Battery died, won't hold full charge?

ASecretNinja · August 17th, 2009, 09:19 PM

So like an idiot, I accidentally put my bike into "P" instead of "Off--Lock" when I parked it a couple of days ago, thus leaving the rear light on...

Fast forward to today, I go out and hop on my bike to head to work and after monkeying with the key and wondering why it won't turn to on, I realize that it was on "P" the entire weekend, sucking my battery dry. Luckily I live close enough to walk to work, so after getting home, I bump started the bike, let it warm up and went for a 25 minute ride. Parked for two hours, came back out to the bike, and the ignition would come on, and make a strange electrical noise but would NOT turn the engine over. So I bump started it again, and this time took the LONG way home hoping to charge the hell out of the battery, but we'll see tomorrow if its holding enough juice to kick the engine over.

My question is, what's the deal with the charging system? Is there a certain amount of time that the bike needs to be running in order to fully charge? Apparently my bike's system isn't as efficient as my car's

Postiez · August 17th, 2009, 10:33 PM

I left my key in one day and drained the battery, jumped it with my car and that worked great

sorry if this information isnt helpful heh

Alex · August 17th, 2009, 10:35 PM

25 minutes may not be enough to revive a stone dead battery. If the battery was in good shape before this happened, it's likely able to be revived, but the best way to do it is to hook up a battery tender (~ $30 or so) to it. If you need to recharge it only by running the bike, I'd think it may take as many as 2 - 3 hours on the freeway to get it fully topped off.

lockie · August 17th, 2009, 11:16 PM

whats the diff between a battery tender and a battery charger?

Alex · August 17th, 2009, 11:34 PM

A battery tender is a type of charger, that's all. The tender has the smarts to not overcharge a battery; it's safe to leave on continuously and it will just keep the battery topped off. In the past, chargers without those electronics could fry batteries if people left them on too long. I don't think those old-style chargers are common anymore, and it's likely that most modern chargers for car or bike batteries would have similar electronics.

http://www.batterytender.com/

capt_bugaloo · August 18th, 2009, 08:28 AM

If the battery is less than a couple of years old, you can probably put it on a battery tender overnight and it will be fine.

If the battery is more than say two or three years old, it may be toast after being drained to death, and might need replacement. Bike batteries just don't have the same lifespan as a larger, higher capacity car battery.

lockie · August 18th, 2009, 10:58 PM

Alex
Thanks for the note. I figured as such but wanted to be sure

Take care

muffinman · August 18th, 2009, 11:35 PM

Hey Don,

I had similar issues.. bike died, bump started, ran for about 25-30 minutes (the norm for most car batters I think) and that wasn't enough to charge up the battery sufficiently.

Bump started again and went on a ride that lasted a little over an hour and I was good to go after that. You may just need to keep it running to juice it up sufficiently?

Good luck!

ASecretNinja · August 19th, 2009, 10:02 PM

Just wanted to update this. I had the exact same experience as muffin. The 25-min ride wasn't enough to fully charge it. So I bump started it again, went for about a 30-35 min. ride, and when I went out to ride the next morning, the bike was good to go. I'm thinking a good solid 1 hour ride could be sufficient to charge it enough.. I'm not about to test that hypothesis though, haha.

kkim · August 19th, 2009, 10:13 PM

Be sure to read the good advice that Bruce wrote, too, or you might end up surprised one day if the battery is more than a few years old.

ASecretNinja · August 20th, 2009, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkim

Be sure to read the good advice that Bruce wrote, too, or you might end up surprised one day if the battery is more than a few years old.

Thank god for bump starts

The thing is easier to bumpstart any dirtbike I've ever owned, and i've owned a handful. My battery looks pretty new.

