Erk! Battery's a bit flat, as in won't crank the engine fast enough to start it. Connected the Optimate. Green light for "on", but no other lights for battery condition. The battery isn't stuffed, just low... Is the optimate stuffed? -- Fr. Jack The Un-Civil Servant http://craggy-island.myminicity.com/
try switching it off and on at the plug. occasionally happens to our. -- Adie (replace spam with nickname to reply) UKRM FAQ: http://www.ukrm.net/faq/ keeper of the ukrm faq for my sins YZF-R1 : ZX9R E1 : GPz 750 turbo MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22 BOMB#11
Check the voltage drop when trying to crank the engine. It should stay above 9.5 volts as an absolute minimum and preferably nearer 10 to 10.5 volts. If it's not sealed and you have a hydrometer, check cell specific gravity as that will often show a "dead" cell. A battery with a weak cell may show OK under no load but fail to deliver the neccessary when cranking. The charger can be checked. If you charge, the battery voltage should rise quickly to 12 volts, then climb to 12.5 to 13 volts within an hour. Fully charged could give 15 to 16 volts for a short time after disconnection. A voltage of 13 volts soon after connection to a charger could indicate a stuffed cell due to the cell sulphation. Do all the cells bubble when the charger is connected? Steve
Modern battery charges can be a PITA because they have a "safety" feature and will not start unless connected to a battery which has a voltage over a set limit, usually about 9 volts. If the voltage has dropped below that then TOUGH - dig out an old charger or jumplead it to another battery to get the voltage up past the threshold. Safety cnuts ...muttermutter.
Did that several times over a half hour, but no go... Nipped to Aldi and grabbed their one... Merrily charging away! -- Fr. Jack The Un-Civil Servant http://craggy-island.myminicity.com/
It's a Hawker - I've not run the bike for a couple of months - looks like the clock may have taken a bit out of it. The voltmeter showed 10v and dropped to about 7, when I hit the starter. Nipped to Aldi and got one of theirs - worked straight out of the box. Seems to be able to cope with very discharged batteries. Another recommendation for the pikey charger! -- Fr. Jack The Un-Civil Servant http://craggy-island.myminicity.com/
Bad move, the fastest way to stuff a battery is to leave it run down. If you are not going to use the bike for more than a few weeks either disconnect the battery or leave it hooked up to a trickle charge. Almays make sure it is fully charged before storage.
Didn't want to bother you, mate. You were really tired, when I left, so I decided not to disturb you. Ta, anyway! -- Fr. Jack The Un-Civil Servant http://craggy-island.myminicity.com/
Yup. Need to get a solar trickle charger, cos there's no lecky in me shed and its a bit crap running an extension lead out the kitchen window and having to take it in when it's too cold or wet... or when I nip out. -- Fr. Jack The Un-Civil Servant http://craggy-island.myminicity.com/
Probably not, but they DO need a few minutes connected before they start giving out info. Leave it connected and go back in an hour or so. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
Well it's not like he'll be needing it this side of Michaelmas Tuesday, is it? -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
True, but the real reason is I didn't want to subject myself to the sight of him shuffling around in his kecks again! -- Fr. Jack The Un-Civil Servant http://craggy-island.myminicity.com/
It appears to be fine, now. I just tried it and its working fine, seems the low volts theory was right. The Aldi charger works better with deep discharged batteries than an optimate 2. -- Fr. Jack The Un-Civil Servant http://craggy-island.myminicity.com/
Also, if you have the Optimate supplied fly lead permanently connected to the battery then check the terminals. They will corrode over time. I had to give mine a bit of a jiggle to get a good contact last week.
Shove some Vaseline in the socket and corrosion woes are a distant memory. -- Beav VN 750 Zed 1000 OMF# 19
