Battery problem

[DaveS]

Well I lasted 3 days of GS ownership without a problem.
2003 1150GS with 6K on the clock.
New battery was fitted by Rainbows before I picked up the bike from the previous owner at the start of the week.
All was well until yesterday lunchtime when I had to nip across Bristol to a meeting.
When I tried to start the bike it didn't turn over well, and the starter ticked as it does when there's not enough juice. The clock also reset itself suggesting a flat battery. After leaving it a few mins it started.
I also managed to get it started for the trip back home in the evening with no problem.
As an aside I have smelt a burning clutch type smell over the last day or so, but I've not been too sure if its coming from the bike. I guess now it was!

When I got home I plugged the GS in to my Optimate which immediately showed red, and then amber, but left on overnight, now shows red.
So that suggests that battery is shagged, but more worringly why would a new battery do that....... which leads me to the regulator / rectifier which sounds reassuringly expensive.
Any comments thoughts?

 

[pomm001]

Are you sure the battery that was fitted before you collected the bike was new.
From my experience with optimate when connecting up it should show amber light ( charging) then go to either green ( OK ) or red ( not holding charge)
Do you have the use of another battery charger ? optimates are not good at charging a fully flat battery.
Once the battery is charged up again get hold of a volt meter and refit the battery.
Voltage across the terminals should be approx 12.5/75 volts if healthy.
Start the bike up and see what the voltage is then , it should go up to approx 14.2 volts at about 2000 revs.
If not you have a charge problem, if OK maybe you need to look at either the battery and make sure there is nothing draining it.
Post you reply back to the board

 

[DaveS]

Are you sure the battery that was fitted before you collected the bike was new.

No, I can't be sure, but it was advertised as such.

From my experience with optimate when connecting up it should show amber light ( charging) then go to either green ( OK ) or red ( not holding charge)

It shows Amber for a while maybe 1 hour or so and then goes red.

Do you have the use of another battery charger ? optimates are not good at charging a fully flat battery.

I do, but I've never had a problem with the Optimate on my previous bike when that had battery problems. I don't think the battery was fully flat.

Once the battery is charged up again get hold of a volt meter and refit the battery.
Voltage across the terminals should be approx 12.5/75 volts if healthy.
Start the bike up and see what the voltage is then , it should go up to approx 14.2 volts at about 2000 revs.

12.8V when resting although this is when its just been on charge.
14.0V when engine is running. This doesn't move with higher revs though. Should it?

 

[cookie]

12.8V when resting although this is when its just been on charge.
14.0V when engine is running. This doesn't move with higher revs though. Should it?

voltages all look fine. i'd want to check the battery with a hydrometer and/or a drop tester.

 

[Keith Chapman]

voltages all look fine. i'd want to check the battery with a hydrometer and/or a drop tester.

What height should the drop test be carried out at.

 

[Slim Shadies Back]

Are you sure the battery that was fitted before you collected the bike was new.
From my experience with optimate when connecting up it should show amber light ( charging) then go to either green ( OK ) or red ( not holding charge)
Do you have the use of another battery charger ? optimates are not good at charging a fully flat battery.
Once the battery is charged up again get hold of a volt meter and refit the battery.
Voltage across the terminals should be approx 12.5/75 volts if healthy.
Start the bike up and see what the voltage is then , it should go up to approx 14.2 volts at about 2000 revs.
If not you have a charge problem, if OK maybe you need to look at either the battery and make sure there is nothing draining it.
Post you reply back to the board

Check if the interior lights been left on

Seriosly though I d go with the - if there really was a new battery fitted - and if there was its under Warranty so get a new new one and save all the messing about. If it goes down then you ll know that it is somthing else. If its not a new battery and they told you it was - then they have to now definitely give you a NEW one - save all the pain , take the troublesome battery out of the equation now..........

 

[Slim Shadies Back]

Check if the interior lights been left on

Seriosly though I d go with the - if there really was a new battery fitted - and if there was its under Warranty so get a new new one and save all the messing about. If it goes down then you ll know that it is somthing else. If its not a new battery and they told you it was - then they have to now definitely give you a NEW one - save all the pain , take the troublesome battery out of the equation now..........

OOPS read your post again - you bought from the man that had the work done - either way the warranty for a battery should be the same......
best of luck

 

[DaveS]

I've run a few cycles now and its now reporting green, so it looks like it may have solved the problem.
Well I guess not actually, only temporarily, but I think I'll get another battery anyway in reserve.
I can't take the existing one back as I bought the bike 200 miles away and its a long way!

<update> I've just phone Rainbows and they report that the "new" battery was put in over a 16 months ago, and in that time its only done 1000 miles and that probably hasn't been on charge within that time so it seems that the bike isn't doing enough mileage to keep it charged properly.
They seem to think that now the Optimate is reporting green it should be ok.

One related question, they weren't entirely complimentary about the Optimate's in that they feel that continued use can buckle the plates which will reduce the ampere's the battery can put out even though the voltage stays at the right level.

So is there a recommended battery charger that will treat a battery properly?

 

[cookie]

What height should the drop test be carried out at.

not important, it's more what you drop it into.

lakes are good

 

[pomm001]

I've run a few cycles now and its now reporting green, so it looks like it may have solved the problem.
Well I guess not actually, only temporarily, but I think I'll get another battery anyway in reserve.
I can't take the existing one back as I bought the bike 200 miles away and its a long way!

<update> I've just phone Rainbows and they report that the "new" battery was put in over a 16 months ago, and in that time its only done 1000 miles and that probably hasn't been on charge within that time so it seems that the bike isn't doing enough mileage to keep it charged properly.
They seem to think that now the Optimate is reporting green it should be ok.

One related question, they weren't entirely complimentary about the Optimate's in that they feel that continued use can buckle the plates which will reduce the ampere's the battery can put out even though the voltage stays at the right level.

So is there a recommended battery charger that will treat a battery properly?

So the new battery wasnt so new after all!
at least now you know what you are dealing with
The symtoms you describe are similar to one i had a few months back, sometimes optimate would charge up and show green sometimes red.
While it would always start, it seemed to turn over a bit slow.
I did all the checks like you have done all similar results showing the bikes OK .
I chucked the battery and replaced it, i brought a new one ( gel) locally for £25, it now spins over like someone has taken the spark pkugs out !

As far as optimate goes, no i dont hold with the view it will buckle the plates, it only charges at max 1 amp, but unless you have an alarm and is standing a lot, it really shouldnt need it

 

[Les Wassall]

I feel a Hawker Odyssey comming on

CHESHIRE BATTERIES LIMITED CREWE 0044(0)1270 255493

 

[blues n twos]

Glad you got it sorted Dave,

I must admit I have never charged my battery and the bike is left outside in the winter.

It turns over a bit slower in the winter but usually always fires up on the second or third turn.

I did have a spell where the abs wouldn't do its check clunk thing and I would have to pull over and restart with a little bit of throttle and then it would be fine.

Only seems to do it in the winter we will see how it goes this winter but as used daily it seems to keep a healthy charge.

Jon

 

[DaveS]

Thanks Jon it seems to be behaving itself now.
I've put it on charge a couple of times now and once it reported as sulphated but always comes up green now so it seems to have sorted the problem out in the short term.
Will get a new battery though in due course to be sure.

 

[Mouse]

I've found an Optimate can incorrectly report a sulphated battery if the connections to the battery terminals are not perfect.