Battery Lifespan

[More]

Like to seek your experiences on your battery. Roughly how long does the battery last, between normal and good battery?

[superspeed123]

It will depends whether did you constantly ride your bike , maintain it with battery charger and how good is your bike charging system. For me , a normal Yuasa battery without any care to it , I will use it for 1 to 1 and half year max. Heat is the biggest enemy to a battery.cheers.

[HaiR1]

My battery too last me between 1-1.5 Yrs

[RoboTech]

My first battery lasts 2.5 years and the second, still using, 3 years and 3 months....

[poorboii]

minimum is 1 year.

[robertgl]

Around 1.5 to 2 years

[justforme]

mine running for more than 2 years and still strong. but i think i travel quite a bit approx. 350km every 5 days cauz i need topup petrol every 5 days lol

[ponnusj]

My batteries have lasted more than 2 years. Bike used daily.

[Phang]

Last Yuasa last 7 years.

 

Currently has 2 Yuasa at 4 & 5 years respectively, still going strong

[aridj_nich]

I just change my battery 6 months ago, using original Yuasa made in Japan (For CBS4), however it seems like now the battery easily getting discharge. If I dont ride my bike in two days, i will require to jump start the bike because the battery to weak to start the bike.

 

This is happen after Te battery getting fully flat 2 times once i leave it 5 days in carpark.

 

Well do you guys think this is battery problem or other matter?

 

I checked the battery voltage is 12.1 once the bike is turn of, and the voltage is around 14.3 once the bike idling.

I tap my multimeter directly to battery.

 

I even tap my IU to follow ignition and also my front ligh having a switch.

 

Tia

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[superspeed123]

I just change my battery 6 months ago, using original Yuasa made in Japan (For CBS4), however it seems like now the battery easily getting discharge. If I dont ride my bike in two days, i will require to jump start the bike because the battery to weak to start the bike.

 

This is happen after Te battery getting fully flat 2 times once i leave it 5 days in carpark.

 

Well do you guys think this is battery problem or other matter?

 

I checked the battery voltage is 12.1 once the bike is turn of, and the voltage is around 14.3 once the bike idling.

I tap my multimeter directly to battery.

 

I even tap my IU to follow ignition and also my front ligh having a switch.

 

Tia

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

That mean something is wrong with your bike charging. Go to your favourite workshop to check your rectifier, coil etc. You bought your bike new or secondhand ?? How old is your bike ??

[aridj_nich]

That mean something is wrong with your bike charging. Go to your favourite workshop to check your rectifier, coil etc. You bought your bike new or secondhand ?? How old is your bike ??

 

I bought it second hand.

 

Ya it seems like need to have a trip to motorshop to check this issue

[Tachnicolour]

Get a voltmeter to monitor voltages when bike is running. If throughout your trip you're holding steady at high 13 - 14+V, the charging system is fine.

 

If the voltage drops while bike is hot and out running, there may be problems with the connections / charging system. Bring to shop, or troubleshoot if you can.

 

If the charging system is fine, e.g. 13-14+V while in operation, then there may be something draining your battery when your bike is off.

 

 

 

To check for parasitic drain,

1)turn off bike, with ignition/acc off, aka key out.

2) Disconnect negative terminal lead on battery.

3) Set DMM to check current. To play safe, set it to the highest current reading.

Some DMMs will have separate probe ports for high current. (It should not actually require this, cuz if you do, your battery is prolly draining out a lot faster, like, real fast)

4) Connect DMM probes to negative battery terminal and the negative lead which you just disconnected.

5) Check for the higher readings first. If nothing, lower the reading range on the DMM progressively.

 

Ideally, you should have 2-3ma, maybe 10ma drain at very most. If you have IU, who knows, may be higher. (For ECU bikes, may be higher depending on ECU sleep requirements, but not significantly so. Like maybe under 20-30ma.)

If you have high current drain, pull the fuses from the fuse box one at a time until you note the current drops off.

Check that particular circuit for the problem, wiring charred, pinched, etc.

Refer to your manual for which circuit that fuse is for. Sometimes multiple items can share one fuse.

If you have additional unfused wiring, then you will have to troubleshoot those circuits individually by testing current flow through them.

 

TAKE NOTE: For more modern vehicles with ECUs, there are many modules and some of them MAY continue to function up to a few minutes-hours after the vehicle is off. This can give the impression that there is parasitic drain.

 

Disconnecting the battery will reset/turn off these modules. So when you test it, they should ideally not be drawing anything. (Although there is a possibility that it may reset and come awake when reconnected to battery)

 

This may mask the problem of a module not "going to sleep" when you normally turn the ignition off, but leave it connected to the system. A.k.a. daily usage without removal/disconnecting battery leads.

