Battery failure warning?

[ARKNT]

I know the clock and trip meter reset when the battery is going bad and it's voltage drags down while cranking. Mine is not doing that. I did notice the fuel gauge drop way down toward empty while cranking the starter. I may be dreaming it but it sounded like the starter may be dragging a little also. Do your fuel gauges drop when cranking the starter? I'm thinking it may be another sign of a weak battery so I put a meter on it. The battery read 12.5 volts at rest, 12.0 with key on and lights burning, and 9.8 while cranking.
The battery is 2 1/2 years old. I'll watch it closer for a little bit but it may be getting close to new battery time.


Brad

 

[mikesim]

I know the clock and trip meter reset when the battery is going bad and it's voltage drags down while cranking. Mine is not doing that. I did notice the fuel gauge drop way down toward empty while cranking the starter. I may be dreaming it but it sounded like the starter may be dragging a little also. Do your fuel gauges drop when cranking the starter? I'm thinking it may be another sign of a weak battery so I put a meter on it. The battery read 12.5 volts at rest, 12.0 with key on and lights burning, and 9.8 while cranking.
The battery is 2 1/2 years old. I'll watch it closer for a little bit but it may be getting close to new battery time.






Brad

The cranking voltage is low, I would consider a new battery if I were you.

Mike

 

[Macka]

As a general guide. A battery's cranking voltage of 9.6 volts is considered the minimum for the battery to pass a test.
I can't say that I have ever noticed whether the needles drop during cranking, perhaps they do!
My battery is still original (bike built 12/08, so 9 1/2 years old) and has never let me down.
When parked in the garage it is connected to a battery tender BUT it operates through a timer and only comes on for 15 minutes per day.
I believe that this is better than having it on "float" (13.2-13.6 volts) 24/7.
I test the battery regularly, due to its age, with a high quality battery tester and it passes every time.
The tester still tells me that the battery is capable of providing 210 amps!
I know it MUST die soon, due to age, but I am determined to see just how long this Yuasa battery can live.
If it can make 10 years I will be happy.
When touring, I carry a "Jump Pack" just in case. When local I do not.

Macka

 

[Brillot2000]

Brad,

Extreme cold can shorten the life of the battery. Do you remove the battery from the bike and store it indoors during this last winter's cold weather? A trickle charger will not be enough to raise the battery's internal temperature above freezing.

I would recommend you replace the battery with one from Battery Stuff - YTZ14S Scorpion.

I hope you find this information useful.

 

[Warren]

12.5V at rest is low. You should be at minimum 12.8 -13.0V. This is for a stock AGM battery

 

[Warren]

Brad,

Extreme cold can shorten the life of the battery. Do you remove the battery from the bike and store it indoors during this last winter's cold weather? A trickle charger will not be enough to raise the battery's internal temperature above freezing.

I would recommend you replace the battery with one from Battery Stuff - YTZ14S Scorpion.

I hope you find this information useful.

After my last Yuasa battery bit the dust I replaced it with a Scorpion battery. Being they are made in China I was a little concerned about its possible longevity. Its been 2-1/2 years now and its still holding 13.0V at rest and has not hesitated to start my NT even on single digit winter mornings.

 

[Frosty]

Last Nov I changed the Oil and Stabilized the Fuel. I did nothing else, no maintainer, etc. The battery voltage just read 12.4 v. The BikeMaster TruGel (MG14ZS, part # 78-0516) battery is 7 - 8 years old. It charged and is holding 13.0 v. I just ordered another last night only because it will probably outlast me (YMMV).

 

[ARKNT]

Here is a little update.
Yesterday afternoon was when I took the voltage readings. This morning after sitting all night I was ready to retest. The bike failed to start this morning.
The voltages were lower this morning and with the fail to start it also reset the clock and tripmeters. Went to local Honda dealer and bought new Yuasa. The parts counter people were discussing if this sealed battery needed charging before installing and they were not too sure. Yuasa puts a label on the battery to charge if voltage is below 12.4. I was going to give it a full charge anyway so I hooked up the battery tender.
With the new battery installed it of course starts fine and also the fuel gauge does not drop while cranking the starter. So if you see your fuel gauge drop while cranking the engine over or the clock reset better check that battery.

