'Tis the Season for Bad Batteries

Just a reminder that this tends to be the time of year that FJR batteries (the stock lead-acid kind) can start becoming marginal and may appear as electrical gremlins. As the warm summer gives way to a few mornings that are cooler than usual (not necessarily "cold") that otherwise perfect battery...for years...can suddenly get sketchy, weird things can happen to otherwise perfect startups, codes start to be displayed, etc.

So, I'm sure there will still be the seasonal spate of new gremlin threads in the coming weeks and it's not an exact prediction because those cool nights are different in different places we're members, but I'm just suggesting to keep it mind as you ride your FJR into the Autumn and watch as some new threads pop up.

Call it my seasonal forum Nostradamus impersonation.

I'm saying all this as I sit in my cubicle as I hear a co-worker drone on to another co-worker about his BMW diagnosed by the dealer as ultimately having a bad battery. We've had 3 or 4 nights in a row down into the 40's or 50's where we're usually about 20 degrees warmer.

YRMV

Good advice! One year ago I was about to head out of town on a long weekend trip and the day before I was to leave, the battery went stone cold dead. I put the charger on it and it charged back up with volt meter confirmation. The following morning (my departure day)....dead again! So I took it in for a load test and it ended up having a bad cell (or two). Found the right size replacement and fortunately got it installed (after dropping one of the little square terminal screw bolts somewhere in the fairing) and hit the road for my trip. I was fortunate this all happened before I had left town, otherwise it would added some aggravation to my trip.

Shouldn't this thread already be in NERPT?

This is the time of the year when I begin to make sure the Battery Tender Jr. is connected each time I park the FJR. Original battery in my '09 lasted into the spring of this year and I replaced it only because the cranking speed had started to slow noticeably. Engine started fine but I worried about the possibility of it failing somewhere away from home. Now I also carry a little power pack that has enough power to start my car so I am sure it will start the FJR. Bought it at COSTCO this past spring.

Just put new battery in my 61K '05.... a new OEM type Yuasa STD battery... $100+ from local place.

Existing battery was an OEM looking "gel" type and about 3 yrs old. However, it would crank a little slower than usual once in a while but HOT starts were getting iffy.

I would get that hesitation, and then full cranking along with flashing dash lights and ODO reset (discussed here already). I had been assuming battery was good and a starter change was in my future. However, got the battery (start with the easy stuff) and problem solved.... consistent cranking in the morning, hot starts are better than they ever were before (starter barely turns and engine lights). Oh.. and yes, I check the charging.... ~14.25V at the battery with little if any change when loaded with high-beams, brakes lights etc. Got a set of Oxford heated grips ready for install as well so I'm ready for winter...

Mr. BR

8 years old with 89K on the original and still starting fine. I don't expect it to stay that way. If it ain't broke yet, don't fix it.

Dave

9 years and 162,000 miles on the '07 OEM battery. So far so good although I doubt it will go a lot longer. Still starts the bike well although self-discharge rate appears to be up. (Sluggish if it has sat for much more than a week.) Never been on a tender but I top up the charge every couple of months during the off-season (December to March). Maybe I'll replace it next year... Either that or get one of the Lithium ion emergency power packs - great for auxiliary power for charging stuff while on a camping road trip + insurance in case the main battery gives up.

Edit: Maybe I'll see if I can make 10 years and 200,000 miles on the original!

Here I thought this was gonna be a thread on cell phones. I was a Galaxy away on my thinking.

Cold weather is a challenge to batteries, but mine tend to die in hot weather when they can't overcome the load from a cooling fan, in addition to starting the bike. I guess I need to put the cooling fan on a relay , but on my Gen I, it comes on as soon as I turn the key. A good battery turns the bike with no problem, but any weakness is quickly revealed if the bike is hot.

TomInPA said:

I guess I need to put the cooling fan on a relay , but on my Gen I, it comes on as soon as I turn the key.

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That's odd, my 05 has never done this. Cooling fan comes on as soon as you turn key? I've not heard of this before.

Gary

garyahouse said:

TomInPA said:

I guess I need to put the cooling fan on a relay , but on my Gen I, it comes on as soon as I turn the key.