August 17th, 2009, 09:19 PM	#1
ASecretNinja ATGATT Squid Killer Name: Chad Location: So. Cal Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): '06 CBR600 Posts: 189	Battery died, won't hold full charge? So like an idiot, I accidentally put my bike into "P" instead of "Off--Lock" when I parked it a couple of days ago, thus leaving the rear light on... Fast forward to today, I go out and hop on my bike to head to work and after monkeying with the key and wondering why it won't turn to on, I realize that it was on "P" the entire weekend, sucking my battery dry. Luckily I live close enough to walk to work, so after getting home, I bump started the bike, let it warm up and went for a 25 minute ride. Parked for two hours, came back out to the bike, and the ignition would come on, and make a strange electrical noise but would NOT turn the engine over. So I bump started it again, and this time took the LONG way home hoping to charge the hell out of the battery, but we'll see tomorrow if its holding enough juice to kick the engine over. My question is, what's the deal with the charging system? Is there a certain amount of time that the bike needs to be running in order to fully charge? Apparently my bike's system isn't as efficient as my car's

August 17th, 2009, 10:35 PM	#3
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	25 minutes may not be enough to revive a stone dead battery. If the battery was in good shape before this happened, it's likely able to be revived, but the best way to do it is to hook up a battery tender (~ $30 or so) to it. If you need to recharge it only by running the bike, I'd think it may take as many as 2 - 3 hours on the freeway to get it fully topped off. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

August 17th, 2009, 11:34 PM	#5
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	A battery tender is a type of charger, that's all. The tender has the smarts to not overcharge a battery; it's safe to leave on continuously and it will just keep the battery topped off. In the past, chargers without those electronics could fry batteries if people left them on too long. I don't think those old-style chargers are common anymore, and it's likely that most modern chargers for car or bike batteries would have similar electronics. http://www.batterytender.com/ __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

August 18th, 2009, 08:28 AM	#6
capt_bugaloo motorcycle rider Name: Bruce Location: Victoria, BC Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '14 Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom (silver) Posts: A lot.	If the battery is less than a couple of years old, you can probably put it on a battery tender overnight and it will be fine. If the battery is more than say two or three years old, it may be toast after being drained to death, and might need replacement. Bike batteries just don't have the same lifespan as a larger, higher capacity car battery. __________________________________________________ '14 Yamaha V-Star 650 Custom (silver)

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August 17th, 2009, 10:33 PM	#2
Postiez ninjette.org member Name: Nick Location: SALT LAKE CITY, UT Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): Red '08 250 Posts: 233	I left my key in one day and drained the battery, jumped it with my car and that worked great sorry if this information isnt helpful heh

August 17th, 2009, 11:16 PM	#4
lockie ninjette.org sage Name: don Location: Port Elgin NB Canada Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 blue ninja 250R Posts: 742	whats the diff between a battery tender and a battery charger?

August 18th, 2009, 10:58 PM	#7
lockie ninjette.org sage Name: don Location: Port Elgin NB Canada Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 blue ninja 250R Posts: 742	Alex Thanks for the note. I figured as such but wanted to be sure Take care

August 18th, 2009, 11:35 PM	#8
muffinman ninjette.org guru Name: Arthur Location: USA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 250R (sold), '05 ZX6R / 636 Posts: 355	Hey Don, I had similar issues.. bike died, bump started, ran for about 25-30 minutes (the norm for most car batters I think) and that wasn't enough to charge up the battery sufficiently. Bump started again and went on a ride that lasted a little over an hour and I was good to go after that. You may just need to keep it running to juice it up sufficiently? Good luck!

August 19th, 2009, 10:02 PM	#9
ASecretNinja ATGATT Squid Killer Name: Chad Location: So. Cal Join Date: May 2009 Motorcycle(s): '06 CBR600 Posts: 189	Just wanted to update this. I had the exact same experience as muffin. The 25-min ride wasn't enough to fully charge it. So I bump started it again, went for about a 30-35 min. ride, and when I went out to ride the next morning, the bike was good to go. I'm thinking a good solid 1 hour ride could be sufficient to charge it enough.. I'm not about to test that hypothesis though, haha.

August 19th, 2009, 10:13 PM	#10
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	Be sure to read the good advice that Bruce wrote, too, or you might end up surprised one day if the battery is more than a few years old.