AGM Battery Discussion

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dufremle
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AGM Battery Discussion

Post by dufremle » Sun Sep 01, 2019 9:04 am

(Topic split form BBQ Anyone? thread)

Well, my battery is dead again. Stupid AGM batteries.
Jim

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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by fixxervi6 » Sun Sep 01, 2019 10:20 am

I just woke up so I haven't checked my battery yet but I'm AGM as well so I bet it's toast.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by dufremle » Sun Sep 01, 2019 12:26 pm

Mine is showing less than 3 volts. I don't think they will cover it under warranty again.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by JeffStrom » Sun Sep 01, 2019 1:25 pm

You know, if you actually ride the bikes, the batteries tend to last longer.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by fixxervi6 » Sun Sep 01, 2019 2:09 pm

AGM commits suicide at like 1.5 weeks or so
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by dufremle » Sun Sep 01, 2019 3:37 pm

I rode it two weeks ago to Cresson. It shouldn't have died that fast. Especially down to under 3 volts.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by JeffStrom » Sun Sep 01, 2019 7:40 pm

dufremle wrote:I rode it two weeks ago to Cresson. It shouldn't have died that fast. Especially down to under 3 volts.
How old was it? And are you sure you don't have some sort of parasitic draw? The Ninja sits longer than that sometimes and it has an AGM battery.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by dufremle » Sun Sep 01, 2019 9:01 pm

I bought it in April and replaced it in May because it died. I thought I might have a parasitic draw, but I check it daily for a week and it only lost 0.02 volts. I'm wondering if maybe the bike isn't overcharging the battery while riding.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by JeffStrom » Mon Sep 02, 2019 11:46 am

dufremle wrote:I bought it in April and replaced it in May because it died. I thought I might have a parasitic draw, but I check it daily for a week and it only lost 0.02 volts. I'm wondering if maybe the bike isn't overcharging the battery while riding.
It is possible. There are ways to check it. There are also procedures to check the alternator and the regulator/rectifier independently.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by fixxervi6 » Mon Sep 02, 2019 4:24 pm

well my AGM is toast too, just tired to fire it up a couple hours ago - nothing
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by JeffStrom » Tue Sep 03, 2019 11:03 am

Chemically, AGM batteries are just lead-acid. In theory, AGM batteries should hold up better against sulfation than flooded batteries, but can be more sensitive to overcharging. So maybe that's the issue you guys are having.

Using resting voltage to measure state of charge is problematic. A resting 12 volt lead acid battery may lose less than 1 volt going from 100% charge to 50% charged and may be affected by temperature variation and the precision of the meter. A better way to check parasitic draw would be to actually measure the current flowing while the bike is off and has been sitting for a while, particularly if your bike has anti-theft stuff in it. The best way would be with a no-touch DC amp meter, ideally one with memory that you can leave attached for a day, but if you, like most of us, don't have one. You can do the test with a regular multi-meter in series if that's what you have available. Just note that when you disconnect the cable and then connect the meter in series, you may get a current spike that is not an indication of a parasitic draw.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by dufremle » Tue Sep 03, 2019 12:54 pm

My plan was to get a new battery and a cheap voltmeter to show voltage while riding. I really think it might be overcharging. You would think there would be a light for that, or an actual voltmeter on the dash. Unless i have some type of short, as I can't see a small parasitic draw pulling the battery down to less than 3 volts in 2 weeks time. It would have to be a fairly large draw.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by dufremle » Tue Sep 03, 2019 6:38 pm

The battery is at Batteries Plus getting 'warranty tested'. They showed it at 4 volts. I pulled the rear end of the motorcycle apart to check the aftermarket undertail to see if any of the wires were frayed. I didn't find anything. I also decided to lift the gas tank to check the wires under there. It all looked good, too. I pulled the air filter out to check it while I was under there. Looks good.

