Any recommendations for upgraded battery with more CCA’s?

[Mikey]

This is absolutely true. But if it was truly down to 2 volts in 2 weeks that implies something is draining it.

Or it was junk to start with.

[AbNormy]

mine arrived in 4 days! works great.

[Adventurer]

Need help from brighter minds than me. Got a new battery, installed it but did not connect the positive terminal. Connected a test light to the disconnected positive terminal, touched the tester probe to the positive terminal of the battery and the test light lit up. I’m understanding that means there is a short somewhere in the automotive world. Does the same hold true on the Spyder?

I thought the open circuit might be the brake light switch which is being recalled, so I disconnected the switch and the tester still lights up. Any suggestions?

I’m afraid to connect the battery up in case this apparent short ruined the old battery. Do you think the possibility a short would ruin the new battery if I went ahead and connected it up? Would appreciate any advice you might have.

[happyspyder2039]

Have you looked at trunk/ frunk interior lights that might be staying on?

[Adventurer]

Have you looked at trunk/ frunk interior lights that might be staying on?

I have the trunk off now because I’d had it and the passenger seat off about a month ago to install an external spring on the seat strut so I pulled them both off to see if I had pinched a wire when putting them back on, every thing under the passenger seat and trunk look fine. The frunk doesn’t have a light.

[Peter Aawen]

Need help from brighter minds than me. Got a new battery, installed it but did not connect the positive terminal. Connected a test light to the disconnected positive terminal, touched the tester probe to the positive terminal of the battery and the test light lit up. I’m understanding that means there is a short somewhere in the automotive world. Does the same hold true on the Spyder?

I thought the open circuit might be the brake light switch which is being recalled, so I disconnected the switch and the tester still lights up. Any suggestions?

I’m afraid to connect the battery up in case this apparent short ruined the old battery. Do you think the possibility a short would ruin the new battery if I went ahead and connected it up? Would appreciate any advice you might have.

Did you put your New Battery on a good quality smart charger for at least 8 hours before installing it??

If not, then firstly, YOU REALLY SHOULD (!! ) and secondly, YES, the same does hold true on a Spyder so there's a good chance that going ahead & connecting the new battery will ruin it in fairly short order (notice what I did there?? ) ESPECIALLY if there's a dead short somewhere. Basically, your new battery most likely only had a very cursory encounter with a charger before it was sold to you, and placing any significant load on it straight away rather than just one start followed immediately by a good 30+ minute run at hwy speeds will very likely detract significantly from its potential life pdq even if it doesn't actually kill it, so ANY extra drainage/load won't be good for it, let alone a dead short!!

That said, these Spyders pretty much ALWAYS have some small drain on the battery (which is why you should connect them to a tender/maintainer if you're not going to ride them in the next couple of weeks! ) so your test light illuminating is not necessarily indicating a dead short somewhere (plus, they're usually associated with sparks & melted metal, or at least blown test lights! ) meaning that ideally, you need to do the same test only using a multi-meter to see what's actually happening and how large the current draw/big that load is.... If you don't already have one, a cheap multi-meter with basic instructions on how to use it to check things like this can usually be purchased from your local hardware or automotive accessories store for less than $20 - well worth the expense!

Good Luck!

[Adventurer]

Did you put your New Battery on a good quality smart charger for at least 8 hours before installing it?? I did put it on a smart charger for aprox 6 hrs and the charger indicated full charge before I disconnected it.

If not, then firstly, YOU REALLY SHOULD (!! ) and secondly, YES, the same does hold true on a Spyder so there's a good chance that going ahead & connecting the new battery will ruin it in fairly short order (notice what I did there?? ) Noticed probably wouldn't have without your subtle hint ESPECIALLY if there's a dead short somewhere. Basically, your new battery most likely only had a very cursory encounter with a charger before it was sold to you, and placing any significant load on it straight away rather than just one start followed immediately by a good 30+ minute run at hwy speeds will very likely detract significantly from its potential life pdq even if it doesn't actually kill it, so ANY extra drainage/load won't be good for it, let alone a dead short!!

That said, these Spyders pretty much ALWAYS have some small drain on the battery (which is why you should connect them to a tender/maintainer if you're not going to ride them in the next couple of weeks! ) so your test light illuminating is not necessarily indicating a dead short somewhere (plus, they're usually associated with sparks & melted metal, or at least blown test lights! ) meaning that ideally, you need to do the same test only using a multi-meter to see what's actually happening and how large the current draw/big that load is.... If you don't already have one, a cheap multi-meter with basic instructions on how to use it to check things like this can usually be purchased from your local hardware or automotive accessories store for less than $20 - well worth the expense! I do have a cheap multimeter, the kind that only has idiot lights and no actual readout, and I don't think I'd know how to use a multimeter to test for shorts anyway. I'm not real literate when it comes to using a multimeter, I'll search youtube.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the info. Not sure how I'll proceed from here, could take it to the dealer but don't want to think about it sitting there for half the summer!

