Battery issue :(

[midnightrider1300]

whats up with the venture... I know I"ve read others who have issues with batteries... I've had my bike 11 months & already gone thru my 2nd battery... yes i have a maintainer but if it wont hold a charge when am I going to be out riding and it quits? is there something I can do ? or something I should be doing?

[midnightventure]

Is the voltage about 13.5 volts when it is running and does it stay there? My original battery lasted about 4 1/2 years. The second one didalso. My third one gave up early but then shortly there after my regulater went out and might have been going out before and contributed to the battery failing. Or the battery failing might have contributed to the regulater failing. While I was figuring out what was wrong with mine I realized that it would show that it was working but inside of 30 miles it would quit. By it I mean the regulater. I also found out that a regulater can pass accepted tests and still be bad. If it fails the tests then it is definitely bad but if it passes it might still be bad. Must be why Yamaha doesn't put a test in the manual.

[KIC]

I was going through batteries on all my bikes, most lasting around a year. I found out that it was because I pretty much kept them on on tenders most of the time. They would just "burn" them up. I was constantly adding water. Once I stopped using the tenders, my batteries have lasted longer.

[Snaggletooth]

I went through 3 batteries in the first two years I had my '84. Everything seemed to be in proper order according to what tests and trials I did. But when I installed a digital voltmeter, one that gave numerical readout things started to make sense.

 

The R/R, the OEM at the time was acting up. Running to spec then giving bursts up to to 17.5 volts, then dropping then running high again.

 

I replaced it with an aftermarket unit and that was fine until it started to fail to heat problems. (way too close to pipes) My fault on that one.

 

Once I got an upgrade Shindengen R/R installed properly all my battery problems ended. Been on this battery now for about 4.5 years and still going strong. But it it a DEKA AGM. It's a tough lil bugger.

 

Now I will mention I ride my bike daily for a fair amount of miles. It don't sit for any period of time so the battery is cycled and charging more than a lot of bikes. I feel that alone has a fair amount to do with battery performace.

 

Mike

[djh3]

Dont know much about battery tenders. Mine is go out and ride a couple times a week. I know not everyone is fortunate enough to do that. But I understand that if you use one, dont over use it. Once a month or something is the suggested pattern I remember hearing. I am pretty sure you dont just hook the thing up and leave it all winter.

[midnightrider1300]

I went through 3 batteries in the first two years I had my '84. Everything seemed to be in proper order according to what tests and trials I did. But when I installed a digital voltmeter, one that gave numerical readout things started to make sense.

 

The R/R, the OEM at the time was acting up. Running to spec then giving bursts up to to 17.5 volts, then dropping then running high again.

 

I replaced it with an aftermarket unit and that was fine until it started to fail to heat problems. (way too close to pipes) My fault on that one.

 

Once I got an upgrade Shindengen R/R installed properly all my battery problems ended. Been on this battery now for about 4.5 years and still going strong. But it it a DEKA AGM. It's a tough lil bugger.

 

Now I will mention I ride my bike daily for a fair amount of miles. It don't sit for any period of time so the battery is cycled and charging more than a lot of bikes. I feel that alone has a fair amount to do with battery performace.

 

Mike

 

 

I didn't start using the tender TILL the 1st time I went out to go for a ride & it wouldn't start...I ride OFTEN 16,000 miles this year... daily unless it's raining or I have to carry a load in my pickup... When I bought the bike in October I got a NEW battery, almost 6 months later I bought another... The 1st I thought the dealer put in on a fast charge... the one I have now I used a 2mp charge over night...I guess i need to ck my voltage...I just know SOMETHING aint right......

Edited September 11, 2012 by midnightrider1300

[midnightrider1300]

Dont know much about battery tenders. Mine is go out and ride a couple times a week. I know not everyone is fortunate enough to do that. But I understand that if you use one, dont over use it. Once a month or something is the suggested pattern I remember hearing. I am pretty sure you dont just hook the thing up and leave it all winter.

 

 

my bike NEVER sits more than a few days, even in the dead of winter it might sit a week but then I will crank it and let it run....it's wonderful to live in the south )

[spke]

There are battery tenders and then there are battery tenders. The ones that use intelligent charging circuitry, and some have de-sulphation routines, should not harm a battery. The one I use is the BatteryTenderJr by Deltran. It is about 8-9 yrs old now and I have never had a battery go bad. I only use it on bikes that sit for more than a week or two.

 

The ones to not use are the "float" chargers/minders. These will cook your battery.

 

sp!ke

 

 

I was going through batteries on all my bikes, most lasting around a year. I found out that it was because I pretty much kept them on on tenders most of the time. They would just "burn" them up. I was constantly adding water. Once I stopped using the tenders, my batteries have lasted longer.

[Flyinfool]

If a bike can not sit for 2 or 3 WEEKS without being run and has a dead battery, there is something wrong with your bike, find it and fix it. A tender is only useful for long term storage of several months at a time.

 

My Yuasa battery is coming to the end of its fifth year, even with Wisconsin winters it has not needed to be on a tender. I just give it a 2 hour charge in the spring the day before my first ride of the year and it is ready to go. I have no problem letting the bike sit for a couple of weeks and it still starts right up. In the early spring and late fall it is common to only get a good day here and there to ride. Once the first saltable snow of winter hits I am done till spring. I did spend the time to find and fix all power drains.

[Cougar]

I even have had a couple BatteryTenderJr's toast them selfs inside the unit itself.

and then they would fry my battery. some dont last so long. since then

I have switched over to a better tender.

[Trader]

My battery sat on a shelf all winter in an unheated garage....I put it in and the bike fired right up.

 

More good luck than good management !

[MikeWa]

If the battery goes dead while the bike is sitting you have a parasitic draw. That can be tested with an amp meter in series with a battery cable. If you have a CD changer that is a likely culprit. The next time you are planning on letting the bike sit for more than a couple of days reach down and unplug the CD changer. If your battery holds up the mystery is solved. I wouldn't replace the CD changer. I would just unplug it for extended storage.

 

If you have battery problems while the bike is running other things come into play. Stator or rectifier, loose or bad connections, to many accessories etc. can all contribute to a problem. As mentioned by others it would be time for a meter to help isolate the problem.

 

Mike

[MikeWa]

There is often a difference between a battery tender and a maintainer. Usually a maintainer can be left connected to the battery. For a tender read the instructions that came with it.

 

Mike

[reddevilmedic]

stator. i could jump start my bike all the time, wouldnt hold a start but for one start. then dead. replace the stator and r/r together. hopefully, its just the battery.

[XV1100SE]

The only time I hook up a battery tender to my bike is during the winter. Every couple weeks I'll connect it overnight... but for no longer than one night.

 

If the battery is draining between running, sounds like you have a "leak". Disconnect accessories (like iPod adapter, cd player) and see if that helps. After that, you can do other checks to see if there is a substantial draw on the battery to see if something else is still "on".

 

If the battery is at the point where even on the tender it won't charge then something else is going on. Are you putting in good quality batteries? DEKA will be my replacement when my oem goes out.

[midnightrider1300]

thanks every1 who replied or sent me a private message on this matter. As most of you know I work @ MC dealership & we sell Yamaha, Can-Am, Suzuki & Polaris , so yesterday I visited the shop and talked to the guys back there and like here I had a lot of different ideas of what the problem could be. I did schedule a tune-up, my bike has 26k miles & still on plugs that came in it, and I'm going to have them test it to see if they can find the culprit..I am going to print off all suggestions & have them to check it out..cause I know you people have been there done that...Again thanks , this is why this is the BEST forum on the web!!!!