Wrong sized battery?

Ok, first off you all got a newb over here so bear with me. I've played around with my dad's old British bikes back in the day, but I was too young to remember anything i was taught other then how to polish aluminum (that was my specialty for the first decade of my life). Anywho i finaly got my mits on a 73 commando 850 (well get to the details on that later) thats in dire need of restoration as its been sitting for the last 19 years (safe to say its not in running conition). But no time for a ground up resto right now, I NEED TO RIDE THIS BEAST!!! Ive allready got the carb takin apart and soaking and under controll (or so I think) so i turned my attention towards the ignition, but first thing first, no battery. The PO gave me a brand new battery with the bike but i'm not sure if its safe to use as the manuals ive got do not mention it, so heres the question after the short novel you've just read; I have a Dorcy 12n14-3a battery and would like to know if i can use it in the Commando, whatchall think?

Ya, thats the right size.

thats for the info, how are battery labels broken down, I can guess that its a 12 volt 3 amp but whats that 14 about? Also the Haynes recommend a 10amp/hr batt how can i tell that this dorcy meets that, or is it that important?

IdahoCommando said:

I can guess that its a 12 volt 3 amp but whats that 14 about?

Click to expand...

"12N14-3A"

=
"12N" - 12V Nominal Voltage.

"14" - 14 Amp-hour.

"3" - Refers to the terminal (+ & -) layout positions (+) terminal on the R/H side, and (-) on L/H side, when you look at the battery with the front [name side] facing you.

"A" - Breather position, "A" breather on left side, (looking at it the same as above).




YB14L-A2 is an equivalent battery to a 12N14-3A (Numbers and letter codes for "Y", "YB" "YT" prefix batteries differ to the above info slightly.)

Thanks for the info, Sometimes im a little thick skulled and its best to force info into my head with a ball peen hammer. :lol: :lol: