3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead.

Suncross · 07-16-2011, 03:16 PM

So last week I spent some time getting oil, and oil filters for my GZ. I am getting ready to change it for the first time. I wake up from working all night to find that the battery is totally dead. I have only owned it for about 3 weeks now. It wouldn't start at all. So I hook it up to the battery charger.. and boom, it starts right up. Is this a bad sign? Is it bad to start it while plugged into the wall?

Suncross · 07-16-2011, 04:11 PM

I am reading my service manual. It tells me I need to remove my battery in order to charge it. However when I was sold the bike, it had a wire hanging out that you can hook a charger up to. That's what I am doing now. I was told by a friend and a mechanic that I could charge it that way. Has anyone else done it that way?

geezer · 07-16-2011, 04:35 PM

thats fine, you prob using a batt tender, sure no worries. make sure you r battery connections are tight. also its kinda hard to know for sure if you have problems cause you cant leave a bike sit for that long. so once you start riding it regularly you will know if you have probs

alantf · 07-16-2011, 05:48 PM

Suzuki recommend charging at 0.7A for 5 to 10 hours. Make sure you don't charge at more than 2A or you will fry the battery. :2tup:

Suncross · 07-16-2011, 06:40 PM

A battery tender is what it was. I hope it's 2a. I have no way to tell at the moment. I am not sure why they would make like an oem charger that did more than that at default.

Suncross · 07-16-2011, 08:55 PM

Also, the previous owner let it sit like that. The only time my bike will sit not running is if one day I sleep all day and all night from working, or like for a week while I go somewhere with my family.

I ran it really hard the previous day, and I let it sit for over 24 hours. Went ~130 miles, and at the end of it, it was like wet and wild trying to get home. Semis splashing so much water I couldn't even see. It was like the bike was running under water it got so soaked. Could that have anything to do with it?

geezer · 07-17-2011, 04:40 AM

all you can do is check your connections and voltage at the battery with the engine at a high idle should have around 14ish volts.

mrlmd1 · 07-17-2011, 09:51 AM

Also make sure you are not one of those who make a mistake and turn the key all the way off to the left leaving it in the PARK position to leave the running lights on. Turn it off in the OFF position, in the middle of the key travel, one notch to the left of ON, not two notches to PARK, It's a good idea when you walk away from the bike to glance at the rear lights and make sure they are off.
If the battery is good it should not be dead, even leaving the bike alone for a month.
You should let the charger charge up the battery, and use that to start it, not use that charger to try and start the bike. The current output is noway near the 80 amps or so the charger draws and you may blow or burn out some of those little chargers trying to put that much load on it. If you need to jumpstart your bike from another source, hook it up to a NONRUNNING car using jumper cables, pos to pos, neg to neg. A running car's alternator will put out way to much current and you may fry all the electronics on the bike if the car is running when you jump it. And don't use a high output charger/starter either, same thing.
Measure the voltage at rest, (should be 12.6-12.8V for a fully charged battery), measure it at 2500-3000 rpms (should be 13.5-14v) to check the charging system.
In all likelihood there is nothing wrong with your battery, you probably left the lights on. Put it on the charger for 4-6 hrs and fully charge it up.

Suncross · 07-20-2011, 03:29 PM

I lock the bike each time I get off it. It locks the steering wheel. Is that also considered putting it on park?

alantf · 07-20-2011, 03:38 PM

If you turn the key all the way to the left - to the "P" position - it will lock the steering, and put on the rear light, which will run down the battery. You should only turn the key to the "lock" position.[attachment=0:2zdgvmky]img023.jpg[/attachment:2zdgvmky]
Sorry it's in Spanish, but so is my bike.

