Author Topic: Battery issues (Read 11343 times)

pencils · « **on:** 18 August 2013, 11:22:29 am »

Hi guys,

First post on this forum, so I should probably say hello too! I am riding an '05 FZ1 that I got last year. Did a longish trip out to Bosnia and back but have really not had much bike time this year.

When I got it the bike was on its original battery (I think), and earlier this year just before summer the battery was pretty dead. I tried charging it with my optimate, but it was not having any of it. So I replaced the battery with a new MotoBatt (MBTX9U) and all seemed fine, it started first time and I went for a short ride. Now I left the bike for some time (a couple of months) and when I tried to start it that battery was dead too, so I charged it overnight but in the morning it did not start.

To cut a long story short, I wheeled the bike into the shed, plugged in the optimate and forgot about it for another month or so... tried starting it again yesterday but not much joy initially. After a bit of a charge it did start last night, and I let it run a bit and tried starting it a few times and it was ok. I then left it overnight without being charged as I wanted to see how it would last overnight. This morning it will not start again.

Symptoms are as follows:

[/size]the optimate shows it full charged, with no current being added
[/size]I have verified this with a multimeter
[/size]when I try and crank it the voltage just dies completely, as though it cannot supply enough current
[/size]this lack of voltage causes the electronics to shut down which obviously does not aid the sparking at all!
[/size]there is strange clicking from the tail, like a relay rapidly opening and closing (this may be from the alarm, I am not sure)

[/size]So, now I don't really know what to do. The battery should be fine as its only a couple of months old and has been on the optimate pretty much half of that time.

[/size]I want to go on a trip to Belgium this coming weekend, and the last thing I need is a dodgy battery for the trip.

[/size]Does anybody have any suggestions as to what could be the problem? One thing I should probably mention is that my battery is installed flipped on its side, this was the only way I could get it to fit in the space under the seat. Is this correct?

[/size]cheers
[/size]N

nickodemon · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 August 2013, 11:53:18 am »

It's the wrong battery mate. The reason the bike won't crank over with the battery fully charged is because its ampage is too low. The correct motobatt battery is a MBT14B4. Your battery has only 9amps when it should have 14 amps.

pencils · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 August 2013, 12:12:07 pm »

Quote from: nickodemon on 18 August 2013, 11:53:18 am

It's the wrong battery mate. The reason the bike won't crank over with the battery fully charged is because its ampage is too low. The correct motobatt battery is a MBT14B4. Your battery has only 9amps when it should have 14 amps.

Arg, that explains a lot of things!

I have just checked my order on amazon, and I did ask for the CTZ14-S / YTZ14-S which I believe is the same as the MBT14B, so it looks like the vendor has just sent me the wrong thing and I never noticed. Strange that it did work first time after I just installed it![/size][size=78%] [/size]

[/size]Thanks for your help.[size=78%]

nickodemon · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 August 2013, 12:45:16 pm »

You also shouldn't have the battery installed on its side, as you can fry the plates because the plate at the top won't be covered with gel/acid, which will kill it in no time

nickodemon · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 August 2013, 01:11:06 pm »

I have just noticed you have a gen 2 fazer, which is supposed to have a 9 amp battery

The gen 1 has the 14 amp battery.... Oops. Still don't know why you had to fit the battery on it's side?

nickodemon · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 August 2013, 01:23:43 pm »

Might sound like a stupid question - Are you sure its a gen2, not a gen 1?

pencils · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 August 2013, 01:36:57 pm »

I think it is a gen 2, its a 2006 model.

Interstingly, I have done a bit more digging on the MotoBatt site, and it looks like I actually may have the correct battery as you suggested. Hmmm, maybe I knackered it by installing it sideways!

stevierst · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 August 2013, 01:42:33 pm »

Take it for a long ride (an hour +) with it installed properly and see how it does. I've kmackered a few batteries with mains chargers in the past and don't really trust them personally. Motobatt are normally tough as granite, so with a bit of luck it'll recover!

nickodemon · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 August 2013, 01:54:47 pm »

It is a gen 2 and you did have the right battery! Probably knackered because of fitting it wrong, but as stevierst says get it running and go for a good ride to see if it holds a charge.

pencils · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 August 2013, 01:55:12 pm »

Quote from: stevierst on 18 August 2013, 01:42:33 pm

Take it for a long ride (an hour +) with it installed properly and see how it does. I've kmackered a few batteries with mains chargers in the past and don't really trust them personally. Motobatt are normally tough as granite, so with a bit of luck it'll recover!

Can't, it won't fire up $:\$

pencils · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 August 2013, 02:02:39 pm »

Super confused now,

Just tried to re-fit the battery this time with the terminals up (i.e. the normal way of doing things). The battery fits fine this way, although there is a bit of space on one of the sides (see picture).

The thing is, with the battery this way up there is no way I can get the seat back on without it fouling on the battery! (see other picture).