Once I get a good battery back in it I'll check the charging system to see if there is anything wrong with it. If not, then I guess I'll pull the body panels and look around for any frayed wires. This could turn into a giant mess.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by fixxervi6 » Tue Sep 03, 2019 9:43 pm

It's not an overcharging issue, all of my AGM's are perfectly fine as long as I put them on my tender as soon as I get back like religion. If i don't put them on a tender they go tits up - this was not limited to my GS.

My gut says AGM suffers self discharge and doesn't hold up - at all - to any kind of deep discharge, or even a mild discharge.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by dufremle » Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:11 am

Battery tested good. I'll put it back in the bike and then test the charging system. Either way I guess I need to keep it on the charger in between rides.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by fixxervi6 » Tue Oct 08, 2019 8:19 pm

Ok so let the AGM sit on a charger for a week, unplugged it for 24 hours, bike fired right up, so I think I'm good
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by dufremle » Sat Oct 12, 2019 6:41 am

I rode last Sunday, about 150 miles or so. Checked it on Wednesday and the gauge was showing 12.1 volts. I tried to start it and it wouldn't start. I threw it on the charger for a while and then it started right up. I hate AGM.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by JeffStrom » Sat Oct 12, 2019 8:34 am

dufremle wrote:I rode last Sunday, about 150 miles or so. Checked it on Wednesday and the gauge was showing 12.1 volts. I tried to start it and it wouldn't start. I threw it on the charger for a while and then it started right up. I hate AGM.
I don't know what your bike is doing but we have 4 bikes with AGM batteries and every one of them is fine sitting for two weeks without being charged or started. And I've had them sit for longer than that. Did you ever check for parasitic draw on the battery?
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by fixxervi6 » Sat Oct 12, 2019 10:17 am

Maybe not all AGM's are equal? I've never had an AGM hold in any bike.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by dufremle » Sun Oct 13, 2019 6:50 am

I think I may have found the problem. I left my charger for the phone plugged in. It's a cigarette lighter directly connected to the battery, with an adapter. The battery was reading 12.7 volts, and when I unplugged the charger it went up to 12.8 volts. I plugged it back in and it dropped again. I normally unplug it after a ride but this time I didn't. I'll keep an eye on it and see if that was the issue, or at least part of it.
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Re: BBQ anyone?

Post by dufremle » Tue Oct 15, 2019 2:18 pm

dufremle wrote:I think I may have found the problem. I left my charger for the phone plugged in. It's a cigarette lighter directly connected to the battery, with an adapter. The battery was reading 12.7 volts, and when I unplugged the charger it went up to 12.8 volts. I plugged it back in and it dropped again. I normally unplug it after a ride but this time I didn't. I'll keep an eye on it and see if that was the issue, or at least part of it.
Well, turns out the phone charger may have been part of the problem, but not all of it. I checked the battery today and it was reading 12.1 volts. I tried to start it but it wouldn't start. Voltage dropped to 7 something volts when I hit the starter button. I threw it on the charger. I'll check it later.
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Re: AGM Battery Discussion

Post by JeffStrom » Tue Oct 15, 2019 3:27 pm

Jim,
Try this: disconnect the battery, fully charge it, check the voltage every couple of days. After a few days connect it back up and try to start it. See if this works out any different from leaving it connected. Make sure the time spans are the same.
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Re: AGM Battery Discussion

Post by dufremle » Wed Oct 16, 2019 11:09 am

I'll have to try that. Going to wait until the weather turns, though. I have several attachments that I would want to add one by one to see what they do. That could take a while.
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Re: AGM Battery Discussion

Post by dufremle » Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:28 am

Well, I unplugged my battery from the charger over the weekend as I was going to start testing it, but within 3 days the voltage dropped to under 6. I don't have a charger that will attempt to charge it while it's that low. I'll try to jump the bike from the truck later today and see if I can get it charged back up. However, I think this battery is toast.
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Re: AGM Battery Discussion

Post by JeffStrom » Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:39 am

Was it fully charged (or sitting on a charger) before you disconnected it? If it is down to 6 volts in 3 days it likely already lost capacity or has a weak internal short. You should be able to exchange under warranty. Maybe what you need is a deep cycle battery :-)
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