3 months old and a Dead Battery!

[v65infla]

I purchased my 2010 ST1300 on May 21st, 2011. Today is August 17th and I go to take the bike out for work and she is dead, dead, dead.

My farkles are LED lights in the fairing and three power sockets one of which has the radar detector plugged in and the other two are used for charging phone's and such on the road. All are direct wired to the battery and yes I know I need a fuse box, it is on the list. But, since none of these items I didn't think are drawing current unless being used I thought it would be ok. Also I double checked and the LED lights and the radar detector were not left on. I also direct wired a battery tender for the future but since the bike is brand new I wasn't worried about plugging it in yet.

It had been about 2 weeks since she was last run, she is now on a 2amp slow charge.

Beside's the obvious that one of my add on's is drawing current, any other idiea's?

 

[st1300r]

The 1st thing I would suspect is add ons.
I may have dreamed it but a think the bike quiescent current is less than 2.5ma.
If you have a multimeter put it in line with the battery and see what the bike draws with the key off and the toys turned off.

You may find the radar detector draws current when it's off.

 

[stgolfer]

I think the stock Yuasa batteries suck. I just go to Batteries Plus+ and get the cheapo battery for the ST. They also have a stronger one, but were out when I was there last. It's 1/2 the price and lasts twice as long. There's a store down near you at Lantana & Jog. I think the battery is $89.00.

Clock is actually a pretty good current draw.

 

[BleST]

I'm sure you checked the other obvious, that they filled the battery with enough water. I would check the voltage with a volt meter as 2 amps might not be enough to charge her back up if there's still a draw/short? You said not to comment on the obvious, but does the radar detector have batteries like a GPS? That would do it after 2 weeks. Also, if there's an LED on the cig adapter or plugs you're using, that might factor in.

BTW, I don't leave STella (06 1300) alone anymore longer than a few days, cause she started blaring her horn and flashing her lights one time cause she missed me. That would do it too...

 

[Blrfl]

It had been about 2 weeks since she was last run, she is now on a 2amp slow charge.

That's not a slow charge for a battery that size. Batteries should be charged at no more than 10% of their amp-hour figures. A 11.2 AH battery like that in your ST should be charged at no more than 1.12 A.

Beside's the obvious that one of my add on's is drawing current, any other idiea's?

It could just be a bad battery. If your bike was in its crate for over a year, the battery probably self-discharged and sat that way. You're under warranty; if it doesn't hold a charge, get Honda to replace it. If you damaged it by charging too fast, all bets are off.

I think the stock Yuasa batteries suck.

How come? I've had good luck with them, and the one in my ST lasted seven years before I decided it was time for a new one.

I'm sure you checked the other obvious, that they filled the battery with enough water.

The batteries are sealed AGM types. There's no water to add.

--Mark

 

[cnjmurg]

Just wondering if your bike has a LOJAK. My brother's bike was always killed after a few weeks. Disconnected that and it has been fine since
Jim

 

[stgolfer]

How come? I've had good luck with them, and the one in my ST lasted seven years before I decided it was time for a new one.
--Mark

Mine died a few months after I bought the bike, used, the bike was about 1 year old. I bought my next from the dealer, as they were the only ones that had it in stock, and I was going on a ride the next day. It lasted a year and a a few days.

I have since bought them at Batteries Plus and the last one got me from 2005 until last month. Just replaced.

 

[v65infla]

Thank you for all of the quick reply's and Thank you Bill for the phone call, I appreciate your help.

2a is the lowest setting I have on my charger so that is where it's at. I just went out and moved to 6a and she fired right up with no issues. I shut it back down and moved back to 2a. If I can get it her to fire without the charger before bed tonight, I'll just plug in the battery tender and check her again tomorrow and then take it from there. No LED lights on the power sockets, no batteries in the radar detector and no LoJak. I have a multi meter tester but really have no idea how to read it. I'll rebuild a motor, brakes you name it but I am terrible when it comes to electrical anything. I did find the red light on the battery tender while it is unplugged so I thought that might be from the current from the charger but when I unplugged the charger from the wall the red light from the battery tender stayed on, so now I am guessing that was probably what drained it. I'll cut the wires and put some quick disconnects in them to be safe as I had snipped the alligator clips and direct wired it since our batteries are not the easiest to access.

 

[BleST]

The batteries are sealed AGM types. There's no water to add.

--Mark

Thanks Mark! I was thinking of the BMW.. yeah, that's it! Now what did I add that water to...


Jamie - Glad it started and you may have found the problem Hope all goes well. Remember to check on her often

 

[Blrfl]

Now what did I add that water to...

