Identifying potential battery issues

[tris]

Currently the battery on my V9 starts the bike fine

However , I suspect that it's the original battery and therefore about 6 years old so likely to die soon.

1) Does anyone know what battery MG fitted to the bike when they built it.  Just incase it has had a new one fitted

2) How can I tell if its about to die? It lives on a tender at home so I guess that might mask a battery nearing the end of its life until it let's me down when I'm out

Cheers
Tris

[not-fishing]

Well you can put the battery on a load tester at O'Reilly or Autozone or Batteries Plus.

My son ended up buying a load tester because of all the cars, pickups and motorcycles we have I can't remember when I replaced some of the Batteries.



Then there's the 2 year old replacement Regulator that I put in my V11 Lemans that probably has failed diodes and killed the new battery I put in it.

Just another fact of live with 30 year or newer electrics.

[Perazzimx14]

I bought a battery load tester at HF a few months ago and should have done it sooner. Cheap tool for helping diagnose battery health.

Honestly if the battery works, I'd not worry with replacing it. As for a replacement when it comes time you have many choices from cheap Amazon to high end lithium-Ion batteries and everything in between. I will say while I'd likely not spend the money when the time comes, I have bought several bikes that had Antigravity brand LION batteries in them. It's crazy how light these batteries are compared to its 14lb (counterpart in my case) but saving 12lbs. on a 500+ pound bike is like throwing a deck chair off the Titanic hoping it sinks slower. The features I like best is the built in jump start feature. The battery will only discharge to a certain point then shut itself off but reserving enough charge for a "jump start". Access the battery hit the jump start button and then hit the starter. I also like LION batteries do not self-discharge like lead acid batteries. No need to connect a battery tender periodically to top up the charge when not in use.

At $250 +/- for the Antigravity verses a $75 for a DEKA it's a choice I'm not likely to make. If I had one bike that I knew I'd keep, sure I'd invest in the AG but over the last 3 or 4 years the gallon of milk in the fridge lasts longer than most of the bikes.
 

[Scout63]

I keep all of my batteries on battery tenders and they last a very long time.  As long as fluid levels are maintained (where required) and they don’t discharge, they stay healthy.  The four lead battery tenders are expensive but very handy. 

https://www.batterytender.com/four-bank

[Zenermaniac]

My ‘17 Roamer had a Yuasa that failed at 5 yrs. No warning - just one day it wouldn’t turn over. I had a Yuasa (same number) on a previous bike that lasted 14 yrs. Go figure. I put a cheap battery from Menards in the Roamer. We’ll see how that goes. So far so good.

[LowRyter]

Just curious if anyone has experience with Anti Gravity batteries?  They weigh a couple of pounds and have a push button jump feature.  Cost a little more than a conventional battery.

[Navydad]

Just curious if anyone has experience with Anti Gravity batteries?  They weigh a couple of pounds and have a push button jump feature.  Cost a little more than a conventional battery.

Yes, I had one in my Yamaha T-Max and was very happy with it. Battery was a year old when I sold the bike so I can't speak for the longevity of the battery. Bike sat for a couple of months without a battery tender due to health issues and started quickly and no need to use the push button feature. My 2016 Stone will get one when the time comes.

[n3303j]

H4 headlight High Beam is 60 Watts and draws 5 amps.
Odyssey 625 is 18 amp hour battery when fully charged.
If you hook this battery to an H4 high beam and run it for two hours you will have dropped it down to a bit less than half capacity.
At half capacity this battery should readily crank your engine and start it.

Anyway that's how I check a battery to decide whether or not to keep it in service.
Check your battery for amp hour capacity and calculate headlight drain to 50%.
Then crank away.

[Stretch]

This.

"I keep all of my batteries on battery tenders and they last a very long time.  As long as fluid levels are maintained (where required) and they don’t discharge, they stay healthy.  The four lead battery tenders are expensive but very handy. "

Keeping an eye on the fluid levels where required is definitely key!


My take on potential battery issues:

If your device has a battery, then you will eventually have issues with it. It's a matter of when, not if.

                                                                  -Stretch

[kingoffleece]

At six years I'd replace it.  That's a nice long run.  Personally I'd be ticked at myself if a dead battery got in the way of something fun 'cause I was trying to stretch it out.
Especially 100's of miles out. 

[n3303j]

Of course I'm jinxing myself here but my Odyssey 925 in the T3 is in its 15th year of service.
I'm still in Florida; but I'll see if it starts when I get back up north next month.
No battery tenders for the Odyssey. Just park them fully charged.
That's what the manufacturer recommends.

[tris]

I keep all of my batteries on battery tenders and they last a very long time.  As long as fluid levels are maintained (where required) and they don’t discharge, they stay healthy.  The four lead battery tenders are expensive but very handy. 

https://www.batterytender.com/four-bank

This is sort of why I raised the question

My bike sits on a CTEK tender most of the time and I wondered if that could mask a failing battery.
ie it's happy to start the bike in the garage, but once off the tender gets a bit limp round the edges to the extent that it wont turn the bike over

Anyway, I think I'll rave it out sometime  and see if there is a date on it anywhere

Thanks for your input

Tris

[n3303j]

This is sort of why I raised the question

My bike sits on a CTEK tender most of the time and I wondered if that could mask a failing battery.
ie it's happy to start the bike in the garage, but once off the tender gets a bit limp round the edges to the extent that it wont turn the bike over

Anyway, I think I'll rave it out sometime  and see if there is a date on it anywhere

Thanks for your input

Tris

Any time a battery gets "limp round the edges" it's GONE!
That is a sure sign it is not fit for service no matter how new or old it is.
I don't want to push a bike any feet.
Keeping a good battery on board is a step toward the "no push bike" goal.

[Moparnut72]

Yes to that and batteries are cheap. Cheap enough that frugal Guzzi owners can get a new one from time to time. 
kk

[chuck peterson]

Just thinking about how old your battery is….and not knowing

Can make them die the next morning …
 

I swear! Just happened to me today…

3 days ago I thought about how long ones been installed

It’s dead now..

The answer is 10 years…marked April 2013. Weird that it showed no signs of giving up