Tired of only getting 2 years out of Yuasa batteries! Recommendations?

[Motorider]

I checked my records and I am buying the recommended, Yuasa battery, every two years, due to failure. Any recommendations on a battery with a longer service life. This is for a 2000 I/S that never sits for more then a week at a time. I am willing to pay a little more for better quality.

[Michvalk]

1st, I would check to make sure your alternator is working like it's supposed to. Have the battery checked for load. (any auto parts store can do it) You should NOT have to replace batteries that often. Something else is wrong for that to happen

[Bone]

I live in Michigan similar winters. Each Nov. I bring the battery into the basement and check it's charge every 2/3 weeks. The 98 Tourer came with a BikeMaster brand when I bought the bike used. That battery was still going 4 years (2009)after I bought the bike. I put in a Yuasa to be safe on trips.
I agree with Michvalk check the output.

[Motorider]

I considered the alternator, however, my bike can power two complete Gerbing outfits, and keep the battery charged while running. It is when it sits for a few days (5 or 6) that I find the battery dead. Maybe I should look for a short. Will a volt meter always show some draw, because of the clock?

[ShiftHappens]

Was the battery correctly charged on initial setup?

Yuasa recommends 5-10 hours at 1.4 amps.

Here is a setup video I found helpful.

http://www.atbatt.com/batterytimes/?page_id=3219

I bought the Yuasa charger that does the job nicely.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WJDYEI/ref=oh_details_o01_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I maintenance charge through cigarette power outlet to make it easy.

[kenf]

Is there anything plugged into a cigarette lighter that might cause a draw on the battery. I had my GPS and a satalite radio plugged into mine and even with the GPS and radio off it would drain the battery in 5-6 days. The little light on the plug will drain it in that time. I solved my problem with a battery tender. Hook it up when you aren't riding and it will keep the battery topped up and it will last much longer. I had no issue when riding daily but let it sit for a week and it was dead. Since I started using the tender I have had no issues going on 2 years. This may not be your issue but the tender will prolong your battery life and also the bike will start after being idle for a week.
Ride safe.
Ken

[Patrick]

A couple things
The battery does need to be slowly and fully charged before use and the fellas said.
It sounds as if you have a draw somewhere. Just disconnect a battery terminal and stick a volt meter between battery post and lead. See what it says. If it says 12v then start disconnecting things until the draw stops, then thats your problem.

[Motorider]

Thanks for the input! My battery was charged per instructions when put into service. Also there shouldn`t be any other draw besides the clock. As far as the battery tender goes, that is not an option. Several years ago my 30' by 40' garage burned to the ground with a backhoe and four cars inside, plus all my tools, and my wife`s Christmas decorations. The fire was determined to have started in my Corvette, that had a battery tender "TYPE" charger on it. Let me be clear, it was not the BATTERY TENDER brand name. Since that time I do not charge any batteries inside my garage, or house. Perhaps I should have asked. How long does your Yuasa battery last? That might have been a more appropriate question. Is there a better battery brand then Yuasa out there?  

[The Anvil]

It's not the battery. I have never received less than 5 years of service from a Yuasa battery. The battery in my current Valk is 6 years old and going strong. I don't even treat it as nicely as I should.

Something somewhere ain't working right or you are letting it sit too long.

[Grandpot]

Put a amp meter in SERIES with the battery and have the ignition key off.  If the meter shows you are drawing more than .2 amps then you have a problem in the circuit and not the battery.

[Crashgordon74]

My stock Yuasa lasted for 8 years before it finally died. I never did take any special care of it, just parked the bike for 3-4 months in the winter and it would fire right up in the spring.

                                                                  Crash

[Denny47]

I'm not sure how the voltage from the alternator to the battery is regulated on the Valk, but I know that on a car or truck, the regulators are now inside the alternator. If the regulator contacts stick, it will cause a draw on the battery when not running and will drain the battery in a couple of days.

[old2soon]

NOT the clock on an I/S. I KNOW because an I/S is what I ride. Sat as long as 2 weeks sigh  and fired right up with out a battery tender. And the stock Yuasa is what I installed after my altenater  went tits up. RIDE SAFE.

[cma1]

both my 99 and my 03 still have the original batterys. i blow the dust out of the alternator a couple times a year and keep them on a battery tender whenever i ain't riding, even for a couple days. batterys kept on a tender will never sulphate if the water is kept at the proper level, sealed batteries will never go bad (at least not at my house) as long as a tender is used.

