Battery and charging system

[gazunni]

Need some advice

Twice in the past three weeks I have been caught with the spyder not starting and needed to get a boost.


I have a Spyder RT 2011 and i always keep it on a battery tender.

I took it out again today and had no problems. Checked the battery voltage under the seat and it is showing 13.5 volts. Start it up and the system is showing 14.6 volts.

The only common denominator in both cases was the setting of my recently installed alarm system to on. In both cases the bike was parked for around 45 minutes.

We have a long trip coming up and I have ordered a new battery as a precaution and i have unhooked the positive terminal of the alarm system from the battery.

Is there any suggestions? The original battery today seems fine, however when we are away it will not be on a battery tender, but will be driving many miles each day. With the charging system outputting 14.5 volts it does not appear to be a problem, unless it is over charging.

I carry a Stanley lithium ion jump starter just in case.

 

[billybovine]

Need some advice

Twice in the past three weeks I have been caught with the spyder not starting and needed to get a boost.


I have a Spyder RT 2011 and i always keep it on a battery tender.

I took it out again today and had no problems. Checked the battery voltage under the seat and it is showing 13.5 volts. Start it up and the system is showing 14.6 volts.

The only common denominator in both cases was the setting of my recently installed alarm system to on. In both cases the bike was parked for around 45 minutes.

We have a long trip coming up and I have ordered a new battery as a precaution and i have unhooked the positive terminal of the alarm system from the battery.

Is there any suggestions? The original battery today seems fine, however when we are away it will not be on a battery tender, but will be driving many miles each day. With the charging system outputting 14.5 volts it does not appear to be a problem, unless it is over charging.

I carry a Stanley lithium ion jump starter just in case.

Could be you have bad alarm. If you could check how much current it was drawing that may help.
Could be during the alarm install you accidently created a loose connection and caused an intermittent problem.
Maybe the battery is at fault low capacity.

I am beginning to wonder if using a battery tender is a good idea. There are a lot of postings about battery issues that start with I use a battery tender all the time.

 

[Bob Denman]

I've noticed that as well... Constant use of a 'Tender really shouldn't be necessary.

 

[happyspyder2039]

Could be you have bad alarm. If you could check how much current it was drawing that may help.
Could be during the alarm install you accidently created a loose connection and caused an intermittent problem.
Maybe the battery is at fault low capacity.

I am beginning to wonder if using a battery tender is a good idea. There are a lot of postings about battery issues that start with I use a battery tender all the time.

I would suggest that it is that alarm draw thats killing the battery. Also I use a extreme charger on my RT-S once a month for a few hrs on that weekend just to cycle the battery. I had a 09 RS for 4 yrs on orginal battery with this method. Hope this helps

 

[finless]

Just to add, I have has my radio or iPod playing for at least 5 hours and had no starting issues the next morning. Yesterday afternoon the wife and I sat outside and had a few margaritas with the radio play for well more than 5 hours. This morning no issues starting and I was a little worried. Let me also add that my battery is over 2 years old.

So either your battery is bad and won't hold a charge or something is draining it!

Just my opinion. Oh and mine is also a 2011 RT'S

Bob

 

[Illinois Boy]

I am beginning to wonder if using a battery tender is a good idea. There are a lot of postings about battery issues that start with I use a battery tender all the time.

No offense, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions about battery tenders causing problems based on posts here. Problems mentioning tenders are most often not related to tenders; but rather "operator errors" of various sorts. I have not seen a post here where the final result of the problem was a battery tender.

A properly operating battery tender does absolutely no harm to a battery.

Many believe they should use one simply to keep their battery charged; which is does; however the best benefit of using one regularly is to help improve the life of your battery.

I have had batteries last much longer using one regularly versus not. Many others have had the same experience through the years. Some people's battery's have lasted as much as nine years.

Again, no offense intended with my comments. Just didn't want anyone to think there is some big mystery problem related to tenders.

 

[Phil]

Always remember THE #1 thing to check....... Are the connections at the battery terminals tight?


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

 

[Motorcycledave]

I'm with you

I am a FIRM believer in replacing the battery on a motorcycle or a trike in this case every 2 or 3 years max
maybe it's over kill but I hate to be stranded on the side of the road for the sake of a battery.....
Dave

If your battery voltage is reading 13.5V with the Spyder off, that indicates a surface charge condition and a faulty battery.

 

[harrypottar]

I'm a big believer in battery tenders I have then on everything in my garage, tractor, ATV's, scooter's, spyder, generator etc. When any thing is in the garage it goes on a tender been using them for years 24/7, they have extended the life of all my batteries.

