Month: January 2019

Your snowmobile may be a fun ride, or it’s meant to be a functional transport around your property. Regardless of its primary use, every snowmobile requires a battery. After several years, it may be time to replace that snowmobile battery. Learn how to complete this basic task on your own so that your ride is up and running in no time

1. Open the Hood

Be sure that the snowmobile is turned off before you open the hood. Safety should always come first during a snowmobile battery replacement project. Any live components can potentially shock you, including the battery, reports Science Daily.

2. Verify the Battery Type

Take a look at the snowmobile battery. It should have some reference numbers and letters on it. Verify that your replacement battery is compatible with this type. AGM batteries, for instance, are good replacements for older technologies, states Varta Powersports. An incompatible battery will impact the snowmobile’s performance or fail to power up in the first place.

3. Remove the Air Box

When you learn how to replace a battery, part of this skill is maneuvering around other parts in the engine compartment. Many snowmobile models have an air box that resides just above the installed battery. Remove this component along with its attached hoses. Follow the instructions that come with your vehicle’s purchase.

4. Disconnect the Negative Wire

Continue with your snowmobile battery replacement task by loosening the negative or black wire. Always start with this ground wire because it’s the safest way to deal with a battery. Sparking won’t occur when you remove the black wire first.

5. Remove the Positive Wire

With the negative wire draped away from the battery, carefully remove the positive or red wire. Drape it in the opposite direction from the black wire. Regardless of why the battery failed, including shorts and drained conditions, there’s always a possibility of electrical arcing or sparks. Err on the side of caution by keeping the wires far apart from each other.

6. Remove the Old Battery

Carefully slide the old battery out of its compartment. If it meets any resistance, check for obstructions. Don’t force it from its position. The housing is tough, but it can become damaged with excessive pulling.

7. Clean the Wire Terminals

Part of how to replace a battery includes cleaning the surrounding components. Before bringing the new battery into the picture, inspect the loose wires. Clean off any corrosion with a rag. Be sure to remove all of the corrosion. It will just continue to grow on the new battery if left attached to the wires.

8. Inspect Exposed Components

Take a critical look at the parts below the exposed space for the battery. Adjust any parts that appear loose, such as the steering components. The removed battery gives you a new view of the snowmobile, which can save you time and money when it comes to maintenance.

9. Install the New Battery

Add the new battery to the open space. Verify that no parts are caught or obstructing the battery’s position. It should sit snugly within the space. An incorrect battery won’t fit as well as the right model.

10. Reconnect the Wires and Air Box

Connect the red wire to the battery first. End the battery installation with the negative wire being securely attached to its terminal. Reconnect the air box and its associated hoses. Check every connection for a snug fit.

11. Test the System

Close the hood and test the snowmobile. A properly installed battery should power right up. If you face any hesitation from the system, reevaluate the parts for a solution.

Visit Northeast Battery today for any questions about snowmobile batteries. Swap out your battery as a precautionary measure before a major storm or cold snap. Being prepared with a fresh battery will only safeguard you, your business or family.

Whether you have a lightweight or heavy-duty motorcycle, your ride is your passion. Part of the fun for many of us is working on the vehicle. The battery is one of the most important elements on the bike, which means it should take up some of your attention during each tuneup. Get to know the top five things about motorcycle batteries. Their science will keep you going for miles down the road.

1. High CCA Provides Startup Reliability

As you shop around for a motorcycle battery, pay close attention to the CCA or cold-cranking amps. This value might be 500 or higher, for instance. Choosing a high CCA gives the bike a chance to start up under harsh conditions. It has enough current to activate the engine at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. In most cases, you won’t find yourself stranded with a high CCA on your bike

These batteries do decline over time, especially if they’re in storage, states How Stuff Works. Don’t forget to have a handy, motorcycle battery charger on hand in case of a power issue. Knowing how to charge a motorcycle battery will help you get the bike back on the road

2. Choose Sealed Batteries

In the past, you didn’t have much of a choice when it came to a motorcycle battery. Flooded or wet-cell designs were the only option. Currently, you want a maintenance free design that’s also referred to as the sealed battery.

