Another Dead Battery :(

[Condor]

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.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.

 

The Odyssey is a maintenence free battery, but different in the respect that it's a dry cell technology. To my knowledge there never has been a mixed report on them. They're great.

[Cougar]

Well worth the little extra..!

 

Odyssey!

[GeorgeS]

I have heard of folks useing them in small Airplanes also.

 

They are Mil Spec, as I understand it they were developed for the Military.

 

I have them on two bikes now, so far very happy with them.

the Pc-680 when fully charged reads almost 13 volts.

 

They are Dry, and can even be shipped UPS and Fed Ex because of no liquid acid.

 

Check out their web site, and read up on the spec's. 3 times the cranking amps of a lead acid.

[Cougar]

I am now thinking of getting one for my riding lawn mower now

I have been very happy with the Odyssey.

[Gearhead]

"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."

 

 

 

There are 2 kinds of maint-free batteries I know of - sealed wet cell and AGM dry cell, sometimes called gel-cell. The knocks I always hear are on the sealed wet-cell, never heard a knock on AGM. Odyssey is AGM, probably the best and expensive. I've bought an AGM for a quad from motorcyclebatteriesusa.com, called a Power Max. It's fine so far, only a year or two old. Two buddies bought their Honda quads new, which came with Yuasa AGM batteries, and they lasted over 5 years each. Neither kept theirs on any kind of tender or gave any special care.

 

Battery Tender brand has a good rep, methinks.

 

Jeremy

[Z Factor]

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

 

 

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

 

 

----------- 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.

 

 

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

 

Well first of all thanks for such an informative and detailed reply.

 

Have you actually done this mod, and avoided any electrical problems as a result? I obviously do not want to "fry my monitor computer" or anything else for that matter.

 

My bike is extremely low mileage, but I do not know if the stator has been replaced. If I had to guess, I would say it has not. However many times these batteries go dead because I do not start or ride the bike for months at a time. The other common problem I have as a result it carb problems which require cleaning or rebuilding. Currently, it runs, but when I throttle up it bogs out on me.

 

As to the batteries being charged, I think they have been, but who knows. They have started the bike when new and they seem to be ok after a decent ride. However if I let them sit for months, who knows what to expect. That is why I got the battery tender, but as previously started, one of the cells ran dry, and now it does not want to take a charge. I suspect a real charger might make a difference, but I am willing to chuck this battery and buy a new one. I will go with the Odyssey if it is really worth the money, and I don't have issues with the mod. I willl print it out and give it to the mechanic to see if he wants to do it. If not, I will be stuck with another Yuasa SY50-N18L-AT.

[Thom]

do what geoges says , go ahead and do the mod , if you get up my way i'll do the mod and check your stator for you just cost you a DQ :rotfl:come on up and i'll buy the DQ

thom

[Keech]

just so I understand....

if I go with an Odyssey AGM battery, do I need to do this sensor modification?

 

Keech

[Z Factor]

do what geoges says , go ahead and do the mod , if you get up my way i'll do the mod and check your stator for you just cost you a DQ :rotfl:come on up and i'll buy the DQ

thom

 

Thanks for the offer Thom.

I don't make it up your way that often, and almost never on the bike anymore. My days of riding to Daytona have gone by the wayside. If you ever make it down to my neck of the woods, I will provide the DQ(whatever that is) along with some good Irish beer where the UM girls hang out.

 

just so I understand....

if I go with an Odyssey AGM battery, do I need to do this sensor modification?

 

Keech

 

I gather it will work fine without the mod, but you will have a constant warning light from your computer monitor. I know from experience that the light is annoying at night, and you will also have the picture of the battery in your screen all the time, but maybe it would not bother some people.

[Condor]

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?

 

OK, did you check the cell level when you parked it, and before putting on the Tender? A Tender usually only puts out 12.9 vdc, and that's not enough to cause gassing and the electrolite level to drop. I'm wondering if it's your bike's rectifyer that's allowing the alternator to keep charging a high voltage while you're riding and not cutting back like it should when the battery gets replenished??? It might also explain why you're going thru so many batteries?? Just a thought.....

[KiteSquid]

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 problem that the US Navy had with desiel electric submarines.

