Good example of a shot battery

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

If a battery is not kept on a maintainer and sits for and extended time, the plates start to get a coating of sulphite on them. When that happens, the battery can't absorb a full charge, and fades fast.

I just watched this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRHR9EaxSgE, "How to Desulphate a Battery." In the clip they show that to desulphate a battery a higher voltage, like 16 volts, is applied to the battery for awhile. This probably explains why yesterday when one time I checked to see what was happening the Battery Bug showed something like 15.5 volts. The DieHard was connected and on at the time. What I thought was something maybe gone wrong was probably an automatic desulphate mode the charger was in. My DieHard charger may be smarter than I realized!

Regarding charging of batteries not being actively used here's a quote from Crown Battery, you know, the folks who build Crown fork trucks. https://www.crownbattery.com/news/ch...best-practices.

Don’t Store on “E”:

Always store your battery fully charged. Even when not in use, apply a full charge every 6 months to keep the batter in prime working order, as the charge on a battery will slowly deplete over time even if they aren’t being used.

That comment would indicate that plugging your Spyder in to a maintainer every time you park it, is not necessary. I also saw comments regarding reversible and non-reversible sulphation. Sulphation occurs any time the battery is discharged, and then is reversed every time you charge it. That is, unless the sulphation is severe such as comes from storing the battery in a fully, or near fully, discharged condition. In that case it most likely will be irreversible and thus ruins the battery. Based on the discussions I read reversible sulphation is not 100% reversed every time the battery is charged. Hence, every battery will eventually die from sulphate buildup.

The bottom line is this. Every battery will fail. Two of the main causes are usage over time, or extended storage times in a discharged condition. We are, of course, referring to lead-acid batteries only.

[bayoubill]

i worked for revco/cvs for years in maintenance at the knoxville warehouse, and the last 4 years i was in charge of watering and maintaining the batteries, 74 different forklifts, man-ups, side reaches, etc, we had several crown machines you speak of, we kept all of them charged every night whether they were used during the day or not, if they weren't being used they were on charge.

[bayoubill]

I agree with Bill but replace batteries every three years.....needed or not. If I would get stranded in southwest Texas, with no cell service or towns and little vehicle traffic I would be in trouble.....which I don't need. Yep, every three years....and give them a full charge before installing new battery....

come to think of it i don't think i have ever kept a bike 4 years, i changed my roadking battery when i got it, it had a 5 year old battery in it, but i get tired of anything and sell/trade so much it just doesn't happen, i've had 4 different harleys, a victory, a bmw, and the spyder in the last 4 years, probably sell my roadking or spyder or both this next spring and get something else.

[Gwolf]

I have a 2001 Harley Sportster. Owned it for almost 20 years now. Every 4 years the battery had to be replaced. The longest a battery ever went was 5 years. I do not put bikes away in the winter. I ride them summer and winter. They do not put salt on the roads here and it does not snow. The batteries never set unused for more than a few days at the time. About 4 years is as long as you can expect them to last. I still have the Sportster in my shop, but I gave it to my son and he is coming down to pick it up when he gets enough time off work.

[canamjhb]

The small batteries like we have in our bikes can die a sudden death. I was on a road trip one summer and had traveled about 300 miles before stopping for the night. The next morning there were cops in the parking lot responding to motel customers who had experienced car prowling during the night. I looked my bike over and everything seemed OK. Tried to start it and there was zero, and I mean absolutely zero response when I turned the key to try the starter. I told one of the cops that I thought my battery had been stolen. Took the side panel off (GL1500) and was very much surprised to see the battery right where it was suppose to be with all the connections nice and tight. Had the bike towed to a shop, new battery installed and the charging system checked (It was 100% good). Maybe if I had done a load test before my trip the near death battery could have been detected? Don't know..... Jim

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I had a Yuasa in my 2005 Goldwing die and revive all in one day! One morning the bike wouldn't start so I jumped it. Rode about 30 miles to breakfast figuring it would charge in that time. After breakfast went to take off, and guess what? Still dead. One of the guys from breakfast jumped it and it started. Drove to the Interstate Battery dealer but left the bike running. Didn't like their price so went to Wally World. I found a battery but before I bought it I needed to take the old one in for the trade-in. Borrowed a wrench from the tire guys and went to the bike. I had to shut it off, or course. But before I took the battery out I decided to see if the bike would start. Sure enough it did! Took the wrench back and put the battery back in the rack and went home. Ordered a Yuasa battery and the Battery Bug. Got the battery, charged it up, and put it in the saddlebag for when I would need it. Connected the Battery Bug and started monitoring the old battery. You know, that old battery lasted the rest of the summer. I replaced it the next spring before a long trip.

