Charged ATV Battery Keeps You Ready for Adventure

Keeping your ATV or four-wheeler battery charged will ensure you’re always ready to ride.

ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) are perfect small vehicles to help with farm or ranch work, to assist around the yard, to plow snow or just to ride for fun.

However, ATVs often sit inactive for weeks or months or are put in storage for part of the year. That inactivity is rough on your battery.

ATVs and four-wheelers use 12-volt lead-acid batteries. 

Lead-acid batteries consist of a number of cells. Each cell has positive and negative plates, separators and electrolyte, all contained in a battery container. Cells are densely packed with alternating lead and lead oxide sheets. 

Using an electrochemical reaction, a lead-acid battery converts chemical energy into electrical energy.

When a battery is used, sulfuric acid in the electrolyte is being depleted. As a result, the electrolyte closely resembles water. As that is happening, sulfate from the acid is coating the plates, which reduces the surface area over which a chemical reaction can occur.

When a battery is charged, the process is reversed, driving sulfate back into the acid.

The most common cause of battery failure is sulfation, a buildup of lead sulfate crystals. This occurs when a battery is deprived of a full charge (also called “killing the battery” or “draining the battery”).

Sulfate materials crystallize on the discharged portions of the battery plates, damaging the battery.

All lead-acid batteries accumulate sulfation over the course of their lifetime, as a part of the natural chemical process. The problems occur when sulfation builds up.

Allowing a battery to go dead for long periods of time will cause sulfation. 

Batteries are like living creatures. They need exercise and maintenance to stay “alive.” The best way to do this is with a smarter battery charger from CTEK.

CTEK's MXS 5.0 is a fully automatic battery charger with patented Float/Pulse maintenance.

Plugin the MXS 5.0 while your ATV in the garage or shed and let it do its work. The MXS 5.0 is an ideal charger for everyday use.

It tests battery condition before charging to establish if the battery can receive and retain a charge. The MXS 5.0 features a patented automatic desulphation phase, during the early charing process.

The MXS 5.0 is ideal for long-term maintenance. You can “connect and forget” it. When you do want to check your battery, the entire charging process can be followed on an easy-to-read LED screen.

Like all lead-acid batteries, ATV batteries don’t respond well to inactivity. The CTEK MXS 5.0 will keep battery molecules moving to keep your battery in top condition.

Try out our Charger Selection Tool to find out what CTEK charger is best for your vehicle.