How long can a battery be stored new?

[ShinyPartsUp]

Given Bike Effects reporting prices on Westco batteries going up soon in this thread:

Battery Prices going up

Is it reasonable to buy a battery and leave it on a shelf in the garage for a year or two? Or alternatively, keep it on a suitable battery charger for a year or two until needed?

Other learned people know more than I do. I know people have kept batteries going for years, but what about a brand new one never used? What is the shelf life? Or is it wiser to just buy when you believe the old one is starting to have trouble cranking?

Might be ready for the NEPRT bin........

 

[Ramblin Man]

If you buy one dry and fill it when you are ready for it, shelf life should be forever. Until then there is no chemical reaction going on. Once a battery is wet there is a chemical reaction happening that will eventually stop. Keeping it charged would maybe extend it, but you may end up with extra batteries you don't need. Plus who knows what the battery technology will be in 5 years. Lead acid batteries may be obsolete by then.

Of course if you need a battery buy now and keep your old one to cash in after the lead prices go up.

 

[quicksilver]

I just paid $51.70 + shipping

at batterygiant.com

Shipped from Michigan. (good for us on the right side of the US)

 

[Geezer]

I just paid $51.70 + shipping
at batterygiant.com

Shipped from Michigan. (good for us on the right side of the US)

Quickie, the web site says that it's a 'super sealed' lead acid battery. I assume it is not AGM. I'm not sure how much that matters.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

If you buy one dry and fill it when you are ready for it, shelf life should be forever. Until then there is no chemical reaction going on. Once a battery is wet there is a chemical reaction happening that will eventually stop. Keeping it charged would maybe extend it, but you may end up with extra batteries you don't need. Plus who knows what the battery technology will be in 5 years. Lead acid batteries may be obsolete by then.
Of course if you need a battery buy now and keep your old one to cash in after the lead prices go up.

OK, this may be wrong, but I thought the FJR battery (embarrassed to say I haven't looked at it) was a sealed unit, and no acid was added? Or is that just wrong? The Bin-O-Facts doesn't specify on this point.

 

[Warchild]

OK, this may be wrong, but I thought the FJR battery (embarrassed to say I haven't looked at it) was a sealed unit, and no acid was added?

It is a sealed battery (as most are nowadays), however, typically, they are shipped with the bike with the acid NOT installed in the battery. The acid is added to the battery during assembly out of the crate for most bikes/ATV's. Don't specifically recall how the FJR's battery arrives..

 

[Geezer]

OK, this may be wrong, but I thought the FJR battery (embarrassed to say I haven't looked at it) was a sealed unit, and no acid was added? Or is that just wrong? The Bin-O-Facts doesn't specify on this point.

The OEM FJR battery is Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM), which is a variant of lead acid where the acid is absorbed into a mat rather than sloshing around.

 

[quicksilver]

I've blown through the OE bat., 2 Westco's, and just installed a Yakia.

OE = 3 yrs

Westco 1 = 2 yrs (killed by an electrical gremlin from being down, root cause fixed)

Westco 2 = 6 months (Battery Tender turned to shit this winter)

After 3 months of cold, it could only hold a charge for a day or two.

I think that answers to origanal thread question...

Beyond the labels, these are all physically identical in the outside.

If I remember right, the OE label was hot stamped and the others are decals.

All sealed and solid with no sloshy slosh.