[vanagon40]

. . . . Perhaps I should have asked. How long does your Yuasa battery last? That might have been a more appropriate question. Is there a better battery brand then Yuasa out there? 

I replaced the OEM Yuasa battery on my 2001 Standard in 2011 only because it was 10 years old.  It was still stating my Dixon mower a year later when I sold the mower.

My replacement Yuasa battery (YTX14H-BS) has been problem free and never seen a charger since the original charge in June 2011 (and the OEM had never seen a charger since I purchased the bike in 2006).  Although the bike may sit for a month or so at time in the winter, I do keep my garage at or above 32° F in the winter.

I am not aware of a better brand than Yuasa.

CORRECTION:  I did have to charge the battery in 2008 when my alternator died.

[Michvalk]

It is possible for the altenator to overcharge and ruin the battery. Hence the reason to check the charging circuit

[cma1]

i have heard folks say that, but i'm 65 years old and a certified mech. and have never saw it. an alternator usually just craters while putting out too little power. most of the ones i have replaced were from either age, or over stressing them with too much add on stuff.

[Earl in Pensacola]

First off--Only Buy a YUASA built here in the USA or JAPAN--not one from Taiwan!!  There is a difference!!

Put a volt meter across your battery, it should read somewhere between 11 and 12 volts with key turned off.  Now start the bike, volts should increase to about 14.1.  If that checks out, connect a "Battery Tender" to the battery about once every week or so and leave only until the red ight truns to green. Then take the battery tender off. 

[cma1]

why on earth would you take the tender off when the light turns green ??????????

[Steve K (IA)]

First off--Only Buy a YUASA built here in the USA or JAPAN--not one from Taiwan!!  There is a difference!!  

If you bought your Yuasa at a discount battery store...Batteries Plus, etc., you bought a counterfeit Yuasa.    Buy your Yuasa battery from a Bike Shop.

I was given this information at a discount battery store where I seen them on the shelf.   

A genuine Yuasa should last at least 6 years.

[Steve K (IA)]

why on earth would you take the tender off when the light turns green ??????????

Why?  Because some members believe a Battery Tender malfunctioned and cooked their battery.  I keep an eye on mine and unplug it when I see the light turns green.  Just being cautious.  Nothing wrong with that.   

[cma1]

spend another buck or two and buy a tender from deltran (the green ones) they are built fail safe and are not capable of boiling down a battery. i have three of them, use them constantly on both valks and my mustang, never, ever a problem. sort of a waste of money to buy a tender and use it lkie a trickle charger, wouldn't you agree ?

buying tenders from harbor freight for 5 bucks aint saving money, i've seen folks with tenders (trickle chargers) from wal mart, k-mart and probably the dollar store.

beats me why someone would spend thousands to buy a quality bike and then use cheap maintainance equipment, i guess you can save a buck buying wal mart oil for your vehicles with good old fram filters. not me ! but maybe others.

[Motorider]

I didn`t know there was such a thing, as a counterfeit Yuasa. I bought mine from Amazon. I will buy the next one from a bike shop. For now, at least until next spring, I plan to give it a charge every few days. Plus take some voltage readings and a load test as suggested. Thanks to everyone that responded.

[Chrisj CMA]

Thanks for the input! My battery was charged per instructions when put into service. Also there shouldn`t be any other draw besides the clock. As far as the battery tender goes, that is not an option. Several years ago my 30' by 40' garage burned to the ground with a backhoe and four cars inside, plus all my tools, and my wife`s Christmas decorations. The fire was determined to have started in my Corvette, that had a battery tender "TYPE" charger on it. Let me be clear, it was not the BATTERY TENDER brand name. Since that time I do not charge any batteries inside my garage, or house. Perhaps I should have asked. How long does your Yuasa battery last? That might have been a more appropriate question. Is there a better battery brand then Yuasa out there?  

You say as per the instructions, but I have seen some instructions with new batteries that dont specifically tell you to put a  full charge on a charger NOT THE BIKES CHARGING SYSTEM.  If you arent putting those new batteries a 2A charger until the unit says its ready, than it will only last 1-2 years

[Brian]

I am using an Yuasa bought thru amazon. Made in the USA right on it. Looks just like the one I bought from the bike shop in 2006. That 2006 battery was put in my lawn tractor this past spring and still working fine today. I changed it out because of age and the battery bug said it was at 16%.

You have to something draining you battery or your alternator is not charging properly. You should have 14.2 volts when running.

[Farther]

i guess you can save a buck buying wal mart oil for your vehicles with good old fram filters. not me ! but maybe others.

You had to turn it into an oil and filter thread.