Damn flat battery

[agf]

Flat /dead ....either way I am now sitting waiting for a train
Must have left the parking light on.damn damn damn
So I now have a question or two:
Do I have to disconnect the batt. to charge it? Should I take it out of the bike?
The owners manual specifies a particular type of charger, I just have a trickle car batt.charger,if I use that can I really stuff the battery?
I feel like a goose for not checkiing like I usually do when I lock up
Thanks folks, for any advice

Sent from the phone: sorry 'bout my spileng, fat fingers...you know!

 

[Humperdinkel]

Mate , if its only flat from leaving the park light on then clutch start it & go for a ride...... Problem solved :thumbup: its a win win win

 

[agf]

Thanks Dan, its totally dead and I have a decent hill out front of home, so its def a good option, I was just already late and if it didnt start wasnt looking forward to pushing it back up the hill again. But tonight as long as the storms dont hit I will be taking that option
Ta mate

Sent from the phone: sorry 'bout my spileng, fat fingers...you know!

 

[Evitzee]

If it's totally flat you may not have enough juice in it to prime the FI system, and just riding it a few times around the block won't charge it. It has to be charged externally at this point. You don't have to pull it out but as long as the tank is raised and all that yank it out and recharge it. And get a Battery Tender for next time.

 

[Motogiro]

You can jump start it from your cage as long as the cage motor is not running. Jump start it and take it for a long ride! :BLAA:

Do you have a key position just after the forks lock that is parking light position where the running lights stay lit?

 

[agf]

hey thanks for the advice. Just went to a local bike shop they are out of trickle chargers but he explained that a regular charger will just keep going whereas a tender will stop when full charge is reached.
He reckons use the car batt. charger, leave it on for 4-5 hours then take it for a run.
He said I may have killed one of the cells and the batt. could be cactus. Any thoughts on that one folks.
Its the orig. battery in an '09 that I bought new in Feb '10 and this is the first time I have let it go flat/dead.

 

[agf]

And Yes Cliff, the key position is just a small click after the steering lock. I wish I could disable that little sucker.
Its prob going to rain bucket loads tonight so I might take it out and just charge it as its easier to do than turn the car around and get the bike out to the car in the wet and lift the tank etc. seeing as the bike is in the shed , nice 'n dry and the charger is there and I dont really want to go out in the weather we are expecting...
....

 

[Motogiro]

And Yes Cliff, the key position is just a small click after the steering lock. I wish I could disable that little sucker.
Its prob going to rain bucket loads tonight so I might take it out and just charge it as its easier to do than turn the car around and get the bike out to the car in the wet and lift the tank etc. seeing as the bike is in the shed , nice 'n dry and the charger is there and I dont really want to go out in the weather we are expecting...
....

Adrian,
You can leave the battery in the bike and just disconnect the negative lead only. Tie the lead from touching the battery negative while you charge the battery.

If you have one of those foam ear plugs, stuff it under the battery terminal nut so that the earplug expands and holds the nut in it's cage.

They didn't put an earplug under me and I escaped from my cage. :spank: :BLAA:

 

[Motogiro]

hey thanks for the advice. Just went to a local bike shop they are out of trickle chargers but he explained that a regular charger will just keep going whereas a tender will stop when full charge is reached.
He reckons use the car batt. charger, leave it on for 4-5 hours then take it for a run.
He said I may have killed one of the cells and the batt. could be cactus. Any thoughts on that one folks.
Its the orig. battery in an '09 that I bought new in Feb '10 and this is the first time I have let it go flat/dead.

A trick you can do to limit current from the regular car charger is to use a 12 VDC tail lamp bulb as a series resistor. So you would run a lead from the charger to the center pin on the bulb and then a wire from the metal base on the bulb to the battery. (Even easier if you have a spare bulb socket. This makes a series resistor and limits the current to what can flow through the filament. As the battery charges the lamp will dim as the battery's own internal resistance climbs.
A typical 1156 12.8 VDC will basically limit current to + - 2 amps. I don't know the safe charging amperage for a bike battery but this is probably a safe starting current as apposed to throwing a 20 amp car battery charger on the bike's battery. If your charging it over night use a lower wattage 12 volt lamp like a tag bulb in series.

