Battery question

[bcer960]

A few weeks ago I blew out a tire and had the hazzards on for several hours while waiting for a flat deck tow truck to come get me. When I got the bike and new tire the next day, the bike wouldn't start, not a big surprise. I jumped it no problem and rode a short distance.

The following day (friday) I rode about 700 miles, and then Saturday another 600 miles. Sunday, the bike sat.

On monday I really noticed it laboring a bit to start, and Tuesday night, it wouldn't quite turn over, and I had to jump it again. As my riding season is over on Oct 13 (due to end of insurance and winter approaching fast) I decided I wasn't going to buy a new battery to ride for 3 weeks, then park it on a trickle charger for 6 months.

I have a volt meter on the bike, when running it is at 14.3v, so the alternator is doing it's job. But on the tuesday that it wouldn't start the battery was only 11.3v.

Yesterday I was talking to friend of mine about it, and he asked if I had put it on a charger since I got home. So, last night I put it on a full car charger for 3.5 hours. I then left it over night and this morning I tried to start it, and it started up no problem. The battery showing 11.9v. I have it on the charger again right now, and will leave it on for a few more hours to see what it does.

Now, although I used up the battery when using the hazzards, I would have thought that 2 hard days of riding would have charged it up. That's why I figured the battery was done.

Anyone have any experience like this?? My thinking is that the battery is still shot, or the alternator would have charged it. Comments and ideas welcome.

Ray

[Chupaca]

Being a 2017 and the battery is only a couple years old it is strange that it did not come back. I have run down ( well the little ones leaving some lights on) several times and put it on the trickle charger overnight and never had a problem. After almost 7 years it did start to fade and I had to replace it. You could have it checked at an autoparts or mechanic shop. They would load test it and see. Also see if you are having a drain on your battery while sitting.

[CopperSpyder]

Disconnect the battery and fully charge it at no more then 2 amps rate. Then make sure the connections are clean on the battery and cables. Reconnect them and make sure they are tight. You said you had a blow out. Did the blow out tire parts hit any wiring that could cause a short? If your battery will not fully charge or will not hold the charge then it looks like it's time for a new one. Good Luck with your battery.

[bcer960]

You said you had a blow out. Did the blow out tire parts hit any wiring that could cause a short?

No it was a side wall puncture.

I will slow charge it and see what happens.

Thanks to both of you for comments

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Yes check the battery connections, I highly recommend using Star washers on those connections.... They will never loosen on their own.... Mtc's vibrate a lot and is a common cause for " NOT starting " and NOT charging …. running a Battery down is never a good thing, but in 60+ years I have only had one battery than couldn't be brought back, unless it cell connection failure ( internally ) …. A lot of folks re-place batteries long before they need to …. I also advise getting a Lithium jumper pack, this almost guarantee's you won't get stranded … then you can determine if the battery is worn out ….. jmho … good luck … Mike

[bayoubill]

i have had a few batteries that were doing fine but were run completely down and it did something to them where it would never hold a charge again, i'm talking about running them down to zero or near zero volts, i'm just guessing it internal shorts them or warps a plate, again just guessing thats what happens. if i were you and going to run it i would have a backup like blueknight says or you are asking to get stranded.

[Lew L]

Hi Ray,

When a battery goes "dead" it chemically produces a sulfate salt which precipitates out and falls to the bottom of the battery case. When enough of this gets there, the cells cannot hold a full charge and the battery is dead or dying. An internal crack on a cell connector will often show full voltage but can't flow enough current to start anything. A battery that is not fully secured will rattle around enough to kill it in short order. I can't tell you how many former students brought in cars and trucks with loose batteries complaining that the battery wouldn't keep charged or they had replaced it with a new battery but left it loose.

Sounds like a new battery is the way to go. I'm just about ready to put my up for the winter and the maintenance which that will entail. ( New DESS module, oil change, brake fluid flush, new front tires.)

Had a great time at NorCal Rally-- Next year????

Lew

[bcer960]

Thanks Lew,

I will only be riding around town for a couple days tills the insurance is done, then get a new battery in the spring. But at least this way I should be able to get it to the gas station for it's winter fill.

Always better safe than sorry. I will also be sending in my ECU in for a flash once the insurance is off.

We will be heading back to Norcal next year, still waiting on a destination.

Ray

[Peter Aawen]

That battery is dead! As others have said, there's all sorts of possible reasons for it, but even just running it down much below 12 volts isn't great for them; and while alternators are good for re-charging after starting loads & looking after the running loads, to charge a battery back up to full voltage, they effectively need to run at the appropriate charging current for as long as it took to drain the battery down.... So how long were you running those hazards?? And if you are re-charging off 'shore power', you need to use a Smart Charger with an AMG Charge Program; a 'normal' car charger without that sort of program is likely to do more damage than good! Same for Battery Tenders really, a 'trickle charger' isn't good for AGM Batteries like those our Spyders run, they need a Battery Tender with a program designed to maintain AGM Batteries, or you'll be killing the battery & risking all sorts of nasty stuff - especially if the battery is compromised to start out with!

Just for interests sake, check out the 'State of Charge' image below.

All that said, personally, I really wouldn't be risking leaving a compromised battery in my Spyder all winter! A quality 'new battery' really won't mind being fully charged and then left for 3 months (or for 6 months,12 months, or maybe even for longer! ) Especially if it's connected to an appropriate battery tender! But leaving your Spyder sitting around for too long with a compromised battery installed is risking all sorts of nasty chemical type messes; or worse, maybe even the battery causing a fire!! Besides, a new battery will probably be more expensive come next Spring!

[bcer960]

Thanks Peter,

I was going to take the battery out once I park the bike for the winter. I really just need it to start twice, once here at home, and once when I leave the gas station to fill the tank for the winter.

Then a new battery in the spring

[Peter Aawen]

Bewdy! Leaving the battery out entirely is a much better thing to do than leaving your Spyder (or anything really!) to sit with a known dud battery installed!!