Right after each other, both the recoil rope broke and the starter battery of my 3000 watt Yamaha generator died. Rather than disassemble the darn thing to get a new pull rope added, I went and replaced the battery with a Yamaha motorcycle battery, which fit in perfectly, and had the same amp-hours as the old one.Oddly enough, the box shipped with the battery, and a row of six vials of acid attached to each other. To get the acid in the battery, one pulled a sticker off the battery, turned the acid vials upside down, placed it over the row of holes on the battery, pressed to punch the foil seal on the vials, squeezed the bottles so the acid drained completely into the cells, then yanked off the row of vials, and then pressed a cap that spanned all six holes into place.Took a few minutes to do, and even though the operation was fairly safe, playing with battery acid in the middle of the woods isn't my idea of a good time, even with making sure I had access to water and was wearing eye protection.Is shipping acid separately from the battery something new that battery makers are doing? This is the first time I've seen this.

ATV batteries come that way all the time when you order them. I think motorcycle and snowmobile batteries are the same. I've never seen one with separate acid bottles. Everything I ever ordered came with 1 big bottle you had to pour out of.

mlts22 wrote:Right after each other, both the recoil rope broke and the starter battery of my 3000 watt Yamaha generator died. Rather than disassemble the darn thing to get a new pull rope added, I went and replaced the battery with a Yamaha motorcycle battery, which fit in perfectly, and had the same amp-hours as the old one.Oddly enough, the box shipped with the battery, and a row of six vials of acid attached to each other. To get the acid in the battery, one pulled a sticker off the battery, turned the acid vials upside down, placed it over the row of holes on the battery, pressed to punch the foil seal on the vials, squeezed the bottles so the acid drained completely into the cells, then yanked off the row of vials, and then pressed a cap that spanned all six holes into place.Took a few minutes to do, and even though the operation was fairly safe, playing with battery acid in the middle of the woods isn't my idea of a good time, even with making sure I had access to water and was wearing eye protection.Is shipping acid separately from the battery something new that battery makers are doing? This is the first time I've seen this.This is pretty common. You can buy the ATV batteries dry or wet. When buying wet batteries the date of manufacture is very important as the battery starts to degrade from the day the acid is added.Dry batteries can be stored indefinantly. I carry spare dry ATV batteries with me.My ATV batteries have a nasty habit of failing on a trip.Since I am usually in a remote location when that occurs, having a new battery on hand at all times is the best solution for me.

That's the way batteries for bikes come in my experience, well until I switched to agm.

I agree that pouring acid from one container to another can be kind of intimidating....requiring absolute concentration, but that is the way, at least for motorcycle batteries forever. I might guess batteries for ATVs, etc., are the same.Be careful and don't get distracted...you'll be OK

jerseyjim wrote:I agree that pouring acid from one container to another can be kind of intimidating....requiring absolute concentration, but that is the way, at least for motorcycle batteries forever. I might guess batteries for ATVs, etc., are the same.Be careful and don't get distracted...you'll be OKThe last few that I have bought came with the vial system that the OP described. No more single container of acid that has to be poured into the cells one at a time. It is premeasured and every cell gets the exact same amount. It is about as safe and fool proof as it can be. It is also available in the AGMs

Batteries and acid shipped in different containers?

marquette
Explorer
Apr 09, 2016
ATV batteries come that way all the time when you order them. I think motorcycle and snowmobile batteries are the same. I've never seen one with separate acid bottles. Everything I ever ordered came with 1 big bottle you had to pour out of.
Huntindog
Explorer
Apr 09, 2016
mlts22 wrote:
Right after each other, both the recoil rope broke and the starter battery of my 3000 watt Yamaha generator died. Rather than disassemble the darn thing to get a new pull rope added, I went and replaced the battery with a Yamaha motorcycle battery, which fit in perfectly, and had the same amp-hours as the old one.

