Here's a quick way to test your battery
- Using your voltmeter just check the voltage if it is under 12.5 volts, the battery will need some more charging.
- Don't bother testing without a fully charged battery,you will get a false result!
- 12.5 to 12.8 is fully charged. If you just took it off the charger and it reads above 12.8 volts, let it sit 30 minutes or so to dissipate this "surface charge"
- Connect the battery up to the bike, and connect the voltmeter to the battery. Turn the headlight on to high beam. The voltage should drop to just over 12 volts. Leave the headlight on for three minutes and monitor the voltmeter. It may drop to just under 12 volts,but it should stay above 11.5. If it goes below 11 volts at this point, and it was fully charged to begin with, it's junk. After 3 minutes turn off the headlight.
Now you are testing "recovery". After 2 minutes(no longer),reconnect the voltmeter. It should be back up to at least 12.5 volts. If not replace the battery.
While passing this test will not necessarily eliminate your battery as a cause of your problems (if you have any), if it fails this test, you know it's bad, so there is no sense in going further until the battery is replaced.
If you do have to replace your battery consider a heavy duty version as this will make the bike turn over a little quicker and will also improve cold starting. Standard battery (or equivalent) is the Yuasa YTX14-BS and has 200CCA. The Heavy duty version is the Yuasa YTX14H-BS which has 240CCA.
Great how to thank you
Quote from: gsxbarmy on Wednesday, 09 March 2022, 07:18 PM
Here's a quick way to test your battery
- Using your voltmeter just check the voltage if it is under 12.5 volts, the battery will need some more charging.
- Don't bother testing without a fully charged battery,you will get a false result!
- 12.5 to 12.8 is fully charged. If you just took it off the charger and it reads above 12.8 volts, let it sit 30 minutes or so to dissipate this "surface charge"
- Connect the battery up to the bike, and connect the voltmeter to the battery. Turn the headlight on to high beam. The voltage should drop to just over 12 volts. Leave the headlight on for three minutes and monitor the voltmeter. It may drop to just under 12 volts,but it should stay above 11.5. If it goes below 11 volts at this point, and it was fully charged to begin with, it's junk. After 3 minutes turn off the headlight.
Now you are testing "recovery". After 2 minutes(no longer),reconnect the voltmeter. It should be back up to at least 12.5 volts. If not replace the battery.
While passing this test will not necessarily eliminate your battery as a cause of your problems (if you have any), if it fails this test, you know it's bad, so there is no sense in going further until the battery is replaced.
If you do have to replace your battery consider a heavy duty version as this will make the bike turn over a little quicker and will also improve cold starting. Standard battery (or equivalent) is the Yuasa YTX14-BS and has 200CCA. The Heavy duty version is the Yuasa YTX14H-BS which has 240CCA.
Just tested my Motobatt YT14 3yo battery using this procedure, as I was suspecting the battery was on the way out. Results below:
1) Battery fully charged via my 10Ah 3 Stage charger, was on for >2h, the fully charged light was green. Connected multi meter and read 13.14 V
2) let the battery 'rest' for 30 min then reconnected my mm and read 12.79V
3) battery installed into bike, switched on headlight, ignition and indicator, plus put my foot on the brake, as I have all LEDs so the current draw would be minimal, I was trying to maximise the current draw. After 3min the mm read 12.29V. The rate of voltage drop was low as expected with LEDs.
4) turned off ignition, so removing all load from the battery. Kept the mm connnected, and after 2min, I was reading 12.63V, so recovery seems to be ok.
Been having starting problems, as I haven't been out on the 1400 for a bit.
Seems battery is ok, am kinda disappointed as I was hoping to justify fitting a SSB LFP14H-BS, this is the lithium equivalent of the Yuasa YTX14H......the SSB is currently available on eBay (AU) for 179.99 delivered, 12months wty. New Yuasa is around 240 ex USA. Century batteries do a YT14H-BS as well, 160 bucks from our SuperCheap Auto stores.
Will see and check battery again later tonight to see if any further voltage drop or parasitic losses.
Pretty good info above but not quite. Charge it up, load it up, headlight, just a minute. Still should be 12.6, if not, throw it. If still 12.6, check cranking volts, 9.5 is minimum acceptable. If not, throw it. I have several pulse batt testers, dont test unless no load volts around 12.5. They test cca, cold cranking amps, the best way. Bike batts arent really that good. My original Yuasa lasted 9 yrs, new Yuasa nowhere as good. Fitted Moto Batt, lasted 13 months. Fitted SSB, lasted 13 months, they replaced it, now nearly 3 yrs. Deka seem to get nod as the best. If you go Lithium, make sure it has BMS, Batt Management System, others can explode. I fitted $400 Lithium to Diavel, could sit 3 months and still start it. Bit of luck involved in batt choice.
