Another Dead Battery :(

[Z Factor]

Over the years I have let x amount of batteries go bad by leaving them hooked up but not riding enough.

This last new battery I bought was to be different in that I bought a Battery Tender and left in on. So I went to start it up this weekend and sure enough it was dead. Furthermore the fluid level was low in most of the cells. Rather than buy a new battery once again, is there a product that can be added to the cells to bring this one back? I know from past experience just adding distilled water to the dry cells and charging typically does not work.

 

Any suggestions/recommendations will be appreciated.

[Steve_Guelph]

Over the years I have let x amount of batteries go bad by leaving them hooked up but not riding enough.

This last new battery I bought was to be different in that I bought a Battery Tender and left in on. So I went to start it up this weekend and sure enough it was dead. Furthermore the fluid level was low in most of the cells. Rather than buy a new battery once again, is there a product that can be added to the cells to bring this one back? I know from past experience just adding distilled water to the dry cells and charging typically does not work.

 

Any suggestions/recommendations will be appreciated.

 

I use a tender and never had a problem with any of toys. If the battery is still under warranty I would have them replace it and not try to bring the old one back to life. Are you sure the tender is working given that this is a newer battery and is left on the tender? And why are the cells so low?

[Z Factor]

I use a tender and never had a problem with any of toys. If the battery is still under warranty I would have them replace it and not try to bring the old one back to life. Are you sure the tender is working given that this is a newer battery and is left on the tender? And why are the cells so low?

 

I cannot explain what happened this time around as I had the tender on and every time I looked at it the green light was on. As to why the fluid levels are low, I cannot explain that either. I keep the bike in the garage so it is not exposed to much heat and the cells all had the caps on.

 

The place I bought the battery from will not cover it, that much I am sure about. So it is either revivng this battery or having to buy yet another one at $60.00+

 

Still hoping for suggestions as to additives that work to revive this one?

[Jrichard]

ADVANCE auto parts sells the electro-lite battery acid!!!!! usually around $5:usa:-----------follow the instructions-----------

[Gearhead]

Yeah, but the battery already has all the acid it needs. Only the water evaporates, not the acid itself, so that you are only supposed to add acid once, when the battery is new.

 

Try this link:

 

http://www.motorcyclebatteriesusa.com/battery-details.asp?battery=896

 

This is a maintenance-free AGM battery for 80 bucks. I've had good luck with these in quads and will buy one when the Venture batt kicks the bucket. For comparison, my experience with standard wet-cell bike batteries is that I'm lucky to get 3 years, while AGM lasts around 5 years and you never have to fill them.

[T-Rex]

The main thing to remember about batteries is that you CAN NOT leave them on the garage floor (if it is cement). For some reason, the cement floor of a garage will sap the power out of any car or cycle battery. As to what to add to the battery when the cells get low or dry, I just used distilled water.

[Steve_Guelph]

The main thing to remember about batteries is that you CAN NOT leave them on the garage floor (if it is cement). For some reason, the cement floor of a garage will sap the power out of any car or cycle battery. As to what to add to the battery when the cells get low or dry, I just used distilled water.

 

This is a myth. Modern day batteries are "Not" drained by leaving them on the floor.

 

Steve

[Steve_Guelph]

Common battery myths:

• Storing a battery on concrete will discharge it quicker- Long ago, when battery cases were made out of natural rubber, this was true. Now, however, battery cases are made of polypropylene or other modern materials that allow a battery to be stored anywhere. A battery’s rate of discharge is affected by its construction, its age, and the ambient temperature. The main issue with storing on concrete is that if the battery leaks, the concrete will be damaged.

 

Steve

[Squeeze]

..For some reason, the cement floor of a garage will sap the power out of any car or cycle battery....

 

 

dream on .... there's no Way that Cement or Concrete can influence the Cells of a Battery ....

 

 

except..... yes ...

 

there's some Radiation near fresh and not too old Concrete. You can test this with a Radiation-Ticker ...

 

but, as i have seen in my some 20 Years in my Workshop, there no Effect on the Battery ...

[GeorgeS]

Irregardless of the cement floor issue:

 

Irregardless of the tender hooked up or not:

 

You Must Keep the water level over the plates by adding Distilled water.