 

Another way to test is through the fuses themselves. On top of each mini/maxi blade fuse, there are 2 metal points. Check voltage across the 2 metal points. One probe to each contact. You do NOT have to pull the fuses out of the slots, hence the circuit remains connected. If there is a voltage flowing through that particular circuit which the fuse is part of, there will be a voltage drop across the fuse, which provides very small resistance after all. Do this without disconnecting the battery and letting the vehicle sit for awhile, make it say, half an hour or so.

 

If there is no current flow through the resistor, there is no voltage drop.

 

***Do note that some modules, for the sake of memory, like in the speedo, may require very low current draw when in "sleep" so you may notice very minor mV drop***

Ref : http://www.motor-talk.de/forum/aktion/Attachment.html?attachmentId=721311

 

Use the lowest / most sensitive reading on the V range to check for the drop. Ideally if your DMM is accurate, it should be 0.00V. Anything higher and constant would indicate that there is a current flowing through that particular circuit. From there, you can troubleshoot and see if there is charred insulation/leakage to frame, pinched wires etc.

 

The information provided is through my personal experience and may be missing some information here and there. I do not claim to know all there is to know. Any information used is to be done in a safe manner and at your own risk.

Edited June 8, 2014 by Tachnicolour
added information from external resource

[Phang]

Very well written Tachnicolour

[azr123]

I would change the longest of 2 years old.

[Tachnicolour]

Very well written Tachnicolour

 

Cheers bro:cheers:. Just hope it's of use to all. Mysterious gremlins draining voltage ain't fun. Been up to much DIY lately? Always interesting to see your projects. Become a fan of Permatex too.

[More]

I heard of Lithium Battery recently. Anyone here with experience using this? What's your feedback on:

- lifespan

- power bank (how long can it last without charging, eg bike parked)

- power

[aridj_nich]

Get a voltmeter to monitor voltages when bike is running. If throughout your trip you're holding steady at high 13 - 14+V, the charging system is fine.

 

If the voltage drops while bike is hot and out running, there may be problems with the connections / charging system. Bring to shop, or troubleshoot if you can.

 

If the charging system is fine, e.g. 13-14+V while in operation, then there may be something draining your battery when your bike is off.

 

 

 

To check for parasitic drain,

1)turn off bike, with ignition/acc off, aka key out.

2) Disconnect negative terminal lead on battery.

3) Set DMM to check current. To play safe, set it to the highest current reading.

Some DMMs will have separate probe ports for high current. (It should not actually require this, cuz if you do, your battery is prolly draining out a lot faster, like, real fast)

4) Connect DMM probes to negative battery terminal and the negative lead which you just disconnected.

5) Check for the higher readings first. If nothing, lower the reading range on the DMM progressively.

 

Ideally, you should have 2-3ma, maybe 10ma drain at very most. If you have IU, who knows, may be higher. (For ECU bikes, may be higher depending on ECU sleep requirements, but not significantly so. Like maybe under 20-30ma.)

If you have high current drain, pull the fuses from the fuse box one at a time until you note the current drops off.

Check that particular circuit for the problem, wiring charred, pinched, etc.

Refer to your manual for which circuit that fuse is for. Sometimes multiple items can share one fuse.

If you have additional unfused wiring, then you will have to troubleshoot those circuits individually by testing current flow through them.

 

TAKE NOTE: For more modern vehicles with ECUs, there are many modules and some of them MAY continue to function up to a few minutes-hours after the vehicle is off. This can give the impression that there is parasitic drain.

 

Disconnecting the battery will reset/turn off these modules. So when you test it, they should ideally not be drawing anything. (Although there is a possibility that it may reset and come awake when reconnected to battery)

 

This may mask the problem of a module not "going to sleep" when you normally turn the ignition off, but leave it connected to the system. A.k.a. daily usage without removal/disconnecting battery leads.

 

Another way to test is through the fuses themselves. On top of each mini/maxi blade fuse, there are 2 metal points. Check voltage across the 2 metal points. One probe to each contact. You do NOT have to pull the fuses out of the slots, hence the circuit remains connected. If there is a voltage flowing through that particular circuit which the fuse is part of, there will be a voltage drop across the fuse, which provides very small resistance after all. Do this without disconnecting the battery and letting the vehicle sit for awhile, make it say, half an hour or so.

 

If there is no current flow through the resistor, there is no voltage drop.

 

***Do note that some modules, for the sake of memory, like in the speedo, may require very low current draw when in "sleep" so you may notice very minor mV drop***

Ref : http://www.motor-talk.de/forum/aktion/Attachment.html?attachmentId=721311

 

Use the lowest / most sensitive reading on the V range to check for the drop. Ideally if your DMM is accurate, it should be 0.00V. Anything higher and constant would indicate that there is a current flowing through that particular circuit. From there, you can troubleshoot and see if there is charred insulation/leakage to frame, pinched wires etc.

