How to set up a standard Power Sport Battery
Your Duralast Power Sport Battery requires some set up before you can use it. It’s a simple job, but involved electricity and battery acid, so safety and precision are important. Follow the instructions and supplement with this article and video to make sure you set up and charge your powersport battery safely and correctly.
Note: You may need baking soda and distilled water for this job.
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Step-by-step guide to use with instructions
1. Safety First
This job requires working with battery acid, which is toxic and highly corrosive. Make sure you’ve got appropriate gloves and safety glasses before you do this. Standard latex safety gloves are not advised for this job. You’ll want thicker gloves with some kind of rubber coating.
2. Open the box
Here’s what you get in the box. Your battery, battery acid, caps for the battery ventilation tube, hardware for your cable leads, and a good set of instructions with your warranty card.
3. Remove the seal
With your gloves and glasses on, start with removing the seal from the cell and from the caps.
4. Remove the vent port cap
Next, there’s a cap on vent port. Now this long hose is the vent tube, and that goes on to the port that we just pull the cap off of. Take the longer, clear tube (ventilation tube) and attach it to the port you just removed the cap from.
5. Cut open acid container
Here’s where your scissors come in handy. Cut the cap off of the acid container and attach a fill tube so we can pour the acid into the battery.
6. Fill the battery
Fill each individual cell up to the upper level. Take your time and be safe doing this and be careful to avoid spills. If you do spill some acid, use a baking soda and water solution to clean it up safely. Baking soda neutralizes the acid and allows for a safe, simple cleanup.
Fill each cell up to the upper level line indicated on the side of the battery and dispose of the acid container safely.
7. Clean up any spilled acid
Use a baking soda and water solution (while still wearing gloves) to clean up any spilled acid or acid residue.
8. Install the cell caps
Put the caps on the battery. Install the caps by hand. Using tools may over tighten and create a chance to strip or break the caps.
9. Charge the battery
Use a battery charger to charge the battery. Connect the positive to plus, the negative to minus, set up the charger and turn it on. It is critical that the first charge is a full charge to get the longest life out of your battery. We recommend using a smart charger to ensure the battery does not overheat and gets the optimal charge. A smart charger will tell you when the battery is fully charged, and will automatically stop charging the battery when full, and restart the charging process when needed.
If at any time during the charging process you notice the battery getting hot, disconnect the charger, let the battery cool down, and then connect the charger again.
10. Check the cell levels
If you notice a cell has dipped below the lower line, fill the cell to the line using distilled water. Distilled water doesn’t contain any minerals that might harm the battery. Never add more battery acid. That will change the chemistry inside the battery and cause damage.
Final note: after installing the battery on your vehicle, make sure you run the vehicle for at least 15 minutes to make sure it builds back up the surface charge. If you’re storing the battery, keep it hooked up to a smart charger so it’s ready to go when you need it. You can get the parts you need at your local AutoZone Store. If the job is too big for you, seek out one of our Preferred Shops to help you do the job.
