when it is already too late, and the battery is almost dead.
Nowadays, motorcycles have electronic ignition, electric start, fuel injection, and many other electrical accessories. This means that the electrical system has great value for your bike, and a battery is one important part of it. With that being said, you may wonder how a motorcycle battery works.
So how does a motorcycle battery work? A motorcycle battery is an electrochemical device that transforms chemical energy into electrical. The battery chemical reactions shift electrons from one electrode to another through the external circuit. This electron flow ensures electricity for the motorcycle electrical system to operate.
Stay with us as we will give you some valuable and interesting facts about a motorcycle battery further in this article.
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Motorcycle Battery Working Principle
During the last decade, the electronic motorcycle system has had a lot of significant improvements. It is unthinkable for modern and most advanced motorcycles to run and operate without a battery. That is why every rider should be at least familiar with the very basics of an electronic motorcycle system, and the battery is pretty much the best and simplest way to start.
Maintaining and choosing the right battery will significantly impact how it will perform and how long of a lifespan it will have.
A motorcycle battery is responsible for supplying current to the lighting system, starter, riding aids, electronic ignition (ECU) and coils, and many other electronic and electrical accessories and systems that can be installed on your bike.
Note: A battery supplies all these electrical and electronic systems with the current. Therefore, it is vital that you have a fully functional battery; otherwise, you could experience problems in any previously mentioned electrical systems.
Characteristics of a 12 Volt Battery:
A standard 12-volt battery consists of six cells, and each one of them produces around 2 volts. These cells are made of alternatively charged positive and negative lead plates, and if there are more plates stacked in the cell, there is more electricity and energy capacity. It totally produces around 12.0 up to 13.2 volts.
The cells are linked to one another, and insulators are placed between these cells. Battery acid (electrolyte) is placed on the plates.
Electrolyte (battery acid): Is distilled water combined with sulfuric acid.
There is a chemical reaction between the lead plates and the sulfuric acid, lead sulfate, the acid is shifted in water, which separates into oxygen and hydrogen. In this chemical reaction, electrons are released out of the negative plates. These negatively charged electrons (-) travel to the parts they suppose to and get back to the positive battery plates and terminal. This process is called the electrical current.
As the battery is being used, the electrolyte gets diluted, and when the battery is put on the charger, the chemical process is reversed.
Note: If you want to learn how to change a motorcycle battery, click on this link.
Motorcycle Battery Types
1. Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)
Yuasa mostly manufactures the AGM battery, which is the most usual type of OEM equipment. AGM battery uses glass fibers mats placed between cells to absorb the electrolyte. The electrolyte acts like a separator material that lets the plates be pressed onto each other, leading to creating more energy density than gel batteries or wet cells do. These mats significantly decrease evaporation and therefore don’t need topping up.
AGM batteries are known for their shorter lifespan because they have more acid, which decreases water loss rate and increases standby voltage. If there is more than 12.56 V in an open circuit and the battery is not connected to any of your motorcycle accessories, it means that your AGM battery has more acid content in itself.
2. Gel Battery
A gel battery (gel cell) is a valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery with gellified electrolytes. This gel mass is a result of fumed silica mixing with sulfuric acid. This battery doesn’t have to be kept upright, and the reason for that is that it doesn’t contain any liquid, and electrolyte evaporation is decreased. One thing that is also very beneficial is that there are no corrosion or spillage problems.
Note: This type of battery is more resistant to vibrations and shock.
3. Wet Cell
The wet cell type of battery is also called the flooded lead-acid cell battery. Cells in this battery type are flooded in the electrolyte. This battery type needs to be checked and topped up, which is very important during humid and hot weather like summer.
Interesting Fact: Wet cell batteries were invented in 1868 by French chemist Georges Leclanche.
When a wet cell battery is stored in a discharged condition, the electrolyte starts to stratify, splitting them into layers of acid and water. All of that happens because the heavier acid molecules sink to the battery’s bottom. This is the spot where most of the electrical current will run and cause the worn-out bottom of the plates once the battery gets used again.
4. Lithium-Ion Battery
Lithium-Ion batteries have many benefits and advantages compared to VRLA batteries. Most of the time, they are easier, which is beneficial in a weight-saving context, and they have better cracking pressure.
CCA- Cold Cranking Ampere: Cranking pressure marks the amount of stored energy available for starting the engine. It also supports all the accessories, electronics, and electrical systems.
How to Maintain Your Battery?
One of the crucial things to have in mind regarding battery maintenance is keeping your terminals clean to enable good contact. Periods when you don’t ride so frequently, like most of the winter season, are when you should give your battery more attention. If you think that your motorcycle doesn’t use any power when it is in the OFF position, you might be a little wrong. The reason is that some power is being used to supply accessories like a clock, which can lead to a discharged battery in a longer period.
You need to be careful with lead-acid battery discharges because, in these batteries, the lead sulfate is made and covers the electrode plates, which decreases the battery’s capacity.
Note: Internal corrosion can develop on a discharged battery, which can break the inside connections and damage your battery.
Watch this nice video to learn how a motorcycle battery works:
Final Thoughs
In all my riding career, I have personally never experienced any battery-related problems, and I think that the reason for that is that I have always taken good care of it, especially during the winter season. Depending on what type of motorcycle you ride and what battery type is installed in your motorcycle, you need to adapt your maintenance to avoid any problems like starting the engine.
We hope you liked this article and that you learned a lot of valuable and interesting things about your motorcycle battery.