Battery will not stay charged

[zorkler]

Purchased a new battery installed her bike would not start ,tightened the 2 bolts on the starter relay boom started right up rode around for a bit turned her off and tryed to start her battery is dead . CHarged the battery again same out come . Call my local guy and he replyed it might be the recitifer or someting in the engine that might be sucking the current out of it . Any help on this 1 . Thanks Mike

 

[Eric L]

Purchased a new battery installed her bike would not start ,tightened the 2 bolts on the starter relay boom started right up rode around for a bit turned her off and tryed to start her battery is dead . CHarged the battery again same out come . Call my local guy and he replyed it might be the recitifer or someting in the engine that might be sucking the current out of it . Any help on this 1 . Thanks Mike

hook up a battery meter to the terminals and see if it's charging when running?

 

[Fred W]

You are saying that the battery is not staying (or being) charged, but without measuring the battery voltage you really have no idea.

Just because the bike will not turn over doesn't mean the battery is at fault. You've already determined that, at least once, the starter relay connection was at fault. Has that been fully repaired?

If you can get your hands on a voltmeter (and know how to use one) we can lead you through a diagnosis.

 

[cougar8000]

There is a possibility that battery was bad to begin with. had bad battery last year on my car. There are testers at any shop that can tell you this.

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Get a volt meter. A healthy, charged battery should show around 12.8 - 12.9 volts. Check it again with your bike running...it should now be showing north of 13.8 volts. If the voltage does not change when the bike is running, then the bike's charging circut is faulty.

 

[Geezer]

I had a similar problem a couple years ago. It turned out to be a bad relay on one of my farkles. I discovered it while installing a new battery (that wasn't really needed). After the positive cable was connected to the battery I touched the negative cable to the terminal and heard a relay click. I did it a couple of times and found which relay was picking. I replaced the relay and solved the problem.

 

[UselessPickles]

Did you fully charge the battery before installing it?

 

[HaulinAshe]

Harbor Freight and Lowes both sell affordable meters.

Disconnect the battery ground lead and with everything switched off, do a DC AMP check of the system, using the amp meter to complete the circuit from ground lead to battery negative. If you see more than a few milliamps (.0??) of current draw, there is something draining the charge.

DON'T ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE WITH THE METER CONNECTED IN THIS MANNER (in-series). IT MAY DAMAGE THE METER OR BURN THE METER LEADS.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Did you fully charge the battery before installing it?

Not sure why you asked that...? (or, how it relates to the O.P.'s problem)

But, the correct battery for the FJR (AGM, factory-fill, maitenance-free) is fully charged when you receive it (if it's new).

 

[UselessPickles]

Did you fully charge the battery before installing it?

Not sure why you asked that...? (or, how it relates to the O.P.'s problem)

That makes 2 of us

Last battery I bought for a vehicle required charging before using... or maybe it just required waiting an hour after adding the distilled water...

 

[SkooterG]

Did you fully charge the battery before installing it?

Not sure why you asked that...? (or, how it relates to the O.P.'s problem)

But, the correct battery for the FJR (AGM, factory-fill, maitenance-free) is fully charged when you receive it (if it's new).

Many of the batteries purchased these days are shipped (to the customer) without the acid installed. Customer is required to do that and then also complete the initial charge correctly. And the folks I listen to on the matter tell me that even a new battery purchased with acid and 'fully charged' is not really fully charged until it's been through a couple of charge cycles. And if a 'new' battery has been sitting on a shelf for a while and not charged immediately before delivering it to the customer, well, then it won't be 'fully charged' will it?

 

[zorkler]

I ordered the relay , its a westco sealed battery, Should have a volt meter by saturday , Yea theres a clicking noise comeing from under the rear of the seat . Thanks for the info . Mike................The weather for the next 4 days 60ish i was looking foward to ride . This year has been the coldest in 75 yearssssssssssss

 

[RaYzerman19]

Did you fully charge the battery before installing it?

Not sure why you asked that...? (or, how it relates to the O.P.'s problem)

But, the correct battery for the FJR (AGM, factory-fill, maitenance-free) is fully charged when you receive it (if it's new).

