Two Yuasa Battery Failures

[TN Mark]

The previous owner of my 2016 Eldorado purchased a new Yuasa battery for the bike. He didn’t put it into service according to the Yuasa schedule and it was dead within a week or so. What he did was fill the battery with the acid pack and then immediately charge it at about 5 amps.

I bought a new Yuasa battery. I filled it with the included acid and let it sit for two hours. Exactly as per the Yuasa instructions. Letting it sit allows the acid to be fully absorbed by the mat material in the battery.

Then I charged it with a 2 amp automatic charger, as per the Yuasa instructions, until the charger stopped charging. A day or so later I installed that battery into the bike and all was fine. I typically connect a Battery Tender when I know I won’t be on the bike for a week or so. The BT stayed in charge mode for several hours which is quite odd. It should have switched to float mode nearly immediately.

I even tried a different BT that was connected and working perfectly on my Victory. With The same delay in float mode.

When I got back to the Eldo the familiar green light was still on the BR. I turned the key and everything did as it should. The dash lit up and the fuel pump pressurized the system.
When I pressed the starter button: nothing but relay chatter and after a few seconds that all stopped. Turn the key off and then back on only to have the exact same results.

Battery voltage but not enough amps to energize the starter. Another bew Yuasa battery gets delivered today.  I’ll again follow the Yuasa battery initialization process to the letter. But this time I won’t also connect the BT float charger.

All I can think of is the new battery I tried has an internal issue of some kind. I understand why the battery failed in the previous owner’s case.

There’s no perceptible ’spark’ when connecting the Neg side after the Pos side. Therefore I don’t think the Eldo has a debilitating drain on the battery.

I’ve never had a Yuasa battery issue in 5 decades. They’ve all been 100% reliable.

What do you suggest?

[Tkelly]

Return it for a refund.

[Wayne Orwig]

Back in the 90s I had a few Yuasa batteries fail. They even admitted at the time that their method of welding the plates together was flawed and the welds were failing.

[TN Mark]

No return on batteries purchased on Amazon. 🙁

[DoubleGuzzi]

No return on batteries purchased on Amazon. 🙁

Developed countries have a Consumer Protection Act (battery is not fit for purpose/defective manufacturing). Just saying. 

[SemperVee]

No return on batteries purchased on Amazon. 🙁

Mark,

   Chrome battery off Amazon or from Chromebattery.com direct comes with 18 month warranty!   I have two right now on EV and Norge.    I buy the biggest most CCA's available and have installed Volt meters on both. I believe 4+ amp chargers really are best and the .75  maintainer useless 1.25 wanting but useful -  Make sure you have charger that works selected to AGM battery goes without saying.  I selected  a bit larger in size and CCA's  batteries than recommended and made them fit as you can't have too much battery with these italian bikes or too much gas in the tank unless you are on fire, as the saying goes.

[guzzisteve]

Make sure you know it's not been dropped while being transported. One reason I go to a store like batt+.  Half of our batts were bad at the dealer till they changed suppliers then none were returned.

[TN Mark]

Make sure you know it's not been dropped while being transported. One reason I go to a store like batt+.  Half of our batts were bad at the dealer till they changed suppliers then none were returned.

So true. For all I know the battery was dropped somewhere between the USA manufacturer and my front porch.

Enzo from Cadre called me today so I mentioned my battery scenario to him. He said he sees a lot of failed Amazon batteries.

[Motormike]

Back in the 90s I had a few Yuasa batteries fail. They even admitted at the time that their method of welding the plates together was flawed and the welds were failing.

I remember those days all too well.  As soon as you hit the starter button, you'd hear a little "snap" noise and the bike would be dead as a doornail.  Happened to me twice.  One of the times I was stranded in Cherokee NC on a Sunday.  SOL for getting another battery!

[ridingron]

When my bike needs a battery, I want one now. There are 3 auto parts stores within a half mile from my house and a Batteries Plus another half mile. The first one that has my battery is the one I buy from. I've only had 2 batteries fail. One was 8 years old and was about 2 miles from home. The other was on a trip to NC mountains. I pulled off the I'state for gas and it died dead at the gas station. The dash clock even went blank. There was a Suzuki dealer about 3 miles down the road. They brought me a battery, installed it and I was on my way.

Those are the only battery failures I've ever had in about a half million miles on bikes and Lord only knows car miles. I try to buy local on things like batteries. Easier to deal with local people compared to online companies.

