ATV Tech Tip: How to make an ATV battery last longer
August 21, 2010 by Andy Swanson

August 21, 2010

There are few things more frustrating for ATV owners than dead batteries and flat tires. Here, we’ll talk about how to make an ATV battery last longer so you’re more likely to get trouble-free starts every time you head out to the trail or back 40.

Correct setup is key to making sure an ATV battery will last a long time. If you buy an unsealed battery, make sure the retailer fills the new battery to the upper mark on each cell and allows it to sit for about a half-hour before topping off with more fluid. The 30 minutes allows the lead cells to absorb acid and air bubbles to rise to the surface.

After the battery has been filled, it should be hooked up to a 12-volt charger and set at 2 amps. At this rate, the battery will take six to eight hours to reach a full charge. When you install the battery in the quad, put a glob of dielectric grease on each battery terminal to help prevent corrosion.

If your ATV is used on a seasonal basis, perhaps only during a fall hunt, it’s important to keep the battery active. Since batteries self-discharge when they aren’t used — at a faster rate in a warm climate than in a cold climate — charge the ATV battery at a slow, 2-amp rate on a monthly basis. Make sure the battery doesn’t fall below 12 volts during storage; otherwise it could sulfate, which leads down the road to the battery’s death.

A product like the Deltran Battery Tender is a simple, set-it-and-forget-it way to keep a battery active and fully powered. It charges the battery and then automatically switches to the maintenance mode when the charge is complete.

Keep those terminals clean too! Just had to clean about a pound of gunk of my buddys battery just to get at the terminals.

Now if you could just call my brother and explain to him that a battery TENDER is NOT a TRICKLE charger and that it can be left on / connected 24 / 7 . So our mothers golfcart , plow quad and lawnmowers are always ready to go , I would really appreciate it .

I got a bad atv battery behavior and I don't know how to make it always in good condition that should last long... Well, thank you so much for sharing this HowTo!