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Post by rtsecino on Apr 16, 2013 12:52:13 GMT -5
So, I'm debating buying a new battery for my 50cc scoot. This would be my 3rd season with the original batt. , and it is definitely losing it's ooomph. I am having problems starting the scoot with the electric start, and have to use the kickstart to start it. I took it off the scoot over the last 2 winters and kept it hooked up to a Battery Tender Jr. trickle charger. From what I've read on these forums, batteries are a crapshoot and you could get 6 months or 6 years out of them. My current batt. is a 12v 3ah battery, and am thinking of a 4ah battery as a replacement. That shouldn't be a problem, right? Any suggestions on which battery to get. There are soooo many options. Anyone have any luck with the gel batteries? Should I get one factory charged, or one with the separate acid pack? I am leaning towards Scrappydog or Mainely scooters, since I've had good luck with them in the past. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated....Thx....
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Post by DaveC on Apr 16, 2013 13:27:37 GMT -5
I justyesterday had to replace the battery in my Wildfire/Helix clone
$48 at the local motorcycle shop
Basic lead acid.
Last one lasted 2 years.
Last winter the battery tender was 'accidently' unplugged and it died a long slow death.
So, what's $48 to bring it back to life and get the girlfriend back on the road and outa my hair.
Money well spent
Meaning, yes, someone on here is gonna go into a long diatribe about this one over that one and the CCA as opposed to the AH and the green grass and the blue clouds and do an extensive cost analysis on how many aluminum cans it takes to create 1 watt of energy...
Meaning, it's a friggin 50cc scoot.
The battery probably is gonna cost more than what's it worth (JK), so, why over anal ize it.
save your money
get the least expensive one
put it in and ride.
And next winter, take it out, put it in the corner and give it a steady supply of go juice.
Just enjoy the ride for now.
Yes, my Goldwing and my Honda Shadow Sabre have gel batteries.
My $300 Wildfire gets a $48 generic black box of energy.
damn
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Post by scooterelements on Apr 16, 2013 13:35:31 GMT -5
Gel batteries are great. but i love the Ballistic batteries! Only thing is the prices for them have gone up in the last few months. I have had a customer buy this one from me in Hawaii for his 50cc scooter and he loved it. I dont have them in stock but i am sure you can get them from someone else. They only loose 10% of there charge in a year and are extremely small and very very very lightweight. www.ballisticparts.com/products/batteries/EVO2-50.php |
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Post by chihuahuas on Apr 16, 2013 15:27:23 GMT -5
Gel Bad idea. Must not be charged over 14.1 (scooter is 14.5-15volts)
Lead Acid Matt yeah!!!!!!
Autozone has powersports 4ah $24 $8 core.
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Post by carasdad on Apr 16, 2013 15:45:00 GMT -5
I have been ordering and selling Lithium scoot batteries. A bit more pricey than wet cell ones...but not as crappy as the AGM ones. AGM batteries..if the charge falls below 10.8v..most chargers will not charge them as they think it is a dead or shorted cell. Newer chargers work well for them...but the 'Smart Chargers' are not smart and read them dead or bad cell as I said above. Lithium batteries just rock.. take your 4 amp wet cell...70-80 CCA...same size Lithium is 120CCA. The standard wet cell or AGM YTX7A-BS 7 amp battery most use are 105-110 CCA....the same one in Lithium is 170CCA!! I put a 52mm big bore kit in a GY650cc and the compression was too much for the battery..barely turned it over....his AGM YTX7A-BS 105 CCA battery was just too weak, We dropped in the Lithium YTX7A-BS and the 170CCA it puts out..spun it over like there was no spark plug in the thing! They also don't mind the cold as much as other battery types do. Try one...you won't go back to the others.  |
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Post by bigmac on Apr 17, 2013 1:32:53 GMT -5
I'm looking into getting a new battery for my 50cc scooter, too. I came across a seller on ebay selling 12V 4Ah batteries for $25.80 with free shipping. It has the separate acid packs. Here's a link to the seller's ebay store if you want to check it out: stores.ebay.com/United-Express-Parts |
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Post by scootermass on Apr 17, 2013 15:58:33 GMT -5
STOP! People....Sorry for the dramatic introduction...Really...AGM batteries are the standard now & "if" you invest in a Deltran Battery Tender Jr. & keep your battery on a "float" charge they will last @ least 4-5 years (one of mine lasted 7 years!) You all should be using a battery tender here: www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366231854&sr=8-1&keywords=battery+tender+jr. It's a sub-$25.00 investment! When you keep you scooter battery on the tender when not in use, it does it's job for short coin! I have owned four Kymco's & all have been outstanding! Please keep in mind that 2 have been kept outside (under a cover & plastic tarp) in the New England weather! I always had my Battery Tender Jr. hooked-in to my outside outlet & it's been a champ! |
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Post by rtsecino on Apr 17, 2013 16:50:12 GMT -5
Thanks for all the suggestions. Once again, these forums are invaluable for all the help they provide. Thanks again!!