 

The information provided is through my personal experience and may be missing some information here and there. I do not claim to know all there is to know. Any information used is to be done in a safe manner and at your own risk.

 

Hi Bro,

 

I did check all the above suggestion from you. From my finding it seems like something draining my battery when my bike is off.

 

1) There is current of 56mA when I disconnect negative terminal lead to the battery. I believe this amount of current is not normal.

 

2) I then check the fuse one by one, the "odometer fuse" is the one making this current even though the bike have been switch of.

 

3) This "odometer fuse" is housing HISS on my bike, however even though I take out this fuse and HISS will dead once I turn off the ignition, the bike will still be able start normally once I start the bike after the ignition on. This HISS seems to be ON as well once I ON the ignition. It something weird for me. But now I just take out the odometer fuse, and see tomorrow whether my bike will still be able to start.

Currently after I switch of the ignition, the HISS is not blinking (Pure dead).

 

4) Then I try other Fuse to take out, some of fuse is seems like not really working. I take out "fuse for lighting, meter, horn etc", However after I take out this fuse, I still can on all the light and the horn is still on. I am more confuse.

 

5) Maybe my previous bike owner did this. But I have no idea as well.

 

6) Is there any idea what HISS thing that I required to further check?

 

 

BTW: My bike is CB400 Vtec3 and I am using Yuasa YTZ10-S battery

[Tachnicolour]

Hi Bro,

 

I did check all the above suggestion from you. From my finding it seems like something draining my battery when my bike is off.

 

1) There is current of 56mA when I disconnect negative terminal lead to the battery. I believe this amount of current is not normal.

 

2) I then check the fuse one by one, the "odometer fuse" is the one making this current even though the bike have been switch of.

 

3) This "odometer fuse" is housing HISS on my bike, however even though I take out this fuse and HISS will dead once I turn off the ignition, the bike will still be able start normally once I start the bike after the ignition on. This HISS seems to be ON as well once I ON the ignition. It something weird for me. But now I just take out the odometer fuse, and see tomorrow whether my bike will still be able to start.

Currently after I switch of the ignition, the HISS is not blinking (Pure dead).

 

4) Then I try other Fuse to take out, some of fuse is seems like not really working. I take out "fuse for lighting, meter, horn etc", However after I take out this fuse, I still can on all the light and the horn is still on. I am more confuse.

 

5) Maybe my previous bike owner did this. But I have no idea as well.

 

6) Is there any idea what HISS thing that I required to further check?

 

 

BTW: My bike is CB400 Vtec3 and I am using Yuasa YTZ10-S battery

1) 56mA is definitely way too high for your bike. In fact, for any bike.

 

2) If it's the "odometer fuse" it would most likely be the speedo at the very least in that case. Tiny amount of current to keep the IC in sleep whilst retaining the clock and possible tripmeter information. Possibly to keep the HISS indicator light blinking too.

 

3) The actually HISS system should be a proximity key transceiver near the keyslot as well as the ECU, shouldn't be tied in to the odo/speedo. The HISS blinking light is just in response to the ECU telling the speedo/odo to blink. Probably explains why your bike still can start and have HISS detect the key, even with the "odometer" fuse pulled.

 

4) If this is the case, then there might have been some additional wiring/bypass done to the original harness. Do you have an alarm installed? The previous owner may also have installed and then removed any other electrical gadgets, bypassing segments of the original harness.

 

 

This is all from pure conjecture. Without seeing the wiring diagram, I can't tell what the fuse is tied in to besides the odometer.

 

For further troubleshooting you can try to :

i) Identify the circuits the fuse is controlling, through your schematic diagram if you have one. Failing which, you can try to identify the wire colours exiting that fuse and track down the devices/items it is connected to.

ii) Reconnect your battery

iii) Remove the fuse which is on the circuit causing the current drain, in this case your "odometer" fuse.

iv) Stick the DMM probes into the now empty contacts on the fuse block, bridging the gap. Your DMM is now the "fuse", set to read mA and watch the current.

v) Disconnect all the items associated with that circuit one at a time.

vi) When the current drops off after removing an item/device, you have found the culprit.

 

vii) If that does not work, e.g. after all items/devices removed and current continues to flow, you may have a pinched/damaged connector or wiring somewhere downstream. Check all wiring routing and ensure no charred/pinched bits are noticed.

 

Again, this is what worked for me AFAIK. Please do so at your own risk and take the appropriate precautions. Do NOT crank/start the bike as the current may exceed that which the DMM can handle.

Edited June 9, 2014 by Tachnicolour