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How to tell if you need a new battery?


Zero Knievel

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My normal "clues" of a dying battery are as follows...

1. Weak starting (needing several cranks to catch)

2. Headlights dimming when at idle.

My problem is my situation....

A, The bike's hardly been used since the January of 2013. So, I normally throw it on a trickle charger about a hour before I decide to go ride. Even then, it indicates fully charged within a few minutes. Since it has sat a lot, weak starting is to be expected when I don't do this.

B. The headlights are both HID, so they are either on or off.

On the last couple of rides, I was unsure if my main headlight had gone out. I have since verified and reinforced the electrical connections in case that was the issue, BUT....

I pull the battery (Big Crank AGM), and I note that I installed it in 2010. I can't open it to inspect fluid levels. Normally the headlamp comes on and stays on. Maybe blinks at first when it's on battery only (ballast has to reach full charge). Now, if I throw it on (motor off) and hit the high beam, the high beam comes on and the low beam struggles to stay on (blinking). If I start the motor, it will come on and stay on, but that could just be the stator/RR providing the power needed for the whole system.

Is there an "off the bike" way to check to see if a battery is dying...say loss of voltage over time or something else? I know, it's a five-year-old battery, but I've had them last longer with habitual use. If the HID main bulb going out at idle (or struggling once the bike's been running and you hit the high beam) is a good indicator, I'll trust that when running HIDs.

Trickle charger doesn't indicate something's wrong with the battery, but those things don't necessarily go off unless the battery has failed in a particular way.

Edited by zer0netgain
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Some "smart" trickle chargers have a voltage threshold below which they won't initiate a charging cycle or a float charge - despite an idiot light depicting a "good" status. Check the paperwork that came with the charger.

Just checking in my shop I found that on an older Deltran the threshold is 3v; on newer ones it's 12.3-12.5v. There's another saftey trigger that can screw things up - the hookup sequence (that warning is also in the paperwork). The battery terminals should be securely connected before connecting the pigtail (assuming the charger is already connected to AC). While I use smart trickle chargers (five in current use) I don't rely upon them to gauge an SIL battery's charge. I use a voltmeter/load tester.

I always fully bench charge a new battery (usually overnight) before intallation. Overall, I typically get a five to seven years battery lifespan in both four and two wheled vehicles.

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Think my stock battery lasted 8 or so years. Always on trickle charger when not in use a lot. Going on a ride to another state to visit one of locals on here. Unhook, do tire pressure check ect ect and take off. 10 miles from house I stop to grab a few cigars. 2 minutes I walk back out, dead as shit.

I got a jump, eased down to AutoZone and borrow their tester. Do the Hobie electrical check, all good except for battery itself.

$100 later back in business.

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If you have a Batteries Plus (or similar store) near you, just pull the battery and run it up to them. They can test it for you and typically will for free.

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Any auto parts store or battery supply store can test it. The battery may not have any specs on it, I would want to see at least 200 CCA on an analyzer, tho it should probably be close to 300 for a healthy battery. With the use it's had and being 5 years old it's probably just about done. Your charger probably won't indicate it has an issue until it's so dead it won't crank at all, your findings indicate it's probably about done. This http://www.r-charge.net/RC-2A12-12VDC-100-240VAC-Battery-ChargerRejuvenator_p_88.html would probably bring it back but it's not worth the money if you're not going to deal with several batteries. I borrowed Carlos' and restored 5 dead batteries in the time I had it.

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To those running HIDs, how do they "foretell" a failing battery?

As I pointed out, with regular bulbs, dimming at idle is a great indicator of a weak battery, but HIDs don't dim. They do flash if too much power is being pulled away.

So, if the main HID flashes at power on (motor off), it makes me think there isn't enough juice in the battery.

I do recall when the battery was new (or the bulbs...I forget which came first), the main headlamp camp on and would only flash if you tried to turn on more items (like the high-beam) before it had enough time for the ballast to build up a charge that compensated for load fluctuations.

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HIDs pull a great deal of juice to fire up and then quite a bit less than halogens once they are fired up.

Did you replace the battery yet? do that and if it doesn't work keep asking questions.

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Lot's of good advice here on answering your primary question. Perhaps using the HIDs as any kind of an indicator for battery health is not really germane to your issue.

Going forward you might consider getting a voltage gauge and installing it on your bike if/when you get a new battery. Note the voltage when you turn the bike on before start-up and then while it's running. If you see a noticeable change in the future you can better assess whether a battery or stator failure is brewing.

IMG_1795_zps00429f5a.jpg

Edited by Biometrix
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Lot's of good advice here on answering your primary question. Perhaps using the HIDs as any kind of an indicator for battery health is not really germane to your issue.

Going forward you might consider getting a voltage gauge and installing it on your bike if/when you get a new battery. Note the voltage when you turn the bike on before start-up and then while it's running. If you see a noticeable change in the future you can better assess whether a battery or stator failure is brewing.

I have a voltmeter. It's off the bike as I've had it apart for winter maintenance. The problem with NOT using the bike regularly is that you expect the voltage to be on the low side at start up.

Based on the PDF I got here to Dx electrical problems...the charging system is fine. I'd like to know what voltage should be at idle. I don't see anything on that other than it should be above 12v.

I'll haul the battery in to town and get it tested. Might just order a new one to be safe.

Edited by zer0netgain
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Just got back from testing. They say the battery's good. Indeed, the guy initially tested it at 400 amps...rated 60%. When he realized the battery was listed at 180 CCA, he redid the test.

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I have HIDs (Lo & Hi) on my '99 XX. The stuttering flashes of the HID ballast seemed to be a chronic condition when trying to start the engine. Rather than draining so much battery energy during starting (engine and Lo HID ballast), I put an inline/illuminated switch in the lighting circuit that allowed me to keep the headlight(s) off until the engine had started and was running at a comfortable idle. The switch and a digital voltmeter are mounted on the lower face of the dash shroud - specifically on the left/right upper cowl covers - 64596-MAT-D01ZA (replaces 64596-MAT-D00ZA) & 64591-MAT-D01ZA (replaces 64591-MAT-D00ZA) - near the lowermost (center) trim clips. There are small flat/horizontal areas at the bases of the covers where the switch and voltmeter just fit. To house each, I cut precise holes in the plastic with a dremel tool. Since I connected the voltmeter directly to the battery for the most accurate real-time readings, I put an inline switch on the voltmeter, too - thus no parasitic drain when the engine is off. In operation, the illuminated switch and voltmeter are easy to see at a glance, even with a tankbag. 'Sorry, no pics - but I hope the explanation is clear.

Edited by ironmike
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I'm still running the 2nd battery in my '02 XX. I think the current one replaced the OEM one in '08.

Bought a new one last year figuring it was due to fail, but it kept going. Had been using a tender more the last 2 years.

Still have the new one on a shelf, and just throw the tender on it once a month for a day.

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Guy who tested at the store commented that the secret was to keep them charged...which I pretty much did even though I wasn't riding the bike much. Had I let it go MONTHS without even putting it on a charger, it might be a different story.

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Guy who tested at the store commented that the secret was to keep them charged...which I pretty much did even though I wasn't riding the bike much. Had I let it go MONTHS without even putting it on a charger, it might be a different story.

Yeah...soooo...that's not really a secret.

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