Battery keeps dying

[Oliver]

Hi all,


My Battery keeps dying on my '98 Fazer. I have no idea what it could be - it happened after I left the bike sitting for 6 months and I have replaced the battery twice since - both of which are now totally dead after a few days each.


Any thoughts on what it could be?


Cheers

[daviee]

put a volt meter on it with the leads off it you should get about 12.8 then connect it  you should still get the same with the ignition off if its lower you have something drawing , you got anything conected alarm or anything ?

[Hugh Mungus]

If you have a multi meter...
Set it to read Amps.  Disconnect positive lead from battery. Connect multi meter - one lead to the battery and one to the positive lead you just disconnected. With the ignition switch off the meter should read zero.  A reading of 0.1 amps will drain a bike battery within two days.
If you get a reading above zero try disconnecting the voltage regulator/rectifier. If the amps go to zero you have found your problem. Try disconnecting other things if this doesn't work.

[Trebus]

Have you got an alarm fitted? Usual culprit.

[BBROWN1664]

or heated grips that are not on a switched live?

[HarryHornby]

Whoever had my bike before me had a go at changing the  headlights so both are on when riding.  Sometimes they both work and sometimes they don't.  I'm suspecting a loose cable somewhere.  Anyway, if I leave my light switch in the on position when the bike is in the garage the battery drains, if I turn the lights to off it doesn't, so maybe try your light switch.


When I buy my fairing and replace it I'll take a look at the wiring.

[Jamieg285]

If you have a multi meter...
Set it to read Amps.  Disconnect positive lead from battery. Connect multi meter - one lead to the battery and one to the positive lead you just disconnected. With the ignition switch off the meter should read zero.  A reading of 0.1 amps will drain a bike battery within two days.
If you get a reading above zero try disconnecting the voltage regulator/rectifier. If the amps go to zero you have found your problem. Try disconnecting other things if this doesn't work.

You should always disconnect the earth lead rather than the positive. 

[Fazerider]

There are three possibilities:
1. As already suggested, something’s draining it while parked.
2. You bought faulty batteries (it happens).
3. There’s a fault in the charging circuit.


It’s hard to guess which of these is the problem until you get a voltmeter across the battery and take some readings with the bike off and then with the engine running.

[Hugh Mungus]

[quote author=Hugh Mungus link=topic=23407.msg269992#msg269992 date=1508354009]
If you have a multi meter...
Set it to read Amps.  Disconnect positive lead from battery. Connect multi meter - one lead to the battery and one to the positive lead you just disconnected. With the ignition switch off the meter should read zero.  A reading of 0.1 amps will drain a bike battery within two days.
If you get a reading above zero try disconnecting the voltage regulator/rectifier. If the amps go to zero you have found your problem. Try disconnecting other things if this doesn't work.

You should always disconnect the earth lead rather than the positive.
[/quote]


Old habits die hard. Using the positive is way I learnt.

[Oliver]

Thanks all, No alarms or heated grips - headlights are always on (Australian bike - no off switch) and never been a prob before.

I'll get a multimeter and test as suggested, I'm hoping its something super simple!

[F4celess]

...
- it happened after I left the bike sitting for 6 months and I have replaced the battery twice since - both of which are now totally dead after a few days each.
...

Was the battery left on a "trickle charger" during that 6 months, to maintain the battery condition/charge. They don't "charge" constantly, just monitor the level and periodically condition it plus maintain an optimum voltage.

Not running any other little gadgets on the bike hidden away, connected direct to the battery, that might have inadvertently drained it - lights / security / etc?

A multimeter really will help you narrow down the potential problem here... get poking. Grounded wire or bad switch perhaps.

[BBROWN1664]

6 months without a trickle charge will see almost all batteries die. Bike with a clock (time keeping thing) will die quicker than that.