Some battery/starting guidance please?

danish ep · Feb 23, 2009

Just a question (again) for the gurus, charged battery on bike on Saturday on the Optimate. It was charging for approx 4 hours and still not fully charged according to the Optimate. Checked the dash, reading was 13.4 volts so I turned it over, and it started. Went for a ride for approx 1 hour, came back and put it away.

This morning went to start on the starter and bike didn't turn over as if there was no power to start, and then fired.

Got to work (30 min ride). Stopped the bike, went to restart it, clocks reset nothing. Switched off, tried again, bike hesitant but started - battery dash reading now at 12.3volts.

Any ideas - battery fooked? :confused

Kiwi_rsvr · Feb 23, 2009

It sounds like your battery is going duff/not being charged properly.

I would replace the battery as a starting point.

Rage Rider · Feb 23, 2009

danish ep said:
Just a question (again) for the gurus, charged battery on bike on Saturday on the Optimate. It was charging for approx 4 hours and still not fully charged according to the Optimate. Checked the dash, reading was 13.4 volts so I turned it over, and it started. Went for a ride for approx 1 hour, came back and put it away.

This morning went to start on the starter and bike didn't turn over as if there was no power to start, and then fired.

Got to work (30 min ride). Stopped the bike, went to restart it, clocks reset nothing. Switched off, tried again, bike hesitant but started - battery dash reading now at 12.3volts.

Any ideas - battery fooked? :confused

I think Kiwi's almost certainly right, however while I'm no expert on Optimates, (far from it), from what I understand the optimate has a particular cycle for charging in that it tops the battery up first and then completely drains it during the "test" phase of the cycle. It then charges it up from practically flat so that it's not just topping it up and it can also then test how much and how quickly the charge is going in and being retained by the battery. Subsequently I'm not sure if 4 hours would be enough but if the green light is on then as far as the Opitimate is concerned you're good to go.

Also, sorry if this is patronising as you may/probably already know but the Optimate must be off when you connect and disconnect it to the battery as it won't "recognise" your battery and this will apparently cock up the charging cycle somewhat, thus taking significantly longer to charge your battery as a result. (So I've been told by some clever people.....said clever people please correct me if I'm wrong!)

danish ep · Feb 23, 2009

Rage Rider said:
I think Kiwi's almost certainly right, however while I'm no expert on Optimates, (far from it), from what I understand the optimate has a particular cycle for charging in that it tops the battery up first and then completely drains it during the "test" phase of the cycle. It then charges it up from practically flat so that it's not just topping it up and it can also then test how much and how quickly the charge is going in and being retained by the battery. Subsequently I'm not sure if 4 hours would be enough but if the green light is on then as far as the Opitimate is concerned you're good to go.

Also, sorry if this is patronising as you may/probably already know but the Optimate must be off when you connect and disconnect it to the battery as it won't "recognise" your battery and this will apparently cock up the charging cycle somewhat, thus taking significantly longer to charge your battery as a result. (So I've been told by some clever people.....said clever people please correct me if I'm wrong!)

Thanks for that, I believe there are a number of cycles on the optimate. Effectively what the Optimate does is to measure an inital charge when you connect the battery - this establishes whether there is any charge (above a certain number of volts) or barely any charge. If it's the latter, then you get a high amp charge to "kick start" the battery. Other than that, the trickle charge puts a low amp charge into the battery. When the battery registers as charged, the Optimate then performs a drop test on the battery to see how much charge it loses over 30 mins. If this has dropped below an acceptable amount, the battery will be recharged but will show with the red sad face. Otherwise, if the voltage hasn't dropped, it will fully charge and register as green smiley face!

danish ep · Feb 23, 2009

Bike now appears to be starting fine? :confused

Possible loose connection on the starter?

oli · Feb 23, 2009

i had this at the weekend..rode 50 odd miles...turned the bike off, clocks reset n everything, tried again then fired back up?? checked all connections n its stared fine 8 times since??

Rage Rider · Feb 23, 2009

danish ep said:
Thanks for that, I believe there are a number of cycles on the optimate. Effectively what the Optimate does is to measure an inital charge when you connect the battery - this establishes whether there is any charge (above a certain number of volts) or barely any charge. If it's the latter, then you get a high amp charge to "kick start" the battery. Other than that, the trickle charge puts a low amp charge into the battery. When the battery registers as charged, the Optimate then performs a drop test on the battery to see how much charge it loses over 30 mins. If this has dropped below an acceptable amount, the battery will be recharged but will show with the red sad face. Otherwise, if the voltage hasn't dropped, it will fully charge and register as green smiley face!

LOL! Seems you know alot more than I do about them! Either way I think your loose connection theory is probably a good one, although that obviously doesn't solve it but at least it gives you a point of reference. Best of luck sorting it mate! Sorry couldn't be more helpful.

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Some battery/starting guidance please?

danish ep

Kiwi_rsvr

Rage Rider

danish ep

danish ep

oli

Rage Rider

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