what battery?

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roqueweiler

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Apr 2, 2010
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Hey all

I need a new battery for my 1974 850 Commando.

Does anyone have any great suggestions on type? The original with 14 amp hours and 200 cranking amps is about $125 here in Canada.

I have a boyer ignition if that makes a difference.
 
roqueweiler said:
Does anyone have any great suggestions on type? The original with 14 amp hours and 200 cranking amps is about $125 here in Canada.
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I've been using a sealed WestCo AGM 12V14L-B (YB14L-A2) on my 850 MkIII.

The cold cranking amp rating isn't important if there's no starter motor.
 
I just installed (last night) a four cell lithium ferrous battery from "Maviryk," described in this thread on another board (discovered essentially by accident). So far so good. Tiny, less than a pound, and tests out at 13.88 volts in resting state.

I like it.

Note, my bike is kick-start only, and has a Sparx three-phase alternator.
 
I have used 7AH AGM Westco batteries (number 12V7L-B) in Norton Dominator and Matchless G12 restorations. They were purchased here:

http://www.ebatteriestogo.com/WC_Motorc ... teries.htm

These are nice compact little batteries and they seem to last. They weigh about 5 lbs. Both these bikes have Boyer ignitions and high-output SPARX charging systems and this size of battery seems perfectly sufficient. My guess is that this size would also be fine for a kickstart Commando. As BrianK mentions, you could even go with a much smaller battery depending on your charging system and how you ride. The battery box on the Dommie and G12 is rather small (originally 6 volt) so this was the maximum size battery I could fit in the stock battery box. Commandos have a much larger battery box so you could fit something larger if you want. My kickstart 74 Commando had a 14 AH wet cell battery when I bought it (is this the standard battery size for electric start?) but a battery this large does not seem necessary for a kickstart Commando with a healthy charging system. Especially if you want to save some weight. I use a 9AH wet cell Insterstate battery (12N9-4B1) on my Commando with a SPARX single-phase 180W alternator and it works great for me. I don't ride a lot around town and in traffic so I am not trying to keep a battery charged at low revs. How you plan to ride needs to be factored into the battery equation. The AGM batteries are nice because they hold a charge much longer than the wet cells and you don't have to worry about acid on your paint and chrome!
 
Oh, forgot to mention that you will also need to consider the type of headlight you are running (halogen versus standard) if you are riding with it on all the time. Also any other draws on the system like ignition, heated grips, vest etc. need to be considered. Some folks here use a halogen pilot light for daytime running that draws a lot less amps than the headlight bulb but gives off enough light to function as a daytime running light.
 
Any model suggestions for a '75 Electric start? I thought a Yuasa YB14L-A2 was the way to go but I'm having trouble getting one shipped.I would prefer a maintenance free one
 
speirmoor said:
Any model suggestions for a '75 Electric start? I thought a Yuasa YB14L-A2 was the way to go but I'm having trouble getting one shipped.I would prefer a maintenance free one
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The WestCo AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) 12V14L-B battery (equivalent to YB14L-A2) is a sealed "maintenance free" battery.
An alternative would be the Odyssey PC 545, it has to be stood on end to get it in the MkIII's battery compartment but that doesn't affect the battery.


what battery?
 
L.A.B. said:
speirmoor said:
Any model suggestions for a '75 Electric start? I thought a Yuasa YB14L-A2 was the way to go but I'm having trouble getting one shipped.I would prefer a maintenance free one
Click to expand...

The WestCo AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) 12V14L-B battery (equivalent to YB14L-A2) is a sealed "maintenance free" battery.
An alternative would be the Odyssey PC 545, it has to be stood on end to get it in the MkIII's battery compartment but that doesn't affect the battery.


what battery?
Click to expand...
I like that one L.A.B is that your set up? Its an extra $20 but the power is amazing!
 
speirmoor said:
I like that one L.A.B is that your set up? Its an extra $20 but the power is amazing!
Click to expand...

Yes, it used to be, but I ended up transferring the Odyssey onto another bike, and then bought the Westco for the Commando. I've had three Odyssey batteries and two out of the three didn't last as long as I would have hoped, but I could have been unlucky? The two Westco batteries I'm using do seem to be lasting well, considering they were both a lot cheaper to buy than the Odysseys.
 
So what is the guidelines for a non-eStart Norton in regards to AH? 4? 6? 8?

Lets say for a 180 watt alternator.
 
180 watt stator, 200watt peds I have no electrical issues with this setup. Big batteries are great for Nortons if you can keep it charged. And I can.
 
swooshdave said:
So what is the guidelines for a non-eStart Norton in regards to AH? 4? 6? 8?

Lets say for a 180 watt alternator.
Click to expand...

Depends on the type of riding you are doing, what sort of ignition you are running, what sort of headlight and taillight you are running, what sort of other electrical doodads you might be running etc. I have a SPARX single-phase 180W alternator (is this what you have?) and I run a Boyer MkII ignition and stock headlight with a 9AH wet cell battery. In fact almost all my British bikes with single-phase alternators have 9AH batteries. Works fine for the kind of riding I do which is mostly above 3000 rpm. Very little "city" driving as I live in the middle of friggin nowhere! Works fine. If you ride in traffic, with more time idling, your battery won't charge as well with the single phase alternator at low revs (less than 2000 or so). If you do a lot of low rpm riding, I'd go with the high-output 3-phase setup. You'll get much better charging at low revs. If you are not constantly idling (what fun is that on a motorcycle anyways?) 9AH should give you more than enough capacity for the average Britbike without an electric start and no electric vests and Halogen headlights etc. One approach to lowering the electrical draw on your system is to run a halogen pilot light for daytime running. Presumably less visibility though. You can save weight and go smaller on your battery but you won't have as much reserve capacity.
 
14 ah is recomended for Estarts and 9ah for all others. If you are going to roll it up on a trailer then you you can put any old brick in there and duct tape the wires to it. If your going to ride then don't let the battery be your weak point. Too many post concerning weak betteries. You have the charger in the 180 stator and peds unit. If you have the room, use it. That is, of course, if you plan to ride it. If there is a place for a little overkill, this is it. But don't take my word for it, I've been dinkng with these things for only 30 years.
 
pvisseriii said:
But don't take my word for it, I've been dinkng with these things for only 30 years.
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My only question is how many bungies cords have you gone through? :mrgreen:

Good points, thanks!
 
I've got the stock rubber straps and metal bar holding the battery in place on my 750. I'm sure the bungee cord would do a better job! But in practice I haven't had any problems with it. The battery tends to slide all the way forward in the tray and stay there.

Debby
 
swooshdave said:
My only question is how many bungies cords have you gone through? :mrgreen:
Good points, thanks!
Click to expand...

Just the one which is a whole lot less then if I were using those rot prone stock straps that I replaced them with. Then there's that nasty ass bar that seem too close for comfort to the terminals. But you go ahead and use them if you can find or afford them.

My battery sets firmly on place yet is not rigid, sways neither back and forth, up and down, fore or aft nor clamped so tightly as to comprimise its structure. Seems to be a desirable outcome IMHO.
 
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