How It Works: Motorcycle Batteries

Motorcycles are fantastic modes of transportation and are a common hobby among motor enthusiasts. One of the most important aspects of motorcycles is motorcycle batteries in Houston, TX. Without a properly functioning battery, a motorcycle is unable to run.

All batteries are made of “cells” that are capable of converting chemical energy into electrical energy. This produces a direct current to power electrical objects of many shapes and sizes.

At our battery store, we carry a variety of motorcycle batteries to fit different sizes and types of motorcycles. We encourage all motorcycle enthusiasts to understand how these batteries work so they can identify problems and bring it in for repair or replacement as needed.

Flooded cell motorcycle batteries

The most common form of a motorcycle battery is called a lead/acid flooded cell battery. These “flooded” batteries, also called wet cell batteries, comprise a group of cells that are linked together which produce direct current volts. The groups of cells are connected in a few series to produce the required voltage to make the motorcycle run.

Each individual cell is made of lead plates with positive or negative charges. The positive and negative plates are alternated with an insulating material between them so they don’t touch. The more plates you have per cell, the more power the cell can generate.

In order to generate power, a chemical reaction must be started. The reaction requires a catalyst (usually electrolyte), a mixture of sulfuric acid and distilled water. When electrolyte is added to the battery, it causes a reaction with the lead plates in the cells and produces electrical charges that can power a load.

Batteries are not able to produce constant power, though. Eventually, electrolyte will degrade in the water and the lead plates get coated with byproducts. These things cause batteries to go dead, which is why recharging or replacement is necessary.

To recharge batteries, most motorcycles have a built-in battery charging system. These systems produce a higher voltage than the battery itself, which helps recharge the battery while it’s in use.

Because of the way flooded cell batteries react and charge, water is often lost, meaning you’ll need to check the electrolyte and top off the water from time to time.

New battery technology

There are also other, newer forms of motorcycle batteries, such as valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries. There are two common forms of VRLA batteries: absorbent glass mat (AGM) batteries and gel batteries.

These batteries use a different type of lead plates in a more sealed container, which does not allow water to vaporize and escape, meaning you don’t need to top the water off.

Generally, these batteries are more expensive, but they tend to function better and require little to no maintenance. As battery technology evolves, we will continue to see better, more efficient batteries for motorcycles.

Turn to us for motorcycle batteries in Houston, TX

Texford Battery Co. is your ultimate destination for all things batteries. Our battery store in Houston, TX has been serving customers for 80 years as a supplier of and expert on over 3,000 battery products. We sell, rebuild and repair batteries of all kinds, including car batteries, batteries for construction equipment, laptop batteries and much more.

Categorised in: Battery Store, Motorcycle Batteries

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