Motorcycles take the brunt of the road’s imperfections. Bumps, stops and other abrupt movements impact the battery over time. Flooded batteries have the tendency to leak, which leads to sulfation and gradual decline. Look for AGM or gel motorcycle battery products. The sealed construction will be a reprieve from corroded terminals and topping off water levels in older battery types.

3. Use a Replacement Kit to Safely Hold Down a New Battery

Unlike a car engine, the motorcycle-engine compartment is limited in space. Upgrading or changing a battery to a different type may seem impossible. In reality, it’s actually a good idea to keep up with technology.

You may want a better battery with the latest motorcycle battery charger, for example. Compare the new battery to the compartment on your ride. If the fit isn’t right, you can always alter the position. Or better yet, look for a kit that converts the current space to the new battery’s dimensions. There’s no reason why you can’t replace the old model with a new one on any bike. There’s always a creative solution.

4. Electric Bikes Use Different Batteries

Be aware that engine-powered and electric motorcycles have different batteries. The power needs are entirely different between the two designs. Each motorcycle battery trickle charger will vary with the bikes too.

Electric bikes typically use batteries that have this technology, such as:

• Lithium ion
• Lead
• Lithium iron phosphate

Your battery and motorcycle battery charger must match the bike’s design. If you’re not sure about the details, our team can always help you with the particulars.

Electric-bike batteries tend to be more expensive than standard power sources. The pricing alone may give you a clue

5. AGM Batteries are the Best for Motorcycle Applications

AGM or absorbent glass mat batteries are the overall winners when it comes to powering up your bike. They have certain features that make them stand out, reports Battery University. These features include:

• Lightweight assembly
• Reliable powe
• Rapid charging time

Fiberglass mats secure the sulfuric acid, which makes the battery safer to handle and use. They’re essentially maintenance-free batteries so that you can enjoy your ride without too much thought about the power source. AGM batteries also have varied sizes and power levels, which gives you versatility on any bike model that you own.

Contact Northeast Battery today with any questions about your bike’s power source. From how to charge a motorcycle battery to understanding its average lifespan, we have the answers to your queries. Today’s battery technology will get you around town and back again.

It’s never too soon to think about how to get longevity out of your golf cart batteries when spring rolls around. Golf carts are useful vehicles on and off of the links. They’re compact for small communities, industrial backlots and other locations. Their small size, however, gives them a limited driving range. These vehicles use a basic battery pack to power every accessory and motor component. If you want to see your electric golf cart power up with every turn of the key, follow these steps to get the most out of your battery

Look for Corrosion

Treat your golf cart battery as you would a car battery. You don’t want corrosion growing off each terminal. On a regular basis, inspect the battery. Plan on cleaning off the corrosion with baking soda and water, suggests the Trojan Battery Company.

Allowing the corrosion to fester on the terminals will only drain the battery over time. At some point, the corrosion might create a short, which leads to a completely dead battery.

Fill the Reservoir

A deep cycle golf cart battery has to be watered. The water is a key part of the electrolyte volume, which allows the battery to be discharged and charged multiple times.

• Take a close look at the water level during your inspection
• Add distilled water when necessary
• Don’t cut corners and use tap water (the minerals will eat away at the battery; make it last longer with distilled water)

Switch off the Accessories

You may be well aware of golf-course etiquette when it comes to driving and parking the vehicle. However, most people don’t go as far as turning off the accessories as they step out onto the tee or green.

Make the golf car battery last longer by shutting off the vehicle’s accessories during every stop. The lights, radio and other components draw power away from the battery. Activating the vehicle with the accessories on will only reduce the battery’s lifespan.

Abide by the Weight Limit

Every electric golf cart comes with a weight limit that’s typically posted in plain view of the passengers. Although it’s not necessary to weigh everyone to the nearest ounce, abide by the posted weight limit. Golf cart batteries are designed to work under a certain load. If the passengers are too heavy, that fact puts strain on the battery. It will die back faster than a battery used under optimal conditions.

Avoid Extreme Driving Conditions

Hitting the open road in your personal vehicle gives you a chance to take on hills and alternative roadways along the way. This same statement cannot be said about golf carts. Ideally, drive the cart on relatively flat surfaces. Golf cart batteries aren’t designed for big hills. You’ll place a heavy load on the battery, and it’s lifespan is permanently shortened. Remain at a reasonable speed too because batteries rely on normal driving for their longest lifespans.

