Quick test of Motorcycle Battery...

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The terminals are fine. I guess my question is that, will the fuel injectors come on if the battery does not have enough juice. I don't hear them coming on.
 

Scooter

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If you can, measure the voltage of the battery with a multimeter. I'd bet that you are going to measure low. You can jump start your bike with a car but don't start the car up at all to do it...
 
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You already have the tester.. the bike itself.

Just put a voltmeter to the bike while cranking the starter, if voltage at the battery drops below 10, time to replace.

That is all the big testers are doing, just measuring voltage under a significant load.
+1. Or you can go down to your friendly Harbor Freight and buy a small load tester for $22, I have had this one for years, works fine, and I use it all the time:
http://www.harborfreight.com/100-amp-612v-battery-load-tester-61747.html
 

lomita

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You need something like a ytx14-bs. You can get these from Walmart for around $40. Just Google your year and model. Plenty of sources.
 

thekaz

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I am new to motorcycles with batteries so with colder months coming I read about how to test them. Below is what I've learned. Is this right? Is there a better way to get a quick replace/don't replace reading?

Steps:

1. Make sure battery is fully charged.
2. Turn on high beams for three minutes to eliminate "surface charge" in battery.
3. Put a Voltmeter on battery.
4. Volts should be in the 12.3 volt(V) to 12.6V range.
5. Perform load test A - turn on ignition/headlight but don't start engine. Voltmeter should show at least 11.2V. If reading is less than 10V, replace the battery.
6. Perform load test B - watch voltmeter while starting motorcycle. If volts dip below 10V, during the starting process, replace the battery. (the video below is only a small part of information I've read/watched on the internet)


http://www.expertvillage.com/video/18218_motorcycle-battery-two.htm

Also note from MCNews article (http://www.mcnews.com/mcnews/articles/battery.htm) - "A fully charged battery is only 65% as strong at 32? as it was at 80?, and at zero, it drops to only 40% capacity."
If a basic voltmeter is all you have then its not that bad of a list.
I would add 2a - wait 15 minutes and 6a - watch voltage recovery after load testing. It should be a slow low speed rise back to battery voltage, not instant.
and 7 - engine running everything off voltage above 12.8 below 14 at idle. I may have the these idle specs wrong as I do not have a manual in front of my face to confirm alt testing :(
If you have a graphing or analogue voltmeter you can actaully see the dip of a battery during a load test without watching the voltages.

AND good on you for going for it regarding batteries :D
 

T_C

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If a basic voltmeter is all you have then its not that bad of a list.
I would add 2a - wait 15 minutes and 6a - watch voltage recovery after load testing. It should be a slow low speed rise back to battery voltage, not instant.
and 7 - engine running everything off voltage above 12.8 below 14 at idle. I may have the these idle specs wrong as I do not have a manual in front of my face to confirm alt testing :(
If you have a graphing or analogue voltmeter you can actaully see the dip of a battery during a load test without watching the voltages.

AND good on you for going for it regarding batteries :D

While the analytical side of me certainly understands wanting to know exactly how dead the battery is, the end result, all that matters is step 6.

The starter will get rid of any surface charge in a few milliseconds. Being able to run the headlights is not really matter if you can't turn over the engine. You start dipping below 10v and you may not turn over in colder weather or for very long in warm weather.
 
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Thank you all for your insight. I bought a new battery from batteries + and tried to start. Same thing lights would come on but no FI's or crank. But here is what happened. I feel stupid writing. The reason the bike would not turn over and the FI would not turn on is because the kill switch was in the engaged position. I was away from home for a week and had forgotten I had engaged the kill switch. The moment it was disengaged everything was fine bike started. phew. But here are some questions I have regarding the old battery.

1. The battery is from 2007, it is a yuasa ytz14s.
2. It tested at 13V and 140 cca at the batteries plus.
3. The bike started with it as well after a few hours of charging on battery tender junior.
4. Based on item 2 above is there any substantial life left in this battery. If yes, I will return the new battery tomorrow and keep the old one. I normally ride May - Oct and a couple times in November when the temps are above 60. Thanks in advance for your input.
 
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I have never gotten much more than about 6 years out of an auto battery - and more like 5 from bike batteries. Since you have maybe 7 years after the battery sat on a shelf for a year, I would say you have gotten your money's worth out of it. On the other hand, some guys here have reported getting up to 10 years out of their batteries (i think).

It really comes down to how comfortable you are living with an old battery that could die any day, week, or year - probably when you need it most. Well, that last comment is obvious - the battery will not fail when you are not using it - sorta like the object you are looking for will be found in the last place you look.

Bottom line, it sounds like your battery has life left in it. How much? (Only the shadow knows....)

I have a whole lot of better things to worry about than getting stranded when I'm riding far from home, so if I were planning a long trip and had a 7 year old battery, I'd probably change it before said trip. For short jaunts around town, I'd chance keeping the old one, knowing I could call my wife to come pick me up. YMMV.
 
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Good point. I think I will keep the new battery and turn the old one in for 10 bucks. Having said that, the new battery will be on the tender very soon for the till the end of April. Has anyone had any experience with the batteries plus brand of batteries. That is what I got.
 

Andrew Shadow

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I normally ride May - Oct and a couple times in November when the temps are above 60. Thanks in advance for your input.
If you are only going to be doing a few short local rides between now and next spring I would suggest that you return the new one and re-install the old one. This will give you the winter to research and find what you feel is the best battery for you and come next spring you can buy that one nice and fresh and start the season with a new battery.
 
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I have decided to keep the new battery. It is an xtreme xtaz14s for $100. Yuasa was 150 at the dealer, so I decided to save $$. The xtreme has 5 less cca than yuasa, don't know if that is significant in the long run. I have bought from batteries plus before and if charged properly and regularly, they last just as long.
 
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I experience about 5 years on all my MC batteries and replace them about then as they tend to fail all at once, like overnight. Also if resting voltage (after off the charger for an hour) is not between 12.5 - 12.7 or 8 the battery is on its way out.
 

Qomar

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Salam everybody who's online, I got one question but maybe of topic, how to know either the alternator is functioning or not, tqvm
 

dduelin

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Salam everybody who's online, I got one question but maybe of topic, how to know either the alternator is functioning or not, tqvm
Hello Qomar. A test of alternator function is to take a multimeter that can check direct current voltage (DC). With the engine OFF test for voltage at the battery terminals. With the battery at rest you may get a result of 12.2 to 13.0 volts. Start the engine and check voltage again. With the engine ON and throttle set to 5000 rpm the voltage should be 13.6 to 15.5 volts.
 
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