Charging/maintaining AGM batteries

cootertwo

Living Legend
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Messages
2,039
Location
Labelle Florida USA
Ride
2013, & 2 05's R3R, 2006, 2004 Harley's, 2004 Kaw
Hi all, been having a time with my new build. Brand new AGM battery from Autozone. When on one of my regular maintainers, it does not have enough poop to start. But 3 or 4 minutes on my old 5 amp charger, and she fires right up. Checked parasitic draw yesterday. With meter connected between the disconnected positive lead, to ground, I get about 4.5 milli amps, and quickly drops down to .2 or so, kinda like it's charging up a capacitor or something? Anywho, left it disconnected last night, and battery on maintainer. Today went out, hooked it up, and no start. Another quick kick from my small charger, and off she went. Did a little research and found that "some" AGM batteries are sensitive to what type of charger you use.

Charging your AGM Battery | Support | OPTIMA® Batteries

Ordered one of these, we'll see if it makes a difference.

 
Have you put the battery on your regular charger to get it up to full charge? If so and it's not holding a charge, I'd take the Batt back to Autozone and have it tested. Ya might have a new / bad battery.... shidt happens ya know.

fwiw, If I haven't ridden the bikes for a week or two I plug them into a Battery Tender Jr. Never a problem staring either bike.
 
I think you have a bad battery, or charger, but I'm no expert, I never had that problem with any battery.
 
Could very well be a bad battery. I say New, but I've had it for a few months, while building the bike. Might try to take it back, but no idea where the receipt is. Funny thing is after I bump it with a regular charger and go somewhere, it has always fired up when I got ready to leave. Been keeping a lipo jump battery with me for just in case. Just happened to think, (sometimes hard to do at 68), but maybe I'll swap it out with battery from another bike, and see what's what.
 
I would not use AGM, for when they are good they are very good....but when they are ready to die, they don't slip away like flooded lead acid....they just quit completely all at once. This is not good for motorcycle riding.
 
Sounds to me as if it will basically hold a surface charge only - and no deep charge. IT IS ABOUT TO DIE.

AGM's and Lithiums (but for different reasons) do not die slowly. One day good - next day not. I had one go in a 1 hour window.
 
OK, the battery that was giving me trouble, came from Discount Auto. No receipt, so just went to Auto Zone, and got a Duralast. Put it in right out of the box, and she fired right up. The bad battery would show 13.5 volts after charge, but when load put on, would go flat. The Optima charger/maintainer is pretty neat, but $90. Checks battery condition, charges, then goes into a maintenance mode. Nice led lights, and screen, to tell you whats going on. Just put it on the new battery, and it shows 75% charged, and is charging at 14.5 volts, and 1.5 amps.;)
 
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