Out of curiosity and ignorance, does plugging in a heated jacket and turning up the heated grips shorten the life of a battery?
Keeny from BC Canada
Keeny from BC Canada
How long did your Yuasa YTZ14S last?
- Thread starter nhdiesel
- Start date
OP
OP
No. With few exceptions, the battery in nearly every motor vehicle is a "starting battery", meaning they are made for quick, high current loads (starting). Your electrical system is designed to power all items on the bike, including accessories, from the charging system, not the battery. You just have to make sure the total current draw from all accessories doesn't exceed the charging capacity of the alternator. The alternator is capable of running some accessories while still charging the battery after use. If you exceed the charging capacity, the battery will go dead over time while you ride. This most often happens with people who have full heated gear installed, aftermarket lighting, and some other items, that can bring you to the edge of what the alternator can put out. Combine that with low power output at low RPMs, and the problem usually shows up during extended stop and go traffic, where the bike has to idle for long periods, supplying very little power.
So if you have a lot of high draw electrical accessories, turn some off if you get stuck in traffic for a long time.
+1 on nhdiesel's reply. In addition, if you can find a pair of Honda heated grips, they are designed to stop drawing electrical power when the bike is idling. As soon as you get going again (increase RPMs), the heat is back on. OTOH, my Gerbings heated gear draws power anytime they're plugged in and the bike is running ... at idle speed or riding speed, they're drawing current. BTW, my 12VDC plug for the Gerbing's is on a relay so electrical current is not drawn when the engine is off.
+1
Not having farkles triggered by acc power is a good way to kill a battery.
Ball park your heated liner is about the same as oem head lights.
OP
OP
The only things I don't have switched through my relay and main fuse panel are my heated jacket (didn't have the new plug when I ran my wiring) and my right side power outlet (I only use it for the Battery Tender). The only time the jacket is a problem is when I decide to stop at the Iron Butt Motel and forget to turn it off when I lay back against the top box for a nap. I do sleep well when I'm warm and comfy though! Luckily that was with my old battery (original), and even after 20 minutes, when I realized what I had done, it started right up. That wouldn't have happened with the Scorpion!
These are good tips and most enlightening. I do have Honda heated grip, installed after market. It is wired thought the ignition switch. I did not know they stop drawing when the bike is idling. How do I tell it is working as described? Does the light on the controller goes out or flash or something?
The heated jacket is another story. it is controlled manually by me. I do turn it off in heavy stop and go traffic to preserve the battery.
Kenny
The heated jacket is another story. it is controlled manually by me. I do turn it off in heavy stop and go traffic to preserve the battery.
Kenny
st11ray
2006 ST1300
My OEM on my '06 was replaced under warranty a week shy of the 3 year OEM warranty expiration. The replacement is still in the bike. I'm not religious with my battery tender use either.
i just put a shoria battery in my 07 battery was still starting but i figured it was gonna go the shoria battery barely started the next day it was about 30 degrees out never had that problem with oem
Throttlejockey
Padden is my hero
You should not have a problem with battery draw on the 1300 running heated accessories.
OP
OP
Sounds like my Scorpion. I'm still fighting them trying to get it covered...but I just sold a set of truck axles and might order one of the OEMs through our vendor and tell Scorpion off.
Yes, the light(s) go out at idle, then come back on when RPMs increase.
Sorry for the dead thread revival, but my OEM 2006 ST1300 battery just died.
I had bought a replacement on 11/08/2012 (from a thread here that I can no longer find) and put the OEM in my Cub Cadet lawn tractor. It's been going strong ever since.
It's only a Kohler 8HP, but the battery has been great! I haven't kept it on a tender. Cub stays in unconnected garage and only gets used for cutting the grass.
I put the MC battery in it because I was sick of the "lawn tractor" batteries from walmart only lasting a couple/few years.
From now on my old MC batteries go in the Cub.
The Yuasa is physically around 2/3 the size of the normal Cub battery so I blocked it in.
I had bought a replacement on 11/08/2012 (from a thread here that I can no longer find) and put the OEM in my Cub Cadet lawn tractor. It's been going strong ever since.
It's only a Kohler 8HP, but the battery has been great! I haven't kept it on a tender. Cub stays in unconnected garage and only gets used for cutting the grass.
I put the MC battery in it because I was sick of the "lawn tractor" batteries from walmart only lasting a couple/few years.
From now on my old MC batteries go in the Cub.
The Yuasa is physically around 2/3 the size of the normal Cub battery so I blocked it in.