[Tom H]

FWIW: I've had good luck with AGM batteries of various brands, though consistently bought brands with good reviews, from Amazon. None DOA so far and last just fine. I'm not saying to buy there, pick your preference of where to buy.

Tom

[DoubleGuzzi]

FWIW: I've had good luck with AGM batteries of various brands..

Unless seriously penny-pinching (selling a bike, for example) I'd never buy a standard SLA and go with an AGM/gel as a minimum. A 6V battery is probably an exception, purely based on availability.

[TN Mark]

As a precaution for the new battery, I bought a NOCO Genius 5 battery charger to initialize it. From everything I read, the 5 is better for motorcycle batteries than the 10.
I’ll also not install another new battery until I ensure the alternator wire TSB has been performed. Enzo said that ‘could’ be a contributing factor in poor battery life and performance.

[Stretch]

I'm no longer impressed with Yuasa batteries. I've had several fail early - as in less than
2 years. Mostly one cell goes bad. And yes, I keep the electrolyte topped up and keep
them on battery maintainers when not riding for a bit.

I'm leaning towards AGM batteries on everything these days.

                                                          -Stretch

[pressureangle]

Ah, batteries.
Second only to oil threads.

I don't buy batteries online anymore. I buy them at the battery store, where I dislike the service and the people. Because I can take it back and make them eat it when it fails.

Yuasa obviously is an old brand with a good name. But as with for instance Interstate, they are not going to maintain the high standard that earned them that reputation if it means leaving profit on the table. Corporate CEOs are not the people who started these companies, and don't care a whit if the battery in their company-owned BMW costs $500.

Both of the batteries above failed due to poor manufacture or storage into antiquity, not because they weren't properly handled. When young, I rarely let a Yuasa sit before using it, and *never* had one fail because of it. Lifespan, well, never had one more than a year or two back then.

If I was a dishonest Amazon seller of batteries, I would poll all the legitimate honest sellers to purchase their end-of-shelf-life batteries at a discount, and foist them off as equal with a reduced retail to make you think you got a good deal. Especially if I knew there was a no-return policy.

I'm conscientiously illuminating the absence of mention of who these sellers might be.

[Kev m]

I cannot imagine buying anything as important as a battery on Amazon - as far as I'm concerned they are a digital wal-fart that delivers cheap crap to my door for convenience. Though I did just buy 2 bottles of Plexus from it the other day.

No matter -  Batteries - I'll buy at a local retailer OR

TA DA:

https://www.batterymart.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=48481617&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=48481617&gbraid=0AAAAAD_Qm7urRbpuMJYx8N6bQLMZmI8gu&gclid=CjwKCAjwx-zHBhBhEiwA7Kjq68eQxxGmxdVsXQVb1s4ODDfgYx953Nxpelcbss7ahx5sHA6wP8aqRhoCEtAQAvD_BwE

Charlie turned me on to Battery Mart years ago - and I've bought a number of their house brand AGM USA MADE "Big Cranks" and have been very happy with them.

Yeah, I could buy something cheaper from Amazon, or Wal-Fart, or some other crap place - BUT WHY?

Buy once, cry once (and honestly, I don't cry over the cost of a battery anyway).

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I cannot imagine buying anything as important as a battery on Amazon - as far as I'm concerned they are a digital wal-fart that delivers cheap crap to my door for convenience. Though I did just buy 2 bottles of Plexus from it the other day.

No matter -  Batteries - I'll buy at a local retailer OR

TA DA:

https://www.batterymart.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=48481617&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=48481617&gbraid=0AAAAAD_Qm7urRbpuMJYx8N6bQLMZmI8gu&gclid=CjwKCAjwx-zHBhBhEiwA7Kjq68eQxxGmxdVsXQVb1s4ODDfgYx953Nxpelcbss7ahx5sHA6wP8aqRhoCEtAQAvD_BwE

Charlie turned me on to Battery Mart years ago - and I've bought a number of their house brand AGM USA MADE "Big Cranks" and have been very happy with them.

Yeah, I could buy something cheaper from Amazon, or Wal-Fart, or some other crap place - BUT WHY?

Buy once, cry once (and honestly, I don't cry over the cost of a battery anyway).