07-16-2011, 03:16 PM	#1
Suncross Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 33	3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead. So last week I spent some time getting oil, and oil filters for my GZ. I am getting ready to change it for the first time. I wake up from working all night to find that the battery is totally dead. I have only owned it for about 3 weeks now. It wouldn't start at all. So I hook it up to the battery charger.. and boom, it starts right up. Is this a bad sign? Is it bad to start it while plugged into the wall? Login or Register to Remove Ads
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07-16-2011, 04:11 PM	#2
Suncross Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 33	Re: 3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead. I am reading my service manual. It tells me I need to remove my battery in order to charge it. However when I was sold the bike, it had a wire hanging out that you can hook a charger up to. That's what I am doing now. I was told by a friend and a mechanic that I could charge it that way. Has anyone else done it that way?
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07-16-2011, 04:35 PM	#3
geezer Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: dahlonega GA Posts: 563	Re: 3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead. thats fine, you prob using a batt tender, sure no worries. make sure you r battery connections are tight. also its kinda hard to know for sure if you have problems cause you cant leave a bike sit for that long. so once you start riding it regularly you will know if you have probs __________________ 99 gz 250 and a currently dismantled fzr 1000 Login or Register to Remove Ads
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07-16-2011, 05:48 PM	#4
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,715	Re: 3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead. Suzuki recommend charging at 0.7A for 5 to 10 hours. Make sure you don't charge at more than 2A or you will fry the battery. :2tup: __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman.
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07-16-2011, 06:40 PM	#5
Suncross Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 33	Re: 3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead. A battery tender is what it was. I hope it's 2a. I have no way to tell at the moment. I am not sure why they would make like an oem charger that did more than that at default. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

07-16-2011, 08:55 PM	#6
Suncross Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 33	Re: 3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead. Also, the previous owner let it sit like that. The only time my bike will sit not running is if one day I sleep all day and all night from working, or like for a week while I go somewhere with my family. I ran it really hard the previous day, and I let it sit for over 24 hours. Went ~130 miles, and at the end of it, it was like wet and wild trying to get home. Semis splashing so much water I couldn't even see. It was like the bike was running under water it got so soaked. Could that have anything to do with it?
	0

07-17-2011, 04:40 AM	#7
geezer Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: dahlonega GA Posts: 563	Re: 3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead. all you can do is check your connections and voltage at the battery with the engine at a high idle should have around 14ish volts. __________________ 99 gz 250 and a currently dismantled fzr 1000
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07-17-2011, 09:51 AM	#8
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: 3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead. Also make sure you are not one of those who make a mistake and turn the key all the way off to the left leaving it in the PARK position to leave the running lights on. Turn it off in the OFF position, in the middle of the key travel, one notch to the left of ON, not two notches to PARK, It's a good idea when you walk away from the bike to glance at the rear lights and make sure they are off. If the battery is good it should not be dead, even leaving the bike alone for a month. You should let the charger charge up the battery, and use that to start it, not use that charger to try and start the bike. The current output is noway near the 80 amps or so the charger draws and you may blow or burn out some of those little chargers trying to put that much load on it. If you need to jumpstart your bike from another source, hook it up to a NONRUNNING car using jumper cables, pos to pos, neg to neg. A running car's alternator will put out way to much current and you may fry all the electronics on the bike if the car is running when you jump it. And don't use a high output charger/starter either, same thing. Measure the voltage at rest, (should be 12.6-12.8V for a fully charged battery), measure it at 2500-3000 rpms (should be 13.5-14v) to check the charging system. In all likelihood there is nothing wrong with your battery, you probably left the lights on. Put it on the charger for 4-6 hrs and fully charge it up.
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07-20-2011, 03:29 PM	#9
Suncross Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 33	Re: 3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead. I lock the bike each time I get off it. It locks the steering wheel. Is that also considered putting it on park?
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07-20-2011, 03:38 PM	#10
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,715	Re: 3 1/2 weeks later... battery is dead. If you turn the key all the way to the left - to the "P" position - it will lock the steering, and put on the rear light, which will run down the battery. You should only turn the key to the "lock" position.[attachment=0:2zdgvmky]img023.jpg[/attachment:2zdgvmky] Sorry it's in Spanish, but so is my bike. __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman.
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