Starting/Battery issues

[jabe]

I have 2011 RS. I bougth it used 3 weeks ago. Everything has been fine up until one week ago. I came out to fire it up & it did a half roll and then nothing. Went thru the start up funtions 7-8 times & it finally fired up. Took it for a ride, shut it down for the night, next morning dead again. I put it on a slow charge overnight and it fired right up. The next day dead again..Played with it 5-6 times and got it to start. Yesterday, nothing..no starting at all.
I also have a 2010 RS I bought a week ago. Perfect starting until this morning...same mo as above..what is going on??
Could I have 2 bad batteries?

2011 RS SE5 2700 miles
2010 RS SE5 3800 miles

 

[napper39]

cheack the battery cable and tigetin the ones on the battery,and alwas keep a battery tender on at all times you are not riding.:2thumbs:

 

[jabe]

Reply

I see one common factor and that's the slow charge.
What kind of charger are you using?
Craftmen auto charger. the first time i set it on regualr charge 12 volt 2 amp. Last night I put it on the same but reg amp...............................
Anything over half an amp (500 mA) is a lot.
Anything over an amp is too much.

But you could simply have two bad batteries.
Would you suggest dealer batteries?
When it rains it pours.

Any particular tender? I have never used one before...does it connect directly to the terminal?

 

[NancysToy]

First thing to check is the cleanliness and tightness of the battery connections, directly at the battery inside the bodywork. Also check the tightness of the rear frame ground (negative jumper terminal) under the seat. Warning! Do not loosen this connection, it is very difficult to retighten. If the battery connections check out, there are some simple tests you can run. First, charge the battery. The AGM batteries in the Spyder need a little more charging capacity than what Roger mentioned above, IMO. Use a smart charger like a Battery Tender. 0.75 amps would be the minimum I would use, and 1.0-1.25 works the best. The battery won't be damaged at 1.50-1.75 amps with a smart charger, but could be with a standard charger.

After the battery is fully charged, let it sit off the charger for a couple of hours to overnight. If it won't take a full charge, it needs to be replaced. After sitting, it should test at greater than 12.6 volts with a multimeter. If it does not, it won't hold a charge and should be replaced. I'd disconnect it, charge, the let it sit and test again though. Some of the earlier RTs had excessive parasitic loss through the audio system, that sucked batteries down quickly. Your dealer has a service bulletin on this issue, and can test your system.

The other test to perform is a load test. With a fully charged battery, hold the throttle fully open to prevent starting and simultaneously crank the starter. Watch a voltmeter attached to the battery. The voltage should not drop below 10.0 volts. If it does, the battery should be more carefully load tested, while disconnected, and replaced if faulty. Low cranking voltage can also be caused by a bad starter, hence the need to have the dealer test again.

 

[Chupaca]

Can't do more..!!

How can you need more than Scotty's full coverage explanation. If you don't find out after this you may never know...:roflblack:

 

[NancysToy]

hmmmmmmm.
Well to each his own, I personally have a problem with anything over an amp and a smart charger should only deliver what the battery needs.
I've measured the current from a Battery Tender and I suppose the rate of charge is dependent upon the internal R but I measured 400 mA tops.

But difference and diversity make the world go 'round.

Maybe we are talking measured current vs. the nameplate rating. Or maybe it is input vs. output. The Battery Tender Jr. is rated at 0.75 amps (750 ma). The BT Plus is rated at 1.25 amps. These have both been proven to be very safe, as has my Accumate at 1.2 amps.

 

[NancysToy]

I'm reasonably certain that the world won't end if a 21aH battery is connected to a 1.2 A charger.
My point to OP who had two batteries go belly up was that a "slow charge" on an automotive charger might actually kill a smaller battery and I think that is accurate.
Whether or not that actually happened remains to be seen.

I fully agree, although that wasn't crystal clear from your initial post. Not only can a "slow charge" or "trickle charge" from a standard automotive charger destroy or damage a motorcycle battery, especially an AGM or gel-cell battery, but the "fast charge" cycle of an "automatic charger" can even make one explode under some circumstances, and will surely damage the battery if it doesn't.

While an automotive-type charger should never be used, it is hard to find a motorcycle-type charger with the low output level you specified, which was my point. We can't leave the OP hanging there with nothing suitable available to him/her. Any motorcycle-type "battery maintainer" or "battery tender" which says it is suitable for use with AGM motorcycle batteries should do fine...even if it is rated up to three times what you prefer. Sorry if I didn't make that clear before, either.

 

[jerpinoy]

Hopefully you only need a new batteries. Let us know and good luck:yes::yes::yes:

 

[StanProff]

Maybe we are talking measured current vs. the nameplate rating. Or maybe it is input vs. output. The Battery Tender Jr. is rated at 0.75 amps (750 ma). The BT Plus is rated at 1.25 amps. These have both been proven to be very safe, as has my Accumate at 1.2 amps.

I have a 4 channel Battery Tender (hooked up to 3 other bikes along with the spyder). anyway I don't have a clue how much it puts out. never checked it. Now , thanks to you guys, I gotta go check it just to see. Just an afterthought, I have pulled the panels off to check the battery post connections a couple of times in the past year and a half, both times the negative cable (at the battery) was loose. I cold move it with my hand, it wasn't wiggly loose but it would have been sooner than later. It is good to check this at least a couple of times per year.

 

[Bob Denman]

Sparks, Thanks for the chart! :clap::thumbup: From what my little knowledge of electricity allows me to absorb, :shocked:, the Waterproof 800 model that I have is okay to use.... (You wouldn't believe how damp my garage gets! )