Strange occurance

[CADMAN]

Yesterday I had a strange occurance on the way home. I made a stop on the way and as I was leaving, my bike would not start. The engine was relatively hot (+/-208F) and everything else was normal. The starter rolled slowly but would not start the engine. I tried roll starting it without success. As I called AAA, I discovered that my coverage from AZ had not converted to GA. So I made the call to AMA. They lined me up with a tow, but it would not arrive for 90 minutes or more. After about a 45 minute wait, I tried again. WTH! Started right up as if nothing was wrong. After getting home, I immediately connected the Battery Tender. Light went to green as if no charge was needed.

I think I'll get a new battery anyway, current one is almost 3yrs old with one GA winter and two year of AZ summers.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Check the tightness of both battery cables/terminals FIRST.

Very possibly the battery, a load test would verify if its good or not. I generally get 3 years out of a battery, also in a hot climate.


Two things, (besides the load test), check your charging voltages, you should be seeing over 13-14 volts at the battery while running.

Second, do you use the Red kill switch often? Its a known issue, especially if used often. If your bike passes the other tests, gently put pressure on different area's of the switch while running and see if the bike acts up.

Here's a link re a kill switch failure and by passing for testing purposes;

Post #14 specifically; http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-electrical/48311-run-switch-faulty-2.html?highlight=kill+switch


Please post back what you find.

 

[vinmansbrew]

You know, I sorta had an issue like that yesterday. Not as warm and would start, but the starter sounded weak. Go out this morning, no problem. Went for lunch this afternoon, started no problem.
I'm going to keep my eye on it and just see how things go.

 

[raja777m]

may be a bit off topic, I'm not sure what battery is on my bike.
My Scorpio reads 12.4-12.6V(weekdays), even after a 400 mile trip, it shows somewhere near 13.0V(weekends)
I ride less than 10 miles a day with two cold starts.
How to check when was my battery changed?
The previous owner didn't mention about battery when he sold it to me.
He just said about fluids, oil and front tire, 6k miles ago.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

may be a bit off topic, I'm not sure what battery is on my bike.
My Scorpio reads 12.4-12.6V(weekdays), even after a 400 mile trip, it shows somewhere near 13.0V(weekends)
I ride less than 10 miles a day with two cold starts.
How to check when was my battery changed?
The previous owner didn't mention about battery when he sold it to me.
He just said about fluids, oil and front tire, 6k miles ago.

Some folks have gotten 8 plus years on a battery, others, myself included 3 years or sometimes less...

How to check when its been replaced? Doesn't really matter. Just get it load tested (its free) at any auto parts store, Walmart, etc. If it passes, it really doesn't matter the age unless you have a dead short (somewhat unusual now a days). Most of my driving is around town, way less than 10 miles per trip, closer to 2-5 miles...

BTW, a fully charged battery is 12.8 volts. When the engine is running, charging should be above 13, up to 14 volts or so.

Here's a video (with my OLD battery) just to show voltages at idle(about 1050 RPM's warm), higher RPM's, etc. Again, this is with a failing 4 year old battery, dead cold start;

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127092600@N08/

 

[vinmansbrew]

Splitting hairs, but technically, a lead acid based battery is fine between 2.1 - 2.12 volts at full charge.
As for age, on my cb750, I regularly get 4 years. I just replaced my stock FZ batt spring 2014. Maintenance-free, agm, and gel batteries have a longer life span, on average, than a typical flooded cell.

Fixed cell voltage

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Splitting hairs, but technically, a lead acid based battery is fine between 2.6 - 2.8 volts at full charge.
As for age, on my cb750, I regularly get 4 years. I just replaced my stock FZ batt spring 2014. Maintenance-free, agm, and gel batteries have a longer life span, on average, than a typical flooded cell.

Huh, double post.

2.6-2.8, typo??? 12.6 maybe?



From Yuasa; Yuasa Batteries - FAQ's


100% Charged
w/Sulfate Stop 12.80v 5 Balls Floating
100% Charged 12.60v 4 Balls Floating
75% Charged 12.40v 3 Balls Floating
50% Charged 12.10v 2 Balls Floating
25% Charged 11.90v 1 Balls Floating
0% Charged 11.80v 0 Balls Floating

 

[FinalImpact]

Must be - as Float voltage at 95% of charge on AGM is 2.25v - 2.3v/cell although they can handle 2.40V/cell that's more what LAB wants. Greater than 2.5v and you're looking to cook the battery.

FWIW: Finally replaced my OEM battery with 7.5 years of service. I thought it was time especially since I've been doing longer runs to more distant places! That and after sitting a few weeks its cranking a little slower. Thats good run for battery that sits 3 - 4mo out of the year.