One of my testers
Thanks mate, will check cranking voltage. From what you said, even with low current draw from leds, seems battery is still cactus at 12.26V
Tested cranking voltage today, remember from last post battery was 100 charged and appeared to pass the initial load and recovery test.
Pressing the starter button saw the cranking voltage drop to 8.4V almost instantly, a few cranks later 4.5 to 5V.
So I can confirm this battery is now the way of the Dodo.
Interestingly my SSB lithium battery I'm watching on ebay just became $25 cheaper due to a well timed ebay promo.
Just need to find that credit card....
grog those testers are the schizzle eh. They tell the true story.
Interestingly just recently 'The Car Wizard' on youtube posted a good video about battery testing and diagnostic equipment.
Just to add a bit to this, even though it's about the auxiliary battery in the Merc, it is the same size & type as the 14 battery.
I had a "Auxiliary battery malfunction" warning come up on the dash, I know it's the same physical dimensions and capacity as the bikes battery. so just ordered one of them. (Poweroad NanoGel)
When I got the original one out & tested it, it was at 12.6v, hmmm me thinks, so put it on the digital load tester, came up as 7% health - 55cca only (should have been 200 - 220cca) so, you can have what appears to be correct / acceptable voltage, but not have the ah (aka grunt) needed to do the job. Volts is just 1 part of the equation.
The battery I took out was 9 years old, going by the date engraved into it. (021113)
Col does your Merc have stop/start? That's often what an auxiliary battery is for. (not always by any means)
Yeah, stop / start, but apparently it's for shifting the electronic auto trans from park to whatever you select should your main battery be low / flat, enabling it to be shifted. Probably does lots of other stuff too, but it's got a new start battery & a new auxiliary now, so should be good for a fair while now.
I mostly turn the Stop /Start off as it's really only worthwhile if you're stopped longer than 30 seconds. Where I live now, 3 cars at an intersection constitutes a traffic jam! Love the small town environment compared to the city chaos.
Wheres the new little town Col?
Hi, I replied to this yesterday, but it's gone??? How odd, must of forgot to push post? Anyway, I'll try & remember what I wrote.
New home town is Westport. It's still in the South Island but on the West coast whereas Christchurch is on the East coast. Population approx 4500. Everyone here knows everyone else & newbies like us stand out. Friendly place though & I'm originally from the coast, so it's like coming full circle for me.
Westport used to be the main Cement shipping port, but that's closed down now. Only fishing boats now. I will be launching the boat into the Buller river & going out over the bar to fish, fine on a nice day but even the fishing boats (and cement boats) wouldn't cross it if it was rough. The Greymouth river bar (90 odd k's further south) is much worse than this one. Looking forward to getting out to some new hunting grounds.
We get a lot of rain here, the other week we got 500-600 ml in the hills behind the town, river was at alarm levels, but still just shy of flooding the town - again!
Yeah Col, just disappeared. Seedless from Notty gone also, that was funny.
Noticed that it was gone too. Weird
I reckon the boss has rolled it back a few hours then. Hasn't said & dunno why, but that'd do it.
I guess were off topic but looks a great place to live Col, cold? Coast road looks interesting, good bike road?
Great riding roads mate. . Nah not cold here, well, not like Chch, it's much more mild, wetter yes, but not -4 or -5 cold
My Motobatt battery after about 14 months appeared to have taken a shit yesterday. Great time of the year to be needing a new batt. The bike turned over a coupla times and then did the old grind to a halt. I put the wall wart trickler onto it, waited only about 10 minutes, had no expectations but FFS it started. So I rode the 75K to Duckberg and bought a new SSB.
Actually had a decent ride, most of the potholes have been temp fixed. The rain around this ere parts has left us alone for a coupla weeks. Summer is still to show itself.
So this morning I decided to put the old batt through a test or two before swapping it out. I charged it up and waited for it to settle down. Read 12.75 V, I put the high beam on for 3 minutes, went down to 11.99 V. Let it recover for 2 minutes, went back up to 12.57V.
Cranked it over, went to 10.5V during crank. Recovered back up to 12.5 ish.
