It finally happened

[Randy B]

After 6 years the original battery died. I unplugged the tender, rolled the bike out of it's nest, turned the key on and when I hit the kill switch to on....dead. I checked the battery with a VOM...10.80 V with everything off, but when I turn the bike on it drops to 0.5 V.
I have a new one on the way and it should be here sometime this week.

 

[greekcb_imp]

After 6 years the original battery died. I unplugged the tender, rolled the bike out of it's nest, turned the key on and when I hit the kill switch to on....dead. I checked the battery with a VOM...10.80 V with everything off, but when I turn the bike on it drops to 0.5 V.
I have a new one on the way and it should be here sometime this week.

Better at home than on the road :banana:

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Yeah, great planning greekcb.

 

[Cormanus]

6 years? That’s amazing, RandyB.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Yeah, great planning greekcb.

Err, yeah, I did mean RandyB! :dodgy:

 

[the Ferret]

Thassa long time for a battery

 

[Obliviontoad]

I also just replaced my battery. Dead as a doornail. I never used a tender, or had to use a charger. I abused and neglected that poor battery. 6 years seems pretty good to me as well.

 

[Cormanus]

How long did yours last Obliviontoad?

 

[Rocky_imp]

That's very good life for a battery that lived in a fairly warm climate. Heat is the bane of a battery.
Up here where it's cooler, and we have a six month winter layover, my batteries easily last 6-8 years.
Years ago I was out on my Honda Hawk and had stopped for gas. When I hit the starter the engine groaned into life - a clear signal that the battery was about to quit. I made it home OK and bought a new battery ASAP.
Last summer a similar thing happened when I was miles from home on my Bonneville. When I returned to the bike after lunch it barley came to life. Once again I made it home OK and had a new battery ASAP.
I'm not pushing the brand, but I only use Yuasa batteries.

 

[Houtman_imp]

I only use the OEM Yuasa batteries and in the past I replaced them every 3 years regardless if they were still good. After buying a battery load tester I replace them every 4 years. Tester not cheap but very useful.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

I have been fortunate to always get over five years out of a battery, bikes and cages and without interruption of service. The longest was around seven and it didn't really need it until the next deep cold winter. I do not leave the battery on a tendering charge continuously.

 

[Rocky_imp]

I have been fortunate to always get over five years out of a battery, bikes and cages and without interruption of service. The longest was around seven and it didn't really need it until the next deep cold winter. I do not leave the battery on a tendering charge continuously.

Neither do I.
For winter storage, I remove the batteries from all the bikes except the 1100. It's buried down deep and has a pigtail on it so I leave it.
Once a month I pull them out and hook each one up to my Optimate charger for 24 hours and then put them back where it's cool and dry.

 

[Gone in 60]

When I bought my six-year-old bike a few months ago, the original owner told me that the bike had its original battery, so he couldn't promise how much longer it would last. He kept it on a Harbor Freight tender, which he gave me with the bike.

I was dubious, but still rode on that OEM battery for a few months before a couple of slow cranks gave me enough of a reason to buy a new one. That was a pleasant change from my BMW, which would go through a Yuasa about every three years.

Clock is ticking on my Bonneville. It's battery is on year five...

 

[Obliviontoad]

How long did yours last Obliviontoad?

Bought new April 23rd 2013... never needed anything but a start midwinter to prove things were ok.

 

[Randy B]

Voltage of new battery right out of the box.

Voltage of the old battery after being on a 10A charge for 6 hours and then left to sit overnight.

All done.

 

[Cormanus]

 

[the Ferret]

Congrats Randy. I assume you mean a 1 amp charger and not a 10 amp charger. Motorcycle batteries are low amperage units. That would be a lot of voltage going into that battery if you used a 10 amp charger.

 

[peterbaron]

Congrats Randy. I assume you mean a 1 amp charger and not a 10 amp charger. Motorcycle batteries are low amperage units. That would be a lot of voltage going into that battery if you used a 10 amp charger.

Voltage is constant, a lot of Amps you meant...for sure not 10A for this battery
:beerchug:

 

[the Ferret]

yes amps, typo. Thanks for catching that PB

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

The battery will draw the current it needs to charge the cells to their full voltage potential and then drop to a trickle.

Using the 10A charger means a partially discharged battery will draw too much current and "bake" itself. Using a 1A charger will limit the "bake" to a maximum of 1A. Best to use the so called "smart chargers" that regulate and cycle the charging for you so the cells to not prematurely fail.