Looking for Yamaha Waverunner battery replacements? Check out our guide to the best Waverunner battery and how to recharge it properly.
You’ve taken your time to choose the perfect Waverunner and you can’t wait to hit the water to start ripping it up.However, no matter how capable your PWC may be, if you don’t have a powerful battery, your performance will always be sub-par.
There are many different types of compatible Waverunner batteries but some will deliver a much better performance than others. Other factors you might want to consider include charging time, durability and ability to cope with cold marine temperatures.
This article takes a look at what you’ll get from this replacement battery, and how the recharging process works.
Taking everything into account, the top option for many jet ski owners is the high-performance AGM battery from Yuasa. Here’s
Best battery for the Yamaha Waverunner
The best battery for the Yamaha Waverunner is the Yuasa High-Performance Battery. It is compatible with just about all Yamaha jet skis.
Which models does it fit?
Aside from its superior performance, one of the benefits of the Yuasa is that it fits an enormous range of PWCs including:
- All Waverunners 1987-2008
- Yamaha VX, V1 1050cc 2009-2020
- Yamaha FX, FZR, FZS, VXR, VXS 1800cc 2009-2018
- Yamaha EX 2017-2019
- Yamaha 700 Superjet 2009-2017
If you have any of the above models you can purchase the Yuasa as a Yamaha jet ski battery replacement with confidence.
Our Top Pick: Yuasa High-Performance Battery
The Yuasa YUAM620BH P-YTX20HL BS PW is part of the powerful H-series, ramping up the performance on the standard Yuasa AGM battery.
Designed for high-performance sports, it includes all the features on a regular AGM battery but with even more power.
The performance when using this battery will be noticeably better and it will last for much longer. Of course, you’ll pay more money for it at first, but in the long run, it’s a more economical choice despite the higher initial cost.
If you’re buying your Yuasa battery online, be prepared for it to arrive without the acid pre-loaded. This will be supplied in a separate container which you’ll need to pour in yourself.
The technical spec for this battery is:
- 12 volts
- 18Ah
- 310 cold-cranking amps
Holding specific gravity over three times longer compared to conventional batteries, you’ll get more wear out of this battery.
It only needs to be checked once every three months while in winter storage compared to once a month for conventional batteries, making it more convenient too.
If you’re considering the Yuasa YTX20HL as a Yamaha Waverunner battery replacement, here’s what you should consider:
Pros:
- No need to every top up with water
- Extremely powerful
- Handles cold starts well
- Only needs to be checked and recharged once every three months in winter storage
- More durable than standard batteries
Cons:
- More expensive to purchase
- Acid needs to be added manually
- Heavier than a lithium battery
- Doesn’t like heat
Why choose an AGM battery?
Absorbent glass mat (AGM) technology has changed the world of batteries forever. Compared to conventional flooded batteries, they’re longer lasting and higher performing. While Yamahas are already one of the most reliable jet skis, this battery will help extend its life even longer.
They work by absorbing the acid from the battery back into the glass mat, providing maximum efficiency for every drop without having to rely on bulky reservoirs of electrolytes.
Some of the other benefits of choosing an AGM battery include:
- Maintenance-free
- Completely leaf-proof for safer handling
- Better able to withstand the rougher conditions on a jet ski
- Performs well at low temperatures
- Less prone to sulfation
The military switched to AGM batteries in the early 1980s because of the better reliability, and the other advantages they offer.
There’s not really much better commendation than this! Switching to AGM for your Yamaha Waverunner battery will enhance your craft’s performance all round.
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How to Charge a Waverunner Battery
You will need to charge your jetski battery from time to time. This is because, unlike an auto, a jet ski does not have its own charging system.
Therefore, the battery will not charge from you riding it around. When a car battery dies, it’s often pointless recharging it but that’s not the case with jetskis.
When the battery needs to be charged, you can’t simply hook it up to some jump cables. It will need to be removed completely from the Waverunner and some basic checks carried out before you can even think about charging it.
To carry out the job, you’ll need to have the following close at hand:
- Rubber gloves
- Safety glasses
- Socket wrench set
- Silicone-controlled battery charger (rectifier-type)
Using your socket wrenches, remove the nut from the negative post on the battery. Remove the cable, and then go on to remove the nut from the positive post too.
The cable should also be removed from here. You will need different size socket wrenches for the negative and positive posts.
Unscrew and remove the breather hose from the battery. Lift the Waverunner battery out by uncoupling the male and female ends of the battery bands.
Once removed, the battery should be inspected closely. You are looking for signs of corrosion or any indication that the battery casing is cracked.
If all looks OK, top up the water levels and refill as necessary. You must use distilled water for this only, not even mineral water will suffice as a replacement.
If you’re using an AGM, sealed battery you won’t need to top up water levels so you can skip this step.
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Making sure the charger is still unplugged, connect the electrodes to the battery. The positive leads should be connected before the negative.
You should have the option to specify the voltage charge; this should be set to 14.2 volts for gel cell batteries and 14.4 volts for a wet cell battery.
If you are using a silicone-controlled rectifier-type battery charger, you don’t need to worry about overcharging as it will just shut off once it’s full. You can then reverse the process to re-fit the battery onto your Waverunner.
Throughout the whole process it’s highly advisable to wear safety goggles, as a minimum. It’s also a good idea to wear rubber gloves.