Most of all wear safety eye wear when working with batteries!

 

[agf]

Thanks Cliff, the charger I have is for bikes and small cars so I will check what it runs at but that is a clever idea for limiting the current supply and a good indicator that the battery is getting juiced. I'll run it from 6-10 tonight and keep a close eye on it like the bike shop guy reccomended.
the other thing I will diefinately do is put an old ear plug under the nut so when I put the battery terminals back on I can screw the little critters up w/out a bunch of swearing, don't know who posted that little tip but I reckon for simplicity , it's a corker

and the bold tip of safety specs... YOU BET, bad enough going deaf in one ear but losing sight that'd suck big tme
cheers ade

 

[Circle]

A trick you can do to limit current from the regular car charger is to use a 12 tail lamp bulb as a series resistor. So you would run a lead from the charger to the center pin on the bulb and then a wire from the metal base on the bulb to the battery. (Even easier if you have a spare bulb socket. This makes a series resistor and limits the current to what can flow through the filament. As the battery charges the lamp will dim as the battery's own internal resistance climbs.
A typical 1156 12.8 VDC will basically limit current to + - 2 amps. I don't know the safe charging amperage for a bike battery but this is probably a safe starting current as apposed to throwing a 20 amp car battery charger on the bike's battery. If your charging it over night use a lower wattage 12 volt lamp like a tag bulb in series.

Most of all wear safety eye wear when working with batteries!

I confess Cliff. I didn't read all your post, but I saw numbers.
I love motorcycle chess club. I enjoy reading all the dyno charts, wiring diagrams, and 5 star procedures in the Haynes manual.
Cheers mate!

agf - I threw a SAE connector with a fuse to the battery (Powerlet) and now I'm able to charge every the bike every week and charge the phone on the tours.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Most motorcycle chargers max the amperage input to 1.25 amps.

If the voltage is real low, the charger probably will not recognize its even hooked up to a battery. You'll have to jump it (as Cliff mentioned earlier) to get it started.

The battery isn't that old however a long slow drain is the worst way to kill a battery..

Good luck..

 

[agf]

Charged it last night for 4 hours, got the fuel pump going but nada on turning it over.
got up at 5.45 this am and left it on charge til 8, re-fitted batt. and cover, tank etc
fired her up let it run for 10 min or so then a good run into work.
will try and turn it over at lunch then again at 4.30
if its dead at either of those checks...new batt. time
if she fires up the way she normally does, I'm going for a longer ride....coz I can!
will look into the SAE connector option when I buy a trickle charger,
and I was going to put a lamp in the circuit but the only one I had, had been floating around for a few years, went to solder a wire onto its base and it just collapsed all over the shop, think I might get a globe and base as a precautionary item in the tool kit thanks all for help and advice

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Charged it last night for 4 hours, got the fuel pump going but nada on turning it over.
got up at 5.45 this am and left it on charge til 8, re-fitted batt. and cover, tank etc
fired her up let it run for 10 min or so then a good run into work.
will try and turn it over at lunch then again at 4.30
if its dead at either of those checks...new batt. time
if she fires up the way she normally does, I'm going for a longer ride....coz I can!
will look into the SAE connector option when I buy a trickle charger,
and I was going to put a lamp in the circuit but the only one I had, had been floating around for a few years, went to solder a wire onto its base and it just collapsed all over the shop, think I might get a globe and base as a precautionary item in the tool kit thanks all for help and advice

The SAE connector to attach to the battery usually comes with the charger (at least with Battery Tenders).

Its about 18" long with a built in fuse..

Make sure your new charger is compatable with an AGM battery (if its a stock battery). They usually charge from .8 amps to a max of 1.25 amp depending on what you get...

BTW, full charge is at approx 5,000 RPM's. Just idleing, your likely running down the battery, NOT charging it...

