battery voltage on Valk question

[cookiedough]

well, I knew it would be iffy, but has been super cold out past few weeks here in WI.  I have not fired up either Valk past 2-3 months being neglecting them as well.  I took out both Valk batteries and knew my 7+ year old Yuasa battery would be iffy.  Voltmeter said 8.60 volts while the other Valk somewhat newer non Yuasa said 12.20 volts.  

I will put both on 1 to 1.5 amp battery charger, much more hours on the weaker 8.60 volt battery, before putting back in next weekend to fire them up one last time with seafoam/stabilizer in 91 NON ethanol gas and put them both up for winter and SHUT OFF PETCOCK.  

What are the chances that 8.60 volt Yuasa battery will go up and stay up above say 12.20 volts after say 8 hours on a 1 amp battery charger?  I highly doubt it, agree?  

2nd question,  any good deals on Valk batteries?  I have bought on Amazon past few times the Yuasa's and see the ytx14 batteries not too bad priced around 85 bucks now.   Anyone ever take the chances on Amazon.com and get the cheapo mightymax batteries for 45 bucks?   If get 3 years outta them at near half price be o.k. I guess vs. 6-7 years outta a Yuasa?  

[John Schmidt]

Cookie, do you have a Battery Tender? If not you need to get one and leave it hooked up to the batteries, one for each bike. It will keep your batteries peaked all winter. The kit that comes with it has a part you can hook to the battery permanently, the other end just drop it out down low and not get in the way.

[Jims99]

It’s possible that it will take a charge and hold for the winter. But if it does, I can almost guarantee when the summer heat hits, it will crap out. 7 years it pretty good. I’ve had a few that have dropped that low and takin a charge, but never as strong or lasted long after. (Old battery)

[WintrSol]

See these charts: https://footprinthero.com/lead-acid-battery-voltage-charts
At 8.6V, I'd say that battery has one dead cell, and five very discharged cells. Even if charging it brings it back above 12V, as soon as you try to use it, if will fail. Dispose of it and buy another.

[RonW]

9.5v is the lowest voltage then you're only resuscitating a zombie battery. Bike might even die while idling at a stop light so I suggest you keep the revs up while you're waiting at a light.

[rug_burn]

   I'd put it on a slow (2 Amp) charge several times in a row, letting it sit for a day or so in between, and check the voltage both coming off the charger, and just before putting it on the charger (after it sits for a day.)  If it gets better, and is up around 12 volts, there is hope for it.  If you keep doing that and can get it to read about 12.5 volts or so the day after the charge, it's good for a while longer.  And charge it every few weeks from now on. 

[six2go #152]

Cookie, do you have a Battery Tender? If not you need to get one and leave it hooked up to the batteries, one for each bike. It will keep your batteries peaked all winter. The kit that comes with it has a part you can hook to the battery permanently, the other end just drop it out down low and not get in the way.

I agree with John on this one. Actually, as many machines as you have, I would get the 4 Bank Battery Tender and take care of several at the same time.

[Jess from VA]

Cookie, do you have a Battery Tender? If not you need to get one and leave it hooked up to the batteries, one for each bike. It will keep your batteries peaked all winter. The kit that comes with it has a part you can hook to the battery permanently, the other end just drop it out down low and not get in the way.

I agree with John on this one. Actually, as many machines as you have, I would get the 4 Bank Battery Tender and take care of several at the same time.

Unless you're like me and have batteries in different buildings.

[WintrSol]

Frankly, if all cells are still contributing, each cell is only about 1.4V, a value that means death to lead-acid chemistry. That battery is, at the least, severely compromised. Just replace it, already.

A battery tender is a good idea though, as many modern bikes run the battery down while just sitting, and cold weather makes it worse.

[cookiedough]

it is toast.  shut the old battery off the 1 amp charger after 8 hours registered 11.60 volts or so.  I let it sit a day and still 11.60 volts so not dropping anymore which I guess is a good thing?  For giggles,  I am attempting 1.5 amp charge for 4 more hours and if still not registered over 12.0 volts time to scrap it.  Most of my batteries fully charged since none newer anymore after sitting 1 day after a charging only register 12.26 volts or so not like 12.50 volts or more when new.  Going to be an expensive year buying batteries next 1-2 years.  

I feel better taking out all 5 batteries on all my ATV's and cycles/scooters since for the winter and putting them in my basement charging downt there 2-3x's over the winter vs. a battery tender sitting in the cycles/ATV in the dead of winter since often gets below 10 degrees in my attached garage and cold temps daily for 3+ months like that cannot be good for a battery even if on a battery tender.

My biggest issue right now is I do not ride many of them at all weekly like I use to, more like monthly is about it.  Between my mom and kids stuff going on,  or busy doing house stuff on weekends,  limited riding time sorta is a bummer.  

sorta a bummer, but it is what it is.  I got a call at work today from assisted living after taking mom off very lowest dose of risperdone as Dr. and me suggested last week.  Not good, mom got agitated now past 2 days and tossed water glass and wanted to get out of her wheelchair tossing and turning.  So, guess going back on Risperdone and leaving her on it.  Amazing what a very low dose of meds can control in terms of mood swings/emotional behavior.     From what psychiatrist told me over 12 years ago now mom on 2 emotional/brain meds is not good to be on risperdone LONG term but guess she has been 12 years now, although super low dose tiny pill now not much vs major dose 10 years ago or more.

