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Worth keeping the battery?

  • Thread starter Thread starter p_funk
  • Start date Start date
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p_funk

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Well I finally got down Moncton to pull the bike out. The battery (brand new last year) had barely enough charge to light up the oil pressure / neutral lights and nowhere near enough to run the starter. I've got a kick starter so I jumped up and down on that, but after about half an hour of sweating and wheezing and cursing I decided to just run out and get a new battery. Installed it, hit the starter and it fired right up. After riding around for a little while, I decided to swap out for the old battery. I figured since it had been running for a while, kick starting it with the mostly dead battery shouldn't be a problem, and it wasn't, I was able to start it up with very little effort. Charging system seems to be OK, I rode around the block and when I got back I was able to get the starter to turn (only for a couple of seconds, but it definitely got some juice).

So the question is: Am I asking for trouble running last years battery for the season? It was left on the bike out in a cold shed for the whole winter. I don't mind keeping the new battery, but if I can get my 70 bucks back and put it towards something else, I'd prefer it.
 
No clear answer on this.

If the battery was left without charge for a long time it would tend to sulfate and lose its ability hold enough charge to justify keeping it.

You could try a slow charge, 1 amp per hour overnight. disconnect it and check the voltage after ten minutes, record the reading, then let it sit for an hour and check the voltage. Let it sit for several hours more and check the voltage. That will tell you if it is holding any charge at all.

If all seems good then you there is another test to be done. You will need a current, or load, tester to determine if the battery will permit sufficient amperage draw for repeated starting and other electrical needs.

This test cannot be done with a voltage meter, but needs an actual load device. If you do not have the needed device ask for help at a local garage. It takes only one minute to test the battery.

If it passes, you can keep it. If it fails, or even if it is marginal, lose it.
 
They have this little device called a specific gravity tester. It's a tube with some little floating balls in it. It's a $4 tool at an auto parts store. Make sure you ask for a small one suitable for small batteries. It will tell you if your battery is worth recycling.
 
What kind of battery did you get for $70? :-s

I got sealed batteries for my bikes and I think they were only about $55. Much better batteries than the wet ones, and you don't ever have to worry about checking the water level. \\:D/

As mentioned, a battery left to sit without being charged occasionally will sulfate. There is no good way to remove the sulfation, you can only hope there is enough oomph left in spite of it.


.
 
p_funk said:
Well I finally got down Moncton to pull the bike out. The battery (brand new last year) had barely enough charge to light up the oil pressure / neutral lights and nowhere near enough to run the starter. I've got a kick starter so I jumped up and down on that, but after about half an hour of sweating and wheezing and cursing I decided to just run out and get a new battery. Installed it, hit the starter and it fired right up. After riding around for a little while, I decided to swap out for the old battery. I figured since it had been running for a while, kick starting it with the mostly dead battery shouldn't be a problem, and it wasn't, I was able to start it up with very little effort. Charging system seems to be OK, I rode around the block and when I got back I was able to get the starter to turn (only for a couple of seconds, but it definitely got some juice).

So the question is: Am I asking for trouble running last years battery for the season? It was left on the bike out in a cold shed for the whole winter. I don't mind keeping the new battery, but if I can get my 70 bucks back and put it towards something else, I'd prefer it.
Click to expand...

Leaving the battery in a cold shed over the winter is ok IF it was fully charged prior to storage and it helps to periodically put a maintenance charge in it over the winter (couple of times is ok). I use one of those small 1 amp smart chargers and wire a connector right onto the bike for that purpose (makes a handy spot to check charging voltage as well).

Based on your question, I'd recommend keeping your new battery; verify that the bike charges it correctly for good measure and if you want to tinker, keep the old battery for a bench tester for lights etc......or to learn about why it failed.......low electrolyte (top up with distilled water only).....perhaps a shorted cell or sulphation (you can research these further).
 
Steve said:
What kind of battery did you get for $70? :-s

I got sealed batteries for my bikes and I think they were only about $55. Much better batteries than the wet ones, and you don't ever have to worry about checking the water level. \\:D/

As mentioned, a battery left to sit without being charged occasionally will sulfate. There is no good way to remove the sulfation, you can only hope there is enough oomph left in spite of it.


.
Click to expand...

Well keep in mind that our dollar up here isn't quite worth as much as yours :-D ... I always head to Canadian Tire, I'm sure there are cheaper places but I'm so impatient and I know they carry them... and to be quite honest, I wasn't aware that there were multiple available types of batteries, I always walk in and tell them the model and year of the bike and they come back to me with a battery.
 
Last edited:
Thanks.

Thanks.

Well, I think from the recommendations it's probably the smarter move to hang on to the new battery. I'll have to pick myself up a charger at some point... I know there was a relatively new one sitting in the garage at some point, but god knows where it went.

Oh and thanks for the mention of the specific gravity tester... for 4 bucks how can you go wrong?
 
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