Battery question

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flw · #1 Post by **flw** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:13 am

I left my key in the on position and my drained my battery. I put it on a trickle charger over night and it started the next day.

My question is, since this is the second season for the battery, what is your opinion on keeping it for the rest of the season and replacing it next spring? I don't go on long distance rides that someone could not either pick me up or give me a ride home.

Or should I not chance it since the batteries are so made so cheap ?

Dan O.

slimcolo · #2 Post by **slimcolo** » Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:32 am

You're lucky, last time I left key on overnight battery was ok but coil fried. If it is still working ok keep running battery. When you start having problems then rep[lace. If you have problems they will most likely surface in colder weather. I have had lead acid type last from 2 months to over 5 years (same brand/style battery and same bike, 2 month one replaced via warranty) Years ago I had a battery out of a wrecked bike that was cracked, sealed with permatex and it lasted another 2 years. Also if you replace the AGM sealed batteries last about twice as long but cost more too.

olebiker · #3 Post by **olebiker** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:10 am

Yeah I agree if it works why spend money on replacing it. It will show any weakness in the cold. Or you can have it load tested at any shop.

jonnythan · #4 Post by **jonnythan** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:32 am

Well my battery, which I had accidentally drained in the same way but still worked, ended up dying a month later and taking the regulator/rectifier with it.

I say replace it.

mydlyfkryzis · #5 Post by **mydlyfkryzis** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:03 pm

A full drain on a lead/acid battery pretty much kills the battery performance.

The battery will still take a charge, but it has none of the original capacity.

So as long as your bike starts right away, no problem. But there won't be enough reserve if it doesn't start right away.

If you have a cell phone and friends, you can survive the seasonl But plan on replacing it.

Buy some light weight jumper cables and keep them handy, as you may need them.

Meanie · #6 Post by **Meanie** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 1:42 am

I did the same thing and my battery is 6 years old. I had to use jumper cables from a car to get it started. Once home, I put on the trickle charge overnight. The bike started right up in the morning. Then I unplugged the charger and let it sit to make sure the battery was still holding the charge. So far, excellent. As Mydly indicated, a maintenance required lead/acid battery may not perform well after such a drain. But the maintenance free batteries usually will. Lucky for me, mine is the latter. Therefore, it depends on the type ou have. If it.s a maintenance free, I would continue with it. If not, perhaps a new one will be best, and make it a maintenance free one.

Misguided Missle · #7 Post by **Misguided Missle** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:51 am

I ve kept my batteries on tenders always, even if they get ran down, I get 5-8 years out of them.

mydlyfkryzis · #8 Post by **mydlyfkryzis** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 11:03 am

Getting low on charge is much different than going to zero volts. When run down this much, there is a lot of sulfation of the lead plates.

My batteries last a long time too. But near the end, I had only 2 start attempts. Then the battery was too low to crank the engine.

If you merely run them low, and keep a well made type battery tender on, the tender can reverse some of the sulfation and keep the battery in better shape, longer.

Alas, no lead/acid battery of any kind presdently made can last forever. they all deteriorate over time. How you treat them (Vibration, state of charge, running them dow, etc) determines what that life will be.

Strangely enough, the first charge is probably the most important. A new Lead Acid battery should be slowly charged completely before being put in service. That is the first step towards a long battery life.

AlphaZed · #9 Post by **AlphaZed** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:06 pm

olebiker wrote:Yeah I agree if it works why spend money on replacing it. It will show any weakness in the cold. Or you can have it load tested at any shop.

Agree!

crazypj · #10 Post by **crazypj** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 7:44 pm

jonnythan wrote:Well my battery, which I had accidentally drained in the same way but still worked, ended up dying a month later and taking the regulator/rectifier with it.

I say replace it.

If you drain he battery, jump start bike hen expect bike charging system to fully charge it you will have problems. The regulator/rectifier is probably rated at 25~30 amps for short periods of time (few seconds after starting, then it should only have to balance load on system, 10~14amps) running at max capacity overheats things and they fail ( manufacturers don't make stuff any better than they have to for 'normal' consumer)
The major difference between 'normal' lead acid and maintainance free?
1. The acid in maintenance free is stronger (about 1.32 SG compared to 1.26 for conventional)
2. the plates are spaced further apart on MF battery so don't distort when overheated.
Personally, I don't mind checking battery water and topping up.
Batteries fail when temps get too high not when temps are low, the chemical reaction slows down when cold. sustained temps over 70 degrees f are bad for batteries, conventional or MF
PJ