 

They had LARGE banks of lead acid batteries and they would discharge due to a tempature gradinat in the battery, so they thermally insulated them and the problem went away.

 

 

your garage floor is normaly about 68 degrees F and the air in the room is someting else, which makes the bottom of the battery have a tempature graidant making an internal discharge.

 

SO if you want to store a battery in your garage, put a thermal insulator under it....like a board.... and keep the voltage above 10.5V...

 

 

Most batteries go bad due to a buildup of sulfates on the plates of the cell which degrades the cell....

[Z Factor]

I know some of you will probably be disappointed, but I did not buy the Odyssey. There were none to be had locally, and after S&H I'd have paid $150-$165 for a battery which I'd need to mod my bike for. Instead I was at Pep Boys, and found a Power Sport - Pro Start battery (50N18L-A3) for only $45

 

While it was not a $$$ issue, it is hard to justify buying a battery costing 3 times more and then have to mod the bike to make it interface properly.

[Condor]

I know some of you will probably be disappointed, but I did not buy the Odyssey. There were none to be had locally, and after S&H I'd have paid $150-$165 for a battery which I'd need to mod my bike for. Instead I was at Pep Boys, and found a Power Sport - Pro Start battery (50N18L-A3) for only $45

 

While it was not a $$$ issue, it is hard to justify buying a battery costing 3 times more and then have to mod the bike to make it interface properly.

 

 

 

Keep us posted on how long this one lasts......

[Cougar]

But,, it will last 6 times longer yes, keep us posted!

[Vance]

Well worth the little extra..!

 

Odyssey!

 

Cougar, did you say that you have been using the same Odyssey battery for ten years? If so, that's fantastic!

[Cougar]

No, Only about two years now, but is guaranteed for 10 years.

 

I am sure it will go that long too. I will post in 8 more years!

 

And we all will see if it is still working then! what I really love about

the battery is that I now do not have to remove it during our freezing

cold winters in Iowa anymore!. It will not freeze.

Jeff

[Vance]

Yea, so far I have 3 Odyssey batteries - 2 in Sea-Doos, and one in my riding mower. I installed them this spring, so we'll see how they hold up. When the battery in my Venture fails, I will replace it with an Odyssey also.

[Cougar]

Yep, next year is one for my rider for sure. cuz I pretty

much use it year round and even for plowing this darn snow

as well. I already in 3 years have gone through 3 lead acid

battery just on the rider. with that cost I could have gotten

an Odyssey Battery by now.

Jeff

[Z Factor]

I just bought a multi amp charger. It will charge at 2/4/6 amps, so my question is for the intial charge, should I charge it at 2 or 4 amps for 4 -8 hours?

[Thom]

2 amp

[Z Factor]

Ok, the battery is charged and working.

 

I have leftover electrolyte solution, and was wondering if it would be wise to keep it. In the past I have topped batteries off with distilled water, but couldn't I use the solution for topping off in the future?

[Condor]

Ok, the battery is charged and working.

 

I have leftover electrolyte solution, and was wondering if it would be wise to keep it. In the past I have topped batteries off with distilled water, but couldn't I use the solution for topping off in the future?

 

Yes, keep it in a glass bottle and make sure it's labled.

[Gearhead]

I beg to differ. The electrolyte solution comes in the correct concentration. When the electrolyte level gets low, only the water has evaporated, NOT the other stuff that makes it electrolyte, leaving the remaining electrolyte stronger in concentration. (Kinda like when you leave a coffee pot on too long; the level goes down as the water boils off and the coffee gets REALLY strong.) Adding distilled water brings the level back up and restores the electrolyte concentration to correct. OTOH, adding more electrolyte repeatedly will slowly increase the concentration.

 

This is what I've read. I'm no chemist, and I have no idea how critical the electrolyte concentration is.

 

Jeremy

[Condor]

I beg to differ. The electrolyte solution comes in the correct concentration. When the electrolyte level gets low, only the water has evaporated, NOT the other stuff that makes it electrolyte, leaving the remaining electrolyte stronger in concentration.

 

Yep, I stand corrected. After doing some research on the web I found that the sulphuric acid remains in the battery and just the water vaporizes and gases off. Distilled or de-ionized water only. Thanks for the info Jeremy.