So am I to assume it's good?? I'll leave it in there n see if it drains back down.
Would seem to be healthy according to those checks
I forgot to mention, I last rode the bike 2 weeks ago and the battery was fine.
While I'll leave it in for the moment, I won't be surprised if it drains down again. I've always tossed them once they do that, if this one is a goer it would be a first for me. It's good to have a newy in stock now though.
Have a think about investing in a digital battery tester, they don't have to cost the earth & even the budget ones do more than just a battery test. I've got 2 testers, a digital one & a carbon pile one (analogue if ya like) Digital is quick n easy & can test other things, carbon pile is very accurate but dearer & can do a couple of other things. Digital is accurate too, but the carbon pile leaves no doubt, you see it as it happens.
Thanks Col, doubt is my middle name though :smile2:
Nic, my Motobatt lasted 13 months. SSB was fitted, lasted 13 months. They gave me a freebie, lasted 3 yrs, just installed same. I sell Motobatt, suposed to, havent for nearly 4 yrs since mine stuffed up. Yuasa the choice on lots on this site, Japanese batts, made USA, China, India, Thailand etc etc, not all the same. Original Yuasa lasted 9 yrs. Japanese made. 3 yrs is accepted life of a petrol engine batt, 2 for a diesel, rest is just luck. Ive sold/fitted over 600 batts this year, i know what i talk about. Just how it is. Col digital tester the best way, load tester old skool works, multimeter using starter motor as load exact same. 9.5 is min crank voltage, 12.6 is charged batt. Hope this helps.
Thanks Grog, I think it's a crap shoot, 2 years is the best I got out of a bike battery.
Just before I sold Sophie I replaced her ORIGINAL battery.. It was a 12 year old Yuasa
Had the date stamp on the battery case.
I replaced the original Yuasa on my 14 once with another Yuasa, that was about 10 years ago & it was still fine when the scum stole the bike. It'd probably seen a charger about five times in all that time & one of them was when I'd used it for starting the Sprint I had while sorting that from a burnt out stator.
Quote from: KiwiCol on Wednesday, 21 December 2022, 01:35 PMHave a think about investing in a digital battery tester, they don't have to cost the earth & even the budget ones do more than just a battery test. I've got 2 testers, a digital one & a carbon pile one (analogue if ya like) Digital is quick n easy & can test other things, carbon pile is very accurate but dearer & can do a couple of other things. Digital is accurate too, but the carbon pile leaves no doubt, you see it as it happens.
Despite having sufficient testing equipment I bought a continuous monitoring thing. It continuously monitors Voltage, State of Charge, and Temperature. Keeps that data for 72 days. With one tap on the smartphone Cranking Test or Charging Test are ready to go. Results for Cranking Test are Cranking Time in ms and Cranking Voltage and these Data Points are graphed. Results for the Charging Test are Idle Charging Voltage, High Speed Charging Voltage, and Diode Ripple Voltage. For each of these a Bar Graph is displayed.
Since it uses bluetooth, I may put in an on/off-switch as I don't see the need for 24/7 monitoring. Currently the battery is out as season is over for me. There is a slight hope that there will be a day that meets my personal riding criteria (15°C, dry roads, no WE, and no holiday). If that's the case, I'll do the Cranking and Charging tests.
Not much of an investment... costs me a whooping 16.23 € shipping included). German manufacturer.
I've used this CTEK charger for many years it has quick connector and is smart charger it'll trickle up and discharge if left on full time so cycling slowly for extended lack of use helps battery health and longevity 👍
My first battery was a Japanese manufactured Yuasa it lasted 10+ years. I don't remember buying any other brand battery. Stick with what you know works over 23 years 🙏
Agree about CTek Chris.
Good gear C-Tek
Quote from: GSXKING on Saturday, 05 October 2024, 11:46 AMI've used this CTEK charger for many years it has quick connector and is smart charger it'll trickle up and discharge if left on full time so cycling slowly for extended lack of use helps battery health and longevity 👍
My first battery was a Japanese manufactured Yuasa it lasted 10+ years. I don't remember buying any other brand battery. Stick with what you know works over 23 years 🙏
Same CTEK here for many years. 0.8A is what the Dr. ordered for bike batt.
Don't know how long the first batt lasted as PO had put a new one in (DELO from Louis) for the sale. Showed weakness after 2.5 years. Replaced it with YUASA 5 years ago. Got it for 65 € then; DELO cost somewhat over 70€. State of charge shows it at 87% now. Not bad I'd say.