Battery Life when Unused

CourtLechter · 09-14-2011, 11:14 AM

About how long can most of you leave your bike without having the battery drain?

Because of all the rain on the east coast and some personal issues, I ended up not being able to ride for just under 2 weeks...then on a bright sunny day, I went to start my bike, and...nothing: lights were on but silence as I pressed the starter. Prior to that I had gone for a pretty long ride, so I would have expected a reasonable charge beforehand.

I've a battery tender on the way, and I know that if I leave it a while, the battery will always die; but I was sort of expecting to get more time out of it than this...at least during the warmer months.

Thanks!

mrlmd1 · 09-14-2011, 01:46 PM

Again, make sure when you turn it off, it is in the lock position of the key switch, and not all the way over to PARK, which leaves on the rear lights and will drain a battery pretty quickly.
If you get a trickle charger or battery tender, put on the leads connected directly to the battery so all you have to do is plug the charger on. Leave them hanging down somewhere where you can reach them easily - much easier than opening up the bike each time you want to charge the battery.

How old is that battery? A good one left sitting idle should easily last 2 or more weeks without being charged.
You should charge it completely (12.6-12.8 V measured a half hour after taking off the charger) and then get it load tested to see if it's any good, and put a voltmeter on your battery terminals or the charger plug and measure the voltage with the bike a fast idle, at least 2500-3000 rpm and make sure your charging system is working. You should read 13,8-14V.
Lastly, if you can't bump-start the bike, you can jump it with cables from a NON-RUNNING car and start it.

**jonathan180iq** · 09-14-2011, 02:39 PM

Boost it off and go for a ride. It should charge back up.
Ideally, having a battery tender is a better option. But boosting should last you until then.

If you know that you'll be leaving the bike for a long period of time, you can always disconnect the battery. That way it won't drain.

Viirin · 09-14-2011, 02:43 PM

My one lasted three weeks last year during extreme snow. The bike was covered but not garaged. At the first sign of a thaw i tried starting it and i turned over first time - seems to be a few problems regarding GZ's and batteries but i might have just gotten lucky with the one i got

CourtLechter · 09-14-2011, 04:16 PM

Lights were definitely off (I wasn't in the PARK position), and my last ride was on a decently long trip (I'll post a report when I get around to it), so I was a bit surprised that it died... Of course, prior to that trip, I'd only commuted: my commute is only 15 minutes, but I get up to 50mph on it...

Thanks for the testing procedures, mrlmd1: I'll definitely do that when I get it charged up again.

The battery could be fairly old: it's a 2001 bike, but new to me, so I'm wondering if this could mean that it's time for a new battery.

blaine · 09-14-2011, 04:22 PM

Sounds like your battery is nearing the end of it's life.Even if you need to purchase a new one,you will have the battery tender to take of it properly.

:cool:

Gz Rider · 09-14-2011, 06:08 PM

...

blaine · 09-14-2011, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gz Rider

*************************
DO NOT RECHARGE BY LETTING THE BIKE IDLE IN YOUR DRIVEWAY.
*************************
Others have done this and the bike will overheat and the engine will likely be damaged.

This is also a waste of time,as the bike will not charge when idling.
:2tup:

grego · 09-14-2011, 11:00 PM

hi all

this is how the battery works... as you use the battery the electrons leave the plates. the acid takes the place of the electrons in the plates. therefore the liquid level in the cell goes down. as you charge the battery the electrons displace the acid and it goes back into the liquid and the level rises.
on a normal lead acid battery always water after a full charge cycle. if you water before you charge for the reasons above when it gases the acid will bubble out the vent because the cell is too full..

i hope that explained the acid spill

safe biking

grego

mrlmd1 · 09-14-2011, 11:40 PM

The liquid level inside the battery will not change with the state of charge, certainly not anything you could see with your naked eye or measure with anything you could ever get ahold of. What do you think is the volume of the electrons that come out of the plates? Are you kidding?
If you fill it too much, above the level of the vent area in the filler holes, it may overflow because of the hydrogen gas being produced during charging not being able to escape out of the battery and pushing the liquid out. Any overfilled battery will push fluid out when charging, that's why you don't fill them to the top of the case. And excessive charging at too high a rate can cause an excess of hydrogen to be produced, so called "boiling" and the battery also gets hot to add to that.

And CL, after you get your battery fully charged and have it load tested, which is the only way to see if it's still good, if you do buy another one, and it will probably be an AGM type, remember, IT MUST BE FULLY CHARGED UP BEFORE FIRST USE or it will never fully hold a charge after the first time you try to start the bike. Do not rely on the salesman in the store telling you the battery is good to go, put it on the bike and forget it. If you yourself don't make sure it's charged first by putting it on your own charger, you will be back in the store getting another replacement battery after a few starts of your bike or within a few weeks.