Brad

 

[Macka]

Here is a little update.
Yesterday afternoon was when I took the voltage readings. This morning after sitting all night I was ready to retest. The bike failed to start this morning.
The voltages were lower this morning and with the fail to start it also reset the clock and tripmeters. Went to local Honda dealer and bought new Yuasa. The parts counter people were discussing if this sealed battery needed charging before installing and they were not too sure. Yuasa puts a label on the battery to charge if voltage is below 12.4. I was going to give it a full charge anyway so I hooked up the battery tender.
With the new battery installed it of course starts fine and also the fuel gauge does not drop while cranking the starter. So if you see your fuel gauge drop while cranking the engine over or the clock reset better check that battery.

Brad

It is interesting about the Fuel Gauge needle dropping.
That could be a valuable tip to watch out for before the battery gets low enough to reset the clock.
I will watch mine at the next start-up.
I was hoping to get away on Thursday morning to a Rally up North but the weather is looking poor with rain expected for three consecutive days at the Rally Site.
I don't mind too much riding in the rain but I hate camping in the rain.

Macka

 

[ARKNT]

Extreme cold can shorten the life of the battery. Do you remove the battery from the bike and store it indoors during this last winter's cold weather?

Bruce,
Here in central Arkansas it is rare to get cold enough to do any battery warming. It gets into the teens at times but usually warms up quickly also. It can get cold but it is rare. In 29 years here I remember -2 deg once. The plumbing section of the hardware store was busy selling stuff to fix frozen pipes.
I don't seem to get long life from the batteries. Maybe because I do a lot of short trips (15 miles) so the battery gets a lot of charge/discharge cycles. It does get hot here and that probably doesn't help the battery much. I also get short tire life, which would be expected with short trips. Back on my work commute I would be either on the brakes or on the gas every 2 miles or so. Not much constant speed stuff.

Brad

 

[DirtFlier]

Those short trips are tough on a battery because it never comes back fully after the initial drain of starting the engine. Compared to the modern car, the charging system in most motorcycles could be called primitive. My guess is that customers would rather than nicer paint and fancy wheels over a better charging system!

I live in west central OH and have never removed my motorcycle batteries over the winter. When the bike isn't being ridden, it's on a charger that adjusts ("floats") output to match what the battery needs. I replaced the original battery on my NT at 8 years, mostly because I felt like it and not because it was obviously going bad. My bike has a digital voltmeter so I tried to starting test yesterday and the voltage dropped to somewhere between 10-11 v, then quickly shot up to +14 v once the engine was running.

My other bike (2013 NC700X/DCT) has a lot more electrical demands and it dropped into the high 9s but it started instantly. I'll recheck that this morning after it has been plugged into the charger all night. I only have one charger so I alternate which bike is getting a charge.

 

[Brillot2000]

I don't seem to get long life from the batteries. Maybe because I do a lot of short trips (15 miles) so the battery gets a lot of charge/discharge cycles. It does get hot here and that probably doesn't help the battery much. I also get short tire life, which would be expected with short trips. Back on my work commute, I would be either on the brakes or on the gas every 2 miles or so. Not much constant speed stuff.

Brad

Those short trips might the cause of your premature battery failures. I would recommend that you get yourself a battery tender and plug it in after getting back to the house after your short trips. This will help to restore the battery to a full charge and could lengthen the battery life for you. You can pick up a good one for under $40 or so. Battery Tender 800.

I typically get 4 years out of a battery on many of the street bikes that I had over the years. I commute mainly on NaTalie and occasionally NaNCy on a Friday. Sometimes I take Megas to work on a Friday, which is a dual sport with a magneto ignition with a battery to running the lighting.

 

[karl]

Sounds like yours is toast. Have seen them fail at two weeks old. At the other end was a Panasonic, not sold in the US in a Miata that lasted for 12 years with lots of time on a tender.

 

[Rand soper]

I had an Optima red top battery that I bought/installed in November of '94 and it finally stopped working in March of 2016. Id say they don't make 'em like that any more, but honestly, they never made them like that. Complete anomaly

 

[Brillot2000]

I had an Optima red top battery that I bought/installed in November of '94 and it finally stopped working in March of 2016. Id says they don't make 'em like that anymore, but honestly, they never made them like that. Complete anomaly

I'd have to assume that this battery was not installed and used in your NT700V. All the clues are pointing to that conclusion.

 

[Rand soper]

I'd have to assume that this battery was not installed and used in your NT700V. All the clues are pointing to that conclusion.

Nope, first in a 1993 E150 12 passenger van and then in our current 2001 E350 15 passenger van. If it hadn't happened to me I wouldn't believe it.