Am I being totally thick here? I have a nagging suspicion that when I removed the old battery it also was on its side?

pencils · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 August 2013, 02:04:45 pm »

The service manual does show the battery lying on its side when installed.

stevierst · « **Reply #12 on:** 18 August 2013, 02:34:23 pm »

Yep, your right, just seen mine. Its led down!

Bump start it, and go for a long ride after checking the terminals are tight. If its still flat then, there's definately something amiss!

Tmation · « **Reply #13 on:** 18 August 2013, 02:49:21 pm »

I may be talking out of my arse here but I have read somewhere that these motobatt batteries don't like to be deep cycled (allowed to go completely flat), they will look like they are taking a charge but won't have the amps to start.

You could try giving it a jolt from a 12V car battery to see if that wakes it up then give it a charge. You may just have a defective battery and if it was me I would fit a new one before going away.

stevierst · « **Reply #14 on:** 18 August 2013, 03:17:41 pm »

Quote from: Tmation on 18 August 2013, 02:49:21 pm

I may be talking out of my arse here but I have read somewhere that these motobatt batteries don't like to be deep cycled (allowed to go completely flat), they will look like they are taking a charge but won't have the amps to start.

You could try giving it a jolt from a 12V car battery to see if that wakes it up then give it a charge. You may just have a defective battery and if it was me I would fit a new one before going away.

I don't know about the deep cycle bit, but a car battery jump start would certainly get it going. (ofcourse with the engine off!)
There's a thread on here somewhere where some American dude tested a load of bike batteries to absolute extreme lengths over about a year. The motobatt came out on top overall. Does anyone know where that thread is?

nickodemon · « **Reply #15 on:** 18 August 2013, 04:19:29 pm »

I'm not up to speed on gen 2's but i think it should be fitted as manual states and how it was originally fitted. It sounds as though it needs a good charge from a car charger to shake it into life. I also have an optimate and they can sometimes be a bit of a pain, when trying to get a flat battery back to life. I wish you luck!

pencils · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 August 2013, 04:28:46 pm »

Quote from: nickodemon on 18 August 2013, 04:19:29 pm

I'm not up to speed on gen 2's but i think it should be fitted as manual states and how it was originally fitted. It sounds as though it needs a good charge from a car charger to shake it into life. I also have an optimate and they can sometimes be a bit of a pain, when trying to get a flat battery back to life. I wish you luck!

Thanks!

I will probably just buy a new battery, as if I get stranded somewhere in Belgium its going to cost me a shit load more!

stevierst · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 August 2013, 04:36:27 pm »

Send the bugger back and tell them it's faulty. Don't but a new one!

pencils · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 August 2013, 08:04:02 am »

Been trying to find a new battery this morning, and have found that the new spec Yuasa that replaces the old one is not actually recommended to be installed sideways, so I imagine its the same with the MotoBatt one I got. That is probably what knackered it.

Camshaft · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 August 2013, 10:11:10 am »

The Motobatt in my Gen 1 sat uncharged in a garage for a year and would only start with a clutch start. When I got the bike home after transporting it in a trailer I charged it with a low power charger for 3 hours and the bike started. No issues with it since. Upright mount in these bikes.

pencils · « **Reply #20 on:** 20 August 2013, 08:23:07 pm »

got my new battery today. Connected it and turned on the ignition...nothing...

This however may have had something to do with me accidently connecting the terminals the wrong way around to the bike when I was taking the photos yesterday! $:\$

50 A fuse has blow, so a quick bodge job later with some croc clips and fuse temporarily "fixed" and hooray it starts.

Think I need to get a new fuse tomorrow and then take it for a ride to make sure I have not knackered the regulator.

The Male Whale · « **Reply #21 on:** 21 August 2013, 07:22:16 am »

Usually a spare main fuse in the fuse box.........

Whale

jackojet · « **Reply #22 on:** 21 August 2013, 08:37:09 am »

I have never seen a battery on a car or bike installed sideon? Always terminals upright.
Am I missing something?
I have a motobatt on my gen 1, no problems fitting apart from the way the terminal posts bolt on made attaching leads a little awkward.

pencils · « **Reply #23 on:** 21 August 2013, 09:24:40 am »

Quote from: jackojet on 21 August 2013, 08:37:09 am

I have never seen a battery on a car or bike installed sideon? Always terminals upright.
Am I missing something?
I have a motobatt on my gen 1, no problems fitting apart from the way the terminal posts bolt on made attaching leads a little awkward.

I agree it seems weird. But that is the only way it fits and is how it is shown in the manufacturer service guide!

jackojet · « **Reply #24 on:** 21 August 2013, 10:35:52 am »

That motobatt you have in the picture says on it not be used inverted. If you say when fitted normally, you can't get the seat on, then it must be wrong battery for your bike. I don't own a gen 2 so can't say which is the correct fitment battery. The one on my gen 1 is a MBT12B4 and also says not to be used inverted, which to means to me terminals up.
You must have the wrong battery?