Battery Problems - Need help ASAP

[TOMCAT]

I keep my bike on a battery tender - always.

Riding it more often would do away with that mate .. it's not just about doing a burnout once a fortnight you know ..hahahaha

 

[Mittzy]

I do ride it most week days, but usually only short trips.
But since I moved my business to my home, it's a bit harder to get it out, as I used to keep the bike at my office. ... As you know.

 

[Rocket Scientist]

Changing out the 8 gauge battery cables for 4 gauge will help a lot too. Even just changing out the negative cable will make a huge difference, and is fairly easy to do. The stock 8 gauge cables are just barely adequate. It doesn't make much sense to get a new or a more powerful battery if the cables cannot transmit the full power of the battery.

I always enjoy reading your posts Ugarte. You have a very calm and methodical way of approaching problems. What part of the world do you call home ?

 

[Ugarte]

I always enjoy reading your posts Ugarte. You have a very calm and methodical way of approaching problems. What part of the world do you call home ?

Thanks RS. I live in Northern California.

 

[Dawg68]

Got this out of the service manual;
For a 10A/hr battery in use, a trickle charge of 1.2 amps is best. You can boost charge at 5amps but for no longer than 1 hour max. That means it's not good for your batteries to use a 10amp quick charge. The key is that whatever charger you use it has to have a cutoff voltage of 14.5vdc. Most automobile alternators (car, not sure about some of the heavy duty trucks.) cut out at 14-14.5vdc as well.

All that said, boosting from a 12vdc car battery, no problem.

Just for info, the size of the different wires within an electrical system are determined by the load. For example, if your auxiliary circuit, ( accessory socket, heated grips, instrument memory and clock) is fused at 10 amps then you only need to run 12awg wire max, anything larger than that serves no purpose other than taking up valuable space. Take a look at the pigtail you attach to your battery for use with a battery tender, quite small right, low current so you don't need anything large.

 

[TRIIICK]

Just my 2 cents,when i buy a battery these days i make sure the acid container full of acid and the battery itself are seperaterated. I add the acid and seal the battery myself. That way you can be sure your really getting a new battery and not one that's been sitting on the shelf for a year or two. I've had problems in the past with mail order batterys. As soon as you add the acid the batterys life starts.

 

[CanberraR3]

Most of the batteries we sell are like that. Funny how some people think it must be inferior if you have to put the acid in yourself - until we explain it means they're getting a "fresh" one. They're generally cheaper too, and that's partly because there are virtually no returns to deal with. I'd never buy one online; they're largely the ones that have gone close or past acceptable shelf life ie rejects.

 

[ksquared]

Thanks RS. I live in Northern California.

Not in Casablanca? I'm disappointed.

 

[Ugarte]

Not in Casablanca? I'm disappointed.

I'm not.....

 

[captain jack]

Just had the same problem- knackered battery. Ordered a MOTOBATT battery, it has never managed to start the bike, even having charged it overnight. In desperation I bought another new one, this time a Yuassa, filled the cells with acid & charged overnight (fully agree with TRIIICK on this) bike started first time. Now I have to try for a refund on the crappy yellow Motobatt.