It’s a perfect day to take the ATV out for a ride. The sun is shining, there are no clouds in the sky, and your friends are waiting for you to join them.

You sit down, you adjust your helmet, you turn the key, and instead of the engine roaring to life, you get nothing but a deafening silence. You’re going to miss out on the fun again.

You may not always keep track of how often this happens, but the bottom line is that ATV average lifespan for an ATV  battery is only 3-5 years.

So, are you tired of buying a new battery for your ATV? Read on to find out how long they should last and how you can get the most for your money.

Most Common Reasons ATV Batteries Die

Do you remember the first thought that you had after you realized the battery was dead on your ATV? It was probably something like, “Why did it die on me?” After reading this information, you’ll be much better prepared to diagnosis the problem.

Accessories

Do you have accessories like EPS, an electric winch, or heated grips? Any of these will draw a significant amount of power from the battery and shorten its lifespan.

Low Electrolytes

Now, what do you do when your electrolytes are low? You grab a Gatorade or another sports drink of your choice. If your ATV’s battery electrolytes are low, then it needs a swig of distilled water.

If you have this problem, the chances are good that you’ve been overcharging your ATV. Most all-terrain vehicles use a lead-acid battery, but that acid and the electrolytes in your battery can evaporate. The lead plates inside your battery corrode when exposed to the air, which can lead to a short.

And if that happens, you definitely need a new ATV battery.

Internal Sulfation

If this is what’s happening, then you are not charging the battery often enough. When that happens, crystals form on the lead plates that are inside of a lead-acid battery. When too many crystals build-up, the battery can’t keep the same charge that it used to and will die.

You can help prevent this problem, and many others, by keeping the battery charged. Sulfation is an inevitability, but you can extend the life of your battery if you keep it under control.

Completely Drained Battery

We’ve all had that face-palm moment when we realize that we left the headlights on overnight. When you have to get to work, you notice a problem like this immediately. You may not always catch it in time with an ATV, unfortunately.

If you do notice the day after a ride, make sure that you charge the battery as soon as possible. Doing this by end of the next day should mean that you recover the battery’s charge without much damage.

Cold Temperatures

Trying to start any vehicle with a cold battery is a painful experience. While the engine tries to turnover, you keep the key turned and say a few prayers.

If your ATV battery dies while riding, or you used it recently, you have a much better chance of getting the engine started. The charging system will ensure that the battery has a full charge after use. ATVs that hibernate on your property during the winter should have their batteries removed until you plan to ride again.

You also want to consider the age and quality of your charging system before trying to start up your ATV in cold weather. Older models will have lower output charging systems that may not be as ready to go as you are when it counts.

Do you own a boat, also? Check out these easy steps to winterize your boat from our blog.

Warm Temperatures

Careful attention to detail, regular maintenance, and riding your ATV frequently can prevent most cold weather issues. Warm weather is much less forgiving on your engine.

When your battery is hot, it accelerates the chemical reactions inside, which means that it is going to discharge faster. The battery life in desert conditions like the American southwest is much worse than in more temperate environments.

Remember what happens when you have internal sulfation? Warm weather and heat dry out a battery fast and that will always increase the amount of evaporation. Corrosion is common because the process speeds up and this will reduce the life of any battery.

Types of ATV Batteries

If you already know what type of ATV battery you want, head over to the parts page, and our friendly staff will find it for you. We’re always excited to search high and low for even the most obscure parts.

Conventional ATV Batteries

Conventional ATV batteries were introduced by Honda and they have existed since hair metal bands ruled the 1980’s. To this day, you can’t an electric guitar without hitting an ATV that uses a lead-acid battery.

These remain the most common option for ATV batteries, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and jet skis. They’re called conventional for a reason – they’re a reliable option, even if you do need to pour in distilled water occasionally.

AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) ATV Batteries

The big selling point for AGM batteries for your ATV is that electrolytes become a word you only use in reference to Gatorade again. Fibreglass pads that sit between the battery plates absorb more electrolytes than an NBA basketball team. As a result, AGM batteries gained a reputation as maintenance-free batteries.

When you remove acid from the battery equation, you no longer have to worry about the battery plates drying out. Even better, you won’t find yourself giving your ATV’s battery a drink of water when you go with AGM.

Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are common in electric dirt bikes and vehicles but still pretty rarer in ATVs because they cost more money and they under-perform in cold weather.

Why do people buy them? Lithium-Ion batteries can last as much as five times longer than a conventional battery.

Lithium-ion ATV batteries also only discharge at around 1% per month, so they’re built to last, even if they aren’t as reliable in the winter.

If you’d like to take a deeper dive into the differences between these options for your ATV, this is a great resource to go to after you’ve read this article.

How Do You Know It’s Time to Replace Your ATV Battery?

Dealing with a battery that refuses to charge can make you feel like Dr. Frankenstein trying to bring his monster to life. If you’re lucky, it’s alive. If you’re unlucky, it stays dead.

When your battery won’t hold a charge despite using an ATV battery charger, it’s worth trying a new battery to know for sure if the old one was the problem.
Here are other important signs to watch out for:

• A bulge or a bump on the casing
• Cracking on the casing
• Broken terminals
• Excessive Leaking
• Discoloration

If you want to know with absolute certainty whether your battery is dead or not, you need to break out the multimeter.

If you’re reading is negative, it’s likely that the leads crossed. Make adjustments and try it again.

A reading of less than 12 V means that you should try to charge the battery again and take another reading. Anything less than 12.4 V means you have a damaged cell and it’s time to buy a new battery.

If you’re having a hard time troubleshooting, use this guide to rule out any other issues before investing in a new battery.

How Do You Guarantee the Longest Life for Your ATV Battery?

We already know that the average life-span of an ATV battery is between 3-5 years, but how do you consistently get the best performance? If you’re good to your machine, it is not unheard of to get as many as 6-7 years.

Conventional Batteries

The first rule for any battery applies to conventional ATV batteries: keep them charged. Whether you ride your ATV regularly or keep it in the garage, don’t allow the battery to completely die. If it’s staying dormant during the winter, simply remove the battery until you ride again in Spring.

AGM Batteries

AGM batteries are also referred to as “maintenance-free” batteries, but that’s not quite as true as marketing professionals want you to believe.

Your ATV battery may be low maintenance, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t enjoy the attention. “Maintenance-Free” in reality is code for “less work than usual.”
You still have to keep your batteries charged or the neglect will destroy their lifespan.

Lithium-Ion Batteries

Do you remember when cell phone companies used to tell you only to charge your phone to 20 or 30% capacity before charging again? The same principles can apply to your ATV. Avoid fully discharging the battery at all costs.

While you don’t want to let them run down, you should also consider avoiding charging to 100%. You can lose voltage over time and that means a shorter life.

Be sure to limit extremes of temperature, also. Lithium batteries don’t last as well under the stress of extremely warm or cold weather.

For a complete list of maintenance tasks for any ATV battery and how to do them, follow this link to a great guide.

Are You Still Confused? There’s Help Available

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed. Choosing the right ATV battery for your needs sometimes requires a more human approach. Don’t hesitate to contact us anytime with any questions you may have.