Batteries don't like the cold?

[wizer186]

I posted not too long ago concerning cold weather riding in pittsburgh, think I have a good idea as to what I'm going to be picking up in the next month to be more toasty.

I have been having issues with my battery too though, and I'm curious what you guys think. I keep having a hard time starting the bike, it's died on me several times this past month. I think this might be because I'm not giving it enough time on my battery tender (and it's getting down to the teens like every day/night), 3 hours here, 2 hours there before I go places. It's a 12 v/2 amp contraption i picked up a couple years ago. Has the option to go 12 volt/6 amps I think though. Either way, it seriously has been dying on my like every other day. This is more of an issue when I'm at my girlfriends for a day or two and let it sit there, the cold kills the battery while I'm there. Plus it just died for the first time while I was at work, had to walk home, not happy about it.

Anyway, do you guys think that it's me not letting it charge for long enough given that it's so cold out, or should this not be so serious of an issue and I need a new battery? It's a bit irritating to hook it up because I don't have a quick connector type apparatus, have to get under the gas tank every time I want to hook it up. In fact, there isn't an adapter that anyone know of, is there? That'd be nice...

 

[Norbert]

What are you doing to drain the battery? High beams and heated gear in stop and go traffic? Something like that would drain the battery before it can be recharged.

If this is the original battery that's been in your 2006 bike, then you should just buy a new battery anyways.

If you buy a battery tender: Battery Tender - Home of the Battery Tender Jr. - Batterytender.com,
put a SAE lead on the battery terminals. Have it stick out near your handlebars.

You can even do something fancy and hookup the sae lead to a 12v adapter to charge stuff in a tank bag.

BTW heat harms batteries more than cold....

 

[wizer186]

No heated gear or high beams, but I don't ride it very far at a time, maybe 10-15 minutes and there is definitely some stop and go at times. I'm pretty sure it's the cold though, because I had no problems with this until winter decided to descend on Pittsburgh full force and the days when it stays warmer (like upper 30s low 40s, "warm" by pittsburgh standards) I don't have these problems. It's a pretty strong correlation: 10-20 degrees and I'm going to have an issue starting the bike if I haven't put it on the tender for a couple hours first, every time.

I actually have a battery tender. What I was curious about was whether there was an adapter for those leads to be hooked up to mini jumper cable type connectors. My tender didn't come with those, have to prop the tank up every time I want to charge it up.

Unfortunately I'm not sure if that battery is the original, I had it sold to me 2 years ago used. It probably is though.

 

[no.1partsguy]

No batteries don't like the cold, I have been in parts sales for many years and have seen many motorcycle and atv batteries that have gone bad. Just going on what you have said about having to charge the battery recently I would have to say you battery is going bad and needs replacement, having said this based on conditions I have seen in the northeast your typical motorcycle batteries last about two years and car battery's last about five years. Again I am not an expert but that is where I would start. I have also seen motorcycle batteries only last a few days due to an internal short, and some over five years when properly maintained. One more piece of advise I will give you is when you buy a new battery is follow the directions to the letter. It is imperative to get a good initial charge in the battery. As OMG_WTF said a battery tender is a great idea. Hope this helps. Let me know how it works out for you. :thumbup:

 

[Norbert]

No heated gear or high beams, but I don't ride it very far at a time, maybe 10-15 minutes and there is definitely some stop and go at times. I'm pretty sure it's the cold though, because I had no problems with this until winter decided to descend on Pittsburgh full force and the days when it stays warmer (like upper 30s low 40s, "warm" by pittsburgh standards) I don't have these problems. It's a pretty strong correlation: 10-20 degrees and I'm going to have an issue starting the bike if I haven't put it on the tender for a couple hours first, every time.

I actually have a battery tender. What I was curious about was whether there was an adapter for those leads to be hooked up to mini jumper cable type connectors. My tender didn't come with those, have to prop the tank up every time I want to charge it up.

Unfortunately I'm not sure if that battery is the original, I had it sold to me 2 years ago used. It probably is though.

does your battery have a date stamp on it?

this may help:

sae lead to alligator clip


i would charge the battery, check the voltage, start the bike and check the voltage again.

how do you know if you have fully charged your battery anyways? what charger do you have? does it indicate full charge?

EDIT: after you've checked the battery charge, rev the engine a bit and see if the charge goes up. just to be sure the charging system is ok.

 

[Def]

Sound advice from OMG_WTF and no1partsguy. For what its worth, my mechanic told me that our FZ6's charging system doesnt charge the battery unless the bike is ridden at 5000 rpm and higher. If your riding at very low rpm's, (less than 5000rpm) you may be draining the battery on your short rides, especially in colder weather. A battery tender should help but if the battery is the original one, a new battery is most likely your problem.

 

[no.1partsguy]

Does the bike have a check engine code? This post was up the other night hope it helps.
:thumbup:

http://www.600riders.com/forum/garage-mechanical-help/35293-fz6-bike-problem-error-code-46-a.html

 

[Red Wazp]

A fully charged good battery has half it's cranking power at 0 degrees so the cold will separate the good from the bad or soon to be real quick.
Sounds like your due for a new battery.
Be sure to only use a charger for motorcycle batteries as a car charger can easily over cook your battery if you leave it on too long and then it's toast.
I grew up in Minnesota and learned about cold and batteries the hard way more than once, thay really don't like -40.

