Battery Keeps Dying

[saboteur]

Yeah, there was someone else who purchased the 545 a while back, and we're still awaiting the final word... I guess it might not do the job if never properly charged to full? Is it a stupid question to wonder if the bike charging system keeps these batteries fully charged once brought to full?

 

[albertaduke]

Yeah, there was someone else who purchased the 545 a while back, and we're still awaiting the final word... I guess it might not do the job if never properly charged to full? Is it a stupid question to wonder if the bike charging system keeps these batteries fully charged once brought to full?

I also wondered if the bike charged the battery properly and on the subject of charging

I am going on a limb on this one but here it is since I could not find an odyssey charger for my PC680 I researched the idea behind this special charger from odyssey and , I had a look inside the charger (from a buddy who opened his unit to install a switch to turn off the fan ) then I went to walmart and looked at the schumaker SSF 1500A charger, everything looks the same as the odyssey except this one is not the 6 but 12 amps charger.
I figure some Chinese factory produce these in large quantities and then cosmetic are applied in different colors before sending them to America , make sense when you consider the price of $49.00 for the SSF1500A schumaker. so I feel the claim that only odyssey charger can charge odyssey batteries properly is just borderline with facts. I charged my 680 with this schumaker it runs just like the odyssey charger including the annoying fan and the battery seems very happy holding a full charge according to the multimeter.

 

[HellFire]

A 6 amp charger is overkill for a battery this size, the 6amp Odyssey is available for $59-$69 depending where you find it. The 12A chargers do get expensive, but they're for equipment, trucks and marine batteries. You could build one yourself and save more I suppose, just as long as it follows the algorithm needed to correctly top off this type battery. The pattern is based on time-voltage-amperage and is pretty specific. They increase from 0v to 14.7V while the amps drop off, then reduces to 13.6V after 4 hours or amps drop below 100mA for continuous float charge (maintainer charge).

With those kind of voltages required, you can see why a 12V lead acid charger or maintainer won't cut the mustard. At 12.5V the Odyssey is near 80% discharged.

 

[albertaduke]

A 6 amp charger is overkill for a battery this size, the 6amp Odyssey is available for $59-$69 depending where you find it. The 12A chargers do get expensive, but they're for equipment, trucks and marine batteries. You could build one yourself and save more I suppose, just as long as it follows the algorithm needed to correctly top off this type battery. The pattern is based on time-voltage-amperage and is pretty specific. They increase from 0v to 14.7V while the amps drop off, then reduces to 13.6V after 4 hours or amps drop below 100mA for continuous float charge (maintainer charge).

With those kind of voltages required, you can see why a 12V lead acid charger or maintainer won't cut the mustard. At 12.5V the Odyssey is near 80% discharged.

yeah but......... this schumaker charger has also on the front panel switches available to charge AGM batteries or standard lead acid and you can read the voltage applied on a digitl display and it seems very similar , to the odssey charger

 

[nethound]

It's too bad you haven't had the right charger the whole time. This would have been a totally different story.

I certainly hope you are right. Ultimately I just want to get this problem resolved and get on to enjoying riding.

That being said, I didn't really want to spend the money on a new battery and charger a month after driving the bike off the showroom floor. I wouldn't accept that answer to make a new car I just bought work, not sure why a motorcycle should be any different.

I've owned a half dozen other bikes, and I've never had one that I could not get to start in cool weather if I was riding it regularly. It may have been pretty hard to start some of the old carbed bikes, but it was doable. I really can't see any reason that a fuel injected bike should not start in 50 degree weather when it is being ridden every day. A starting/charging system that works should be standard factory equipment, not an aftermarket bolt on.

Anyway, I'm impatiently waiting for the arrival of the new charger and really hoping that it performs the wonders you say. This bike was suppose to be about fun and freedom and I'm already tired of listening to myself complain about it, as I'm sure many others are.

 

[HellFire]

I DID replace the battery about a month out of the crate, but I waited nearly a year to get the right charger. I was baffled by the battery working sooo well, but that it had no stamina. The PC625 would spin the bike faster than the stock battery, but only for 20 seconds. After getting a real charge into it with the right charger, it spins fast for as long as it takes to start without acting fatigued.

 

[nethound]

Jump starts aside, I did just get the sissy bar and fly screen installed this weekend. The bike looks awesome and the way it growls when I open the throttle puts a big grin on my face. I'm hoping there is still some good riding weather left in the season once I get everything worked out.

I used to ride in the cold, and even the snow a few times. I would like to say I'm older and wiser now, but mostly I'm just older and sorer. When it drops below the mid 40's too many things ache on me to make it fun to ride far.

 

[albertaduke]

Jump starts aside, I did just get the sissy bar and fly screen installed this weekend. The bike looks awesome and the way it growls when I open the throttle puts a big grin on my face. I'm hoping there is still some good riding weather left in the season once I get everything worked out.

I used to ride in the cold, and even the snow a few times. I would like to say I'm older and wiser now, but mostly I'm just older and sorer. When it drops below the mid 40's too many things ache on me to make it fun to ride far.

I hear you we just got 6 inches of snow in calgary I guess riding is not an option anymore this year
oh well I got some progressive shocks and flooboards to install that should occupy me for a weekend

 

[nethound]

Just got the Ultimizer plugged into the bike. It went to charged in less than a minute, but I will let it run through the 4 hour absorption phase before seeing if it will crank.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[nethound]

Left it on the charger for 7 hours, and the bike will hardly crank over now.

Back to the dealer I guess.