[da prez]

  On the battery issue , this can be dangerous. In a class on battery maintenance , issues of small batteries was brought up.  A good battery charger with jump start capabilities is used to give a 5 to 15 second boost to the battery. This may burn off the flakes that settled and create the internal short. If you attempt this , use a shield as the battery could explode. I have done this dumb stunt several times. I have never tried it on an AGM battery. It will work on a lead acid battery.
  There is also a way of using epsom (?) salt solution to bring batteries back to life.  I say it done on golf cart batteries.
                         Y O U   H A V E  B E E N  W A R N E D    I T   I S  D A N G E R O U S
                                                                da prez

[WintrSol]

11.6V is 5 fully charged cells and one nearly dead cell. The boost technique suggested by da prez may bring it back some, but it will still be a zombie - want to be out 100 miles from home when it falls over?

A charged battery doesn't freeze as easily as one low on charge, and a tender should keep the juices warmer. If there is a steady drain on any of the batteries to maintain things like radio memory, a tender in cold weather is, to me, necessary. Batteries go flat faster at low temperatures. A battery as small as ours will be satisfied with a 0.75A tender, but I use a 1.5A, and my 0.75A tender goes on my, even smaller, CB450 battery. My garage doesn't get nearly as cold as that, so they top off in minutes with either one.

[John Schmidt]

I've had both my batteries on battery tenders the last two winters here in the Green Bay area, one in the trike and one in the 2-wheeler. They're parked in the attached garage so not at cold as the outside temps but still a mite chilly...in the teens for long stretches at a time. When it came to starting the bikes, the batteries were quite strong and were able to turn the motor over and fire it.

When I was stationed in norther Maine, temps at or below -35 were common in winter so I always removed the battery at night and took it inside. In the early 1960's, Battery Tender and others were not available so you did what was needed to keep the battery in good condition. In addition, I also had installed a thermostatically controlled engine warmer, was about the size of a beer can and plugged into an extension cord. Before you shut down for the night you turned on the heater for full heat, thereby allowing full coolant flow throughout the engine and heater coil. When you started the car the next morning you had warm air coming from the heater almost at once. You still had to let it run for a bit to warm and circulate the transmission fluid. When I got to work on the base, I'd get out and throw an insulated blanket on the ground and drive over it. That accomplished two things; kept the blanket from being stolen with the car on it, and did cut down a bit on the chill coming from the ground. After shutdown, I tossed a second blanket over the motor and down over the radiator. My car always started fine after an 8-12 hr. shift, many didn't...which helped my wallet.

You didn't want to forget the blanket draped over the motor...hence a red flag always under the WS wiper.

[cookiedough]

well, in basement battery out I did 3x's now at night 4 hours each or so each night home charging on 1.5amp charger.  Let it sit overnight was 2 mornings ago when checked 11.90 volts now 12.20 volts which is still 'iffy' if it stays there for any starting needs.  I have found in past any cycle battery at around 12.20 volts fully charged to not last long as a newer one registering 12.50 volts on up. 

Going to try it out starting 1 of the 2 Valks this weekend just to see if cycle fires on up since going to put the cycles away for the winter anyways is time.

Man,  2 Valks in the garage on one side takes up LOTSA space.  Even my suzuki burgmann 650 is a tank very large for a scooter as well.  Should be 'just enough' room to get a picnic table sitting upright and patio furniture inside garage on ONLY ONE side of my 2 car garage.  Wife says NO to a 12x24 storage shed in backyard taking up 1/4th of the backyard. 

[WintrSol]

I got one of these so I could roll my Valk into a corner. I did have to get some steel plates to extend the ends a bit: https://www.harborfreight.com/low-profile-motorcycle-dolly-95896.html
I also put a bit of wood in the side stand tray, so it doesn't lean over as far.

[cookiedough]

I got one of these so I could roll my Valk into a corner. I did have to get some steel plates to extend the ends a bit: https://www.harborfreight.com/low-profile-motorcycle-dolly-95896.html
I also put a bit of wood in the side stand tray, so it doesn't lean over as far.

be careful with too thick of wood under side stand tray.  If your rear tire deflates to say only 20lbs. psi vs. normal 40 psi, that extra 1/2 inch of wood under the kickstand will tip OVER your Valk to the right non kickstand side.  Do NOT ask me how I know, it happened to me 2 years ago thinking 1/2 inch plywood would not matter, but it does if your rear tire deflates to 1/2 psi of what it should be.  BANG, down it went  leaning the fairing/etc. onto my garage wall nearly all the way down.  VERY hard to lift it up if leaning against the wall to the right nearly all the way down.

[cookiedough]

cycles are on winter layaway today.  I got the old Yuasa to maintain 12.29 volts vs. the other Valk battery around 12.48 volts.  Both fired over just fine about 47 degrees out at the time.  Stabilizer in fuel and full tank 91 octane non ethanol and tires inflated and put them to rest for the year.  Short spin around the neighborhood is all I did before darkness set in 4:30 p.m.    Too lazy to change oil and rear gearcase oil but will in the spring both needing a 6 hour cleaning/detail as well.   I will consider a new battery though come spring since 12.29 volts fully charged is IFFY I think is nearing end of life for sure.  My last one was around 12.23 volts and all of a sudden totally DEAD all at once.

Ran outta time today had to get on my roof and clean out the oak leaves entire 68ft in front and 68 ft in back of house/garage.  1st time EVER both front/rear were 1/2 full of oak leaves.  Musta had rain right after the oak leaves falling to make them stick in so bad in the eastrophes, usually not that bad.