 

Water Evaporates, thats just a fact of life !!

 

Check the level every 30 daysl. Or pay the price !!

[Gary N.]

What about "maintenance free" batteries? Why don't they need to have water added? Doesn't the water evaporate when they are charged? Something I always wondered about.

[Freebird]

Really no way for the water to evaporate out of them. That being said, just go with the Odyssey....completely dry cell and you don't have to worry about it at all.

[Z Factor]

Yeah, but the battery already has all the acid it needs. Only the water evaporates, not the acid itself, so that you are only supposed to add acid once, when the battery is new.

 

Try this link:

 

http://www.motorcyclebatteriesusa.com/battery-details.asp?battery=896

 

This is a maintenance-free AGM battery for 80 bucks. I've had good luck with these in quads and will buy one when the Venture batt kicks the bucket. For comparison, my experience with standard wet-cell bike batteries is that I'm lucky to get 3 years, while AGM lasts around 5 years and you never have to fill them.

 

My past experience has been that when I add distilled water in any volume and try to charge the battery it never works. So I was hoping for a type of booster product whether it be additional acid or some other revitalizing additive that might work.

 

As to the maintenance free battery, I remember having one years ago and it seemed to die pretty quickly as well. However I was not using a Tender back then.

[reelay]

try this place for a battery. west coast battery. around 70 bucks, 4 days to get it. 375 cold crank gel battery. mine has never been on a battery tender, and survived through a bad stator. 6 years old and still going strong.

[BamaVenture06]

What!!??? Oh, thank goodness . . . at first I thought this thread was about my pacemaker!!!

[Gearhead]

"As to the maintenance free battery, I remember having one years ago and it seemed to die pretty quickly as well. However I was not using a Tender back then."

 

 

 

There are different types of maintenance-free. I used to agree with your sentiments. However, I think AGM (sometimes called gel-cell) are a newer type - they're not simply a sealed wet-cell battery, in fact they don't contain liquid like a wet-cell battery. Odyssey are AGM, I believe. They don't need water (really!), resist vibration better, don't leak at funny angles (good for quads), and seem to last in a bike or quad nearly twice as long.

 

Jeremy

[Al Bates]

You may have a drain on the battery, do a battery drain test. If that's OK, do a load test on the battery.

[GeorgeS]

I have owned 3 of the Sealed lead Acid batteries in the last 4 years

 

Two Yuasa, and one other brand, The all went south in less then two years. I pryed the Seal off all three of them, after the would no longer stay charged, and the Water level was BELOW the plates !!!

 

??? Anyway, Never again.

[wild hair 39]

don't thank quality control is to good on motorcycle bat,a WW battary is still going after two years,three others,one interstate,one WW,and a green bat[didn;t have a name on it]lasted about 1 1/2 yrs,have a test interstate,has a full charge 13.7 volts,but won't start a bike,so i guess you all are the judge:confused24::confused24:

[Condor]

With your history of going thru batteries at a fairly fast clip I'd check the charge rate output of your stator. If the rectifier doesn't cut the voltage back to below 13.4vdc after the battery is fully charged you will loose acid due to gassing. Sounds like your dumping 15+ volts continually into the battery while you're riding, even tho it's limited. Just for the heck of it check the output of the trickler to make sure it's 12.9vdc

[Z Factor]

This is a maintenance-free AGM battery for 80 bucks. I've had good luck with these in quads and will buy one when the Venture batt kicks the bucket. For comparison, my experience with standard wet-cell bike batteries is that I'm lucky to get 3 years, while AGM lasts around 5 years and you never have to fill them.

 

Do those or any maintenance free batteries have a hole for the sensor our bikes use?

[sarges46]

No they dont but you can fix that....follow this post

 

http://venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=489

[GeorgeS]

The sensor unit, Stock, installation can only be used with the old Standard Lead Acid, battery, With the 6 Screw Off Caps.

 

If you are going to stay with Lead Acid Battery, get one with Caps, SO THAT YOU CAN ADD DISTILLED WATER AT LEAST EVERY 30 DAYS. ---- CHECK IT ANYWAY THAT OFTEN ---

 

If you use a " Sealed Lead Acid" , then you have to do the " Battery sensor modification " Whats that ??