If your name wasn't Bill, I'd swear you were my friend Steve from when I was a teenager. Steve used to like to take his Volkswagen Beetle to the gas station and ask them to check the water.

--Mark

 

[nhdiesel]

If I can get it her to fire without the charger before bed tonight, I'll just plug in the battery tender and check her again tomorrow and then take it from there.

If you have a battery tender, why are you messing with the automotive style charger? A battery tender can work wonders with a marginal battery. I bought my Battery Tender when my snowmobile battery wouldn't take a charge (even at 2a with a car charger). The BT was half the cost of the cheapest battery, so it was worth a shot. It took like 3 days to condition that battery, but then it was fully charged. That battery lasted 2 more seasons!

I would have plugged in the BT when the battery was dead and let it do its thing. It would have been much better for the battery.

Jim

 

[BleST]

If your name wasn't Bill, I'd swear you were my friend Steve from when I was a teenager. Steve used to like to take his Volkswagen Beetle to the gas station and ask them to check the water.

--Mark

I haven't been called Steve since I was younger and I changed my name after that horrible accident with the VW and ... hey, how do I know you're really Mark? I'll believe you if you can question this answer - The Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything is?

 

[st1300r]

42 amps is way to high a charge rate for a mc battery

 

[BleST]

42 amps is way to high a charge rate for a mc battery

:clap2: Yesh, yesh it is. But I am getting 42 mpg according to the Miles/Gal indicator which is right I'm sure~!

 

[schlep1967]

If you have a battery tender, why are you messing with the automotive style charger? A battery tender can work wonders with a marginal battery. I bought my Battery Tender when my snowmobile battery wouldn't take a charge (even at 2a with a car charger). The BT was half the cost of the cheapest battery, so it was worth a shot. It took like 3 days to condition that battery, but then it was fully charged. That battery lasted 2 more seasons!

I would have plugged in the BT when the battery was dead and let it do its thing. It would have been much better for the battery.

Jim

FYI - some battery tenders/maintainers will not do anything if the battery has a low voltage. I know the cheapy from Harbor Freight will only work if the battry is above 9.7 volts. I also know the one I have from Sears is called a charger/maintainer, it will charge a dead battery. Make sure you read the instructions on anything you are going to hook up to your bike.

To the OP, I think you found the culprit in the led on the charger when not plugged in. So now you know if the charger/maintainer is not plugged in do not hook it up to the bike.

 

[v65infla]

FYI - some battery tenders/maintainers will not do anything if the battery has a low voltage. I know the cheapy from Harbor Freight will only work if the battry is above 9.7 volts. I also know the one I have from Sears is called a charger/maintainer, it will charge a dead battery. Make sure you read the instructions on anything you are going to hook up to your bike.

To the OP, I think you found the culprit in the led on the charger when not plugged in. So now you know if the charger/maintainer is not plugged in do not hook it up to the bike.

Yep, you nailed it. Cheapy HF BT. Which of course is why I didn't use it to recondition the battery in the first place. BTDT and nothing. Bike started fine last night before bed with no charger hooked up and I plugged the BT after. She again fired this morning with no issues. Since I had direct wired the BT and kept the plug under the rear seat for quck and easy plug in's, now I will just put in some inline quick disconnects. Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

 

[BamaRider]

Is the battery a Yusa or of the Chinese variety?

 

[v65infla]

Is the battery a Yusa or of the Chinese variety?

I believe its the Yusa but didn't pull the cover and look recently. Whatever comes stock in new 2010's.

 

[nhdiesel]

Yep, you nailed it. Cheapy HF BT. Which of course is why I didn't use it to recondition the battery in the first place.

I guess using the term "Battery Tender", which is the brand name of the best version available, is what confused me...lol. There is a difference between the Battery Tender brand charger that actually conditions the battery, and the cheap knockoffs which only charge at a slow rate. IMHO, with the real deal available as low as $35, I wouldn't bother with any of the knock-offs, especially since that $35 can save you double that if it prolongs the life of the battery.

An example of prolonging battery life- my '06 still has the original battery, and the original owner used a Battery Tender. The battery is finally starting to get a slight bit weak, but still starts the bike with no problems unless I leave the key on for 10 minutes or so without it running. 42k miles on the ST now. My KLR was still using the original battery when the engine went. My 2003 RX-1 snowmobile still had the original battery in it until 2 seasons ago- thanks to the Battery Tender, because the battery wouldn't take a charge 2 years before that, but the BT got me another 2 years.

Jim