09-14-2011, 11:14 AM	#1
CourtLechter Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 7	Battery Life when Unused About how long can most of you leave your bike without having the battery drain? Because of all the rain on the east coast and some personal issues, I ended up not being able to ride for just under 2 weeks...then on a bright sunny day, I went to start my bike, and...nothing: lights were on but silence as I pressed the starter. Prior to that I had gone for a pretty long ride, so I would have expected a reasonable charge beforehand. I've a battery tender on the way, and I know that if I leave it a while, the battery will always die; but I was sort of expecting to get more time out of it than this...at least during the warmer months. Thanks! Login or Register to Remove Ads
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09-14-2011, 01:46 PM	#2
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Battery Life when Unused Again, make sure when you turn it off, it is in the lock position of the key switch, and not all the way over to PARK, which leaves on the rear lights and will drain a battery pretty quickly. If you get a trickle charger or battery tender, put on the leads connected directly to the battery so all you have to do is plug the charger on. Leave them hanging down somewhere where you can reach them easily - much easier than opening up the bike each time you want to charge the battery. How old is that battery? A good one left sitting idle should easily last 2 or more weeks without being charged. You should charge it completely (12.6-12.8 V measured a half hour after taking off the charger) and then get it load tested to see if it's any good, and put a voltmeter on your battery terminals or the charger plug and measure the voltage with the bike a fast idle, at least 2500-3000 rpm and make sure your charging system is working. You should read 13,8-14V. Lastly, if you can't bump-start the bike, you can jump it with cables from a NON-RUNNING car and start it.
	0

09-14-2011, 02:39 PM	#3
jonathan180iq Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 3,996	Re: Battery Life when Unused Boost it off and go for a ride. It should charge back up. Ideally, having a battery tender is a better option. But boosting should last you until then. If you know that you'll be leaving the bike for a long period of time, you can always disconnect the battery. That way it won't drain. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

09-14-2011, 02:43 PM	#4
Viirin Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 269	Re: Battery Life when Unused My one lasted three weeks last year during extreme snow. The bike was covered but not garaged. At the first sign of a thaw i tried starting it and i turned over first time - seems to be a few problems regarding GZ's and batteries but i might have just gotten lucky with the one i got
	0

09-14-2011, 04:16 PM	#5
CourtLechter Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 7	Re: Battery Life when Unused Lights were definitely off (I wasn't in the PARK position), and my last ride was on a decently long trip (I'll post a report when I get around to it), so I was a bit surprised that it died... Of course, prior to that trip, I'd only commuted: my commute is only 15 minutes, but I get up to 50mph on it... Thanks for the testing procedures, mrlmd1: I'll definitely do that when I get it charged up again. The battery could be fairly old: it's a 2001 bike, but new to me, so I'm wondering if this could mean that it's time for a new battery. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

09-14-2011, 04:22 PM	#6
blaine Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: P.E.I. Canada Posts: 3,784	Re: Battery Life when Unused Sounds like your battery is nearing the end of it's life.Even if you need to purchase a new one,you will have the battery tender to take of it properly. :cool: __________________ If at first you do succeed, try not to look surprised.
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09-14-2011, 06:08 PM	#7
Gz Rider Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 852	Re: Battery Life when Unused ... __________________ *Alert - This person is a douche. Use these comments and advice at your own risk*
	0

09-14-2011, 11:00 PM	#9
grego Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: anaheim california Posts: 96	Re: Battery Life when Unused hi all this is how the battery works... as you use the battery the electrons leave the plates. the acid takes the place of the electrons in the plates. therefore the liquid level in the cell goes down. as you charge the battery the electrons displace the acid and it goes back into the liquid and the level rises. on a normal lead acid battery always water after a full charge cycle. if you water before you charge for the reasons above when it gases the acid will bubble out the vent because the cell is too full.. i hope that explained the acid spill safe biking grego
	0

09-14-2011, 11:40 PM	#10
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Battery Life when Unused The liquid level inside the battery will not change with the state of charge, certainly not anything you could see with your naked eye or measure with anything you could ever get ahold of. What do you think is the volume of the electrons that come out of the plates? Are you kidding? If you fill it too much, above the level of the vent area in the filler holes, it may overflow because of the hydrogen gas being produced during charging not being able to escape out of the battery and pushing the liquid out. Any overfilled battery will push fluid out when charging, that's why you don't fill them to the top of the case. And excessive charging at too high a rate can cause an excess of hydrogen to be produced, so called "boiling" and the battery also gets hot to add to that. And CL, after you get your battery fully charged and have it load tested, which is the only way to see if it's still good, if you do buy another one, and it will probably be an AGM type, remember, IT MUST BE FULLY CHARGED UP BEFORE FIRST USE or it will never fully hold a charge after the first time you try to start the bike. Do not rely on the salesman in the store telling you the battery is good to go, put it on the bike and forget it. If you yourself don't make sure it's charged first by putting it on your own charger, you will be back in the store getting another replacement battery after a few starts of your bike or within a few weeks.
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