 

[agf]

Thanks Scott, I'll go down to one of the bike shops today and do a check for the tenders, yesterday Yamaha were out of them but there is a Honda/Kwaka/ KTM/Suzi dealer next door. I think it might pay to get that charger. Can I just leave the SAE sitting under the seat? the hot side is usually pretty well protected isn't it and it has a cover too, yeah?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Thanks Scott, I'll go down to one of the bike shops today and do a check for the tenders, yesterday Yamaha were out of them but there is a Honda/Kwaka/ KTM/Suzi dealer next door. I think it might pay to get that charger. Can I just leave the SAE sitting under the seat? the hot side is usually pretty well protected isn't it and it has a cover too, yeah?

Yes, the SAE plug, hot terminal is covered in rubber, the ground sticks out. There is an opposite side blank plug to put in the main harness when not in use.


From the Amazon site:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327973670&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Battery Tender 021-0123 Battery Tender Junior 12V Battery Charger: Automotive[/ame]


[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0156-Charger-Model/dp/B000NCOKQK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1327973670&sr=8-3"]Amazon.com: Battery Tender 021-0156 Battery Tender Plus 12V Battery Charger True Gel Cell Model: Automotive[/ame]


[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0128-Plus-Charger/dp/B00068XCQU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327973670&sr=8-2]Amazon.com: Battery Tender 021-0128 Battery Tender Plus 12V Battery Charger: Automotive[/ame]



And yes, you can tuck it where you'd like, under the seat is fine. I think I would attach it to the center triangle in the frame so you don't have to pull the seat when plugging in(or somewhere easily accessable).

For my bike, I made a bracket and attached a BMW style electrical outlet and plug direct into there (instead of an SAE connector), just forward of the pillion peg assembly with spring loaded cover..

 

[agf]

I like the plug set up ...very neat,
just been reading about AGM batteries, very interesting reading, thanks for that, you learn new stuff every day

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

With a larger fuse (I have mine fused with a 25), in the new battery lead (it'll probably come with a 5 amp or so fuse), you can now run a portable air compressor, electric clothes, etc, with your new battery lead.

I run a heated vest and heated gloves when weather is chilly with no problems.. (just turn them off at idle/red lights, etc as the charging system can't keep up at low RPM's)

If you can route the lead so you have access to the fuse, WITHOUT RAISING THE TANK, IE: easy access, should the fuse blow, it'll be MUCH easier to change out.

I just re-wired my bike running a + and - INSULATED line direct from the battery, to a power distribution plate velcroed to the inside of the right side fairing. From there, each accessory, GPS, BMW outlet, Stebal air horn all connect to there with fuses right after the block to each accessory. All fuses are easily accesable, wired hot all the time and I have room for more accessories with pullng the gas tank. There's ONE ACCESSORY LEAD to the battery...

 

[agf]

Yeah I have a pair of heavy wires from the batt.running to the stebel horns relay which is in the lh pod so I will tap into that and keep the fuse under the seat I am not sure what fuse came with tender, its purple with an "E" stamped on it but nothing else?? Runing a 25A is a good idea
Its funy the way they supply a lead to avoid getting to the batt. but the fuse is right at the terminal, theres hardly much spare room unxder there as it is....my airbox is still intact!
Sent from the phone: sorry 'bout my spileng, fat fingers...you know!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Yeah I have a pair of heavy wires from the batt.running to the stebel horns relay which is in the lh pod so I will tap into that and keep the fuse under the seat I am not sure what fuse came with tender, its purple with an "E" stamped on it but nothing else?? Runing a 25A is a good idea
Its funy the way they supply a lead to avoid getting to the batt. but the fuse is right at the terminal, theres hardly much spare room unxder there as it is....my airbox is still intact!
Sent from the phone: sorry 'bout my spileng, fat fingers...you know!

I routed my main line from the battery FORWARD and downward into the dark recess. It then exits thru the right side frame opening (behind the steering head), loops back (to avoid the forks when turned to the right) and then goes forward a couple of inches to the fuse block...

Super neat, doesn't bind up or get in the way and looks factory.

I probably spent 4 hours re-wiring everything. The main Stebal horn, (mounted under the left side fairing), hot wire was run (with the GPS line) thru an insulated cover across the the fairing stay to the fuse block.

Both lines were fused there with "Posi-Lock" in-line fuse holders. You simply strip your wire, insert into the fuse holder and tighten the retainer. Run another line out with a connector to the fuse block, DONE!