Battery charging

[DavidofColorado]

I have a new MC battery and I want to charge it but I don't know if I should use a car charger. How long should I charge it for with 2 amp? Or should I look around for a MC charger? Thanks.

[Clarkie]

if it is a gell bettery make sure you let it set with the caps off for an hour (the battery casing should actually be warm), then charge it with the caps still off, 2amp charger is fine

[DavidofColorado]

The battery is a TUASA super sealed 12 v 8ah ytx9-bs
The top says STD.: 0.9a x5-10h or Quick: 4.0a x1.0h
This is a battery that I had to put electrolite into then seal with the caps. It says charge for .9 amp for 10 hours or 4 amp for 1 hour so I am guessing 2 amp for 2 hours would work too. (which I have done.) The old battery was starting the bike but it could hold the charge to well so I got this one to replace it and I will use the old one for a old school honda that I am looking to fix. As soon as I activated the battery the voltage was at 12.8v. I charged it for 2 hours and took it off.
I guess I am wondering what I should do to this battery to get it ready to put into the bike? Does it even need to be charged?

[pilot]

Initial activation of a battery can cause a false surface charge voltage reading. Recheck the battery and see if it is between 12.8 and 13.8 volts. If it is it is ready to be used.

Your old battery may have been worn out by age or other conditions. If the new battery holds a charge through regular use (batteries can loose 1 of charge at 70' F each day of non-use) such as riding it with rpms over 4k, all should be fine. However, if you battery does not recharge, then there may be an issue with the stator, rectifier or other components of the charging system caused potentially by a voltage loss due to high resistance such as corrosion or damaged cables. Testing at that time would consist of checking amp draw by all required circuits with the motor off and then comparing that to amp supply with full load and the rpms over 4k. Amps should be 1 to 5 over load requirements. Additionally, voltage should be checked to see that charge is usually 1 volt over the batteries full charge, usually 13.5 and 14.5 volts. This is a very basic overview. As always, check your manual for specifics.

In the meantime, have fun riding your bike. Your getting more miles in than me, that's for sure.