Bendy toy
Registered user
Poo happens but the bike is running again. Go and ride away the embarrassment. 
Dead battery.
- Thread starter Delboy777
- Start date
If you had done it right in the first place you would have learnt bugger all
PCV owners can now relax safe in the knowledge that you have thoroughly tested the reverse polarity protection. You may have alos discovered a means of cycling the injectors if anyone had wanted to reverse flush them ...
PCV owners can now relax safe in the knowledge that you have thoroughly tested the reverse polarity protection. You may have alos discovered a means of cycling the injectors if anyone had wanted to reverse flush them ...
Delboy777
Registered user
If you had done it right in the first place you would have learnt bugger all
PCV owners can now relax safe in the knowledge that you have thoroughly tested the reverse polarity protection. You may have alos discovered a means of cycling the injectors if anyone had wanted to reverse flush them ...
Delboy777
Registered user
Why do people do this?
Once a battery 'is showing signs of failing', it's fecked - permanently.
Lead acid batteries hate deep discharge and it permanently reduces the battery's capacity (especially if you've actually flattened it). There's no way of getting this lost capacity back (whatever the charger manufacturer says). A battery charger can mask this lost capacity briefly as it'll probably start the bike just off the charger but don't fool yourself, it's still fecked. Even if the smart charger reports that everything is fine and it's fully charged, it's just reporting that it's charged to its new reduced capacity. Even dropping a battery to less than two thirds of its rated capacity will damage it.
Chargers like c-teks and optimates are 'maintenance chargers' - they are specifically designed to keep a battery fully charged and healthy. If you've got one, then why not use it - it's what they're designed for? My old 1100 lived on the same model C-tek as yours and it's battery was still perfect after six years. My new TC (which ironically has a smaller battery) lives on the same charger.
Delboy777
Registered user
Are u finished with the lecture ? Dont you think i know about it ? Had u bothered to read the post completely u would see that up until that point the batt was fine. It was my fault it discharged so whats with the lesson ?
I think the point MattW might be trying to make (??) is that your battery was down to 4½ volts for a short time. Although it's now kicking out enough to start/run your bike OK, the battery will have been damaged by the experience and will probably age-fail earlier as a result. But he might be making some other point altogether!
Delboy777
Registered user
I agree Greig hense the purchase of a new motobatt
tadhgocuilleain
Registered user
Delboy777
Registered user
I didnt consider the PC as an "ancillery" because its not connected to the centech. Take the piss all you want but the mistake was mine and ive said so. So "Mr perfect" have you never made a mistake ? Glass houses etc.
Jesus H Christ.
Its not a 'lecture' or a 'lesson'. I read the entire thread (including the bit about you miss-connecting your PCV).
You've got a really good maintenance charger but you said earlier in the thread that you leave the bike unused for months and that you don't use your Ctek until the battery 'shows signs of failing'. That's the way to knacker a battery. You have also said that you are going to continue to use the battery that you've flattened completely more than once. It *will* be knackered beyond repair and it *will* let you down but hey, do what the feck you like - it's your bike.
Yep.
Delboy777
Registered user
Matt, the batt was 100% until i connected an earth to the live side of it. It was that mistake that drained the battery. It may well now be fecked thats why ive ordered a new one. I didnt see the point of conn ecting the charger since the battery was fine before my mistake. So your saying you would always have it on even when there is nothing wrong with it. ?
That's exactly what I'm saying. Even without a load connected lead acid batteries slowly self-discharge (and most bikes, including BMW's, always have a small background load even if its just the clock).
Maintenance chargers like our C-Tek's are specifically designed to maintain the battery in a full state of charge which is best for the battery. They even have fancy algorithms which allow the charge to dip periodically so that they can use a higher boost current occasionally which is even better for the battery.
By the time you've noticed 'hmm, the battery feels a bit weak', the damage is done - the charge has probably dropped below half the rated capacity and you've damaged it slightly. Do this a few times, or properly flatten it and all of a sudden you've got a battery that your charger says is fine and fully charged but which has a severely reduced total capacity. This is the same for any lead acid battery whatever the make - whether it's a gel, agm, wet, motorboat, odyssey etc.
If I was you, I'd fit your new Motobat and wire the connector plug that came with your Ctek to it (the right way round
) and just leave it plugged in when it's parked in your garage - that's what they're for.But as I say, it's your bike, your decision.
Delboy777
Registered user
ok new batt has arrived so i will fit it.
tadhgocuilleain
Registered user
I was just ribbing. You had the good grace to admit it was your fault, so it's our duty to rib you about it.
I have indeed made mistakes - plenty of times, that's why it was one of the first things I suggested.
Delboy777
Registered user
yes i knew that its compulsary on here lol
I swapped out the OE battery for a Motobatt MBTX12U on my 10 GSA last night. It's a bit dark in the garage (don't ask) so I'll have to wait until the weekend to check further but I think I've got the same problem with the original battery strap not quite reaching - it goes over the top of the battery OK but doesn't quite reach the back of the tank - just wondering if others have also found this before I try re-installing the battery to no avail?
I did fit the battery with the supplied yellow plastic spacer underneath it BTW...
Deleted account 200502001
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- Mar 10, 2014
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My strap doesn't fit even with the spacer removed. I still haven't fixed this yet. And I probably never will.
Bendy toy
Registered user
Connecting the live terminal to earth should completely burn out the wire even is it's a starter motor size wire. The very fact nothing much happened proved the battery was either flat or fekked.
Lead acids do not like being left unused. They WILL self discharge and grow hard sulphate as a result leading to less capacity and a short life. Either use the conditioning charger when the bike is not used or get a totally different type of battery that wont be harmed if left unused for months.
Lead acids do not like being left unused. They WILL self discharge and grow hard sulphate as a result leading to less capacity and a short life. Either use the conditioning charger when the bike is not used or get a totally different type of battery that wont be harmed if left unused for months.
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