battery death

Hi,

Pretty low-brow question for this thread but anyone had a battery die a complete death before ? I've hardly ridden over winter but washed the bike 3 or 4 weeks ago and all seemed well (bike started first go no probs) and then today I went to check it out and it was completely dead - absolute 0 like I've never seen. A 1 year old motobatt. I jumped it from the car and bike ran nicely but after leaving it attached 20 mins unattached the wires and the bike died - no life in the battery at all.

Any ideas ? Do you think it must have been something I did washing it with a power washer ? Thing is I'm (hoping!) going to Normandy on it Thursday am so I'm going to Fowlers to buy a part charged battery tomorrow. Come back fit it and ride for an hour and see if it's still okay in the evening. Do you think this is a reasonable strategy for making a working assumption that I killed it with my foolish powerwash (never been a problem before) and a new battery will be okay or do you think that I'm being a dickhead once more and should assume there is a sertious problem with the bike (seeing as it's not been started since being fine, wasn't left on and doesn't have an alarm I can't see how it's the bike) ?!

Actually now I write this, I didn't think so but if I left it in park for 3 or 4 weeks, would idling it from the car be enough to bring it back to life ?

hmmmm. Anyway feel free to chuck abuse at such a basic question but hopefully with something useful as well!

It might have just failed catastrophically due to lack of use and the cold weather. Despite what they say, you can revive it with some acid and a re-charge but I would get a new one from Bristol batteries, Albert Rd.

If you have some sort of lectric leak via alarm or whatever, that's a job for other than me.

Also, these peeps are BRILLIANT. I got mine in 19 hours from order.


https://www.mdsbattery.co.uk/

Lack of cycling the battery without a trickle charger/conditioner connected and the cold could kill a battery . It's also possible that pressure washing it has shorted something out and the main 30 amp fuse has blown ?

You say you jumped it and let it run for 20 miles but did you actually remove it and charge it after? It's my experience that a bike on tickover barely charges a flat battery at all let alone revitalise a totally flat one.
I left my heated grips on for a week on the triumph and when I went out the battery was as much use as a paperweight, I jumped it and the bike ran perfectly, turned it of and again nothing, I took the battery of and put it on my optimate charger and reconditioned it and a year later it's fine.

Probably best to try and charge the battery first, you will need a low amp trickle charger, ones that are for cars tend to be of a higher ampage, and for that reason I wouldn't jump it from the car either, but that's my own opinion. Halfords do bike batteries, and chargers for them as well. Ive had mine for quite a few years now, tho I tend to avoid the optimiser type.

I have a meter and can test your battery and alternator. I also have a trickle charger (optimate) if you want to leave the battery overnight.
If you can pop over by me (I live in Peasedown St John), I can test the battery and charging system and give you some reassurance.
My hayabusa has a battery that started the bike on the first try. However if the bike did not start on the first try, the battery then acted as if it was dead. I removed the battery from the bike and put it on the charger. Now the bike and battery work perfectly.
With respect to your specific situation, I would say your fuse is good as the bike started and ran when jumped from the car. Also the bike battery got a quick boost from the car (but not enough to charge it fully).
However at idle the bike did not charge the battery and so used up any remaining charge hence the cut off 20 minutes later.

Thanks guys. I'm still pretty confused by what may have happened as I don't think I have anything to drain the battery when the bike isn't running. Obviously it's too late to double check I didn't leave it in park now! Thanks Dennis I only saw that this morning and it's become a problem to throw money at now as we are hoping to leave at ouch o'clock tomorrow morning so I've ordered a battery from BBL batteries, Albert Rd and will pick it up in a couple of hours when it;s charged. To be honest I had a lot of problems with the bike not starting intermittently before and after changing relays, clutch switch etc the problem finally went away when I got my motobatt so I think it was an ECU / low voltage problem (there I go talking about things I barley understand again!). Anyway the point being I think I'm better off getting a new battery than going through the constant 'hold your breath and hope it starts' experience again!

Anyway thanks all.

Once you’ve fitted the battery, check the voltage across the terminals (should be around 12V), then fire the bike up and check again. With the engine running the voltage should read somewhere between 13.5-14.5V. It’s worth ensuring that the bike will keep charging and not leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere during your trip...

Great seems okay at a little over 14! Cheers