PSA regarding batteries

[Erdoc48]

I just got home from a ride today on the 94 ST- I have some ABS1 issues anyway (I think the front sensor is faulty according to fault code)- I was about 3/4 done with the ride (so ~ 35 miles from home)- pulled into a gas station and everything shut off not to start again (on the way to the station, I was getting a Christmas tree set of lights for ABS and TCS despite repeatedly hitting the warning light button to disable same on the way to the gas station for something to drink). Battery was completely flat (and fired the bike fine from home- I keep it on a Deltran Battery Tender that showed it fully charged when I left this AM)- I guess the moral of the story is check your battery to see if it’s still good (I think mine isn’t too old, maybe 4 years old, and is an AGM type)- not completely sure why it failed so abruptly, but the new one got me home no issue (my neighbor drove to Batteries Plus, picked me up a battery, I called them to ask them to charge it fully, and he came to my location and I installed it quickly) and after installation, it fired up as normal- the old batt was so flat it would display the clock at 1:00 but if I turned the key, the clock would shut off. I have an 8 year old LiFePO4 battery in the 2000…maybe I should consider replacing that one as well. Also, no wonky dash lights on the way home (I guess the memory cleared but no recurrence of the flashing lights).

 

[dduelin]

Check the charging system. A carbed bike like the 1100 would probably get you 35 miles home on a brand new battery but not much further. Low voltage before the gas stop might have something to do with the warning lights.

 

[Uncle Phil]

The ST1100 ABS system (especially the ABSII) does all sorts of funny things when the battery is heading south.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Check the charging system.

Definitely, proper protocol and should be standard practice.
A battery should never be replaced without checking the charging system, and making sure that there is no parasitic current drain.
Not doing so might just result in replacing the battery again in the not to distant future.

 

[Erdoc48]

Unfortunately, I’m not an electrical genius. I do have a question though. I connected my voltmeter to the battery (the old one) and let it sit. The voltages are all over the place from a high of 12.88 V down to about 10.8 V and this is with no load on the battery out of the motorcycle. I’m making some assumptions that maybe the battery has some internal shorts as a cause of varying voltage. I’ll have to look up how to check the charging system because I am not aware of how to do that. I just cleaned up all the wiring of the accessories. I have done all the work I need to do in the garage and fired it up and fires just fine with the new battery.

 

[wjbertrand]

If your ‘94 has not had the 28A stator upgraded to the 40A alternator, I suspect the stator has failed and the warning lights are a symptom of the low system voltage. Check the voltage at the battery with the engine off and running. The service manual calls for checking this at 5000 RPM. Voltage should be higher with the engine running than when it’s off. You should be seeing 13.5-High 14.X volts. If voltage drops with the engine running, your stator is probably toast.

 

[Al st1100]

Unfortunately, I’m not an electrical genius. I do have a question though. I connected my voltmeter to the battery (the old one) and let it sit. The voltages are all over the place from a high of 12.88 V down to about 10.8 V and this is with no load on the battery out of the motorcycle. I’m making some assumptions that maybe the battery has some internal shorts as a cause of varying voltage. I’ll have to look up how to check the charging system because I am not aware of how to do that. I just cleaned up all the wiring of the accessories. I have done all the work I need to do in the garage and fired it up and fires just fine with the new battery.

Of course it's going to start just fine with a fresh charged battery but will it start again after a 100 mile trip. Check the charging voltage. 28 amp alternators are prone to failing.

 

[SMSW]

Your experience is why I put a voltmeter on my dashboard on my VStrom (and one on my '76 Guzzi). I check it now and then for battery voltage while riding - its always over 13 volts.

You might take your old battery to a service station (or decent auto parts store) and ask them to load test it. I like the old fashioned testers that put a heating element in the circuit and have an analog voltmeter. I don't know how reliable the newer (read sometimes cheap) electronic testers are.

