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Re: [ST] Very Sudden Battery Death?



In your message regarding Re: [ST] Very Sudden Battery Death? dated
Mon, 07 Jun 2004 14:00:28 +0100, Stephen McSpadden said that ...

>SM- At 10:59 07/06/2004, Andrew Tait wrote:
> >Yum.  Another cursed weekend.  <snip>  I'm 99% sure I didn't leave the 
> >parking light on, and was one of the first people in here in the morning, 
> >so I'm sure someone would have told me if I was glowing all day.
>SM- 
>SM- I wouldn't bet on it. In the sunshine they might not even notice it. 
>SM- Leaving the lights on seems to drain the battery to a state where it won't 
>SM- start the brute in a frighteningly short space of time on these bikes. I'm 
>SM- sure Mike Bostock had some battery fun recently.

I heard my name mentioned!  Yep, I tested my 5 year-old battery (has
always been maintained on an Optimate) as someone <g> didn't think I
there would be enough power to be able to start the bike after.  I
did start the bike (the result of my test is below).

>SM- You should have given me a shout too. We could have jumped your bike from 
>SM- mine using the NEL's leads. Did you bump start it eventually?

I do carry a small set of home-made jump-leads now when touring.

> >New battery on order today, and I should have it for this afternoon thanks 
> >to an enthusiastic local supplier,
>SM- 
>SM- Who was that as a matter of interest?
> 
> >but I'm bamboozled by how the bike went from starting heartily in the 
> >morning to doing nothing 8 hours later.  Poor thing!
>SM- 
>SM- Indeed. If the alarm isn't the culprit, and the heated grips haven't been 
>SM- left on, then get the new battery ready but leave it on hold. That way either:

Heated grip are on the ignition live circuit so wouldn't be the
culprit.  I doubt the alarm is an issue as that only draws milliamps.

In your message regarding Re: [SWeST] dead ST- any ideas? dated Fri,
07 May 2004 11:03:22 +0100, Stephen McSpadden said that ...

>SM- At 10:55 07/05/2004, you wrote:
> >Methinks I will ...
> >
> >b) leave lights on for 15 mins and see if bike fails to start
>SM- 
>SM- To be honest, I'm not even sure a new battery, which has been properly 
>SM- charged, would complete such a test successfully. Maybe a Hawker Odyssey 
>SM- (spelling?) might make it, but a off the shelf one ...? I await the results 
>SM- with interest. ;-)

Rode bike back from MOT so has not been on Optimate all day, left for
30 mins, seat off, attached voltmeter across battery.  Switched
ignition on, lights on dipped.  Took reading every 1 min for 15 mins.
 Started bike no problem.  Switched off. Left bike for 15 mins. 
Started bike again no problem.

>SM- 
>SM- In the mean time, here is some useful info I once found on getting the best 
>SM- from a new battery.
>SM- http://www.mcnews.com/mcnews/articles/battery.htm

Very useful, hence my voltage test under load.


Time	Load (reading in volts)	
 0	12	
 1	11.99	
 2	11.98	
 3	11.97	
 4	11.95	
 5	11.93	
 6	11.91	
 7	11.89	
 8	11.86	
 9	11.83	
10	11.81	
11	11.78	
12	11.75	
13	11.71	
14	11.68	
15	11.64	


Preload voltage was 12.9 volts.  Voltage when running was 13.4 volts.


- -- 
Mike Bostock
mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mid Devon, UK
N50.79155 W3.66646
Wales and SW ST Riders
http://www.sprint-st.org/

'99 Red ST

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