Is my Odyssey PC680 spent?

[Elimax]

Hi folks:

Bought a special Odyssey charger for my 2-year-old PC680, and charged it fully per the charger's instructions. Keep in mind that the battery was completely removed from the bike, with NO attachments (I pulled it it out and it was't touched for three days.)

Here are the results:

Day 1 (immediately after full charge): 12.49 volts
Day 2: 12.22 volts
Day 3: 12.18 volts

So, is this amount of discharge normal, or is the battery done for?

Thanks very much.

Elimax

 

[4gasem]

It's fine!

 

[one2dmax]

I disagree Chris. The fully charged battery should read 12.6 volts (after surface charge dissipates). Then a fully DIS-Charged batter is 12.43 volts. It will not usually lose but a few tenths of a volt over a very long storage period - especially unhooked.

I bet if he put a load test (you can try a cranking voltage test) it would drop below 10 volts which is usually another bad sign.

Sean

 

[4gasem]

OK... I would say if it was truly bad it would drop considerably faster than that but WTF... Replace and find out.

That's a lot of money to spend on a battery that only lasts 2 years.

I've had my original battery in my 2003 SV and it still fires off. Of course I keep them tendered all the time.

Chris

 

[satariel666]

Hi folks:

Bought a special Odyssey charger for my 2-year-old PC680, and charged it fully per the charger's instructions. Keep in mind that the battery was completely removed from the bike, with NO attachments (I pulled it it out and it was't touched for three days.)

Here are the results:

Day 1 (immediately after full charge): 12.49 volts
Day 2: 12.22 volts
Day 3: 12.18 volts

So, is this amount of discharge normal, or is the battery done for?

Thanks very much.

Elimax

You need to messure the current, not voltage only, to be sue of your battery.

What you just post isnt quite normal, should be a little higher.

 

[Elimax]

Thanks folks.

Satariel666: Would you mind telling me how to do the "current test"? That would be excellent.

Thanks again.

Elimax

 

[satariel666]

Firstble you need to have high range amperometer, something about 200A which is very high current. Or you can use simple multimeter but you need
a shunt to lower your mesured current range.

What we are looking for is a cranking current.
You need to connect the amperometer in series with starter motor and see how much current your battery gives to starter motor.

In your case it should be about 150-200A.
This it the only undenaible method to truly check you battery.
IMO the most important factor in the battery - cranking current.

Those two ways above may be extremally dificult for a person without any elementary electrical knowlage. We are talking about playing with "200A"
So if You are not sure about about you skills please dont do this.

Third way that I recommend You to go with.
Well not that precise like first two but, safe and easy.

Grab the voltmeter and simply connect directly to your battery.
Disconnect any other electrical devices in you bike like: lights, signals and the other things that you can.
Basicly we need only the starter to crank.
Remove the fuses under the faux tank cover, all of them besides the ignitoin one.

Now crank the bike couple of times and see what voltmeter shows while cranking. Try to see the lowest value.
Try to NOT crank the starter longer then 5s each.

When you get value lower then 8V then you have bad battery.
Value over 8V means that you have good battery.
Typicaly it is aroud 9V.

 

[Elimax]

Thank you for the info...I'll try the 2nd test first, sine my electrical knowledge is a bit crappy.

Elimax

 

[davidon]

If there is a Battery Plus store near you or any similar store they should be able to do a cold cranking amps test to see if it's good or not

 

[sdt354]

I use a cheap, $56 shipped AGM battery, never trickle charged it. Never a problem. 2 yrs old now. 22ah too.
Steve-o

 

[satariel666]

If there is a Battery Plus store near you or any similar store they should be able to do a cold cranking amps test to see if it's good or not

That would be good for him.

 

[Elimax]

There is indeed a Batteries Plus store...I'll take her in and see what she's got.

Good idea.

Elimax