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That's odd, my 05 has never done this. Cooling fan comes on as soon as you turn key? I've not heard of this before.

Gary

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Same here... my fan has never come on when I turn on the Key... even on a hot day when restarting after a brief stop to gas up. Mine only comes on when I hit 4 bars on the temp gauge.

Mr. BR

I guess this might be something to dig into at a tech meet. My fan starts as soon as the key is turned to ignition, and with a weak battery, I can't start over the load. Truth. I have done nothing to modify this. If I turn the bike off hot, as soon as I turn the key to start, the fan runs. You both have 2005 FJRs, so I must have something amiss. Can relays fail in the on position?

Lithiums have a hard time starting a bike when it's cold out (40F or lower). Some new bikes are coming with them OEM. Lead acid, Gel or AGM love the cold when it's fully charged. Heat is the real enemy of any battery.... a battery is not going to last very long in Texas or Arizona.

Our cooler climate is definitely a contributor to lead-acid longevity! While a lithium battery as a primary battery is a poor choice for this area for several months of the year, the lithium booster packs can be useful. They are about the size of a largish paperback novel and (if you want) you can warm them up inside your jacket so they will easily put out the amps for an emergency start. As I mentioned, they also make a great aux. power source when camping.

RaYzerman19 said:

Lithiums have a hard time starting a bike when it's cold out (40F or lower). Some new bikes are coming with them OEM. Lead acid, Gel or AGM love the cold when it's fully charged. Heat is the real enemy of any battery.... a battery is not going to last very long in Texas or Arizona.

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Touche! But so far, so good after 2 years on my '14. I've had brand new batteries go bad after just a year in some of my cars/trucks. This is one state where a good 5 year warranty comes in handy.

My 4 year old $26.00 A C Delco batt just went tits up...stone dead one morning and wouldn't hold a charge...can't complain...put in a Yuasa AGM. for $90.00.

In my opinion the CPU software should block the fan until the engine starts. Same goes for the headlights. Any significant electrical load should be blocked until the engine starts.

Yet the bike doesn't have to sit very long after a hot shutdown for the coolant temp to drop below four bars on the Gen I.

Let's say you're in town in slow traffic and the temp rises to 4 bars and the fan's running. You're stopped at a traffic light and you bog the engine as you start to move. I don't want the fan and headlights on when I'm scrambling to start the engine with cars honking behind me.

RossKean said:

9 years and 162,000 miles on the '07 OEM battery. So far so good although I doubt it will go a lot longer. Still starts the bike well although self-discharge rate appears to be up. (Sluggish if it has sat for much more than a week.) Never been on a tender but I top up the charge every couple of months during the off-season (December to March). Maybe I'll replace it next year... Either that or get one of the Lithium ion emergency power packs - great for auxiliary power for charging stuff while on a camping road trip + insurance in case the main battery gives up.
Edit: Maybe I'll see if I can make 10 years and 200,000 miles on the original!

Click to expand...

Yep! Dunno what's up with the '07 OEM batteries but I'm still using mine 9 yrs/92K miles later. I tucked an XP-3 power supply under the tail section. Fits nicely. I've not needed it for the bike but it has started lawnmowers and cars numerous times plus it comes with cables for charging small electronical stuff & built-in flashlight. Perfect for camping.

https://www.amazon.com/Antigravity-Batteries-AG-XP-3-Multi-Function-Starter/dp/B00GT2FUB2

DennisJ said:

This is the time of the year when I begin to make sure the Battery Tender Jr. is connected each time I park the FJR. Original battery in my '09 lasted into the spring of this year and I replaced it only because the cranking speed had started to slow noticeably. Engine started fine but I worried about the possibility of it failing somewhere away from home. Now I also carry a little power pack that has enough power to start my car so I am sure it will start the FJR. Bought it at COSTCO this past spring.

Click to expand...

I laughed at my buddies wife when she whipped one of these power packs she got at Costco out when someone had left there lights on in their car for six hours, even telling her "let me know when you need my jumper cables", The thing fired it right up!