Battery

[oldyam80sg]

I finally got to go to my storage unit where my XS1100 SG sits.I have not started it in 4 months and hit the starter but nothing.Gauge lights light up but thats it.I went to charge the battery(walmart type) but nothing.Could the battery be completely frozen?It sat on the charger for 4 hours but no changes.

[Da-Bubble]

Try messin with your solenoid. It's just to the left of the fuse panel. If your gauges light up it should at least click the starter. My battery sat for 6 months and it would charge up but just not hold a charge. When I put the new battery in, the solenoid had a short in it or somthing because it didnt even click the starter until I jiggled it around a little.

[oldyam80sg]

Battery is out of the bike and wont charge.I think i need a new one.I will take it today and get a load test on it to be sure.

[mro]

12 volt batteries have 6 cells.
Each cell when battery is fully charged will have 2+ volts.
With a multi-meter can place probes directly into a cell and the next one to measure voltage. Checking from cell to cell should you find varying voltages ones showing lower voltages are "week" and should you find one or more with none are "dead".
Right after charging a "bad" battery sometimes can show 12+ volts but when a load placed on it can rapidly drop. Crud in the battery coats the plates and can accumulate at the bottom of a cell and short out a cell.

Best to replace the battery.

But on the occasion you can not for what ever reason buy a new battery...(not recommended)... remove battery, place a rag over top of battery, hold about an inch or so above pavement and smack it down (not hard enough to crack battery case) several times. Check water level and charge. Sometimes this will temporarily allow battery to work good enough for awhile, sometimes for months before it will leave you stranded when you really need to be somewhere else.

There are some battery chargers that came out a few years ago claiming to "pulse" or modulate the charging frequency which is supposed to help rejuvinate a battery. Most people I know who spent the money on em said it was not worth it.


mro

[TADracer]

Its all about sulfated plates. When a battery is allowed to discharge for any length of time the plates get a coating of sulfate that insulates them from the others and electrolysis stops. This is usually not revereable so it is new battery time.

If you are going to store your bike for any length of time then is is wise to put it on a battery minder. They are relatively cheap and will mind your battery for you, keeping it at about 12.5 volts, which is a full charge.

In Louisiana I do not winterize since I do ride just about all year around. But in Winter I still keep it on a tender and my batteries usually last 3-5 years and are always in full charge.

[HobbyMan]

You might try Mro's suggestion. If your battery is the sealed type, just get a new one. I have a rubber mallet that works well for normal batteries. Usually, I put it on a 35 amp fast charge for about 3 min, watching it carefully. Hitting it while charging breaks up the sulfate on the plates. Don't do this near anything valuable. Sulfuric acid will destroy lots of things, including your skin. After you get it to where it starts to take a charge, drop it down to a 2 amp charge to let it run overnight. If your charger has an amp meter built in, you can see if it is taking a charge or not. Make sure you loosen the caps because these batteries can explode if the vent tube gets blocked. I have had bad luck with walmart batteries. The stock battery from the Yamaha dealer works very well for me with no problems.

[wa407mpp]

I've always had good luck with Sears Die-hard batteries they are reasonably priced, seem to have better cranking power then the others, and I can get 5 yr. or better out of them. Also you fill they yourself so you know it is done right. When you first fill a battery you are supposed to fill it , then low charge it for an hour so the plates can absorb the acid , then top it up with acid, if the dealer is cheap, or dishonest , he will top it up with water, instead of acid which starts you off with a diluted solution right from the beginning, and it wont last as long, so you have to come back for a new battery more often. [ Disclaimer ] This last statement was now meant to defame anyone or any dealers , I am just relating my past experience. Some of my best finds have been dealers.

[HobbyMan]

Most of the time I pick up the battery, I forget to have them fill it. Since I am always going to the auto shop, they usually fill it for free when I forget.

[TADracer]

I do agree with what HobbyMan says, you can get a sulfated battery to take a charge with a bit of coaxing. But still, that will only be a temproary fix if the battery has heavy sulfate coating on the plates. You should still be ready to get a new battery after awhile because you cannot remove all of the sulfate coating with the hammer and charge method.

[trbig]

I had a buddy that told me when his battery quit charging on his bike, he'd drain the acid in it, run a water/baking soda solution into it, shake it up good and then let it sit, then repeat a couple times. Make sure to rinse with water really well. He'd then refill it from a bottle of fresh acid that you can buy at most battery stores for just a few bucks. He says he can get 7 or 8 years out of batteries this way??? I wondered about it, but saw it done to a jet ski battery at the beginning of a season that wouldn't charge. I was there when he did it, and he said he rode most of the season on it, but sold it later that summer. So I have no clue how long it's good for, but I did see it work the one time.


Tod