baatery Nappa brand

[slider]

bought new battery at local Nappa less than year ago--the first one would not hold a charge replaced it within a month (warrenty)not less than year later this one has gone south any others have thei prpblem--any battery suggestions?I paid 80 + for this one and its bad and dont want another

[hubcapsc]

I got a Napa battery. I just brought it home, used that little multi-chambered
acid pack to fill it up, and slapped it in. It lasted about three years. When it went,
I got a Chinese battery from the local Suzuki shop, I think I had a ride to go
on or something... they charged it fully for me before I picked it up... it lasted
about a year. Now I have a made-in-usa Yuasa, I got it charged before I
picked it up too. We'll see. Getting it charged right, when you get it, is
supposedly real important... it is probably more important for some other
bikes that don't have studly alternators like Valkyries, but it is probably
important for Valkyries too... some folks have posted links in the past to
seemingly reputable sites that explain the importance of the initial charge...

-Mike

[salty1]

Sorry about the battery issues! I sure like Yuasa.

[slider]

  did the initial charge  and all that stuff,checked  the girls alt and its good,,thanks for input

[R J]

did the initial charge  and all that stuff,checked  the girls alt and its good,,thanks for input

Initial charge:

Did you use a regular charger or a 3 amp slow charge?

If it wasn't the later, they will not warranty it.

We buy NAPA batteries all the time for the shop if our regular supplier is out of that one we need.

Looked at our ending battery purchase report for 2011, and we sold 90+ batteries, charged them properly and knock on wood, not a single comeback.     

Interstate Battery, our normal supplier, put on a seminar one year on the proper way to charge a battery the 1st time.    Yes, I know, there batteries come already to install.  Sometimes however, they have not had time to get the battery prepped for sale, and they wanted their customers to know how to do it.

We have installed Wally World batteries,  Costco batteries and at least one battery from every available supplier in town.   NO problems   if ya do it right.

In or at the start of winter, we will install about 14 batteries a week. 

[R J]

PS:  I have Interstate batteries in all my rides and equipment as of yesterday.

My mower had a bad cell in it.   Took it back to John Deere, and the replacement difference between warranty and a new battery from Interstate was a tad over $11.00.    Guess where I got the replacement battery.

OH, I already told ya didn't I.   LOL    

[Chattanooga Mark]

The High Performance Yuasa delivered to my door for $82.41, that's an awesome deal. I ordered it on Sunday and it's due to arrive by this weekend.

Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=YTX14H-BS

IMHO, why mess with the standard version Yuasa (YTX14-BS) or some other no name alternatives when the Yuasa 'H' version is so available. And at a very good price. My Interstate came with a Farm & Fleet battery that's now 4 years old. It still works but I bought the new Yuasa anyway. It's just not worth the risk of being stranded somewhere.

YMMV,

Mark

[john]

 Yuasa delivered to my door for $82.41                     

                           

[Brian]

I put the Yuasa in my lady in 2008 and it's still going strong. I started using a battery tender this past winter.
I have used Interstate on 2 of my cars and had trouble keeping the battery terminals from corroding. I still have one on my lawn tractor, this too has terminal issues. I have since swtiched to NAPA batteries in the cars and no terminal issues. I am done using the Interstate brand  even with our company discount.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I got 10 or 11 years out of the OEM and it never did go bad, I just got nervous and replaced it. I replaced it with another OEM and no problems.

[Chattanooga Mark]

The Yuasa YTX14H-BS I ordered from Amazon on Sunday showed up at my door today, Wednesday. I filled it an hour ago and now I'll put the Battery Tender on it overnight and install it in the morning.

Sweet,

Mark

[john]

I got 10 or 11 years out of the OEM and it never did go bad, I just got nervous and replaced it.                                   

[Ricky-D]

The Yuasa YTX14H-BS I ordered from Amazon on Sunday showed up at my door today, Wednesday. I filled it an hour ago and now I'll put the Battery Tender on it overnight and install it in the morning.

Sweet,

Mark

That may not be adequate.  Using a tender, that is.

There should be instructions with the battery.

***

[R J]

The Yuasa YTX14H-BS I ordered from Amazon on Sunday showed up at my door today, Wednesday. I filled it an hour ago and now I'll put the Battery Tender on it overnight and install it in the morning.

Sweet,

Mark

Hey Mark, word of advice, you can take it or leave it, BUT that Battery Tender will not give it a full charge and the batteries life span will be shortened.

You need a 3 amp charger or a trickle charger to bring it up to full tilt before ya install it.

I'm also not a large believer in Battery Tenders.   I've had nothing but bad luck with them.   Fried 3 batteries using them in the winter months, so I just trickle charges all my toys batteries a couple or three times during the winter.   I haven't seen or used a Tender in maybe 12 years now, so they may have brought them up to code so to speak.    

[Chattanooga Mark]

I waited an hour after adding the electrolyte, exactly as per the instructions. I then read the voltage which was 12.9. According to the directions, 12.8 to 13.0 requires no charging.

Maybe at that point I should have done nothing. But I wanted to top it off anyway.

My Battery Tender Plus charges at a rate of 1.25A. I don't know what the charge rate is of the Battery Tender Jr. as I've never owned one. I have 5 Battery Tender Plus models and have had many, many years of excellent results with them. When I hooked the Battery Tender Plus to the Yuasa YTX14H-BS, the red light was on solid for about an hour before it switched to a flashing red. The flashing red stayed on for about 30 minutes before switching over to a solid green.

My Sears DieHard automatic battery charger can be set from 2A, 10A or Engine Start. All three are above the 1.4A rating printed on the battery. Just for giggles, I tried charging it at 2A in the Automatic Mode. It gave a Full Charge light right away.

I don't know if the 0.15 charge rate difference between the Battery Tender Plus and what's printed on the YTX14H-BS will have any serious consequences or not.

Even my lawn mower battery is 8 years old. It's connected to a Battery tender Plus anytime it's not actually being used. I tend to replace batteries over time, not because they go bad on me.

If I still have this Valkyrie in another four years, I'll likely replace this battery anyway. Regardless of it works or not. That is, unless it goes belly up on me prior to that time.

Thank you for your input,

Mark

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Luck with battery tenders may depend on the brand of the tender. When I bought my valk with 6000 miles on it in 2004 the previous owner gave me the Westco brand tender he got when he bought the bike new. I've used it every winter just as he did. And it's on my valk now since I can't ride yet. As I mentioned above, my OEM battery never did go bad, I just replaced it.

My son uses a JP cycles brand which he alternates between his Duc and his Valk.