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Batteries suck

  • Thread starter Thread starter lemonshindig
  • Start date Start date
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lemonshindig

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I have had 3 bad batteries in two years now, two liquid-filled and one AGM. Every time I let one sit for 3-5 months, it's toast. So I thought I just have to suck it up and plug it into a battery tender all the time, but then I talked to my roommate...

My roommate has an '09 Yamaha that still has the factory battery in it. He's never used a battery tender, and he has let it sit for several months before.

Am I just buying the wrong stuff or what?
 
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Nope. Every GS I've had was hard on Batteries, Just what happens. Have you checked your charging system as of recent? Whats your typical charge? I'd recommend a tender if it isn't going to be used for week's at a time.

Newer more modern bikes have much more advanced and reliable circuitry and charging systems. It's basically comparing a 1980's Tube television to a new LED Flat screen. The systems are worlds and decades of advancement apart. So don't expect your GS's electrical system to ever be up to snuff to a new bike... Like the TV you'll just never get that kind of performance out of it.

But you can modify it to help, I did upgrade all my GS's with brand new OEM Stator's and brand new R&R's off fuel injected GSX-R600's. Solid upgrade every time, The fuel injected bikes deal with more load and need to accommodate it with larger heat sinks and better internal components (something that wasn't even thought of in 1979). I would see increased battery life but I was still going through a battery every other year at best...

My 2 cents
 
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My 2c. If the charging system is up to scratch the battery will not need a tender if ridden at least weekly. First thing I would do is a forensic check as per Posplayr's instructions.
I had a tender fitted permanently last winter and was real pleased with my self how it started so easy. Come spring I realised I had hardwired it reverse polarity.
I also figure current leaks externally on the battery case and unswitched supply wires especially if they are dirty and can retain water. This is where a cleaning rag and WD-40 come into their own.
 
I'd suspect a small current leak when bike is off. If you still got a separate rectifier and regulator setup, this is good suspect- but even a combined r/r can do this.
 
This latest AGM has been sitting on the shelf all winter, not in the bike. I left my charger on it overnight and it gained a little bit of life but not much. Leaving it to trickle might bring more life back but I doubt it will ever reach full capacity again.

I bought it roughly 6 months ago. The manufacturer states it has a 12 month warranty on their website, but that the warranty must be handled by the dealer. Autozone has no record of my warranty and told me "The warranty is only 90 days." If I can find the receipt, I'll be pushing the issue.

I ordered a new battery anyway. There's some fun battery-destruction comparison threads dubbed the "Texas Toast Battery Cook Off" here: http://www.intruderalert.com/cafe/index.cfm?page=topic&topicID=157926 and here: http://www.intruderalert.com/cafe/index.cfm?page=topic&topicID=176271.

Based on that I ordered a Motobatt from impactbatteries.com. It comes with a 2-year warranty, handled by impactbatteries.com. I read through their warranty policy- The jist of it is, if the battery fails, you call them up and they have you conduct some tests at your location, and then you must pry off the top plate of the battery and send it in to them to prove you destroyed the bad battery. Then they charge you $17 to ship a replacement to you. It doesn't sound like a bad gig at all, other than having to wait. It would be better if I could find a local dealer, but Motobatt's dealer locator won't show anything in my area.

My purchase was:
1) Motobatt 2-year battery,
1) Battery Tender Jr., and
1) Motobatt battery tester,

All told: $103 shipped with promo code "quadflex".
 
If the battery is sitting for a long period of time, then put a battery tender on it.

Both lead acid and AGM batteries will self discharge over time at a rate of about 5% a month. Poor electrolyte conditions can aggravate the situation as sediment forms in the battery and the sludge buildup creates a soft short between the plates. A good battery tender will properly cycle the battery and keep it happy for a much longer time. Be cautious of the really cheap tenders as they tend to boil the batteries.
 
