Battery durability/life

[trebuchet]

OK, I made a total ID10T mistake yesterday. My bike has handgrip heaters, and I left them on when I got to work. (they are not relayed into the ignition circuit) Obviously the battery drained after 8 hours. I jumped it using a battery charger at work, and then removed the battery at home and put it on a 2 amp charger overnight.

I checked it this morning, and it seems to be holding at 12.7 vdc (no load)
My plan is to check it again after work (I caged it today) and if the voltage is the same, reinstall it and see if it's a go'er.

The battery was supposedly new when I bought the bike (used).

Should I just say screw it, and buy a new one? Am I asking for trouble down the road if I keep this one. Should I try to use it for the fall, and buy the new one in the spring?

Inquiring gnomes what to mine...

[Steve-O]

Charge it up for 48 hours before you toss it. I completely drained mine. Took it two days to bring it back up above 13. That was a year ago and the batter is 4 years old.

If the ohm meter doesn't go above 13 in a day or so, it's time for another battery.

BTW: One draining should not kill a battery.

[trebuchet]

I took it off the charger at 0600 this morning. My wife check it at 0845, and it was reading 12.8 vdc.

[litnin]

As Steve-O said, one draining shouldn't kill the battery,
if it was in good health prior.

A battery consists of 6 2.1volt cells, so, in perfect health,
a resting battery should show 12.6 volts.

You showed 12.8 volts after the battery was idle, off the charger,
for almost 3 hours. That is .1 volt is probably within the
margin of error of your meter, so voltage wise,
the battery is fine.

If you put it back in the bike and it turns over and starts without being
lazy, go with it.

Start the bike and measure the charging voltage at about 3k RPM.
If it's 13.8 volts or above and below 14.8 volts, you're in good shape.

[trebuchet]

Thanks for the info guys!!

I will let you know how it turns out this evening.

Now I need to get a relay wired into the ignition line for the damned handgrip heater!

[Shandley]

Originally Posted by trebuchet

Thanks for the info guys!!

I will let you know how it turns out this evening.

Now I need to get a relay wired into the ignition line for the damned handgrip heater!

Rule of thumb:

If you completely drain your battery, it will have a potential of 80% of new.
If you completely drain it again a 2nd time, it will have 60-70% of new.
If you completely drain it again a 3rd time, it will have <50%

Now, they ARE coming out with pulse systems that do work while charging to reduce and to correct sulphating plates but that is probably too $$$ for one battery.

There is another thing you can try to bring a dead battery back to life. You need to SHOCK the plates (it's called a lot of things but thats what I call it). Now, the way to do that is to put a large charge on it for a short ammount of time. I'm talkin 40 amps. If you do that, turn the charger on and off a few times (before you blow the fuse in the charger lol) that COULD extend the life of your battery by kicking off some of the sulphate. WARNING: Somewhat dangerous. I've never had a problem but I've worn goggles, rubber suit and gloves every time. Only do it on lead acid batteries (maybe you can do it on others but I haven't tried)

[trebuchet]

Well, I got home from work and checked the battery. It was showing 12.7 vdc (sitting off the bike). I reintalled and she started right up. I drove around the neighborhoood for 5-10 mins, came home and shut it down. after 5 mins I started it again. It seems to be fine.

After reading the other battery thread, I may replace this "t" battery with a maint free non "t" in the spring.


Thanks again!