 

[Motogiro]

A fully charged good battery has half it's cranking power at 0 degrees so the cold will separate the good from the bad or soon to be real quick.
Sounds like your due for a new battery.
Be sure to only use a charger for motorcycle batteries as a car charger can easily over cook your battery if you leave it on too long and then it's toast.
I grew up in Minnesota and learned about cold and batteries the hard way more than once, thay really don't like -40.

I also remember living in the cold and having a bad battery freeze because the electrolyte balance was bad. Expanded/ruptured case and bent elements internally. Cold can be a real problem when a battery is so so....The battery will seem fine till the temps drop. So the electrolyte's ability to store a charge has a role in the ability of cold to solidify the electrolyte.

Let's all take a little trip into the quantum physics world inside the battery's electrolyte.

Us- Whoa!!!!! it's a little stinky in here! Oh! That's right! Sulfuric acid!!!

Atoms- We're all a little lactose intolerant! Who are you!?

Us- We're from the FZ-6 Forum and took a little cyber trip here to find out why this battery is not producing cranking amps while it's cold.

Atoms- Well we're all still here but we're all huddling together and when you guys in the real world call we're a little slow, not to mention some of us have our tongues stuck/frozen to those lead plates.

Us- So your saying if it warms up you'll all be behaving as before?

Atoms- Well as long as the cold isn't too severe for too long. We won't be as tightly bound.

Us- Well you used to deliver cranking amps/ freely bound electrons, in the same coldness, but now you don't?

Atoms- We lost some members.

Us- What do you mean you lost some members?

Atoms- Some went off and married/bonded with other molecules and some... well.... there's thing thing called, "The Space Time Continuum"


Us- Uh, well, maybe we better head back to our own world!

Atoms- Yeah.... Why don't you and your little motorcycle "Tron" cyber buddies ride on out of here.... :Flip: :BLAA:

We all return safely to our real world. Where ever that is.....Yeah yeah yeah, okay, some members wanted to come home through a worm hole.....

Mrs. Motogiro- Why does it stink in here!?!?!

Motogiro- Well honey, my forum friends and I just took this exciting, incredible cyber trip into the bowels of a lead acid battery!

Mrs. Motogiro- No you didn't! You had milk and cookies last night didn't you!?!?!

Mrs. Motogiro pushes Motogiro off his chair onto the floor.....:rockon:

Battery technology is a little different today in that there are better combinations of chemicals and components.
Here is some basic information. Lead

 

[Norbert]

^^^ Wow. Just...wow.

 

[wizer186]

I agree on the wow. Wow. :-o

So it seems I need a new battery. Fantabulous. They're like $5, right?

 

[08fz6]

Like said before if it is the original battery, then it is most likely spent. I recommend staying away from Walmart batteries. A few people have had luck with them, but that number is very few! You should get a battery tender and whenever you are not riding your bike keep it plugged in.

 

[FB400]

Ok so this opens up the topic as to what batteries are good. I have an 06/original battery and although the battery has been perfect I won't push it much further.

The stock Yuasa units seem to run over $100, worth it I think for 5 years of riding but wondering if some of the lesser priced ones ( in 50-70 range) work just as well.

 

[Motogiro]

I think the life of a battery can depend on other factors beside time. If it's been maintained and not abused it may stay healthy for a long time.
It might be good to charge it and have it load tested. That way you have a truer idea of what condition the battery is in and can make an even better economical decision.
That gives me an idea. I'm going to find a load tester for testing batteries! Prolly not cheap though....

 

[Motogiro]

Actually.....Actron Manufacturing CP7612 Battery Load Tester
Cheaper than I thought!

 

[flash]

Batteries do have a finite life. The more times it's dicharged fully, the shorter its life! You will definitly have to replace your battery. I continually ride my fz in sub zero weather and it starts fine. You may also have a contstant draw on the battery, easy to check with a multimeter.

 

[08fz6]

Yuasa if bought through a Parts Unlimited dealer carries a 1 year no questions asked replacement warranty. Walmart pro-rates. In other words its a percentage off per time. My thought goes like this. The battery is under the tank. You can buy a battery for half the price but in order to make it worth it, it is going to have to last at least half the time of the Yuasa which is usually 5 years. But then you also have to factory in your time with screwing around with changing the battery. so to me I buy Yuasa. But as many things, the choice is yours.... No matter what you do, I would buy a battery tender!

 

[Motogiro]

Yuasa if bought through a Parts Unlimited dealer carries a 1 year no questions asked replacement warranty. Walmart pro-rates. In other words its a percentage off per time. My thought goes like this. The battery is under the tank. You can buy a battery for half the price but in order to make it worth it, it is going to have to last at least half the time of the Yuasa which is usually 5 years. But then you also have to factory in your time with screwing around with changing the battery. so to me I buy Yuasa. But as many things, the choice is yours.... No matter what you do, I would buy a battery tender!

I agree unless it's a real hardship spend a few more bucks for the better battery.