Ordinary lead acid batteries should last at least 2-3 years, more if they're well taken care of. They self-discharge at a rate of about 1% per day, lower if kept cold. Because they don't like getting deeply discharged, they need to be topped off at least once a month when not in use or their life will be shortened drastically. This might be what killed yours.

AGM batteries also self-discharge but at a lower rate. I'm not sure what the rate is, but they typically don't need to be recharged over the winter like flooded plate batteries do. They also cannot stand being deeply discharged or overcharged.

You might be getting crap batteries, but it's more likely something else. Leaving them to discharge fully over the course of three months will do it for the flooded plate batteries, but that shouldn't have harmed the AGM. Check your bike's charging system to make sure it's not overcharging the batteries when they're in the bike. That too will kill them.
 
I have had similar problems since I stopped using my GS as an everyday ride to work and play. I had a gel battery in it for 5 years which was great, since then I have had a AGM which has died whilst being parked up over the winter and needs replacing. My Revere has a gel battery in it which has been fine for the last few years and the bike started on the battery after the winter layup. My wives marauder 125 needed charging of its wet cell battery but since then has been fine, I have started it every day since the charging and it appears to being holding a charge fine. The battery was bought new last spring (2014). I am intending to either use the bikes more often or make a point of starting them up at least once a month.
 
A couple days ago, a review of a Shorai LiFePO[SUB]4 [/SUB]battery showed up and it looks like a good alternative to flooded plate and AGMs. (Review here: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?188816-Shorai-Lithium-Battery) The guy said he paid $160 for it but I see Battery Tender branded ones on Amazon for $100. Lightweight, zero maintenance, low self-discharge rate and supposed to last a very long time. The thread inspired me do a quick battery write up on the wiki: https://www.gswiki.info/wiki/Batteries
 
My Mottobatt died two months after it's warrantee was up. So did someone else on this forum.
 
JerryBB said:
I am intending to either use the bikes more often or make a point of starting them up at least once a month.
Click to expand...

Please use them more often.

It is generally-accepted wisdom that you should not start a bike unless you are going to go out for a ride that is long enough to warm it up to FULL operating temperatures. Letting it run for a bit in the garage (or driveway) will build condensation in the crankcase and exhaust systems. Condensation in the crankcase will drip down and contaminate the oil. Condensation in the exhaust will promote rusting from the inside out.

.
 
A quality battery tender is the best option. they make them so they can be disconnected easily.
 
Steve said:
Please use them more often.

It is generally-accepted wisdom that you should not start a bike unless you are going to go out for a ride that is long enough to warm it up to FULL operating temperatures. Letting it run for a bit in the garage (or driveway) will build condensation in the crankcase and exhaust systems. Condensation in the crankcase will drip down and contaminate the oil. Condensation in the exhaust will promote rusting from the inside out.

.
Click to expand...

Thanks Steve for the information and not an issue I have had as previously they always got ridden on a regular basis.

If not riding them they will be run for long enough to avoid any of the issues you mention.
 
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My buddy Rex sells batteries and gives me all the straight information

1. Batttery Tender has limitations. You have to keep the batter near full charge, or it will tell you the battery is dead, when it's not. I've got an electrical vampire on my project bike and my battery went dead. Rex told me to hit it with a standard (non smart) charger. I gave it 2 amps and it moved a bit, so I gave it 10 amps for an hours, then 2 for a while and it charged right back up. While this contradicts everything I ever learned about batteries, it worked.

2. You really want a float charger to keep it charged up. They turn off when the battery is charged, then turn off for a volt or so.
 
Read this - while it's biased towards solar types, it covers the lot and it never hurts to go over ground you thought you knew.
http://www.solar-electric.com/deep-cycle-battery-faq.html

Myself - I'll be getting an AGM next, but the Yuasa I bought last year might last for ages yet. The cheapy get-me-going battery I bought before that barely made it out of its warranty period before giving up.
 
Newer bikes are easier to maintain....just Start it Once every couple weeks during wintertime. The GS ain't winter friendly, that's for sure.
 
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