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Need help from brighter minds than me. Got a new battery, installed it but did not connect the positive terminal. Connected a test light to the disconnected positive terminal, touched the tester probe to the positive terminal of the battery and the test light lit up. I’m understanding that means there is a short somewhere in the automotive world. Does the same hold true on the Spyder?

I thought the open circuit might be the brake light switch which is being recalled, so I disconnected the switch and the tester still lights up. Any suggestions?

I’m afraid to connect the battery up in case this apparent short ruined the old battery. Do you think the possibility a short would ruin the new battery if I went ahead and connected it up? Would appreciate any advice you might have.

Your test light has a very low current draw. The Spyder (and all modern cars) always have a very light draw on the battery to keep various processors and sensors powered up. You simply completed the circuit to power up the phantom or latent load of the Spyder so your test light was effectively connected to ground. I say you have nothing to be concerned about. The phantom or latent load is why a Spyder battery will run down in a few weeks if it's not run or connected to a maintainer. The ignition does not cut off 100% of the current to the bike when it is off.

Connect the battery and GO!

[Adventurer]

Your test light has a very low current draw. The Spyder (and all modern cars) always have a very light draw on the battery to keep various processors and sensors powered up. You simply completed the circuit to power up the phantom or latent load of the Spyder so your test light was effectively connected to ground. I say you have nothing to be concerned about. The phantom or latent load is why a Spyder battery will run down in a few weeks if it's not run or connected to a maintainer. The ignition does not cut off 100% of the current to the bike when it is off.

Connect the battery and GO!

Thanks for your post, I’d just about come to that same conclusion based on Peter’s post and more online research after that.

I’m taking your advice and connecting the battery and going…sure hope I don’t ruin a brand new battery!

I have a full weekend of watching my two grandsons competing in baseball tournaments (2), I’ll post up what happens as soon as I have a chance to put the Spyder back together and try out the new battery, fingers crossed.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Thanks for your post, I’d just about come to that same conclusion based on Peter’s post and more online research after that.

I’m taking your advice and connecting the battery and going…sure hope I don’t ruin a brand new battery!

I have a full weekend of watching my two grandsons competing in baseball tournaments (2), I’ll post up what happens as soon as I have a chance to put the Spyder back together and try out the new battery, fingers crossed.

You did give it a good charge before you put it in, right? If not, do so. The initial charge, 2 to 4 amps for several hours until full, can make a big difference in the life of the battery.

[chipveres]

Thanks for your post, I’d just about come to that same conclusion based on Peter’s post and more online research after that.

I’m taking your advice and connecting the battery and going…sure hope I don’t ruin a brand new battery!

I have a full weekend of watching my two grandsons competing in baseball tournaments (2), I’ll post up what happens as soon as I have a chance to put the Spyder back together and try out the new battery, fingers crossed.

I don't have a Spyder yet to measure so I measured my Chevy truck. The "phantom" drain comes to 8/10 of one amp. Your Spyder should be less, probably much less. This isn't really a phantom, it's all the computers in the truck remembering their last settings. To make the test, disconnect the positive battery lead as you already did. Set your multimeter to its 10 Amp DC scale per the instruction book. Touch the positive meter lead to the positive battery post. Touch the negative meter lead to the disconnected positive battery wire. Let's say the Spyder is half the size of my truck. Any reading over 4/10 amp indicates trouble. If you read trouble you need the dealer or a good automotive electrician.
Chip

[Adventurer]

I don't have a Spyder yet to measure so I measured my Chevy truck. The "phantom" drain comes to 8/10 of one amp. Your Spyder should be less, probably much less. This isn't really a phantom, it's all the computers in the truck remembering their last settings. To make the test, disconnect the positive battery lead as you already did. Set your multimeter to its 10 Amp DC scale per the instruction book. Touch the positive meter lead to the positive battery post. Touch the negative meter lead to the disconnected positive battery wire. Let's say the Spyder is half the size of my truck. Any reading over 4/10 amp indicates trouble. If you read trouble you need the dealer or a good automotive electrician.
Chip

Not sure how to set this multimeter the “10 Amp DC scale,” any help?

IMG_3412.jpg

[Adventurer]

Saga Update
New battery, trickle charged 48+ hours before connecting to Spyder. Voltage is 13.08 to fully charged and completely unconnected battery. Voltage when connected to bike (not running) 12.58.

Spyder started fine. Still showing orange exclamation mark, check engine symbol and red parking brake symbol stays lit even tho parking brake engages and disengages fine. Took for a ride in the neighborhood, got VSS error message and went into limp home mode.

