Not enough battery power to start this morning

[connie1]

My Honda charger has a cycle that it goes through when you hook it up.  First desulfating, then charging, then maintaining.  A little yellow light blinks during the desulfating phase, when it switches to charging I unplug it and plug it back in...goes back to desulfating.  I might do this six or eight times, testing in between.  I never load test small batteries like bike and quad but a voltage test will tell you if all the cells are producing.

[SVonhof]

I picked up a Tender Plus on the way home ($64 total) and have it hooked up now and it has a solid red light which indicates it is charging. I forgot to check the voltage before starting the process. I could check it now using the terminals in the Battery Tender cable, but I am going to leave it alone and check back later to see how it's doing.

[connie1]

Just did a little research, my Honda charger is a re-branded Optimate.

[motocopter]

... that kind of temp the acid will freeze and it will be hooped....

   cracks me up! 

[SVonhof]

Last night, I went to watch a movie (home theater) and looked at the Tender first and it was showing red. After the movie (11pm) it was solid red with flashing green (indicating it was over 80%). Went to bed and this morning it was green and the bike started right up.

Thanks for the advice guys!

[gPink]

Did you end up replacing the battery?

[Pokey]

You "NEVER" start up your bikes and let them idle without going for a ride, does nothing but put moisture in your crankcase and doesn't do anything for charging your battery. Stabil should also had been put into your gas tank, the crap gas out there now turns to varnish within 3 months without any stabilizers added.

[SVonhof]

Did you end up replacing the battery?

Nope. I was going to buy one at the dealer where I got the Tender just in case this one could not be salvaged and return it if I didn't use it, but they won't allow returns on electrical items. I explained that if I didn't need it, I wouldn't even pull it out of the box or anything and they were not having it, so I walked out without one.

You "NEVER" start up your bikes and let them idle without going for a ride, does nothing but put moisture in your crankcase and doesn't do anything for charging your battery. Stabil should also had been put into your gas tank, the crap gas out there now turns to varnish within 3 months without any stabilizers added.

Even California gas? We have a different formulation for our state. And I agree, I would never start the bike and let it idle, I would only go for a ride. Hence the reason for a dead battery, I didn't ride it. My wife asked why I didn't start it and let it idle and I told her that it needs to be ridden, not just idle.

[gPink]

Even Cali gas. What Pokey said. It's easy enough to treat your gas.

[Pokey]

The gas today is ass..............

[ZG]

The gas today is ass..............

Ass gas? 

[Pokey]

Ass gas? 

Ass gas would be a good comparison.

[MAN OF BLUES]

Crap. I need it faster than they could get it to me...  Great find though.

I posted this a while back, search feature would help on battery stuff....

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=10869.msg133292#msg133292

48 hours from call to arrival, across the USA.

how much faster do we need?  I know....walk in and purchase syndrome...instant gratification.

[SVonhof]

I posted this a while back, search feature would help on battery stuff....

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=10869.msg133292#msg133292

48 hours from call to arrival, across the USA.

how much faster do we need?  I know....walk in and purchase syndrome...instant gratification.

I needed it in less than 24 hours.    I am going to my buddies house at noon today so that we can both install our fuel controllers (Juice Box for me and Power Commander for him) on our C14's. He has never taken the fairings off and would rather I come over and help him.

[gPink]

Ass gas? 

Sounds like a gashole issue.

[maxtog]

You "NEVER" start up your bikes and let them idle without going for a ride, does nothing but put moisture in your crankcase and doesn't do anything for charging your battery.

+1
At idle, a vehicles alternator usually barely keeps up with just keeping the vehicle running.  And it is best to get the vehicle up to temperature, get the transmission and wheels moving, etc.

[maxtog]

Last night, I went to watch a movie (home theater) and looked at the Tender first and it was showing red. After the movie (11pm) it was solid red with flashing green (indicating it was over 80%). Went to bed and this morning it was green and the bike started right up.

Sounds like you lucked out    I FINALLY got a Battery Tender Jr. just several months ago.  Sometimes it won't go green on my 2011's battery, but it has been left too low at least three times.  I think it is on its last leg.  Sometimes even with good treatment they don't last too long.  My 2009 car's battery is also starting to get weak starting after even just 3 or 4 days of sitting.  That has never been left low, but I have accidentally overcharged it twice (I don't use a Tender on it).

Thanks for the advice guys!

Anytime.  Share and share alike.

[maxtog]

The gas today is ass..............

+1000

They need to stop this stupid ethanol crap.  Worst idea ever.  And I think it pretty much ruined my last bike (a caurburated 2000 ZRX)

[SVonhof]

FYI, everything worked great today. Rode the bike to my buddies and we both installed the fuel controllers and then we rode 141 miles in a trip to go get some Tri-Tip. Came home and smoked the roast for just over an hour and then seared it over high heat and enjoyed!
Two C14's and a Harley, my buddy had his son riding along on his C14 and after 90 miles, I put my Corbin seat on his bike so he could try it out. Good thing I did that because he was about ready to buy one and found out he really didn't like how low he was sitting on it. He will go for a Sargent standard height instead or maybe just get a different cover for his.

[Rhino]

As luck would have it I started my bike yesterday morning and got the low battery warning and it was slow cranking over. I only rode it about 15 minutes but then put a Sears automatic charger on it in 2 amp mode. After about 4 hours the charger switched off and the battery this morning starts the bike like it did new.

BTW this was the longest my bike has sat all year. About 4 weeks.