Battery and cold weather....

[MissTwisties]

Both our bikes still have the batteries in....should we worry about it? How big of a chance that the battery will blow up and mess everything? I asked Man God many times to remove them but he didn't. Should have done it myself for mine...I know.

[PinHead]

Take them out.

[MissTwisties]

....or what? I mean...is it MORE likely to burst or this doesn't happen too often?

Originally posted by PinHead
Take them out.

[Tiller Ayuh]

I used to leave my battery in...I never had one burst, but I began going through a battery a year because they wouldn't keep a charge...I take mine out now...It's on the trickle charge...Once this snows gone, throw in the battery, do a little maintenance check, and away I can go...

[benVFR]

Just get a battery tender and if the bike in the garage you can just leave it on the tender in the garage without removing it from the bike.

I've been doing this ever since I started riding, the bike is always on the tender anytime it is in the garage, summer or winter. I've never had any trouble with any of my batteries, even if it is 10 degrees out like last week the bike starts instantly.

The battery tender companies claim doing this will make the battery last 2x as long as not keeping it on the tender. Who knows if that's actually true though.

[SEVENSGT]

I had my hawk for for 2 full winters and never used a trickle charger, maybe it was me, but it stayed in a garage first year, and was out on a covered patio for the next, and it still had the stock '99 battery in it??

[benVFR]

Sounds like you had a good battery.

I did kill my battery on my SV, that's what prompted me to start putting it on a trickle charger.

I had changed the oil when it was like 20 degrees outside, and had also had to work on the wiring for the rear brake. Just turning the ignition on and off in the garage to check the wiring caused me to drain the battery down to the point where it wouldn't start. It seems like it's really easy to drain the battery in the winter.

I don't know, I don't really put my bike away for the winter anyway, maybe I don't need to do anything but the tender adds a little peace of mind.

[SEVENSGT]

Originally posted by benVFR
Sounds like you had a good battery.

honda reliablity.... I could see killing a batt by turning on and off without starting. On my SV i rode it at least 2 a month during the winter

[Ducrappy]

I always leave my battery in, but I have it plugged in to a Battery Tender whenever the bike sits for more than a few days. I've yet to have a problem doing this for the past few years.

[chr|s sedition]

i've heard a few different things. all of them have a few common themems.

1. keep your battery warm. if you bike is in heated area, then you can keep it bike, but should unhook it so there isn't a drain. If your bike is in a cold area, pull the battery and put it in your house somewhere it will be warm.

2. if battery is in cold storgae, it should be hooked up to a tender. they are pretty cheap. 30 or 40 bucks., if your battery is in decent shape, and kept in warm storage a tender isn't really nessicary (but couldn't hurt).

if've got mine in my close w/o a tender. we'll see how it works come spring.

-sedition

[MissTwisties]

So this whole story about the battery actually leaking and damaging the bike is not likely to happen? I heard if I leave my battery in the bike without a tender and stuff, it could leak and the acid could damage expensive mechanics parts to replace...?

[chr|s sedition]

naw, i think that is mad bullshit

[Rice-rocket1]

I have to chime in on this, 7's you were lucky. Since I have to take care of the emergency backup batteries for the plant I have to know a little about lead acid batteries.

A battery stored at full charge will freeze at a much lower temp than one in a state of discharge. If the fully charged
battery is left in cold area its rate of "internal discharge" will be higher than one kept in a warm area (room temp). --it does not have to be connected to anything for this to occur-- once the charge drops off enough it will allow it to freeze which can lead to:

1. cracking of the case and leaks and

2. sulfating of the battery (a coating on the plates that affects the charging abillity of the battery).

3. and the battery will not be able to hold a full charge.

At minimun it should be kept on a tender. A very easy and brainless way to protect it. Personally I have the FZR, ZX10-R, and rider mower batteries on battery tenders in the basement. With the batteries in a plastic tray.

If the battery is left in the cold for an extended period of time. Talking temps that will freeze water, take a look at the sides and see if they have become distended. If they are, then it is most likely that the battery has frozen.

[Honclfibr]

Originally posted by Rice-rocket1
I have to chime in on this, 7's you were lucky. Since I have to take care of the emergency backup batteries for the plant I have to know a little about lead acid batteries.

A battery stored at full charge will freeze at a much lower temp than one in a state of discharge. If the fully charged
battery is left in cold area its rate of "internal discharge" will be higher than one kept in a warm area (room temp). --it does not have to be connected to anything for this to occur-- once the charge drops off enough it will allow it to freeze which can lead to:

1. cracking of the case and leaks and

2. sulfating of the battery (a coating on the plates that affects the charging abillity of the battery).

3. and the battery will not be able to hold a full charge.

At minimun it should be kept on a tender. A very easy and brainless way to protect it. Personally I have the FZR, ZX10-R, and rider mower batteries on battery tenders in the basement. With the batteries in a plastic tray.

If the battery is left in the cold for an extended period of time. Talking temps that will freeze water, take a look at the sides and see if they have become distended. If they are, then it is most likely that the battery has frozen.

That's good advice right there.

And more to the point, consider this: In the time it's taken you to read this thread, you could take your battery out. Turn the key in the rear trunk, pop the seat, turn one bolt, turn the other bolt, lift and *wow* there you go all by yourself the battery's out now was that all so hard?

I mean c'mon you popped a kid out of a hole the size of a quarter this is not a difficult task.

[MissTwisties]

nah...they had to cut me open to get them out.....

Originally posted by Honclfibr
I mean c'mon you popped a kid out of a hole the size of a quarter this is not a difficult task.

[richw]

Cheap report so far $15 battery tender type thing from Harbor Freight working very well frozen snow blower spins like the dickens.

Lead acid batteries loose 1% charge per day and then sulfate up. Next season they take the 1st charge you go for a ride or 2 and the sulfate debris drops to the bottom and shorts out the plates...game over.

The boil over deal is from using a conventional uncontrolled charger..once the battery is charged excess energy is heat and electrolysys (yes it does get rid of unsightly facial hair) the kind that produces and explosive mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. so it boils and steams and maybe goes pop.


ANYWHO if you low amp charge them today you may bring em back from the brink. then once more in early march