Odd Death of a Battery?

[MCML]

'04 - 56,000 miles.

I replaced my battery with one of Jeff's Westco's approximately 18 months ago. Have not ridden much over the winter. I have not been using a trickle charger but did not have any issues starting the bike the few times I took it out for a spin. After a couple of months of not riding at all, I took a 700-mile round trip ride to Death Valley a couple of weekends ago. No issues what-so-ever with the bike. Came home. Parked the FJR in the garage. Went out last night to get my tire pressure gauge out of the storage compartment. That requires the bike to be neutral (can you say Gen I). Turned key. No green light. Nothing was indicating that anything electrical was functioning. Pulled my trusty Schumacher Speedcharger off the shelf. Pulled panel whatever-its-letter-is and connected the charger. Test mode showed less than 4 volts and 15% charge. Put Schumacher into charging mode and five minutes later the charging stops and charger screen flashes 88888. This can mean one of two things per the manual. Either the charger has gone into desulfation mode or the battery is toast. Switched from small battery mode to regular. Screen flashes. Switched from AGM/GEL mode to Regular. Screen flashes. Pulled battery out of FJR just in case something odd might be happening with wiring and connected charger. Same results (I suppose that this is a good thing). I have spoken with Schumacher and they believe the charger is going into desulfation mode even though the charging indicator light goes out (and the manual says that it will be on and flashing, coupled with the flashing 8's). So, I will now wait twelve hours and see what happens.

The Death Valley trip involved two overnight parking intervals, five gasoline stops, and numerous tourista stops. The bike always started right up and there was never a hint of battery trouble. I park the FJR in the garage for seventeen days "And like that.....he's gone" (Verbal, Kaiser Soze). Maybe I should just count myself lucky that the battery decided to die in my garage (and not outside Beatty or Baker or Trona or at the Ubehebe Crater) buy another battery and ride on. But, I find the whole thing a bit odd. My other two batteries (both OEM Yamahas) lasted much longer than this. Did my pattern of not riding/charging followed by the trip follwed by almost three weeks on non-use produce this situation?

 

[Fred W]

I don't think you can blame yourself for the battery's short life. There are a few reports of extremely short life on recent WestCos, though most are sooner than yours and covered under warranty.

 

[FJRay]

Blame yourself if you want but It probably is just **** happens. A couple years ago my wifes bike was running in the driveway and she turned off to get gloves out of the side case and when she tried to restart it there was nothing. I think it dropped a plate and shorted or who knows what.Showed less than 4 volts and wouldn't take a charge at all.

I like the deal on Westco but the Yuasa ultimate in my 03 has been in service since May of 06. Showed 12.8 after sitting all winter. YMMV

 

[MCML]

Thanks, Fred and thanks my vest wearing friend. I will count myself lucky that the battery crapped out where and when it did. It is not so much a question of blame as it is that I would like to understand what may have happened and,from what I have read about sulfation after my initial post, it is likely that not running/charging over the winter contributes to sulfation. I resolve, therefore, to ride more next winter!

 

[joebiodiesel]

As the others have stated, you probably didn't do anything to cause this, but give the system a good check once you put a new battery in. Check the charging voltage, then switch the multimeter to AC to read if there is any AC leakage. AC voltage should be well under half a volt.

My 2 cents (actual street value).

Joe

 

[Fred W]

From your prior statement that the battery had dropped to 4V (with no apparent drain on it) I seriously doubt that it's demise is due to sulfation. That is more of a chronic battery disease. In this case yours had more of an acutely failure. Possibly a mechanical short of some sort in at least one cell. I doubt you will be able to revive it with the charger.

 

[MCML]

Unsurprisingly, the battery did not respond at all to the desulphation protocol.

Looks like an acute failure which always is a PITA but thanks are certainly due to the motorcycle gods that it happened where and when it did.

Yuasa, Westco, Motobat, or Shorai - leaning toward trying the Motobat - one of 'em will be on the way to Tarzana this afternoon.

Thanks to all for your input.