 

----- Cut off the Sensor, replace it with a 2,200 ohm, 1 watt resistor, cover it with Shrink tubeing, and hook it to the " Br " wire that sends voltage to the left side of the Fuse holder.

The resistor drops the voltage to about 4 volts, that goes to the computer monitor unit.

----- DO NOT HOOK THE SENSOR DIRECTLY TO 12 VOLTS WITHOUT INSTALLING THE RESISTOR, ---- YOU WILL FRY THE MONITOR COMPUTER IF YOU DO THIS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hook a Voltmeter to your Battery with Engine running ( a real volt/ohm meter digital type ) ( SPEND $40 AND buy a meter ) and measure your charging voltage.

 

I strongly suspect that you have a BAD Stator!! If the charging voltage is Below 12.75 volts, then your Stator is Failing. It should read at least above 13 volts DC on the Battery + terminal.

 

The way to check the Stator, is at the large white plug, left side, under side cover, with 3 #14 " white " wires going thru it. With plug connected, stick meter probes into plug, read wire to wire ON the AC Scale ( yes AC NOT DC ) you should read 12 to 16 volts AC on any combination of the three wires.

Also, read Each wire to Ground, you should read 12 to 16 volts, AC on each of the three wires to ground.

 

The Service Manual Stator Check proceedure says to take Resistance reading thru the 3 legs of the Stator. THIS CHECK WILL NOT TELL YOU IF YOUR STATOR IS GOOD OR BAD !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know, I have been there.

 

 

----------- IF ONE OF THE THREE IS SUBSTANTIALLY

( 6 to 8 volts ) LOWER THEN THE OTHER TWO, THEN YOUR STATOR HAS FAILED, AND THAT IS WHY YOUR BATTERY IS NOT BEING CHARGED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

THIS IS NOT DEBATABLE !!! It simply a fact.

 

One more item ! These new batteries you have been buying, Have you Charged them with a Real Battery Charger, NOT A TRICKLE CHARGER !!!!!!!!!!!!! A trickle charger, DOES NOT CHARGE A BATTERY THAT IS BELOW 50 PERCENT CHARGED, It will only keep a fully charged battery At full Charge!!

 

A battery charger, and a Trickle charger, are TWO different things.

 

When you buy a NEW Lead Acid Motorcycle battery you should charge it at about a 2 AMP rate, for about 6 to 10 hours, to get to 100 percent charged,

 

I DON'T CARE WHAT THE GUY AT THE STORE WHO SOLD THE BATTERY TOLD YOU , JUST ADDING THE ELECTROLITE TO A NEW DRY BATTERY, DOES NOT CHARGE A BATTERY TO 100 PERCENT.

 

So if your stator is weak, like a suspect, you have never gotten any one of your new batteries to full charge state , UNLESS you Charged them with a Real Charger !!!

 

How many miles on your bike?? And do you know if the Stator has ever been replaced????

 

If the Stator is bad, then buying another battery is just Money down the Drain !!!

 

I strongly suspect that your Stator IS BAD !!! based on the history of your battery problems.

[DonB]

I would suspect the "Battery Tender" first. Is it truly a battery tender or does it constantly produce a small charge thereby "cooking" your battery.

I bought an Odessey P680 MJ in the spring of 2005 and have had it on a Hotshot 1.25 amp battery tender ever since without any problems.

 

[Z Factor]

Thanks for the info on the sensor mod guys. I don't yet know if I want to go that way as there are differing opinions on how good the maintenance free batteries are compared to the standard ones.

 

 

I would suspect the "Battery Tender" first. Is it truly a battery tender or does it constantly produce a small charge thereby "cooking" your battery.

I bought an Odessey P680 MJ in the spring of 2005 and have had it on a Hotshot 1.25 amp battery tender ever since without any problems.

 

 

My Battery Tender is actually just that, in that it is the brand name

 

http://www.batterytender.net/

 

It is suppose to have a float/maintenance capability so who knows why the battery lost so much fluid.