Checked brake lights, no change in brightness so I believe the brake switch (which is under recall) has failed to disengage leaving brake lights on all the time. However, I don’t believe this is what drained the battery as the taillights or in this case brake lights go out as soon as the ignition is turned off.

Misc points to ponder
I do not believe the brake switch failed during my recent 2,500 mi trip or it likely would have gone into limp home mode.
Since I don’t believe the brake switch caused the battery drain/failure I’m thinking I had two independent problems simultaneously.
Also checked the oil level, although I did not ride the prescribed 9 miles I rode probably 3 since I stayed in my neighborhood. I did let it idle after the ride until the fan cycled. The oil level is fine, just a little under halfway between min/max.
I’m thinking the error messages not directly related to the brake light switch will be cleared out and not return after being connecting to Buds.

Called dealer they don’t have any of the new switches yet, they’re hoping to have some in a couple weeks. And they said they have a 30 day backlog of work so at best looks like the Spyder will be sitting for 6 weeks.

[Woodenfish]

I just want to comment here that many battery chargers are not capable of charging a battery that has completely gone flat. When my 2021 Spyder RTL was new I noted the brake light sticking on while parked in my garage after a trip. I sprayed the linkage pivot points for the brake as I worked them back and forth with a silicone lubricant. The problem never returned and I continue to treat these areas with the lubricant every now and then. I noted that the recall might get you a spring too. I found the linkage to be long, heavy and somewhat complicated for what was happening and the switch was just a contact button. I know that on other uses those type of switches are not always reliable.

[FrogmanDave]

Checked brake lights, no change in brightness so I believe the brake switch (which is under recall) has failed to disengage leaving brake lights on all the time. However, I don’t believe this is what drained the battery as the taillights or in this case brake lights go out as soon as the ignition is turned off.

I'm a little confused. If the brake lights are on, you can pull on the pedal and they will go off. You may even have to pull on the plunger under the bike but they WILL go off. When you turn off your Spyder the running/driving lights will go off. The brake lights will function any time you hit the brake pedal whether the key is on or off. You must have some funky other problem going on.

Called dealer they don’t have any of the new switches yet, they’re hoping to have some in a couple weeks. And they said they have a 30 day backlog of work so at best looks like the Spyder will be sitting for 6 weeks.

That really blows! Marine World in Wichita has had switches and springs for weeks now. They could have gotten me in the day I called but I waited for the end of the week. The spring change took 10 minutes. I was literally rolling out of their lot 20 minutes after I first pulled up. Your 2021 will need the switch (my 2022 only needed the spring), but this time frame is totally ridiculous. Marine World is only about 2 hours from you depending on what part of OKC you are in. Of course getting it there may be a problem in limp mode

Good luck with your saga.

[Adventurer]

The Spyder is completely back to normal! Brake lights are working, but will still need the recall work completed whenever they get replacement switches in.

Details
Last nite I was rehashing in my mind everything I had done and I could not remember reconnecting the brake switch. I had disconnected it when I initially thought I might have a short in some wiring. So this morning I pulled all the right side body panels off again and sure enough I didn’t reconnect the brake switch. Connected it back and started the bike and all the crazy errors I had previously were all gone. Took it for a short ride and everything was just fine, no limp home mode and no VSS error message, she’s back to her normal reliable self.

So the moral of the story is I had a bad battery and nothing more and I created my own additional problems by not double checking my work before putting the body panels back on.

Case closed, thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread trying to help me resolve the problem(s).

[K80Shooter]

The Spyder is completely back to normal! Brake lights are working, but will still need the recall work completed whenever they get replacement switches in.

Details
Last nite I was rehashing in my mind everything I had done and I could not remember reconnecting the brake switch. I had disconnected it when I initially thought I might have a short in some wiring. So this morning I pulled all the right side body panels off again and sure enough I didn’t reconnect the brake switch. Connected it back and started the bike and all the crazy errors I had previously were all gone. Took it for a short ride and everything was just fine, no limp home mode and no VSS error message, she’s back to her normal reliable self.

So the moral of the story is I had a bad battery and nothing more and I created my own additional problems by not double checking my work before putting the body panels back on.

Case closed, thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread trying to help me resolve the problem(s).

Glad you got it figured out.

Also, I applaud you for admitting your mistake and posting back, most people wouldn't.

[alexf415]

Not sure how to set this multimeter the “10 Amp DC scale,” any help?

IMG_3412.jpg

This might help..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFThdbDYL-c

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Not sure how to set this multimeter the “10 Amp DC scale,” any help?

IMG_3412.jpg

Turn the knob to the 10 amp position and plug the red cable into that jack.