Unlike a charger that constantly charges a tender with trickle charge then allow the battery to drain a little then re-charge keeping it active. I forget the number of years I've used them, it's been lot, I've only had one tender that went bad, it over charged and dried a battery out. I throw that tender and purchased a new battery.

would never leave the garage with out using one...

harry

 

[Highwayman2013]

Load test the battery after a charge. That will tell you if it's bad.

 

[Cruzr Joe]

Just to add, I have has my radio or iPod playing for at least 5 hours and had no starting issues the next morning. Yesterday afternoon the wife and I sat outside and had a few margaritas with the radio play for well more than 5 hours. This morning no issues starting and I was a little worried. Let me also add that my battery is over 2 years old.

So either your battery is bad and won't hold a charge or something is draining it!

Just my opinion. Oh and mine is also a 2011 RT'S

Bob

do you think the Margaritas had any effect on his scenario :chat: ?

 

[billybovine]

No offense, but I wouldn't jump to conclusions about battery tenders causing problems based on posts here. Problems mentioning tenders are most often not related to tenders; but rather "operator errors" of various sorts. I have not seen a post here where the final result of the problem was a battery tender.

A properly operating battery tender does absolutely no harm to a battery.

Many believe they should use one simply to keep their battery charged; which is does; however the best benefit of using one regularly is to help improve the life of your battery.

I have had batteries last much longer using one regularly versus not. Many others have had the same experience through the years. Some people's battery's have lasted as much as nine years.

Again, no offense intended with my comments. Just didn't want anyone to think there is some big mystery problem related to tenders.

No offence taken.

I do not remember a battery tender being put forward as a cause of a problem but many bad batteries identified where a tender was used. It was an observation based on the posts I have seen. Highly subjective of course.

 

[gypsy_100]

Need some advice

I took it out again today and had no problems. Checked the battery voltage under the seat and it is showing 13.5 volts. Start it up and the system is showing 14.6 volts.

Does that mean you checked it after the ride and got 13.5 Volts? If so, that is in error. You need to check the "resting" voltage of the battery. It needs to sit for several hours or even overnight before you measure the voltage to see if it is correct. Then the voltage should be about 12.8 to 12.9 for a fully charged battery.

Also, 14.6 sounds high. The BRP spec is 13.0 to 14.0 at 4,000 rpm with high beams and heated grips turned on, nothing else turned on. Mine falls in the upper end of that range consistently. At 14.6 you're close to overcharging the battery depending on ambient temperature.

 

[Phil]

I've seen a bad battery show as high as 14.5 V before and as long as no load was placed on it be able to maintain that for several hours.

The battery was a conventional Lead Acid type.

100% Correct RR. Most meters pose very very little load when they measure voltage. The best way is to have the battery in a real world situation, under load. If the internals of the battery get weak, they may cause a high resistance that will only show itself under load.

I've added this interesting guy-

Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad 7.5 using Tapatalk HD

 

[gazunni]

Thanks for all the great advice.

As usual took it to the dealer and could not make it fail. The dealer is about 30 minutes away so the battery got a change to charge. They immediately load tested and said it was perfect. Put it on BUDDS, no issues. Left it with them over night. They started it once and the second time, they were able to repeat the problem that I was having with all lights going dim, computer screen blanking and not enough power to start. Load test was now bad. Concluded a bad battery. Replaced same and no problems so far.

We leave for a big trip to the Canadian Spyder Owner's Event, so I hope everything remains good. I will keep my Lithium Ion jump start battery charged just in case.

I do like the battery bug idea. I think I might get one.

Need some advice

Twice in the past three weeks I have been caught with the spyder not starting and needed to get a boost.


I have a Spyder RT 2011 and i always keep it on a battery tender.

I took it out again today and had no problems. Checked the battery voltage under the seat and it is showing 13.5 volts. Start it up and the system is showing 14.6 volts.

The only common denominator in both cases was the setting of my recently installed alarm system to on. In both cases the bike was parked for around 45 minutes.

We have a long trip coming up and I have ordered a new battery as a precaution and i have unhooked the positive terminal of the alarm system from the battery.

Is there any suggestions? The original battery today seems fine, however when we are away it will not be on a battery tender, but will be driving many miles each day. With the charging system outputting 14.5 volts it does not appear to be a problem, unless it is over charging.

I carry a Stanley lithium ion jump starter just in case.