Charge the Battery Every Day

Your golf cart battery may only run for a few hours each day, but don’t store the vehicle away without a daily charging session. A deep cycle golf cart battery simply functions better when you charge it from a partial-power state. Running the golf cart battery down until it’s nearly empty doesn’t improve its lifespan. In most cases, this practice only degrades the internal parts.

Use an Automatic Charger

Charging technology has improved greatly over the years. Upgrade your manual charger to an automatic type, suggests Golf Carts Plus. Golf cart batteries respond well to automatic power applied to them. Once the battery is full, the charger switches off the energy.

Overcharging any power source, including 12V batteries, will reduce their lifespan. The electrolytes cannot hold or offer as much power as they did before. Each overcharging session will result in fewer hours on the road.

From 12V batteries to customized packs, our Northeast Battery inventory has every need covered. Be a hero to your customers with battery advice that makes sense. Those frustrating breakdowns will be issues of the past.

No other battery line has the reputation and strength offered by Trojan Batteries. They’ve had nearly a century of experience to perfect their manufacturing process. In the new year, remind yourself that a maroon battery indicates quality at every turn. Keep running strong in 2019 with the latest technology only found with the Trojan brand.

Travel Time and Cycling Volumes That Amaze

Golf and utility vehicles are notorious for taking a standard battery down without warning. No one wants to push their vehicle back to the clubhouse! Trojan Battery continues to improve their products with travel times that seem to gain hours with each model year. It’s possible to drive a golf cart all day long on the links, and you’ll still have extra energy for an evening adventure.

Expect about 5,000 charging cycles from each battery. With the proper maintenance, a flooded battery can last for years.

Easy Watering

Each flooded battery requires watering at some point. Deep-cycle batteries rely on the liquid to charge and discharge with reliability every time. Trojan simplified the watering process by creating its patented HydroLink system.

Each Trojan battery has these features, including:

• Flame arrestors for safe watering
• Non-mechanical water-level indicator
• Four-year warranty

Water the battery whenever the indicator tells you to do so. There’s no questioning the water level with Trojan’s user-friendly design.

Three Voltage Levels

Your golf and utility vehicles have unique purposes and designs that make them valuable in your life or business. Because of the varied number of vehicles in the marketplace today, Trojan continues to support countless industries with three voltage levels to their batteries.

Open up the hood on your golf-cart or utility vehicle. Take a look at the required voltage on the battery. Trojan produces 6-, 8- and 12-volt batteries. One of these products is bound to fit in your vehicle.

Go as Deep as Necessary

It’s not a typical habit to charge a golf cart during the middle of the day. Someone may need to use it. These vehicles run all day long, and then they receive their charge overnight. You need a deep-cycle battery for reliable operation. In fact, the battery must be able to withstand a real, deep discharge while taking a charge with no problem afterward.

Trojan knows that these batteries will be under incredible strain. As a result of their efforts, the batteries can take multiple, deep discharges and keep on going.

Get Compliant With Non-Spillable Batteries

Get excited about the latest advancements in AGM or absorbent-glass-mat technology. These batteries fall under the Reliant line, which comes as a non-spillable design. Many government facilities require non-spillable batteries. Your vehicle will be able to move around any of these properties without any concerns over battery spills.

Simply choose from Trojan’s AGM batteries. There are several products that qualify under the AGM descriptor. You’ll appreciate the reliable power alongside the maintenance-free design too. AGM continues to be the future of compliant, mobile energy.

C-Max Advancements

Renewable energy solutions in the form of Trojan’s Reliant line of batteries gives you a glimpse at the future, suggests the manufacturer. C-Max technology is the hallmark of Reliant batteries. These key features combine into the longest lasting battery on the market today:

• Proprietary paste mixture
• Strong, polymer case
• Incorporated flame resistors
• Advanced separator

Look for the maroon color and Reliant logo during your next purchase. This renewable energy is the cleanest and most advanced battery ever turned out by our manufacturing pros.

Get connected with Northeast Battery today. With so many Trojan batteries to choose from, you’ll want some guidance on the best selections. We’ll narrow down the category so that you can get powered up and out on the road. The Trojan brand will continue into the next century as a product to rely on.