SuzukiSavage.com - Cold Weather Battery Issues

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Cold Weather Battery Issues
12/03/09 at 01:13:51

Hey folks.

I've begun to find that when my 98' savage has been sitting after a cold night (About 45F), it refuses to start in the morning. It'll crank until the battery runs dry but will not start. If I jump it off of my truck battery, it starts instantly, and will start up flawlessly on it's own until it's sat in the cold for a few hours. On warmer mornings, or in the afternoon when it's warmer I have no starting issues at all.

This all tells me that my battery simply isn't cranking enough amps to the starter. My questions are, am I correct in my assumption I just need more juice out of the battery? Is this a normal problem for the stock Savage battery and I should thus get a larger amp aftermarket battery? Or is it just my bike, and probably a battery going bad? Oh, and any particular replacement battery recommended?

Thanks folks.

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Routy

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Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues
Reply #1 - 12/03/09 at 04:42:52

The stock battery should start it on a 30 degree morning, only if the battery is in good condition,...meaning that after 48 hrs of no activity, it has a standing voltage of at least 12.5, and 12.6-7 would be preferred.
Also if you could check to see what the voltage is holding under starting load, could tell you a lot too. I'm not sure what it should hold, but seems like 10.5 is a common loaded voltage for most starting batteries.

After 48 hrs, my battery stands at 12.36, and it gives me trouble starting on colder mornings also. I will replace it in the spring.

If possible, keeping a maintainer/float charger on it should help.

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Rich
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues Reply #2 - 12/03/09 at 05:44:18 Be sure the battery has water in it and charge it on a regular charger at 2 amps over night.
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LazyLemming

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Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues
Reply #3 - 12/03/09 at 08:09:08

bill67 wrote on 12/03/09 at 05:44:18:

Be sure the battery has water in it and charge it on a regular charger at 2 amps over night.

I've tried that one, to no avail.

Letting her sit for 48 hours is kind of hard for me at the moment, as she's my only source of transport currently. But I'll check the voltage in the morning, since overnight is usually long enough to give me the issue. It's an old battery, she was garaged for years before I got her, so it probably does need replacing. Any particular recommendations for a replacement?

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babyhog Serious Thumper Offline Find a Cure for Breast Cancer! NOW!! Posts: 3802 WV Gender:	Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues Reply #4 - 12/03/09 at 10:01:59 I bought a Big Crank not long ago, and its pretty popular here. http://www.bigcrank.com/suzuki-l650-savage-all-battery/ETX-15L.html Comes to you ready to install, no filling, no charging needed... Others will chime in with other options too.
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues Reply #5 - 12/03/09 at 10:09:21 Are the plus and minus the right way on that battery.
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babyhog Serious Thumper Offline Find a Cure for Breast Cancer! NOW!! Posts: 3802 WV Gender:	Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues Reply #6 - 12/03/09 at 11:33:58 bill67 wrote on 12/03/09 at 10:09:21: Are the plus and minus the right way on that battery. Mine? Yes sir!
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues Reply #7 - 12/03/09 at 11:50:25 Thank you thats what I will buy when I need one.
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Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues
Reply #8 - 12/03/09 at 12:33:24

bill67 wrote on 12/03/09 at 11:50:25:

Thank you thats what I will buy when I need one.

So far, so good with it. I'm gonna try to start her tonight. It hasn't been started in a week or so and I don't have it on a tender yet. Startin to get quite chilly here! Brrr

**This is the sealed, maintenance-free, AGM battery, which (I think its justin who pointed out) also means you can't maintain it... you can't add water to it. But it was as inexpensive as anything else I found, and I prefer maintenance-free... Plus, I love the name!

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~ 2006 Black, Big Crank battery, HD Softail muffler, engine guard/o-ring pegs, Spitfite windshield, custom mounted Saddlemen bags, Mustang seat! ~ oh, and Hairdo by Helmet! ~

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Routy Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2280 Winston Oregon Gender:	Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues Reply #9 - 12/03/09 at 13:38:39 The only reason AGMs haven't completely taken over the market is their still expensive in most cases, about double price when it comes to RV/Marine deep cycle. $59 not bad I guess, but a stock replacement can be found for $29-39 I believe. But the AGMs are known to last more than twice as long too.
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LazyLemming YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 15	Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues Reply #10 - 12/04/09 at 07:50:31 My battery read 12.46v, which dropped to 11.6 when I turned the key to on. Would not start this morning. Gonna order a replacement battery come payday, hopefully that solves the issue.
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Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues
Reply #11 - 12/04/09 at 08:03:57

Cold weather does a few things, most of them bad, as far as starting engines. One, the engine is harder to turn because the oil is "thicker," so more power is required. Two, the battery is a chemical system, and chemistry is "slower" in cold weather so the battery's output power is lower. And three, gasoline does not vaporize as easily in cold weather. The combination is why weak batteries usually make themselves obvious come the first cold spell.

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Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues
Reply #12 - 12/04/09 at 18:59:08

That seems like an abnormal voltage drop from just the headlight. I can about imagine the drop when you hit the starter. And its probably not cranking very fast either. Weak batteries sure will show up in the colder weather. I was going to check mine under a cranking load today, but I got sidetracked Shocked

LazyLemming wrote on 12/04/09 at 07:50:31:

My battery read 12.46v, which dropped to 11.6 when I turned the key to on. Would not start this morning.

Gonna order a replacement battery come payday, hopefully that solves the issue.

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Rich
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John_D FSO

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Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues
Reply #13 - 12/04/09 at 19:17:30

I'm not much on electrical mumbo-jumbo, so someone correct me if I'm wrong. I believe someone on here once mentioned that if you're battery's starting to go, you may well have enough power to turn it over fine, but not enough to actually spark it off. I can only imagine that the cold weather makes this even worse.

Irrelevant sidenote: I'm actually sitting here at work doing this; automated testing machines requiring little supervision rock! Cheesy

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Re: Cold Weather Battery Issues
Reply #14 - 12/05/09 at 06:47:20

Only if its battery ignition, but I don't think these bikes are, in fact I don't think much of any non automotive is batt fired ignition anymore. So if its cranking fine, a weak battery shouldn't lessen spark,....but correct me if I'm wrong.

John_D FSO wrote on 12/04/09 at 19:17:30:

I'm not much on electrical mumbo-jumbo, so someone correct me if I'm wrong. I believe someone on here once mentioned that if you're battery's starting to go, you may well have enough power to turn it over fine, but not enough to actually spark it off. I can only imagine that the cold weather makes this even worse.

Irrelevant sidenote: I'm actually sitting here at work doing this; automated testing machines requiring little supervision rock! Cheesy

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Rich
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