If a battery doesn’t stay charged and I have to keep using a trickle charger, or plug in charger, does that mean that the battery needs to be replaced or is it just running down because he bike is ‘t being run enough to keep it charged?
Is the battery good?
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812 Posts
Every battery will do what is called "self discharge" over a period of time. For typical lead acid battery, this takes about 6 or 8 weeks to go from full charge to full discharge. Nothing needs to be hooked up to the battery, and it can be brand new, and this will still happen, it's how the chemistry works.
Also, if lead/acid batteries sit in a discharged state, the lead plates will start to get a coating of lead sulfate. This makes those areas affected less able or unable to accept a charge.
With a decent voltmeter and ammeter and a load to discharge into, one can get a pretty good idea of the condition of a given battery. I won't elaborate on that process here.
I recommend Yuasa batteries. It's a mid priced brand, that is pretty good, in my opinion. I prefer the premium wet battery, which has better plate construction, but is still accessible for maintenance. With a no maintenance battery, when it goes bad, there's nothing you can do.
Occasional use and winter storage is very good for the battery industry. It's almost enough to make a guy nostalgic for the days of magnetos and kick starters.
Also, if lead/acid batteries sit in a discharged state, the lead plates will start to get a coating of lead sulfate. This makes those areas affected less able or unable to accept a charge.
With a decent voltmeter and ammeter and a load to discharge into, one can get a pretty good idea of the condition of a given battery. I won't elaborate on that process here.
I recommend Yuasa batteries. It's a mid priced brand, that is pretty good, in my opinion. I prefer the premium wet battery, which has better plate construction, but is still accessible for maintenance. With a no maintenance battery, when it goes bad, there's nothing you can do.
Occasional use and winter storage is very good for the battery industry. It's almost enough to make a guy nostalgic for the days of magnetos and kick starters.
There is always a small drain on your battery when its installed in anything. The memory setting on your radio channels in your car radio. The brain box in your bike if ut's old enough to have one will have a constant draw on the battery.
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If it's a relative new battery and you left it on a trickle charger, you probably ruined it. A battery maintainer is what you want to keep on a battery.
But, if you are sell the bike, I'd put a cheap new battery on it and use the trickle charger to charge. What is close and if it starts getting very warm, remove the charger.
A new buyer will be more likely to buy if you aren't hiding things or making excuses is my point.
But get a Battery Tender junior or other battery maintainer for the future. Some people call maintainers trickle chargers so that might be the case here. Don't do that either. That just confuses everyone. They are two different kinds of chargers. A trickle charge will continue to charge 24/7 whether it is at it's peak charge or not. A maintainer charges until fully charged then stops, only charging again when the level of charge drops below a certain level. It maintains the battery to peak charge.
Go by a parts store and ask them to test the battery -- most will do it for free. You'll find out in a minute or two if the battery has any life left in it. Some last longer than others, partially due to how it's built and partially due to how they're used. Any battery will eventually **** out after enough discharge/recharge cycles.
One easy test, before involving dealers !
Get a mate or parner, to be ready to press the starter button.......
You hold a multimeter on the pos & neg terminals, then get your helper to press the starter...
If the charge, drops from 12 v to 5 volt or lower, while the starter is pressed....
Then yes the battery has had it.
Good luck
Get a mate or parner, to be ready to press the starter button.......
You hold a multimeter on the pos & neg terminals, then get your helper to press the starter...
If the charge, drops from 12 v to 5 volt or lower, while the starter is pressed....
Then yes the battery has had it.
Good luck
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2,099 Posts
I think if it drops below 10v it's time for a new one.
:smile_big:
Yes, sort of, Todays modern chargers, propper ones ! Not tricle chargers, have a 6 stage charge, and contain a Mode, that some makes, call Conditioner & some call Equalizer.
That supercharges the battery, supposedly removes some sulphating , from the plates.
In that mode, it is >>> Sometimes >>>Able to bring a 10 volter, back to life.
However, if it drops much more than that, yes , that Parrott is a Dead Parrott
Take Care,Out There
PS... Im only talking about Lead Acid batterys here ! Not AGM or GEL !
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