Oddly enough, the box shipped with the battery, and a row of six vials of acid attached to each other. To get the acid in the battery, one pulled a sticker off the battery, turned the acid vials upside down, placed it over the row of holes on the battery, pressed to punch the foil seal on the vials, squeezed the bottles so the acid drained completely into the cells, then yanked off the row of vials, and then pressed a cap that spanned all six holes into place.

Took a few minutes to do, and even though the operation was fairly safe, playing with battery acid in the middle of the woods isn't my idea of a good time, even with making sure I had access to water and was wearing eye protection.

Is shipping acid separately from the battery something new that battery makers are doing? This is the first time I've seen this.

This is pretty common. You can buy the ATV batteries dry or wet. When buying wet batteries the date of manufacture is very important as the battery starts to degrade from the day the acid is added.
Dry batteries can be stored indefinantly.

I carry spare dry ATV batteries with me.My ATV batteries have a nasty habit of failing on a trip.
Since I am usually in a remote location when that occurs, having a new battery on hand at all times is the best solution for me.
horton333
Explorer
Apr 09, 2016
That's the way batteries for bikes come in my experience, well until I switched to agm.
jerseyjim
Explorer
Apr 09, 2016
I agree that pouring acid from one container to another can be kind of intimidating....requiring absolute concentration, but that is the way, at least for motorcycle batteries forever. I might guess batteries for ATVs, etc., are the same.
Be careful and don't get distracted...you'll be OK
Huntindog
Explorer
Apr 09, 2016
jerseyjim wrote:
I agree that pouring acid from one container to another can be kind of intimidating....requiring absolute concentration, but that is the way, at least for motorcycle batteries forever. I might guess batteries for ATVs, etc., are the same.
Be careful and don't get distracted...you'll be OK
The last few that I have bought came with the vial system that the OP described. No more single container of acid that has to be poured into the cells one at a time. It is premeasured and every cell gets the exact same amount. It is about as safe and fool proof as it can be. It is also available in the AGMs
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Apr 09, 2016
mlts22 wrote:

Is shipping acid separately from the battery something new that battery makers are doing? This is the first time I've seen this.

Since the dawn of time as far as Lead/Acid batteries are concerned.

yes. that is how they are shipped (normally) or at least how they were shipped not all that many years ago.. Once the battery arrived at the store. just before putting it out on display, a technician would add the acid.. (Today I'm not so sure they do it that way in many stores.. I'm not sure I'd trust a minimum wage technician to play with acid and not get hurt.. And many stores today won't pay my well trained price).

But that is how Batteries were shipped for a long, long, time, and some still are today.
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Apr 09, 2016
mlts22 wrote:

Is shipping acid separately from the battery something new that battery makers are doing?

No. It's been common for years; might even be required by law.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Apr 09, 2016
I never came across the multiple bottles until I bought my first AGM. All of the AGM batteries I've bought dry came with multiple bottles. I figured it was so the correct amount would used in every cell. In all the regular dry batteries that came with a single container there was always some electrolyte left after filling the battery.
RoyB
Explorer II
Apr 09, 2016
I didn't know you could buy batteries and have them shipped to your house... Everytime I tried to get them I have to have them shipped to a business like a gas station or repair shop etc... UPS FEDX or parcel post etc would not deliver them???

Around here you have to go to LOWES or WALMART or AUto Parts stores to buy batteries...

I must be missing something... which is not unusual at my age haha...

I got some TROJAN Batteries I want to start looking for.... (T-1275s)... Found a place in NC connected with a golf course that I can pick them up at... Will not ship...

Roy Ken
2oldman
Explorer II
Apr 09, 2016
fj12ryder wrote:
I never came across the multiple bottles until I bought my first AGM. All of the AGM batteries I've bought dry came with multiple bottles.
How do you open an AGM to put acid in?
RoyB wrote:
I didn't know you could buy batteries and have them shipped to your house...
AGMs.