Advice please Re: Battery & charging........

[sparkee76]

Hi,

Could any of you blokes give me some advice on charging my battery? I have recently had a new alternator fitted as my old one melted and a new electronic rectifier installed following me breaking down in North Wales a few weeks ago due to no electrics.

My question is;

Is it normal for the battery to be flat when the bike hasn't been fired up for about 10 days?

I charged the battery last night, checked on it this morning and its showing a full charge.

Advice please

[alibx11]

No mate, a battery should hold a charge longer than that.
If you have any extra power sockets fitted, are they permanently on or powered off the ignition?
Because if you have a USB socket permanently powered it will discharge the battery.

Charge and then remove the battery and keep it in the house for a couple of weeks, as the cold also affects batteries, then reconnect it and see if it will fire up, if it does chances are somethings draining it.

[Hugh Mungus]

Bunch of questions... When you got the new battery was it trickle charged before fitting to the bike? Without getting too technical it is always best to trickle charge a new battery for at least 12 hours before using as it makes the battery last longer and less likely to going dead flat all of a sudden - EVEN IF the battery you bought says "Ready to use straight away" - this can also make the difference of a battery lasting only 2 years (not trickle charged) to lasting 5/8 years...
If the battery was fitted by a dealer then I would hazard a guess that it wasn't charged first.

Do you have an alarm fitted to your bike? They constantly drain the battery and sometimes will drain it flat in 10 days or so.

Do you have a multi-meter or know someone who can use one?
Set the multi-meter to the AMPS setting. Disconnect the positive lead from the battery, attach one multi-meter probe to the battery lead you've just undone and the other probe to the positive on the battery (the bikes ignition must be switched off) any reading higher than zero indicates that something is draining the battery. A reading of 0.1 amps will drain the battery within a couple of days.

[sparkee76]

Hi,

The battery is what came with the bike, not sure of its age. There is a USB socket installed but has a push on/off switch. This is off. I have been told that the Oxford heated grips will use 0.1A even though the bike is off. I am considering disconnecting the grips altogether.

[wilkstrom]

Hi, I have Oxford grips, and during the depths of winter I fire the bike up once a fortnight. She starts first time, so unless grips faulty I would discount the as the cause.

[650XT Pete]

  If  you are trying to charge  the original battery ,its more than likely be damaged from the burnt out alternator and rectifier.
Need to change all three items to be one hundred percent fixed. One faulty item brings the rest down.

[Hugh Mungus]

Oops I misread your post and thought you'd also got a new battery.
If the grips are drawing current even when they are off then you need to wire them through a relay so that when the bike is off they are also off.
I'd still do the Amp check as it can also rule out any other faults with the bike.

[Gert]

Had a similar problem on my K5 Wee. Thought it was the battery but testing the charging system and load testing the battery, it turned out to be the electric tankbag relay. The tankbag when left in place on bike for a few days was enough to drain the battery.  Rewired to switched power and now no further battery drain issues .. touch wood

[listermint]

The USB or the grips are either faulty or poorly installed. It would be more appropriate to install a relay that is activated by ignition. No brainer at this point battery woes can murder one's happiness with a bike very fast

.

[sparkee76]

Hi All,

Thanks for the advice, I did disconnect the lives from the battery to check with an ameter while bike was off, nothing pulling current. Had the battery on charge for a couple of days now and fired up first time so I guess I'll take her out for a blast to blow the cobwebs off and take it from there.
I'll put it down to cold and not being used for a couple of weeks.....
Appreciate the advice 

[Ianmc]

"Electric tank bag?"
     Gert,please tell me more,this is new to me.
                   Ian Mc.

[Robotstar5]

If I know my bike is going to be laid up for a week or more (fairly rare these days) I plug the Optimate charger in, previous bikes have not been used for up to 6 months and the charger has kept the battery in good condition.

[Gert]

To rely to your query Ian Mc: Bag Connections have two types of tank bag electric (12volt feed) and non-electric. Attached are pix of the electric tank bag connection

[Hugh Mungus]

Hi All,

Thanks for the advice, I did disconnect the lives from the battery to check with an ameter while bike was off, nothing pulling current. Had the battery on charge for a couple of days now and fired up first time so I guess I'll take her out for a blast to blow the cobwebs off and take it from there.
I'll put it down to cold and not being used for a couple of weeks.....
Appreciate the advice 

Great  The only other thing to consider is whether the battery itself is on it's way out. If it's flat again in a week or so's time then it might be worth getting a new one but if you're not riding much at this time of year then it can wait.

[Ianmc]

Ahh,thanks Gert,I had weird ideas about lights and heat in the bag.If anyone is thinking about a new battery,have a look at Tayna Batteries website.Their battery for the Wee has an exceptional CCA rating.I fitted one a couple of weeks ago and am really pleased with the quality and price.
     Ian Mc.