Battery Dying in cold weather overnight

[cenzo989]

hello fellow spyder guru's

as the title says it all,
my battery keeps dying in the cold weather.
whenever i travel to a friends house and sleep over - the temp suddenly drops overnight then warms up in the day.
if i leave my spyder out overnight in the 20 degree weather and try to start it in the afternoon, the battery died and i am stuck at my friends home.

i do carry a battery pack booster with me, which starts the b ike right up, but its a pain-in-the-as to hook up.
i have to open the battery compartment which leads to me looking thru that stupid tool kit and then unscrewing bolts.
and of course its 20 degrees out and my hands are freezing trying to hook up this f4reaakin battery booster.:banghead:

i was wondering if this works as a solution:


of course i would never leave the battery pack connected at all times.... but when i cant start the bike.. i would just connect pack and start.

will this work and is it safe ?
or will it damage the wiring harness?

 

[tibadoe]

If battery dies in 20 degree weather it sounds like time for a replacement. Make sure the terminals are clean and tight on the battery. Give battery a full charge then check voltage and load test it. As far as the jumper wiring goes, I wouldn't want to send that juice through the small guage ring terminal wires.

 

[ARtraveler]

Your signature says 2014 RSS..so its over three years old. Battery change out recommended at three to four years.

When they do go, the like to leave you stranded.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

If battery dies in 20 degree weather it sounds like time for a replacement. Make sure the terminals are clean and tight on the battery. Give battery a full charge then check voltage and load test it. As far as the jumper wiring goes, I wouldn't want to send that juice through the small guage ring terminal wires.

:agree: ………… and with AK too ….. I have always put STAR washers on all my Battery terminals , I have NEVER had one get loose …… and be careful with LITHIUM Batteries ….. they have a nasty habit of ….EXPLODING and or starting fires …….. remember reading the horror stories about those wheeled things they used to sell .....................Mike hyea:

 

[cenzo989]

Your signature says 2014 RSS..so its over three years old. Battery change out recommended at three to four years.

When they do go, the like to leave you stranded.

i bought the bike in January of 2017... the dealer had it in a crate in a warehouse cause he never sold it....
i changed the stock battery on summer of 2018, so the battery is not even 1yr old....
i have bought this one:



do you recommend another brand?

 

[cenzo989]

:agree: ………… and with AK too ….. I have always put STAR washers on all my Battery terminals , I have NEVER had one get loose

I don't have washers on my terminals...this is the first time im hearing of this washer thingy
should i buy washers for my battery?

 

[jaherbst]

Take it to your dealer and have it load tested. I would bet you need a new battery. Do you have a warranty on it? You should if it is only 1-2 years old.

Jack

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

i bought the bike in January of 2017... the dealer had it in a crate in a warehouse cause he never sold it....
i changed the stock battery on summer of 2018, so the battery is not even 1yr old....
i have bought this one:
View attachment 169495


do you recommend another brand?

I don't recognize that Brand - no matter it's an AGM …… However I don't think the AMP/hr. rating is enough for your Spyder …. OEM's are 24 size ….if your Battery is too low in CCA this may be the cause of failure ……………. jmho …. Mike hyea:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I don't have washers on my terminals...this is the first time im hearing of this washer thingy
should i buy washers for my battery?

Hi, I used to live in Queens ( Astoria Queens by the " Ell " ) …… STAR washers are the ones with teeth either inside or outside ...they are lock washers that work without the higher pressure of " split type lock washers )….. Battery terminals are lead with a steel bolt ….lead is soft and the treads strip more easily than otherwise.... I feel everyone needs the STAR washers because the vibrations of the bike cause the terminal bolts to loosen ….. mine NEVER have ….any hardware store will have them …. you need to get small ones 1/4 in. or ..6mm . ……...good luck …. Mike hyea:

 

[tibadoe]

Wouldn't hurt to have your battery on a smart tender also. Keep it fully charged and ready to go. I'm guessing you have the charge lead (ring terminal) already hooked up.

Also FYI: You have to be careful when purchasing "new" batteries. They may be new to you but they may have sat on a shelf in your dealers stockroom or retail sales warehouse for some time. Always check the date code and pick the latest build. If ordering online, ask about the date code and tell them you want the newest date.

 

[Grandpot]

Bottom line, a good battery just doesn't keep dying like that or you have a parasitic drain.

 

[cenzo989]

Hi, I used to live in Queens ( Astoria Queens by the " Ell " ) …… STAR washers are the ones with teeth either inside or outside ...they are lock washers that work without the higher pressure of " split type lock washers )….. Battery terminals are lead with a steel bolt ….lead is soft and the treads strip more easily than otherwise.... I feel everyone needs the STAR washers because the vibrations of the bike cause the terminal bolts to loosen ….. mine NEVER have ….any hardware store will have them …. you need to get small ones 1/4 in. or 10mm ……...good luck …. Mike hyea:

thank you.... do they have thm online...if so , do you have a link?

 

[cenzo989]

Wouldn't hurt to have your battery on a smart tender also. Keep it fully charged and ready to go. I'm guessing you have the charge lead (ring terminal) already hooked up.

Also FYI: You have to be careful when purchasing "new" batteries. They may be new to you but they may have sat on a shelf in your dealers stockroom or retail sales warehouse for some time. Always check the date code and pick the latest build. If ordering online, ask about the date code and tell them you want the newest date.

Thanks for the heads up about the date code,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i didnt know that..........

 

[cenzo989]

Wouldn't hurt to have your battery on a smart tender also. Keep it fully charged and ready to go..

do you recommend any smart tending chargers?

 

[george123]

Tricled has a battery jumper port that is easy to add on and easy to use. Then you can use the jumper cables with the battery pack.

https://www.tricledusa.com/product-page/battery-jumper-port-for-all-spyder-2013

 

[Easy Rider]

Wouldn't hurt to have your battery on a smart tender also.

Maybe he DOES when he is at home.
This points out one of the pitfalls of using a battery tender all the time.

The ONLY solution for this problem is a new battery......unless maybe the main connections are loose.
The charging voltage should be checked with the engine running too.

 

[R FUN]

If you need a new battery I would definatelly recommend you get a YUASA battery YTX24HL. They are the original equipment and a superior battery. It is the identical battery
that fits in my snowmobiles and have never had a problem starting at -20F or below. I replace them after 5 years in the spyder then use them in my Quads and snowmobiles and they are still in service.
Roger

 

[tibadoe]

do you recommend any smart tending chargers?

I personally use the BatteryMinder with Desulfation on all my batteries. But any "smart" tender should work fine.

 

[JayBros]

Battery Tender Jr by ******* is a very economical and effective tender.

 

[cenzo989]

Thank you all!!!!!!