SuzukiSavage.com - AGM battery problems

justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: AGM battery problems Reply #15 - 07/01/12 at 15:49:51 IDK,, man,, doesnt cost anything,, & how charged is it on that 2 amp deal? I cant see it, IDK,m but Id give it a shot,,
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aintright

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Re: AGM battery problems
Reply #16 - 07/01/12 at 17:35:44

the proper way to charge an agm battery is too hook it up in series from another batter on a charger.

so you hook a charger up to one battery and then hook the agm battery to the one hooked to the charger.

at least that's what i was told by optima when i was talking with one of their tech guys.

it probably is the battery, only charging up to 12.82 volts and it drops to 10v when he turns the key on? sounds like a battery to me.

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justin_o_guy2

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Re: AGM battery problems
Reply #17 - 07/01/12 at 18:08:13

Yep, likely IS the battery,,, but thers a slim chance its something else. If I knew the history of the batteryt, age, # of times discharged, etc, I mite condemn it outright, but, is it possible theres a big draw somewhere knocking it down? Its a free test, hey, itll probably fail.,but if it doesnt get tested & the new one cant handle the job,, then its $$$ out for what?

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Routy

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Re: AGM battery problems
Reply #18 - 07/01/12 at 18:45:59

aintright wrote on 07/01/12 at 17:35:44:

the proper way to charge an agm battery is too hook it up in series from another batter on a charger. .

If a charger is too large for any battery, this method is a way of lowering the amps to a more tolerable level for the small battery. But in reality, a 2 amp charger is not too big for most any motorcycle battery,....AGM or other.

But do connect it in "parallel", NOT SERIES. Connecting it is series will then turn them into a 24v battery, which won't hurt anything, but a 12v charger will charge zero on a 24v battery,......because the 12v charger will think that the battery is already charged Undecided

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aintright YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 34 eerie, pa Gender:	Re: AGM battery problems Reply #19 - 07/01/12 at 21:06:03 whoops, thanks for the clarification on electrical terms.
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rfw2003

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Re: AGM battery problems
Reply #20 - 07/01/12 at 21:16:30

1/10th capacity of the battery is the normal charge rate stated by manufacturers for most types of batteries, to give them the best life. This is just a general guideline to keep a safe temp on the battery while charging it. This is why on just about any rechargeable item you get, the stock charging system that comes with it, and also the manual states that it needs 8 to 10 hours to fully charge. Most batteries can easily tolerate charge rates of up 1x their capacity. i.e. if the battery is rated at 12 amp hours it can be charged at a rate of 12 amps and be fully charged in 1 hour.

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zippythezip

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Re: AGM battery problems
Reply #21 - 07/04/12 at 10:09:53

To complete the story,
Got a new battery, could only get a "A2", same battery only vent is on the negative side. So I cut the slot bigger in the battery box near the neg terminal, vented the tube down behind the starter. This one is the old "lead and acid" my first AGM was a complete flop.
So the battery will now sit at 12.8v
crank 10.6v
idle 14.1v
2500 rpm 14.2v

Not used to a what seems a very fast start.
I must have been unlucky, never had a bad battery before...
warning to others......keep battery reciept Embarrassed

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« Last Edit: 07/04/12 at 12:49:53 by zippythezip »

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ralfyguy

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Re: AGM battery problems
Reply #22 - 07/04/12 at 10:15:06

You just had bad luck with the AGM. That isn't the general rule at all. My AGM is four years old and functions properly like day one. Peronally I will not get a standard lead/acid battery anymore, too much to mess with in the long run.
I don't know the brand of mine, I got it at Autozone, and when it goes bad after all these years I take the old one there and get the same one again. I think it was worth it.

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High_Plains_Thumpr

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Re: AGM battery problems
Reply #23 - 07/04/12 at 19:44:27

zippythezip wrote on 06/30/12 at 15:00:31:

This is a battery 2 months old. Purchased new and fully charged. The battery show good life but hardly turns the bike over, lights indicators all look good but not enough power to start unless I charge it.

(Quote truncated for brevity)

Quote:

in bike for a week - 12.66 volts; ignition on - 9.5v;

jump start connected idle - 13.0v; 2500 rpm - 13.5v; 5000 rpm - 13.7 v
jump start removed- idle - 11.6v; 2500 rpm - 11.8v; 5000 rpm - 12.5v
turn off bike - dead; repeat
jump start removed- idle - 13.5v; 2500 rpm - 13.9v; 5000 rpm - 13.7 v

seems to be ok, so I ride up the road and back and talk to my friend next door for about 1.5hrs, bike wont start and now sitting at 11.9v.

Is this a sign I have a bad battery? its also hard to charge as my automatic charger says its charged. The top says "charge at i.2 amps" is a 2 amp charger too much?

You may have a grounding / terminal / connector / wiring problem. I'd first make sure the battery connectors are clean. Then check all connectors and grounds on the bike. Remove, reconnect. This may explain the inconsistencies you are having with the readings. It may be something as simple as a loose ground. You'll have to remove the tank, seat and covers to get at your connectors. I'd unscrew all grounds, clean, retighten. Disconnect connectors, reconnect them.

Once the culprit is found should restore your bike to sound electrical operation again.

It is possible that the battery is faulty, but I would remove the battery and manually charge it off the bike. (1 amp charger and a full day to charge.) Then test its voltage with a load, such as headlamp. Also check your connections to the starter. If the battery and connectors all check out, you may have a charging circuit problem; bad regulator or alternator or wiring.

Also, if you get stuck somewhere and you don't have enough battery to start; find a convenient place to roll the bike. Put it in neutral with ignition off; set both your choke to mid position and fuel selector to prime (if cold), put key in ignition. Roll the bike to a good jogging pace, jump on the bike, quickly switch key on, put it in 2nd or 3rd gear with clutch depressed, pop the clutch while rolling with throttle partly rolled open. After a couple tries, I was able to ride home on a bad battery incapable of starting the bike.

YMMV and good luck.

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Big John YaBB Newbies Offline Savage: the new Old Brit! Posts: 31 Gender:	Re: AGM battery problems Reply #24 - 07/05/12 at 11:10:31 I have had excellent results with the Westco AGM batteries. Had one in my former bike (Gold Wing 1500) and now have one in my Savage and in my wife's Miata. All have been good.
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