Load Test your Battery when you don’t have a load tester …

[Macka]

Mike, I also have a Midtronics unit that is several years old now and has fewer functions/no printer.
I still have my locally made "Load Tester" which is now about 40 years old and another electronic unit of VAT brand.
As a professional you have to upgrade your equipment regularly.

Macka

 

[JQL]

My first OEM battery lasted about 5 years before dying. I've had a Lithium Battery since and that's done about 6 years and is still going strong.

 

[Brillot2000]

Well, my $30 Amazon Battery has been giving me a few warning signs for the past couple of weeks as the mornings are colder now. Blanking out of the odometer and the fuel gauge is a telltale that the battery is on its way out. It lasted me 2 years, not that bad considering.

I am replacing it with a Scorpion YTZ14S from Battery Stuff. I will be pleased if I get 3 years out of this one.

 

[Macka]

Well, my $30 Amazon Battery has been giving me a few warning signs for the past couple of weeks as the mornings are colder now. Blanking out of the odometer and the fuel gauge is a telltale that the battery is on its way out. It lasted me 2 years, not that bad considering.

I am replacing it with a Scorpion YTZ14S from Battery Stuff. I will be pleased if I get 3 years out of this one.

It did very well for a cheap battery.
Mine is now 13+ years old and still going strong although I have not used it recently due to Covid lockdowns and separate health issues for myself. It still tests fine each month or so.

Macka

 

[Sunny]

Well, my $30 Amazon Battery has been giving me a few warning signs for the past couple of weeks as the mornings are colder now. Blanking out of the odometer and the fuel gauge is a telltale that the battery is on its way out. It lasted me 2 years, not that bad considering.

I am replacing it with a Scorpion YTZ14S from Battery Stuff. I will be pleased if I get 3 years out of this one.

Have you tried battery reconditioning? My battery was giving similar issues, but after battery reconditioning on my NOCO 10A charger, it is working much better.

 

[rc_heli_nut]

Yes, you can recondition a battery and get a few more uses out of it, but it will eventually let you down. Lead batteries suffer plate sulfation, which slowly chokes off the battery's capacity, leaving you with a no start, usually in an inconvenient place. Ugh, I'd rather just replace it and not be stranded somewhere.

 

[Brillot2000]

Ugh, I'd rather just replace it and not be stranded somewhere.

Kind of like that...

 

[rc_heli_nut]

Kind of like that...

Ah yes, the late Alex Karras, that was one big dude!

 

[WingMan71]

One of the easiest ways to put a high load on your battery to test it is this:

1. Connect your VOM to the battery.
2. Turn the kill switch to the OFF position.
3. Press the Start button and crank the engine.

If your voltage drops below 9 Volts with the starter cranking the engine, your battery is due for replacement.

 

[mikesim]

One of the easiest ways to put a high load on your battery to test it is this:

1. Connect your VOM to the battery.
2. Turn the kill switch to the OFF position.
3. Press the Start button and crank the engine.

If your voltage drops below 9 Volts with the starter cranking the engine, your battery is due for replacement.

My remembery may be faulty, but I don't recall the engine cranking over when the kill switch is enabled. I think I have only used the kill switch a grand total of two times since I owned the bike so I may be mistaken.

Mike

 

[DirtFlier]

Mike - your remembery is still functional! With the Engine Stop Switch in the OFF position, the starter will not crank.

That happened to me on a recent ride. I have those hand covers on my NT during the frigid months so can't see any of the handgrip controls. By accident I had bumped the Engine Stop Switch to OFF after we stopped at the Airport Cafe and after lunch it refused to crank, although the voltmeter showed plenty of available voltage. After a few seconds of being perplexed, it dawned on me that I may have accidently bumped the Engine Stop Switch so I moved that to RUN and it fired right up!

 

[rc_heli_nut]

No, the engine won't crank unless the kill switch is in run position. You could try to remove the FI fuse in the fuse block above the battery, it should crank but I have not tried this. I know it will crank with the two ECM connectors unplugged at the ECM, as I've used this method during valve adjusts.

In the service manual, the ECM is probably referred to as the "PGM FI" module, standard Honda speak.

 

[Brillot2000]

Mike - your remembery is still functional! With the Engine Stop Switch in the OFF position, the starter will not crank.

By happenstance that happened to me on a recent ride. I have those hand covers on my NT during the frigid months so can't see any of the handgrip controls. By accident I had bumped the Engine Stop Switch to OFF after we stopped at the Airport Cafe and after lunch it refused to crank, although the voltmeter showed plenty of available voltage. After a few seconds of being perplexed, it dawned on me that I may have accidently bumped the Engine Stop Switch so I moved that to RUN and it fired right up!

The kill switch is an input to the ECU which monitors its status. If is it not "Enabled" the ECU will not send a signal to the starter solenoid. Thus the engine will not crank over.

I have been using the kill switch since the first bike that I got was equipped with one. Also, the MSF course I took over 30 years ago taught us to use it every time we needed to shut off the engine. Also, some of my earlier bikes had the ignition switch below the fuel tank and in front of the engine. Not something you do not want to reach around for while still sitting on the bike after a ride.

 

[WingMan71]

OK... so leave the kill switch on and watch the VOM meter when the starter is cranking the engine. The voltage drop will be immediate as soon as the starter turns even if just for a second or two.

Still works. It's the easiest way to apply the biggest load on the battery yourself.

 

[Sunny]

OK... so leave the kill switch on and watch the VOM meter when the starter is cranking the engine. The voltage drop will be immediate as soon as the starter turns even if just for a second or two.

Still works. It's the easiest way to apply the biggest load on the battery yourself.

and do this also: slow motion video capture (1080p at 240fps, normal is 1080p at 30fps) with cell phone ... easy to see the actual dip in replay ....

 

[ARKNT]

I have not tried this but some voltmeters may not respond fast enough to get a repeatable/accurate reading on a start.
I think the NT starts too fast for some meters.

Arknt

 

[Sunny]

I have not tried this but some voltmeters may not respond fast enough to get a repeatable reading on a start.
I think the NT starts too fast for some meters.

Arknt

or too fast for eyes... that's why the slow mo video

 

[rc_heli_nut]

No, the engine won't crank unless the kill switch is in run position. You could try to remove the FI fuse in the fuse block above the battery, it should crank but I have not tried this. I know it will crank with the two ECM connectors unplugged at the ECM, as I've used this method during valve adjusts.

In the service manual, the ECM is probably referred to as the "PGM FI" module, standard Honda speak.

I.should probably clarify here, with the two ECM connectors unplugged the engine will crank but not start. Plenty of time to take a voltage reading on the battery.