Sadly, Battery Bug developers, Argus Analyzers, had a cross up over patents with Midtronics who successfully argued patent infringement. The settlement put Battery Bug out of business. Sure wish Midtronics would have kept the product alive. Battery monitoring, mostly industrial UPS installations, was their business.

[RICZ]

This is Florida......... you gotta mow the grass every two weeks, even in December.

Are you bragging or complaining?

[Gwolf]

Are you bragging or complaining?

Yes........

[PMK]

I just watched this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRHR9EaxSgE, "How to Desulphate a Battery." In the clip they show that to desulphate a battery a higher voltage, like 16 volts, is applied to the battery for awhile. This probably explains why yesterday when one time I checked to see what was happening the Battery Bug showed something like 15.5 volts. The DieHard was connected and on at the time. What I thought was something maybe gone wrong was probably an automatic desulphate mode the charger was in. My DieHard charger may be smarter than I realized!

Regarding charging of batteries not being actively used here's a quote from Crown Battery, you know, the folks who build Crown fork trucks. https://www.crownbattery.com/news/ch...best-practices.

That comment would indicate that plugging your Spyder in to a maintainer every time you park it, is not necessary. I also saw comments regarding reversible and non-reversible sulphation. Sulphation occurs any time the battery is discharged, and then is reversed every time you charge it. That is, unless the sulphation is severe such as comes from storing the battery in a fully, or near fully, discharged condition. In that case it most likely will be irreversible and thus ruins the battery. Based on the discussions I read reversible sulphation is not 100% reversed every time the battery is charged. Hence, every battery will eventually die from sulphate buildup.

The bottom line is this. Every battery will fail. Two of the main causes are usage over time, or extended storage times in a discharged condition. We are, of course, referring to lead-acid batteries only.

Regarding the Yuasa battery, I forgot they also offer bottle fill version that come dry. The one I got was fully serviced at Yuasa and was in a sealed box. The voltage check showed acceptable voltage to use as is, but I let it top charge on the Battery Minder, which brought it fully to 100%. Not sure if the local shop stocks dry batteries. I was not worried about it as it met the spec for out of the box voltage, and it would be installed after fully top charging.

The Battery Minder does as you say to desulfate the battery. The processor control the charging cycle and will charge and discharge after the battery is fully charged. Not all battery maintainers offer this capability.

[Flamewinger]

I have a 2018 and not even a year old and I could tell the battery was going. I would go for a ride and a few weeks later it wouldn't start. I charged it and would ride it. When the bike wouldn't start after only a week of not riding I replaced it. I don't check the voltage. On my Goldwings I had an Amp meter that would tell me the Amps needed to bring it to full and I could easily tell when it was time to replace. As for the power outlet, it must be in the earlier models because the 2013 I had and the 2018 I have now does not have one. I've always learned to charge the battery directly and not through some other connection.

[ozarkryder]

You saying they don't come with this?

(Picture below)

!

Since it seems nobody addressed this yet, we have a 2018 RTL, we don't get the outlet you pictured. I think BRP replaced the 12v cigarette lighter outlet with a dual USB outlet in 2016.

[RICZ]

Ammeters tell the rate of charge, whereas a voltmeter reveals the battery's condition - how much it's charged. Fully charged is @ 14.3 volts when running. Static voltage is @ 12.5.
If you don't have one, get a good batter maintainer and hook it to you battery, especially if you are not going riding in the next few days.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Fully charged is @ 14.3 volts when running. Static voltage is @ 12.5.

Not quite. You'll see 14.3 when running or on a charger because that's what the voltage level the charging system is putting out, even if the battery static voltage is much less and the battery is not fully charged. The last I checked my battery charger was showing the battery as fully charged and my voltmeter showed 14+ volts. But when I disconnected the charger the voltage dropped to something like 9.2. That's why I said earlier that voltage level and "fully charged" are not reliable indicators of battery health.

I just thought about a way to check battery health without taking it to a shop to load test it. When the battery is new connect a volt meter to it. Turn ignition on and hold the throttle wide open. Push start and crank the engine for a few seconds (5 max) while monitoring the battery voltage. Then occasionally, like once or twice a riding season, repeat the process. Make note of how much the battery voltage drops within the 5 second time frame. When you see it start to drop precipitously it's time to get ready to replace the battery.

[RICZ]

Not quite. You'll see 14.3 when running or on a charger because that's what the voltage level the charging system is putting out, even if the battery static voltage is much less and the battery is not fully charged.
That's why inserted the @ to imply "approximately." The numbers I used were what appeared on the volt meter of my dearly departed (sold) Victory Cross Roads.
I like your idea of a DIY battery load test. I just might to that. Thanks.