I need to get hold of some battery acid for the one on my 750ss but it seems incredibly hard to get of. Years ago most car parts place would fill a battery for a small donation but the local independent ones looked at me like some sort of, when I asked. They said theirs arrive pre-filled and they don’t deal with acid at all which makes sense from a H&S point of view. In my old job I would have just mixed some up in the lab and used it but can’t do that at my new place. The battery I have came with the bike which I got as a project and don’t think it has ever been filled. I flushed it and checked the pH and it’s not been used as far as I can tell. My Jerry rigged AGM back up battery I used on it last year has finally died after over a decade of service sadly. Is it just convenience or have the idiots doing acid attacks stopped the availability? Don’t really want to buy a new battery when I only really need 500ml or so of acid. Has anyone tried to get one filled recently and had any success.
Since 2018, you have needed to have a licence to obtain/be supplied with, dilute sulphuric acid to fill batteries. Yes, one of the measures put in place to try and reduce the incidence of acid being thrown at people. IME, wet lead acid batteries are still being supplied to authorised Ducati dealers with the acid in pre sealed applicators but I don’t see unsealed (wet) lead acid motorcycle batteries being stocked by retailers like Halfords. You can buy battery repair fluids from Amazon, not totally sure but this might be a way around needing the licence. Andy
I’m pretty sure I bought a battery in c.2020 which came with a separate acid pack which was like a plastic container with a row of pipettes that were inserted into the filler holes on the top of the battery. IIRC, it may have come from France though, and it was pre-Brexit when Customs didn’t really scrutinise imports from the EU.
Thanks Andy, I assumed it might be something like that. As is always the way, the few idiots spoil,it for decent people. I will have to talk nicely to someone from my old place as we always had enough to do a few hundred batteries, so might be able to drop it off with them and get it filled for beer tokens.
Are there any companies locally that just do batteries that might be able to help. Surely there must be some in Brum?
We have a place locally that only does batteries and he looked at me like I was mad, said they are all delivered pre-filled which seemed unlikely but who knows. I am off for a ride today and plan on stopping off at a couple of bike places so will ask in case they can help. It’s only £50 for a new battery but I hate the idea of chucking away a perfectly good battery for such a stupid reason. I could just go around every car and van in the fleet at work and borrow a few ml from each
In extremis, might it be worth draining the juice from an older, scrap battery? It may be easier than trying to buy fresh acid. An old car battery might be the best donor.
