Classic bike battery

[peteA]

Ordered a new 6 volt battery (Yuasa lead acid type) for my dad’s triumph T21 classic motorbike - arrived via post ‘dry’ which is standard practice? Instructions were / are to get the battery ‘filled locally’…which is where the issues start?

It’s our understanding that the battery needs to be filled with sulphuric acid (can be topped up / maintained with distilled water but not the initial fill) - the issues is where? We’ve tried googling / searching but nothing?

The sulphuric acid cannot be posted, we’ve tried that too!

Surely there must be a way? We can’t be the only ones in this situation.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions / help.

[tvrolet]

Not much help on your case, but every time I’ve ordered lead acid batteries there has been a separate sealed bottle with the acid in it.

But even in old bikes I’ve switched to new fangled gel batteries. And on the real old stuff where the battery is exposed you can get fake battery boxes that look like the battery and you put a new smaller battery inside.

[SteveKTMer]

Usually comes with the acid, I bought one last year for my 1976 CB750 and it came with acid. Bike shops and garages don't carry acid for topping up anymore, I doubt you'd find that outside of a chemical supplies company.

[srob]

tvrolet said:

But even in old bikes I’ve switched to new fangled gel batteries. And on the real old stuff where the battery is exposed you can get fake battery boxes that look like the battery and you put a new smaller battery inside.

Yep, same here.

[Panamax]

I think you'll have to take it to a local battery specialist who can fill it for you. Not a shop or garage, a real specialist.

[OutInTheShed]

Regulations about supplying acid to the public changed a few years ago.

As a result, most battereies are now supplied filled. They probably arrive that way at most retailers, so it's best to order from a seller with a high turnover.
If you can't get it filled, saend it back and buy from someone like Yuasa UK or Tayna.
Or look at gel lead acid batteries or even Lithium.

Sometimes, they would send you much more acid than you needed, so asking around local bike enthusiasts you might just find someone has a bottle on their shelf.

[moanthebairns]

Send the battery back, its going to be a ball ache trying to get Sulphuric Acid in the concentrate and volume you require from a wholesaler, most wont deal with a member of the public, you'll need to have an account and go through vetting to get on their books. I buy a fair share at work as cleaning reagents for work in the water industry, if its anything like the price we pay for some acids it'll be the price of the battery again.

[Biker 1]

Maybe a long shot, but you might be able to get this via a garage: https://surechemicals.co.uk/vehicle-care-maintenan...

[TwinKam]

If the seller didn't mention that it would be supplied dry, send it back, as it's not actually a battery in its current (sorry) state, hence it's unfit for purpose.
Plenty of suppliers out there who will supply you with a ready to use battery, personally found Tanya to be excellent.

[Biker 1]

+1 on Tayna. I have bought loads of batteries for various vehicles at work. Good delivery, usually next day. Decent packaging & does what it says on the tin.
Deffo recommended & I don't work for them.....

[peteA]

Cheers for all the comments / suggestions - we’ll look into a another ‘filled’ battery option and try tayna.

[bimsb6]

OutInTheShed said:

Regulations about supplying acid to the public changed a few years ago.


Or look at gel lead acid batteries or even Lithium..

Can you get either of those in 6v ?