Vespa P Series Maintenance & Repair

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Battery Service

The battery on a P200 is used for various safety features including the horn, the brake and tail lights and the turn signals. Therefore, it is important to keep the battery in good condition. Your maintenance schedule should include battery service every few months.

Tools & Parts Needed
Thin Pipe Cleaner
Wire Brush
A Drinking Straw (Unused and clean)
Distilled Drinking Water
Needlenose Pliers
Screwdriver or nut driver set
WD-40, Carb Cleaner, Compressed Air
Rubber Gloves and Glasses

Procedure

To effect repairs on the battery, it is prudent to remove the battery from the bike. To get the battery off the bike, remove the spare tire and undo the GROUND (Negative Sign) terminal on the battery. By removing the ground first, you have disconnected your bike's frame so there shouldn't be any sparks. Remove the positive lead (Postitive Sign) and undo the rubber belt to free the battery. Pull the battery out SLOWLY, so the vent tube does not catch on the battery platform.

Now you have the battery in your hand take it to a clean space (the kitchen) and put the battery on top of a scrap of newspaper. If the terminals are corroded, take a wire brush and brush the heck out of them. Blow away all the filings and debris before continuing. Spray a generous amount of WD-40 onto a lint free cloth and wipe the terminals. This will seal the metal and won't affect the conductance. Now don the rubber gloves and goggles. Pull off the vent tube if possible. If you cant get the pipe off the battery, dont bother with cleaning it. To clean a removeable tube, spray carb cleaner through the hose for 1 second, then get the pipe cleaner and scrape all the crud from the inside of the tube. Spray carb cleaner on the outside of the pipe and towel it off. Re-attach the vent tube and get out the water and straw. Note the fill level in each cell of the battery; they should all be just below the "High" fill line. If they appear lower than this level on a flat surface, you should fill them up. To fill the cells, pull off the filler cap for that cell with a pair of pliers. Most filler caps pull straight out; however, some are threaded, so twist them in the direction marked first. To fill the tiny holes, use the drinking straw and your index finger to regulate the flow.

If your battery was severely discharged for some reason (signals not working, horn quiet or tail light not coming on when the key is turned), charge it up with a motorcycle battery charger and check the fuse in the bike while the spare tire is off. The fuse is held in a clip-on holder on the left hand side of the battery platform. If the fuse is blown, replace it before installing the battery. Do NOT let your stator attempt to recharge your battery! When batteries start to charge they draw a huge amount of current, this is not so hot for the fuse or the stator. Re-install the battery in the reverse order or removal making sure that the vent tube goes back in its home (lower right or left corner hole on the battery platform. If the rubber strap is rotting, order a new one. If the wires to the battery are corroded, clean them with that wire brush and WD40 method we talked about earlier, just do it GENTLY. If you need to replace a battery connector, get a similar one from an auto parts place. There ya go!