Battery keeps dying

[kozy]

So I think this may be a no brainer, but I'm no good with electrical so it couldn't hurt to ask. My bike is forced to sit outside until we buy a house with a garage (SOON hopefully) and nights here drop down into the 40s. I have to park the bike on our patio in order to be able to charge it, and I can only keep it there long enough to get it started and that's all. The cord won't reach all the way to the parking lot. Charge it, ride it right away, no problems. But within 2 or 3 days of sitting in the parking lot, the battery will be dead again. Is this just due to the cold weather at night killing the battery? Or do I have a legit issue? The battery is only 1 year-ish old.

I swear I think it's just the cold doing it, but I want to double check with the pros.

 

[radar-4460]

it might not be getting all the way charged back up. what kind of battery? if its not sealed check acid level if you have to add any thing use distilled water. buy a mutimeter so you can test charging system. it should not go dead that fast.

 

[COP RUNNER]

IF YOU HAVE AN ACID FILLED BATTERY , PUT IT OUT FOR RECYCLING AND DO YOURSELF & YOUR MAX A FAVOR & GET ON OF THESE BATTERIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ! . MINE WAS ONLY A YEAR OLD & BOILED OVER AND ****** UP MY WIRES GOING TO MY RIGHT REAR COIL ! . :bang head::bang head::bang head: . NOW WITH THIS BATTERY , MY MAX SITS OUT IN MY STOCK CAR TRAILER WITH THE HEAT OFF & NO CHARGER , DEAD OF WINTER & STARTS WRIGHT UP EVERY TIME ! , BUY ONE , THEY ARE PRICELESS ! .. TRUST ALL OF US !http://www.vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=8012&highlight=BATTERIES

 

[COP RUNNER]

ps , you could have a drain , disconnect your positive cable , take your key completely out of your ignition & put it in your pocket , hook up a test light wire end with clamp on it , hook to positive disconnected cable , touch point end of test light to positive battery post , test light must have an incandescent bulb ( not led ) , test light should not light , if it does then you have a drain ! .. Respond back & then we will go from there !

 

[sdt354]

Kozy, shouldn't have to charge the batt every night. Something's going on. Agree with Cop Runner on a good battery to start. May not be charging. 40 degrees? A Massachusetts heat wave!

 

[gamorg02]

i leave mine on the tender quite a bit but yea i wouldn't worry about leaving it a few weeks without it. i run a sealed oddysey though. kozy, did you do the crimp fix? batterys have been known to ship bad so it may have not had much life left in it to begin with.

 

[tugla]

+1 on chg the batt, but if you wanted to still use yours do a load test and also if it is a wet cell batt then check the electrolyte level/concentration. might have to just top it off and re-charge. if you got a trickle charger or better yet one that de-sulfates the batt would be way better. Had lots of luck bringing back bad batt with a de-sulfate charger.

 

[Buster Hymen]

Before you change the battery, check to make sure you are getting a proper charge voltage for your battery. Start the bike up and check the voltage at the battery. If it is less than about 13.5 volts, then the battery is not going to properly charge.

 

[95spfldmax]

Before you change the battery, check to make sure you are getting a proper charge voltage for your battery. Start the bike up and check the voltage at the battery. If it is less than about 13.5 volts, then the battery is not going to properly charge.

In addition to all the above check for a drain. Take a test light, remove the pos or neg of battery & connect test lead to cable and touch test light to battery. If it glows at all you have a drain to fix.

If not, there's a problem of some-sort. The bike should for atleast a couple of weeks or more without use.

 

[kozy]

I've got a tender, just can't leave it hooked up to the bike since I don't have a garage. I would risk it being stolen if I did so. I do think that I definitely need to change out the battery to the sealed gel type that many of you mentioned. I don't even remember how much I spent on the acid battery I have now, but I do know it was a cheap-o battery bought at Advance Auto. Once we get a house with a garage, I'll for sure get one of those gel batteries. My spending is on hold until we get a house....as per the wife.

I will also get a volt meter and check the volts at the battery as well when I am all cleared to spend again. Thanks guys!

And I haven't done the "crimp fix" yet....I haven't even heard of it. Time to do some searching and reading!!!

 

[gamorg02]

I've got a tender, just can't leave it hooked up to the bike since I don't have a garage. I would risk it being stolen if I did so. I do think that I definitely need to change out the battery to the sealed gel type that many of you mentioned. I don't even remember how much I spent on the acid battery I have now, but I do know it was a cheap-o battery bought at Advance Auto. Once we get a house with a garage, I'll for sure get one of those gel batteries. My spending is on hold until we get a house....as per the wife.

I will also get a volt meter and check the volts at the battery as well when I am all cleared to spend again. Thanks guys!

And I haven't done the "crimp fix" yet....I haven't even heard of it. Time to do some searching and reading!!!

i feel like everytime a battery issue comes up its from walmart or advance auto or something, i bet thats part of the issue kozy. def go with an odyssey when you get a chance.

can u park ur car next to ur bike and just jump it in the meantime when you need it?

crimp fix:
http://www.vmaxoutlaw.com/tech/crimp.htm

 

[kozy]

can u park ur car next to ur bike and just jump it in the meantime when you need it?

crimp fix:
http://www.vmaxoutlaw.com/tech/crimp.htm

Thanks for the link. I can't really keep my bike parked next to my car to jump it. Sucks.

And go figure....I put the bike on the patio long enough today to get enough charge and start the bike. Battery was deader than a frickin doornail. Got it started after about 30 minutes on the tender. Rode it around for about 25 minutes, and stopped at Walgreens on my way home. Parked the bike for just like 4 minutes. Came back out, and it was dead. Thank god push-starting it worked otherwise I would have been stranded. Can't WAIT to get a garage, new battery, multimeter, and test light thingy.