Gel Battery Problems

[elited]

Purchased a gel battery online, I usually get a AGM battery. It seems like the battery isn't holding a charge unless I go out and ride the scooter for a few miles (after the scooter is sitting, the battery loses power). alternator seems to be working fine (headlight gets brighter when I rev up the engine). Maybe the regulator is not that advanced to handle a gel battery?

I charged the battery using a battery charger/tender, and that does give it enough juice to electric start it, I'm starting to think I made a bad purchase by getting the gel battery and should have got an AGM battery instead, or maybe I just got a lemon. Never had this problem before with a AGM battery

Also, when the scooter is sitting after riding previous days, the battery isn't completely dead, just not enough juice to turn the turn signals on or electric start it, the rear tail light does come on but is not very bright.

Ok, that's enough for now! Thanks for any help!

[patthesoundguy]

Sounds like just a dud battery. it happens once in a while.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

MouseWheels has forgotten more than I'll ever know about electrical stuff, but if the only charge it's had came from a battery tender that might be you problem. The first charge needs more juice than a Tender can produce. What do you measure on the voltmeter after you charge it? Dud Battery is another possibility, but consider a lustier charge process before you give up on this one.

[elited]

Greetings:

MouseWheels has forgotten more than I'll ever know about electrical stuff, but if the only charge it's had came from a battery tender that might be you problem. The first charge needs more juice than a Tender can produce. What do you measure on the voltmeter after you charge it? Dud Battery is another possibility, but consider a lustier charge process before you give up on this one.

Hi, It measured 12 1/2 on the volt meter after the charge. Today I swapped the regulator with another one I got off a parts bike and drove the scooter around, when I got back the battery seemed ok, then two hours later I went to go electric start it, still not enough juice to start it. Still no change

I have the battery charging on a real battery charger now, lol, going to let it charge overnight and see how things go with it tomorrow, if all else fails I'll just take my loss and get a AGM battery. Hopefully my problems aren't deeper than that.

[elited]

Well, good news! charging the battery overnight did the trick!

No more battery problems for now (I hope)

Thanks for your input and advice guys!

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

A properly pumped-up battery should show more than 12.5 volts. It should be closer to 12.9. Improper charging can cause problems either with too low or too-high currents. The plates get a coating on them and the voltage drops quickly when the charger comes off. It seems a good overnight charge solved you issue. Re-measure your voltage periodically and see if it's dropping if you like, but it sounds like you've got it.