Battery Woes???

[garyculb]

Well, got a new AGM battery last fall; Extreme XTAX20HLBS as recommended at Battery Plus. Hooked the bike up to the Battery Tender over the winter- 2 months. Now, cannot get the bike to start. Battery will charge to 15.1 volts but then drops to 12.5 volts per my Vector Smart Charge. Bike cranks once but, then goes dead as if there isn’t enough electricity in the battery. Checked all the fuses/ electrical connections/ got gas/ lights come on/ starter engages/ etc.. Any recommendations or ideas??

Guess its back to Battery Plus and exchange this dud for an Odyssey DC625. What modification do you have to make in the battery box for the Odyssey to fit??

Garymad:

 

[hombre]

Cut the rear band from the back of the battery holder, and leave out the tool kit from under seat.

Odyssey PC625... read: /http://www.r3owners.net/showthread.php?t=2768

 

[Pig9r]

Sounds like with the Ody you can't put the tool kit back is all.

 

[HeR3tic]

Check starter connection cable.

 

[garyculb]

Odyssey Battery

Which Odyssey Battery is the best: PC680MJ or the PC625 for the Rocket?? www.odysseybatteries.com/batteries.htm

Gary

 

[hombre]

The PC 680MJ is too long to fit in the R3 battery holder... would mean MAJOR modification.

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Well, got a new AGM battery last fall; Extreme XTAX20HLBS as recommended at Battery Plus. Hooked the bike up to the Battery Tender over the winter- 2 months. Now, cannot get the bike to start. Battery will charge to 15.1 volts but then drops to 12.5 volts per my Vector Smart Charge. Bike cranks once but, then goes dead as if there isn’t enough electricity in the battery. Checked all the fuses/ electrical connections/ got gas/ lights come on/ starter engages/ etc.. Any recommendations or ideas??

Guess its back to Battery Plus and exchange this dud for an Odyssey DC625. What modification do you have to make in the battery box for the Odyssey to fit??

Garymad:

Gary:
You can't trickle charge an Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) battery. It kills them. An AGM has to be bulk charged just like the Odyssey. Use your Vector Smart Charger on the new battery and put your Battery tender on the lawnmower if it has a flooded cell battery. The Vector will apply the maximum amperage the AGM will absorb which is exactly what it need to live. I have an Optima Blue Top Marine Deep Cycle on my gas driven welder that sits all winter and about every 3 months I use the Vector to bring it up to 14.5. When I initiate the charge, the AGM pulls 40 amps even though the battery isn't over half discharged. AGM's need that big initial push. That 'Tender was the ender'.

In batteryspeak...your battery has what's called a 'surface charge'. It will show over 14.5 volts until a load is applied, then it will drop to 11.5 or 12. The plates aren't saturated, just the surface.

 

[garyculb]

Extreme Battery

Flip,

Thanks for the data. The same guy at Battery Plus sold me the Extreme Battery with the Battery Tender. Battery is under warranty. Spent the whole day going through all the electrical connections on my ride. Could not find any defects/ problems. To modify the Battery cage/ holder will not be an easy task. I still am going with the Odyssey PC625. Really tired of this issue. Anybody want a Battery Tender for $30. Pay for the item & shipping and it is yours.

Gary

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Gary:

I forgot to add that probably the easiest and cheapest way to test a storage battery to see whether it has any CCA capacity or not is to employ a carbon pile load tester and a voltmeter. You can get a carbon pile load tester at any auto parts shop for around 20 bucks and even a cheapo voltmeter will do the job. Just charge the battery up and load it with the carbon pile tester which is just a big resistor and observe the voltage with the voltmeter. An appreciable drop in voltage right away is a sure sign of a surface charged or sulfated battery.

I'd never have any other charger than the Vector. I rate the Vector at a solid 10.

 

[garyculb]

Battery Woes!!

Got the Odyssey PC625 Battery today. Installed easily as follows;

- Re-route the ground line over the diagnostic cable/ connection. Move it forward.
-Bend the back bar of the battery holder with a pair of large pliers
-There is a 3/8 lip on the base of the battery holder. Cut it off or place ABS plastic in the base of the battery holder so your battery dose not rest on the lip.
-Remove the tool kit
-Remove the air vent system off of the underside of your seat

Now the Odyssey PC625 Battery fits fine. You can even use the battery strap if you like.

I recommend this battery upgrade if you have multiple electrical accessories on your Rocket. It makes an incredible difference. I have been through three batteries in one year. There is nothing worse than a bike that will not start because of a lousy battery. For some reason the bike seems to perform better.

Gary