How to charge a motorcycle battery without a charger
A lot of people have wondered if it is possible to charge a bike battery without a charger.
Flat bike batteries have inconvenienced most bike users at one time or another. I’ve had the same problem. Stuck, late at night with a bike that doesn’t have a kickstart. A big problem,
After hours it can be impossible to find anyone to give you a jump. Luckily for me, the engine cranked with a push and I made it home not too late.
But it did make me wonder how to charge a motorbike without a charger. Let’s see.
Table of Contents
The equipment
First and foremost let’s look at the tools we need to fully charge a motorcycle battery:
- A flat-headed screwdriver.
- Spanner (Size 10).
- Distilled water.
- 1-meter length of thick wire.
- A funnel
- Take an insulation tape of any color
- Take the UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) of your PC – it will act as the power source for our purpose.
- Also ensure that you are wearing protective aids like gloves, goggles and overalls since we will be dealing with acid.
The process
- First of all, you need to safely remove the battery from the battery cover located on the right side of the bike. This can be easily done by removing the nuts, which will release the battery from its holder.
- After the battery is detached from the holder, remove all the rubber caps carefully and all the screws. Keep them safe, since after the whole process is completed they need to be put back on the battery.
- Now we need to clean the battery properly before continuing – remove any dust or dirt.
- After cleaning, check the water level in the battery. If it is below the required limit use the funnel to top it up with distilled water.
- Now we can connect the UPS to the battery to charge it. For proper connections use alligator clips since they fit tightly to the terminals and are easy to remove once charging is completed.
- Once charging is complete, usually after around 8 hours, remove all the connections carefully. Finally, tape both the charging terminals using insulation tape and reinstall the battery to the motorcycle.
Precautions
- You should always be careful while checking the water level in batteries. If it is a ‘thick’ battery, take it to a dark room and shine a light on the sidewall of the battery – this will help you see the water level properly.
- Whether you make the connections to terminals using insulation tape or alligator clips, care should be taken. Loose connections will prevent the battery from charging and may, in extreme circumstances, even result in an electric fire.
- Dealing with the acid in a battery should be done with the utmost care. Even a little acid contact can cause the skin to burn. If someone comes into contact with any acid, immediately rinse the contact area with plenty of water to neutralize the acid.
- One shock at this voltage can be enough to have an adverse effect on the heart.
- Always refer to the guidelines in the manual for the required charging time of the battery.
Some important points that should be kept in mind during this whole charging process are:
- During the charging process, leave any rubber caps covering water tubes open.
- Carry out in a well-ventilated area.
- When the UPS is connected to the battery use it in standby mode – if we press the ‘power on’ button, the direct current will flow across the UPS, leaving the battery uncharged.
Some of the other ways to charge a motorcycle battery without the charger include:
A Power adaptor
It is possible to use a 12V wifi router’s power adapter as a power source.
This method will not harm the battery since the wifi adapter possesses a relatively small current.
Precaution: do not connect 100v-230v directly as it could damage the battery and/or power source or, in extreme cases, cause the battery to explode.
Use the battery of another vehicle
If you are on the road you can ask any nearby vehicle for help. Use jump leads to connect and charge your battery enough to get home.
Note that 1 hour of continuous power supply from the running vehicle is needed to charge the battery to 60%.
How to charge a motorcycle battery without a charger – Conclusion
So there you have it. There are three proven methods to charge your motorcycle battery without a charger. But remember that the best solution to the problem is to maintain your battery thoroughly. Check it intermittently to ensure it is still tip-top. Or even consider keeping a spare battery for emergencies.