I've bought at least four batteries via Amazon - "Chrome Battery" YTX30L-BS for use in "frugal" customer's big-block Guzzis. Only one arrived defective, and was replaced by Chrome Battery no questions asked. Despite the description reading "High Capacity AGM power", the YTX30L-BS isn't an AGM, but rather an SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) type. It even says so right on the battery.





Most of the time I do buy from Battery Mart though - they're only an hour from me, so I can pop over and buy, or order it online and have it show up a day or two later. The "Big Crank" and "Marathon" batteries are made by Deka/East Penn Mfg. in Lyons Station, PA. Their ETX30L and Mazda Miata (U1) batteries have been averaging 9 years before they need replacing. 

The all-time champion of batteries I've bought has to the AC Delco 55-6 I installed in my Ambo "Sophia" in 2005. Sealed/maintenance-free type, was never on a tender, only charged towards the end. That end came in 2022 - 17 years of service from a battery that only cost $56 in the first place. 

I've never bought a Yuasa battery.

[TN Mark]

I'm no longer impressed with Yuasa batteries. I've had several fail early - as in less than
2 years. Mostly one cell goes bad. And yes, I keep the electrolyte topped up and keep
them on battery maintainers when not riding for a bit.

I'm leaning towards AGM batteries on everything these days.

                                                          -Stretch

I think the Yuasa battery is AGM. They’re not designed to add water etc.
I’d guess there’s something inside that needs to absorb the acid prior to charging.

[pressureangle]

Most of the time I do buy from Battery Mart though - they're only an hour from me, so I can pop over and buy, or order it online and have it show up a day or two later. The "Big Crank" and "Marathon" batteries are made by Deka/East Penn Mfg. in Lyons Station, PA. Their ETX30L and Mazda Miata (U1) batteries have been averaging 9 years before they need replacing. 

DEKA absolutely rocks. My nearest distributor is 2.5 hours away though. Nice to know they have small batteries available online. Will investigate V11/1100 sport sized.

[Dr. Enzo Toma]

Other than for vintage bikes, anytime I'm replacing a motorcycle battery it's with a lithium one and I haven't had any issue buying them online. Mostly Antigravity, Fire Power, Shorai, or Eliiy (Eliiy is OEM on many Hondas). They're just shipped via ground transport. For AGM or flooded batteries, most motorcycle shops or powersports dealers have access to a wide variety of them so you can order it for local pick up and then have the shop's return policy backing it.

Amazon used to really push their marketplace sellers for competitive pricing, but I get the impression that now that people don't give it a second thought before buying something on Amazon, they aren't as price competitive anymore as I regularly find items priced higher on Amazon than buying local.

[kingoffleece]

https://www.odysseybattery.com/

Never an issue.  Ever.

[Wayne Orwig]

I think the Yuasa battery is AGM. They’re not designed to add water etc.
I’d guess there’s something inside that needs to absorb the acid prior to charging.

Yes, they CLAIM they are AGM. They come dry. YOU have to add the acid from premeasured bottles. You must follow the steps exactly to allow the acid to be absorbed into the glass mat. Odd arrangement. Great for shelf life though. I have heard that they can leak acid if tilled over when charged. A true AGM wouldn't do that AFAIK.

[Ncdan]

Not kicking Amazon at all as I use them all the time.
That being said I would not order a battery online from anyone. It’s simply too much trouble to return a battery.
We have a BATTERY PLUS near me.
I also use a sealed battery for my bikes. They cost a little more but well worth the extra cost, IMHO.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Not kicking Amazon at all as I use them all the time.
That being said I would not order a battery online from anyone. It’s simply too much trouble to return a battery.
We have a BATTERY PLUS near me.
I also use a sealed battery for my bikes. They cost a little more but well worth the extra cost, IMHO.

I've probably bought nearly 50 batteries online at this point, and have only ever had an issue with one - the Chrome Battery YTX30L-BS. Chrome Battery sent me another and told me to dispose of the defective one at a recycling center. Battery Mart does an excellent job of packaging to make sure there's no damage enroute.

I have Battery One and Battery Warehouse about 20 miles away.

[Moparnut72]

I have purchased a few no name brand batteries online in recent years. Not a single problem. I bought a battery online for the Harley I owned. The bike would not start if the temp got below 40*, even after I got the compression releases turned on. It still would barely turn over. The stock battery was 300 starting amps, I got an after market 500 amp battery that fit, no more issues.
kk