 

[dwalby]

Unfortunately, I’m not an electrical genius. I do have a question though. I connected my voltmeter to the battery (the old one) and let it sit. The voltages are all over the place from a high of 12.88 V down to about 10.8 V and this is with no load on the battery out of the motorcycle. I’m making some assumptions that maybe the battery has some internal shorts as a cause of varying voltage. I’ll have to look up how to check the charging system because I am not aware of how to do that. I just cleaned up all the wiring of the accessories. I have done all the work I need to do in the garage and fired it up and fires just fine with the new battery.

forget about the old battery, concentrate on using your voltmeter to check the charging voltage. Its simple, attach both leads to the battery same way you're checking the old one now, start the bike, and rev it a bit. If you don't see something in the 13.8-14.4v range, then your alternator is suspect.

I've had a battery fail like you described, started the bike without issue, then 30 miles later dead flat, so it can happen. But, you need to verify it was a battery failure and not a drained battery caused by an alternator failure.

 

[Erdoc48]

^^ I’ll do that today- I have SAE leads on it (for a Battery Tender) so I can use them for the probes of the voltmeter and check its charging.

I’m now paranoid such that I bought an Antigravity AZ-10 this AM for the 2000 ST (as the existing Deltran batt is 8 years old)- might be fine for longer, maybe not.

 

[dduelin]

^^ I’ll do that today- I have SAE leads on it (for a Battery Tender) so I can use them for the probes of the voltmeter and check its charging.

I’m now paranoid such that I bought an Antigravity AZ-10 this AM for the 2000 ST (as the existing Deltran batt is 8 years old)- might be fine for longer, maybe not.

At this point everything is suspect. Check the battery voltage right at the battery terminals. Place the multi meter probes on the terminals themselves not on any wires or fittings connected to the terminals. The standing voltage should be in the 12.2 to 12.8 range, not super important for this test at this time. Then start the engine and with 3000 to 5000 rpm see if the voltage at the battery rises above the previous observed standing voltage. Ideally you should observe about 13.6 to 14.4 volts at 5000 rpm.

 

[Erdoc48]

OK, I just checked (and this is via the SAE leads, not direct to the battery as I didn’t take the bike further into the garage from its parking space- so lack of space right next to the bike right when I was doing this):
-bike off, no load: 13.8V
-ignition on, non started (so lights on- all LEDs): steady at 12.25V
-bike started, fuel enricher on holding engine at ~ 3K RPM: 14.26V

I think I’m good. I hope so. I can’t believe I didn’t think to use the voltmeter this way, so thanks for the tips.

 

[Nashcat]

Battery Tender sells a digital voltmeter that plugs into a SAE charge pigtail. I use mine on both bikes, a couple of mowers, and a ATV. Smaller than a pack of chewing gum. Easiest way I’ve found to check voltage on the road.

 

[Erdoc48]

Battery Tender sells a digital voltmeter that plugs into a SAE charge pigtail. I use mine on both bikes, a couple of mowers, and a ATV. Smaller than a pack of chewing gum. Easiest way I’ve found to check voltage on the road.

I like that- I might get one

 

[red one]

I just got home from a ride today on the 94 ST- I have some ABS1 issues anyway (I think the front sensor is faulty according to fault code)- I was about 3/4 done with the ride (so ~ 35 miles from home)- pulled into a gas station and everything shut off not to start again (on the way to the station, I was getting a Christmas tree set of lights for ABS and TCS despite repeatedly hitting the warning light button to disable same on the way to the gas station for something to drink). Battery was completely flat (and fired the bike fine from home- I keep it on a Deltran Battery Tender that showed it fully charged when I left this AM)- I guess the moral of the story is check your battery to see if it’s still good (I think mine isn’t too old, maybe 4 years old, and is an AGM type)- not completely sure why it failed so abruptly, but the new one got me home no issue (my neighbor drove to Batteries Plus, picked me up a battery, I called them to ask them to charge it fully, and he came to my location and I installed it quickly) and after installation, it fired up as normal- the old batt was so flat it would display the clock at 1:00 but if I turned the key, the clock would shut off. I have an 8 year old LiFePO4 battery in the 2000…maybe I should consider replacing that one as well. Also, no wonky dash lights on the way home (I guess the memory cleared but no recurrence of the flashing lights).

I had to replace my Yuasa battery this year at only 5 years. Old ones use to be good for 8,9,10 years.