Battery voltage after ride... ...and the morning

Discussion in 'Mechanics Garage' started by field3, Jul 18, 2004.

  1. field3

    field3 New Member

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    Hey Guys... I just recently purchased the new version of the R/R (305) and everything seems to be o.k. as far as charging goes (Voltage goes to about 13.7-13.8 V @ 5k RPM). Right after about 2-3 hours of riding I checked out the voltage on the battery and it is displaying 12.99 V (sounds good) ... but then I checked the battery this morning (about 6-7 hours later) and it was reading ~12.75 V. Is it normal for a battery to have this much discharge? I dont have an ammeter so I dont know if there is leakage anywhere.

    Please let me know if this is typical battery behavior.

    P.S. the battery is fairly new (less than 2 months old)

    Also I have sprayed the connecters with dielectric grease (hopefully to maintain a good connection)

    If there is a leak what are the possible issues???

    THANKS!!!
     
  2. KC-10 FE

    KC-10 FE New Member

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    Re: Battery voltage after ride... ...and the morni

    Lots of things can affect battery voltage. One of the biggest is temperature. The temp changing can the volts up or down up to a full volt. The reason the reading was lower was most likely, there's no way I can be sure without actually working on your bike, because the bike cooled down. If you really want to be sure that you don't have a draw, let your bike sit untouched for about 3-4 days. If the volts go down below 12, you might have a draw somewhere. The best way too check for a draw is to disconnect the battery and observe. Do this at night or in a dark garage. If the battery makes a noticable spark when you disconnect it, you probably have a draw.

    Another thing to consider, is the first charge you gave the new battery. If you got an unfilled battery and dumped the acid in and let 'er rip, you might not have let the battery charge to its full potential. I bought a new battery for my 89 Hawk GT 6 weeks ago. I trickle charged it for 36 hours and when I was done, I had a steady 13.1 volts out of it. The reading was taken with a 25 year old Craftsman analog multimeter, but the volts haven't gone below 13 since then. With a VFR, the "brain" is powered 24 hours a day with or without the key being on. That's how the clock stays current and also how the miles on the odometer are kept current. Any bike with a digital insturment panel and odometer will have a constant draw on the battery. If it's only .25volts, I don't think it's anything to worry about. Cover your battery terminals with di-electric grease (available at any auto parts store for like $2) and any other electrical connections as well. That little step makes a huge difference. The battery in my Chevy truck has been in there for 7.5 years for about 110000 miles. Batteries can and do last a long time. The original battery in my 2000 VFR lasted until Sep 2003. I'm in the USAF and my all exspenses paid trips to the middle east took up about 5 months of the year. The constant months of un-use killed the battery. That's the only other advice I can offer. Ride the bike as much as you can. Frequent use is another way to keep your battery in good health.

    Sorry this is so long-winded :p but hopefully it helps.

    8) RIDE WELL 8)
    HWORTH
     
  3. field3

    field3 New Member

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    Re: Battery voltage after ride... ...and the morni

    Hworth.... thanks for the awesome write up! Yeah I dont think it was a full trickle charge... actually this is a new battery that I bought due to an unknown failing R/R at the time. My bike broke down about 15 miles from my house... I had my bro buy me a new battery from the shop... they told him it was fully charged... I totally forgot about the trickle charge after that so I rode it for about 2 weeks till it broke down... I finally ended up getting a clymer manual and new R/R ...

    Do you think it would hurt to perform a 36 hr trickle charge now?? (Its been about a month since I've had it)
     
  4. KC-10 FE

    KC-10 FE New Member

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    Re: Battery voltage after ride... ...and the morni

    It won't hurt it, but it probably won't do much either. Batteries have a "memory" (for lack of a better term), that's why the first charge is so important. If your reading is staying constant over a few days of riding, that's probably the best you'll get from that battery. If you are over 12 volts and the bike turns over like it should, you have nothing to worry about unless you have a electrical gremlin in there somewhere. When I say turns over like it should, I mean that the engine spins up and fires at a normal speed. It shouldn't sound like it bogging down as it starts. That battery in my Hawk start the bike almost instantly and it 15 years old and carb'ed. I can turn of the kill switch and crank the engine to almost 1500 rpm with the starter. That's a good battery.

    8) RIDE WELL 8)
    HWORTH
     

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