Many of the batteries purchased these days are shipped (to the customer) without the acid installed. Customer is required to do that and then also complete the initial charge correctly. And the folks I listen to on the matter tell me that even a new battery purchased with acid and 'fully charged' is not really fully charged until it's been through a couple of charge cycles. And if a 'new' battery has been sitting on a shelf for a while and not charged immediately before delivering it to the customer, well, then it won't be 'fully charged' will it?

Absolutely correct SkooterG, et al..... a new motorcycle battery should be charged at the rate stated by the manufacturer, usually 1 amp or less... translate sloooow charge overnight. This will give you maximum life of the battery.

 

[Zorlac]

Harbor Freight and Lowes both sell affordable meters.

DON'T ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE WITH THE METER CONNECTED IN THIS MANNER (in-series). IT MAY DAMAGE THE METER OR BURN THE METER LEADS.

If you pick up an on sale $1.99 HF DVM you really should try this just for ***** & giggles. Make sure you cover the meter's internal fuse with aluminum foil first though. :lol:

 

[RadioHowie]

Zippy...you made me LOL on that one! Good on ya!

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Many of the batteries purchased these days are shipped (to the customer) without the acid installed.

Back in the 20th century that may have been true -- here, now, in the 21st century (and specifically with the FJR) those old "wet" batteries are no longer in-use.

Customer is required to do that and then also complete the initial charge correctly.

The customer for an FJR battery is only 'required' to properly install the battery. If one were "anal" about it?, they could check the 'at rest' voltage -- it will be 12.8V.

And if a 'new' battery has been sitting on a shelf for a while and not charged immediately before delivering it to the customer, well, then it won't be 'fully charged' will it?

Yes (most likely) -- modern VRLA, AGM, (FJR) batteries have an 8 ~ 10 month shelf-life.

Absolutely correct SkooterG, et al.....

Sorry, absolutely IN-correct...

a new motorcycle battery should be charged at the rate stated by the manufacturer, usually 1 amp or less...translate sloooow charge overnight.

Careful there -- (properly) charging the FJR battery is (can be) a technically involved process -- especially without the correct type charger...

This will give you maximum life of the battery.

Battery life for modern VRLA, AGM, (FJR) batteries has little/nothing to do with initial use -- but everything to do with HOW it is used during its life.

Sadly, none of this is of any help to the poor O.P. -- whose bike won't start...

And, who followed the "conventional wisdom"/"mantra" of much of the FJR Forum: "If there's an electrical/charging-system problem? -- first, buy a new battery." :huh:

 

[SkooterG]

Many of the batteries purchased these days are shipped (to the customer) without the acid installed.

Back in the 20th century that may have been true -- here, now, in the 21st century (and specifically with the FJR) those old "wet" batteries are no longer in-use.

Customer is required to do that and then also complete the initial charge correctly.

The customer for an FJR battery is only 'required' to properly install the battery. If one were "anal" about it?, they could check the 'at rest' voltage -- it will be 12.8V.

Absolutely correct SkooterG, et al.....

Sorry, absolutely IN-correct...

Well ****. I guess since you know it all then you should be the one to tell my friend that when he ordered a battery for his Goldwing a few months back and they shipped it to him with battery and acid seperate for him to install (and obviously initially charge) that he was just imagining it all.

So who's absolutely IN-correct?

 

[SkooterG]

As a follow up, I found the email exchange with him because I too was suprised they shipped it with acid not yet installed. Also turns out it is a Yuasa AGM battery. His description to me:

Says it becomes AGM after addition of electrolyte; push seal pins into place an presto - sealed. Cannot re-open post seal/charge. I thought same thing as you, at first. Called dealer. He said they all ship this way from YUASA. It's really simple to add acid; I don't have to puncture anything. Simply push 6 tubes into battery and let acid flow.

And:

Yep, great reference article. Thank you. The acid comes in 6 attached tubes (they look like Popsicles, all attached in a straight line). Press all 6 into battery at same time and let acid flow at it's own rate. The tubes will bubble as acid fills each chamber. Let filled battery sit one hour and then charge overnight. I did check the OEM YUASA battery currently on bike; replacement battery is identical.

And an interesting reference article: MCN Battery Tech

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Well ****. ...my friend ...battery ...Goldwing ... battery and acid seperate (and obviously...)

That anecdote: absolutely (and obviously...) has NOTHING to do with the FJR...! :blink:

So who's absolutely IN-correct?

You are -- absolutely ( and obviously...).