 

[vinmansbrew]

A lead acid batter consists of 6 cells. Nominal voltage is 2.1 - 2.12. thus coming to 12.6 - 12.7 volts.
Battery Voltage Information ? Battery University
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_battery
How Lead Acid Batteries Work

Initially after a charge, voltage will read higher, but after resting, voltage will average 12.6 - 12.7.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

A lead acid batter consists of 6 cells. Nominal voltage is 2.1 - 2.12. thus coming to 12.6 - 12.7 volts.
Battery Voltage Information ? Battery University
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automotive_battery
How Lead Acid Batteries Work

Initially after a charge, voltage will read higher, but after resting, voltage will average 12.6 - 12.7.

Obviously there's 6 cells.

So how do you measure EACH cell and why would you, to find a single bad cell??

Which would shows an over lower, OVERALL voltage anyway...

Your also checking voltages from the bike running which would be in the double digits, (from say 10 volts to 14 plus).

I'm missing why we would check the voltage of one cell? Seems to just complicate things..

Your thoughts?

 

[vinmansbrew]

Because you say 12.8v and that would be an incorrect reading on a resting battery. I have never had a battery read 12.8 after resting from a charge, which is when voltage should be taken.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Because you say 12.8v and that would be an incorrect reading on a resting battery. I have never had a battery read 12.8 after resting from a charge, which is when voltage should be taken.

Here's mine with the OLD battery(4 years old), NOT after being charged, 13.26 volts, static

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127092600@N08/15053644500/ And that video is from a dead cold start(over-night)


***9-11-16 Its been awhile since I made that video and its very possible / likely that I had the charger on it the night before...

 

[CADMAN]

Sorry folks for late reply. Kind of busy and wet weather here. Plan to pull battery today and just replace. Saw someone recommend a gel type. Are these able to be maintaned or charged with standard (Deltran Battery Tender) charger, or will I need to purchase a Lithium type charger?

 

[vinmansbrew]

Here's mine with the OLD battery(4 years old), NOT after being charged, 13.26 volts, static

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127092600@N08/15053644500/ And that video is from a dead cold start(over-night)

Didn't see this but felt I had to reply. A lead acid based battery is, in fact, 6 cells. Each cell, in fact, puts out 2.1 volts at full charge. A standing battery, not connected to anything, will read 12.6 volts, plus minus a very small amount. I don't know of a single lead-acid, agm, or gel for powersports that is over this voltage when resting.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Didn't see this but felt I had to reply. A lead acid based battery is, in fact, 6 cells. Each cell, in fact, puts out 2.1 volts at full charge. A standing battery, not connected to anything, will read 12.6 volts, plus minus a very small amount. I don't know of a single lead-acid, agm, or gel for powersports that is over this voltage when resting.

A fully charged battery is generally 12.8 to 13 volts.

If you watched the entire video, you can see the bike is NOT HOOKED up to a charger and was started dead cold.

I don't know of any way, I could add voltage to a battery as it sits static. The bike is CLEARLY NOT hooked up to anything
and the battery is an OEM Yuasa.

***9-11-16, Its been awhile since I made that video and its very possible / likely that I had the charger on it the night before...

 

[FinalImpact]

Math works, but add the missing digits. 2.165v per cell....
Mine is alway at 12.9x typically 12.99v...
Fluke 87 meter does not lie!

 

[vinmansbrew]

Point is that no lead/acid based batter should be that high. Sure, right after charging, it will have a slightly higher voltage for a bit. But after resting for a period of time, it will drop back down to nominal voltage. Never take voltage right after a charge as it will not be accurate. I am not making things up though, l/e based batterys like this, do not normally make over 13 volts. Even higher than 12.8 is unusual. If I had a battery read over 13 after a 24 hour rest, I'd probably replace it as there is a good chance of something wrong inside the battery.

 

[Zack]

When cold my bike starts at first touch. Even after not riding it for 2 months. When hot it is different story. Starter sounds normal, fast, but engine will start after 2-4 seconds of cranking.
Can't explain this but I often get fear that it will not start as it happened to OP

 

[SandyN]

[MENTION=1593]Zack[/MENTION] on a cold start the ECU will richen the fuel mixture to make the start easy. On a hot start, or even on a hot day, the ECU may not richen the mixture at all which means you may have to crank a bit longer to start the motor. I've come to accept this as normal and open the throttle a bit on a hot start.

Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk

 

[Ital]

yeah.. I noticed the same. Cold starts right up. Hot it takes a bit longer... good to know its normal... thanks!