how do you get around the high priced sensor battery ??

[Guest]

I kinda asked this question a week or so ago and didn`t really get a answer. This is on a GS 1150ES. I do not want to disable the complete monitor system or remove the bulbs unless absolutely necessary. This is my theory and I would like for anyone to tell me right or wrong. I notice in the shop manual the way to check and see if your sensor is good or not is to take a meter and with the sensor still in the battery take one lead to the ground and the other to the sensor. It should read above 3V. I have a friend that runs a shop and we checked several different bikes with sensors. Most all checked out around 6V. I notice on the sensor there is a capacitor that my guess takes 12v and reduces it to 6v...my guess to much voltage back to monitor system?? It seems to me you could take the sensor lead cut off the part that goes to the sensor put a end on it and lay it down with the positve lead and it should fool the monitor system into thinking all is good. The main reason I am attempting to do all this is the sensor battery is 110 bucks....without 40. Usually I do not let money stop me from buying the best for my bikes but I have several. I will not ride this bike a lot and know in 2 years it would be 110 bucks again. Thanks again and like to say there are a lot of good folks on this board!!! Chris

[Anonymous]

I think the sensor battery is available for 83 to 85 dollars. ask youe parts store-not Suzuki dealer for some generic brand. But i remember thst thre generic was only about a dollar ir two cheaper thsan a famous brand japanese battery.((yausa))

http://www.yuasabatteries.com/search.asp

Looks like the yausa part # is SYB14L-A2((for my gs1100ed with sensor) and i cant find any more info ???

[Anonymous]

I just baught two from "Interstate Batteries" $60 ea. Some battery sensors just replace one of the filler caps. When you find one of these, from then on just buy the battery without the sensor and reuse the sensor you have.

[Anonymous]

My GS1100E has a sensor with an inline resistor. It's too bad it isn't near by or I'd figure out how it works. Does anybody know? Does it measure the voltage or fluid level? If it measures the cell voltage a good cell will have about1.9 to 2.2 Volts and you'd just need to supply this to the sensor wire. 1.9*6 = 11.4, 2.2*6 = 13.2 If it is a float then I dunno.

Steve

[Anonymous]

steve my guess has always been that when it is wet it conducts and when it is dry it doesnt conduct. the switching may be done at the base of a transistor in some sort of circuit that opens the circuit to the light bulb when there is enough liquid to cause the sensor to conduct. I have never seen a schematic of the circuit and would really like to know exactly what is happening. Maybe some sort of simple logic circuit???

[kz]

What's the reason for that you don't want to dismount the bulb??

Should be the easiest way?

[bybowtie]

hey I just picked up a yuasa sensor battery from my friendly HONDA dealer.. 46.00 thats with a small discount.. it listed for about 54.00 on there page... try Fredericksburg motorsports 540 899 9100 ask for Mike in parts (he is actually a member of this sight tell him Keith sent ya....) it may help I dont know..They are in Virginia but they may be able to help you out

[cbxchris]

Thanks for the help guys and gals! Chris

[cbxchris]

As a follow up....here goes. I started to do as I mentioned...just cut the sensor off and lay it down on the posititve post but being I had only found 1 screw in sensor I couldn`t destroy it. I went and bought a standard battery with screw in tops. I put the sensor in with no luck...light still on. Just for a experiment I added a little distilled water to put it slightly above the high line on the battery..still on...added a little more...success!!!!! Light off! I must assume the sensor battery has a special hole where the sensor sits deeper in the battery but can be worked around on a standard battery like this. Hope this helps someone in the future.

[Dink]

BTW guys the sensor is a battery level sensor,and the SYB14L-a2 has been discontinued , recommended replacement is SYB14lL-B2 which does not have the sensor, so I reckon on removing the bulb.
Dink

[Anonymous]

Hey Dink, don't remove the bulb yet. I just baught two SYB 14L B2 batteries and both of them have sensors. The S in SYB means sensor. I'm sure the SYB 14L A2 is still available. The difference in the A2 and the B2 is the vent tube. On the A2, the vent tube is on one end, and on the B2 the vent tube is on the other end. My 1150's use the SYB 14L B2's & my "83" 1100 E uses the SYB 14L A2. Check with another battery dealer before you do anything drastic

[Dink]

Thanks for letting me know!! However I live in Australia and quantities are so small that they have stopped importing the A2. There is also the fact that my bikes are my hobby and I check battery levels weekly and therefore do need no stinkin' light
Dink

[earlfor]

I just replaced the battery in the 1150 with a standard one and took the bulb out of the battery indicator. Like Dink, I check things on a regular basis, so a battery light isnt something I need.

Earl

Thanks for letting me know!! However I live in Australia and quantities are so small that they have stopped importing the A2. There is also the fact that my bikes are my hobby and I check battery levels weekly and therefore do need no stinkin' light
Dink

[Anonymous]

The battery sensor, never did make much sense. The sensor only monitors one of the 6 cells, You only have a 1 in 6 chance that the cell that the monitor is in is the one that loses fluid. But seeins as thy put it on there, I guess I'll try to keep it working.