| Author |
Message |
    
Trolldaddi
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2005 - 08:06 pm: | 
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I typically use a battery tender so when I'm ready for a ride my bike is also. I forgot to put it on last week and it sat four days before I went to ride again and my battery was dead. I hook the tender up and two days later go to start and it started really hard, but started. I hook the tender up again and the neaxt day ready to ride again and I get clink,clink,clink,clink and the bike doesn't start. Every time my tender shows my battery is fully charged (but I'm thinking it's a bad battery). I switch my tenders and put a different one on, but it still won't start. Today I pulled the battery and had it checked, it was only putting out 50 amps, but was fully charged. I buy a new battery and I'm back up and running, I've seen questions similar to this asked and they receive a bunch of different ideas, I just wanted to let everyone know what the problem was in my case.
Steve |
Bumblebee
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 05:55 pm: |
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If the battery voltage drops much below 11 volts while cranking the engine there is a good possibility that the FI computer or ignition will not have enough voltage to work right.
The battery has got to be in good shape for a fast start.
Here is a helpful thing for your toolbox, the Triplett 9320. It's a AC/DC clamp on meter, to measure current (yes, DC too) just clip it around a wire, turn the min/max function on and see how much current it drew. It's also a voltmeter with Min/Max hold, so you can test your battery by attaching the leads to the battery and starting the bike. If you come up with a minimum reading of less than 11 volts or so, it's time to start looking for a new battery-fast.
See it here..
http://www.triplett.com/
I just got one of these and have found it very helpful for all sorts of troubleshooting. It's not too cheap, just north of 100 clams, but it is worth it. |
Fullpower
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 12, 2005 - 06:18 pm: |
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50 amps is insufficient, your battery is toasted, worn out, ready for the recycle bin. a new YTX14-BS will throw down 325 Cold Cranking Amps, they are rated at 230. 3 years is a fair run for a cycle battery, especially one that is continuously being toasted ( battery tender is cool, but unneccesary for a bike being ridden frequently. |
Sgthigg
| | Posted on Friday, October 14, 2005 - 11:05 am: |
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One thing to remember about batteries is if you put a voltmeter on the terminals it might read the proper amount of voltage(IE 12Volts). However it might not have enough current or cranking amps to turn the motor over hard enough. The best way to check its current draw would be with a clamp on type of DC current meter like Bumblebee said. Batteries can be a little deceiving if you use the DC voltage check method.
I agree with full power it should be charged. However there is something wrong especially if you only had not ridden or started it in 4 days. |
2k4xb12
| | Posted on Saturday, October 15, 2005 - 01:47 pm: |
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Just my .02... I had a similar problem on my 12S earlier in the year. It would start fine one minute, then would barely turn over at the next start. I replaced the battery (then only a year old) and the problem returned. I opened the fusebox and found an isolating diode (in she shape of a blade fuse) that had wiggled half way out of it's socket. Since reseating it, I have never had the problem come back.
Steve. |
Bumblebee
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 06:57 pm: |
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More battery info…maybe TOO much…
Testing: If the battery is fully charged you should get a reading of 12.85 volts or better. This doesn’t tell the whole story; a battery must be able to provide current while holding the voltage up. Although a battery may show 12.85 volts with no load as soon as the headlight is turned on the voltage could drop to 9 volts if the battery were defective. Houston, we have a problem, noooo, it’s not going to start the bike. No matter how much you charge it, it won’t get better because the plates/acid/what have you inside has deteriorated. When you are cranking the bike the voltage on the battery should stay above 11.5 volts, preferably above 12. Headlight test? you should not see less than 12.3 volts on your voltmeter.
There are some nice price neat-o battery testers out there that have a meter and a load to simulate a cranking engine. Press the button; a low value/high current resistor is dropped across the battery – and hold for 5 seconds-it gets hot. If the needle stays above the red on the meter the battery passes and still possesses enough capacity to be used, if not, or the needle gets close to the dreaded red, it’s time to replace the battery.
Here is a link to such a battery tester:
http://www.tooltopia.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=7847
Helpful? |
2k4xb12
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 19, 2005 - 08:17 pm: |
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Be careful of the tester you linked to. It's an automotive tester and as such will place a 135A load on your battery. It may indicate that your small motorcycle battery is bad when it is not. The same company (Associated)also makes a 75A load tester which is specifically ideal for motorcycle batteries. It's model 6028. On all the sites that I've found it on, it costs more than the one linked to in the previous post (that is a very good price for that tester, by the way), but it will save you the expense of falsely identifying a good battery as bad because the tester overloads it. |
Bumblebee
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 04:49 pm: |
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The 135 amp draw of that tester is a little heavy for a motorcycle battery, but still will provide a valid test. The battery the XB's use is rated for a 200+ cold cranking amps, so this tester ought to be able to provide useful information.
You are right,If the battery to be tested is less than a 12 amp/hour battery the 75 amp tester would be a better choice. |
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