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Post by carasdad on Apr 17, 2013 17:41:36 GMT -5
STOP! People....Sorry for the dramatic introduction...Really...AGM batteries are the standard now & "if" you invest in a Deltran Battery Tender Jr. & keep your battery on a "float" charge they will last @ least 4-5 years (one of mine lasted 7 years!) You all should be using a battery tender here: www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366231854&sr=8-1&keywords=battery+tender+jr. It's a sub-$25.00 investment! When you keep you scooter battery on the tender when not in use, it does it's job for short coin! I have owned four Kymco's & all have been outstanding! Please keep in mind that 2 have been kept outside (under a cover & plastic tarp) in the New England weather! I always had my Battery Tender Jr. hooked-in to my outside outlet & it's been a champ! Ok..so they are the standard..fine with me. Does not mean they need to be my standard. Cause personally I think they suck. This is America and I am entitled to my beliefs and opinions...and I prefer the Lithium batteries. Try one and ya won't go back. I learned long ago as a child from the Elders on the Reservation. Just because something is 'Standard'...'Status Quot'.....'The way we always do it'....and 'That is just how it is'. None of the previous dictate that they are right and that I must follow them. Just sayin' ya know...  p.s. I have had lead acid 'wet cell' batteries last 4 years in a scoot..which is good..but I don't like the corrosion they cause...and size for size Lithium batteries put out almost twice the CCA....that is helpful in these cold Michigan winter months and for the folks I build high performance high compression engines for. The 7amp AGM even does not like the 50 or 52mm GY6 BBK's and sometimes struggle to crank them. Same size Lithium battery spins them over like the spark plug is out of the engine.. |
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Post by millsc on Apr 17, 2013 17:58:09 GMT -5
If my battery 7ah gets low it wont turn over my 52mm kits and the batteries are new I may switch to lithium good heads up carasdad
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Post by carasdad on Apr 17, 2013 18:25:13 GMT -5
If my battery 7ah gets low it wont turn over my 52mm kits and the batteries are new I may switch to lithium good heads up carasdad You will like them millsc. btw..on your 50 and 52mm BBK's do you use the stock head or the 47mm or big valve ported ones? Funny story about the 52mm BBK..cause those are no joke powerful! I put on the stock head cause my cousin did not want to buy another head...it would not crank..so I try to kick start it..no go...this 142lb 5' 8" frame could not budge it. Frank connects his Jet Ski 200CCA battery up...it cranks. We do a compression test...242psi  He said..."Add a base gasket"..I said no dumb @ss.... Add a bigger head.  He got the big valve ported one from scrappy and it worked better. Compression was down to 195psi..but a low 7amp AGM still fought to crank it. Cranked over but slowly..with a few pauses. I ran home and got the Lithium 7amp battery I was gonna put in my scoot as it was given to me free from my wholesaler to test and write an evaluation for him.Bolted it in and that thing spun over like a stock 50cc engine. Shop around cause they are going for right at $100.00 at motorcycle..scooter shops...auto parts stores...pretty much everywhere. 2 places were $139.00 and $145.00. I can get them for $60.00 plus shipping to you. But here is a better idea...here is a link that with me shipping ya one would cost about the same.. www.ebay.com/itm/YTX7A-BS-7A-BS-Lithium-Ion-Sealed-Battery-12V-160-CCA-Motorcycle-Scooter-ATV-/281085409807#vi-content About 1/2 price as some are asking for one...and at the Ebay price same as you would pay for an AGM. Plus they are happy with any old charger ya have...unlike AGM and EVO2 batteries which can be picky about the charger..when low some chargers read them as a dead or shorted cell and won't charge. The Lithiums don't care..charge at 2amps for 2 hours and be ready to unleash their power. ;D |
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Post by millsc on Apr 17, 2013 20:23:25 GMT -5
i have the 52mm kit on both my scoots and run two base gaskets with a 50mm big valve head ported and polished, had the 39mm combustion head on my t3 it was too much broke my cvt case and all, so i've found that the 52mm kit works best with two base gaskets and a 50mm combustion head, i have only installed the 50mm kits with the 50mm head the 47mm kits work fine with stock head my stepson is running his scrappy 47mm kit with the stock head no issue
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Post by carasdad on Apr 17, 2013 20:30:52 GMT -5
i have the 52mm kit on both my scoots and run two base gaskets with a 50mm big valve head ported and polished, had the 39mm combustion head on my t3 it was too much broke my cvt case and all, so i've found that the 52mm kit works best with two base gaskets and a 50mm combustion head, i have only installed the 50mm kits with the 50mm head the 47mm kits work fine with stock head my stepson is running his scrappy 47mm kit with the stock head no issue That's what I put on all 47mm kits...the stock head. Works great..no probs and 2 customer scoots out there with about 8,000 miles....the other about 9,000 miles.. |
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Post by scootermass on Apr 18, 2013 8:22:08 GMT -5
Carasdad: I'm not saying that lithium batteries are not great, they are. Just that they are expensive! rtsecino can score a sealed AGM Scorpion battery (YT4L-BS) for $35.00 with free shipping (if he lives in the lower 48 states) here: www.batterystuff.com/powersports-batteries/sYT4L-BS.htmlExcellent battery & if he keeps it on a float charge it should last him @ least 4+ years, if not more. Just saying that all decent scooters come with an AGM battery (Kymco, SYM, Genuine etc.) & they have become standard now. I'm not sure...but what would a lithium battery cost? $150.00? Rtsecino: You can score a 4Ah here for $39.00: www.batterystuff.com/powersports-batteries/sytz5s.htmlGood Luck! |
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Post by millsc on Apr 18, 2013 8:38:57 GMT -5
The regular cheap batteries work fine in stock scoots, but not in highly modded high compression scooters like mine
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He got the big valve ported one from scrappy and it worked better. Compression was down to 195psi..but a low 7amp AGM still fought to crank it. Cranked over but slowly..with a few pauses. I ran home and got the Lithium 7amp battery I was gonna put in my scoot as it was given to me free from my wholesaler to test and write an evaluation for him.Bolted it in and that thing spun over like a stock 50cc engine.