Do I need a new battery?

[Kermit]

My PCX hasn't been getting ridden much lately. About a month ago (after it had been sitting for a while), the battery was completely dead. I hooked it up to a battery tender, got it running again, then rode it around for an hour or so. Then a few days after that, I rode it to a dentist appointment with no issues. Now it's been a few weeks...went out to start it up yesterday, and it's completely dead again. This is a 2013 PCX with about 1,000 miles on it. Is the battery usable, or do I just need to get a new one? If it's still usable, how can I get it fully charged up again so it doesn't go dead after a couple of weeks of not riding?

Thanks!

[WhiteNoise]

Just wondering if the battery tender is at fault. How old is it?

Might want to take a peek behind door #1 at the battery terminals and cables And at the tender's connections. Everything snug? Looking okay? Terminals clean?

Hmm, it just might be time for a new battery. The battery is 3 yrs plus and not ridden as often. She's weakened I need a new truck battery (before our ugly winter), if that makes you feel a bit better

Let's see what other's say...yeh or neh to New Battery?

[Jge64]

A battery that's been flattened a couple times loses its ability to hold a full charge long-term. It won't happen right away but sometime in the future it will fail you. Usually if you flatten the batteries its worth 10 to 15% of its life. And then it also depends on how long it stayed flat before recharging… As cheap as they are, I'd get a new battery

[Kermit]

Okay, thanks for the replies. I'll see about getting a new battery. Darn...I was hoping there was something I could do to "save" it, but I certainly don't want to risk getting caught away from home with a dead battery.

WhiteNoise, the battery tender was brand new...took it out of the package to hook up to the PCX the first time. And the terminals & battery were very clean and new-looking.

[Jge64]

Before you replace it, take it to a auto parts store and get it load tested, not a voltage test.

[you you]

Before you replace it, take it to a auto parts store and get it load tested, not a voltage test.

Hooking it to a suitable bulb is a cheap and easy way to see if it is kaput

[Jge64]

Before you replace it, take it to a auto parts store and get it load tested, not a voltage test.

Hooking it to a suitable bulb is a cheap and easy way to see if it is kaput

actually not.......a load test is the way you tell if the cells themselves have been damaged...I sold batts for a few years in the marine biz....I saw a few that were 12.5, and then failed load test meaning a cell was weak. Batt failed later in the year.

http://autorepair.about.com/library/wee ... 01604c.htm

[Mel46]

Until you get the replacement battery, put the battery tender on the battery when you are not riding. That will help. I see another problem coming down the road if you don't ride often enough to exercise the battery enough though. You could go through a lot of batteries if you are going to just let your bike sit for long periods.

[Jge64]

If you are gonna sit for long periods, meaning a month or more, charge it full and disconnect the neg cable. Battery will keep fine, better yet, take it inside and put it on a maintainer.....

[Kermit]

Now that I know it's a problem, I'll make a point to ride it more often. The PCX is one of two bikes I now own, and I was obviously riding the other one more for a while.

[iceman]

A good condition battery should not self-discharge to the point of being no use over several months - if a battery goes that bad in a short period it's not a great battery to start with - assuming the charging circuit and connections are all fine. The PCX battery should last for many years not just 2 or 3.

Do you have any other drain on the battery such as an alarm or such? (more expensive alarms guarantee to take a miniscule current whilst others can flatten the battery in a short time if the bike is not used).

Some battery tenders are better than others - the better ones fully de-sulphate, trickle charge in stages and optimise whilst othes only do a sub-set of these things. Optimate 5 is a good one to recover almost dead batteries to good condition.

[Mister Paul]

A good condition battery should not self-discharge to the point of being no use over several months - if a battery goes that bad in a short period it's not a great battery to start with - assuming the charging circuit and connections are all fine. The PCX battery should last for many years not just 2 or 3.

Do you have any other drain on the battery such as an alarm or such? (more expensive alarms guarantee to take a miniscule current whilst others can flatten the battery in a short time if the bike is not used).

Some battery tenders are better than others - the better ones fully de-sulphate, trickle charge in stages and optimise whilst othes only do a sub-set of these things. Optimate 5 is a good one to recover almost dead batteries to good condition.

This. I've just sold a Honda Vision. It stopped being my main bike in December last year, and since then I've had it out for a run maybe 3 or 4 times. The battery has always been fine and the bike has started immediately on every push of the button.

[Kermit]

Interesting.

The battery tender I bought is the Battery Tender Plus Charger - 12 Volt High Efficiency/Black. Amazon link: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D ... ge_o07_s00

[Jge64]

I use the same tender and never had a problem.

[dasshreddar]

I've been using the same Ballistic Battery (12 cell) in 3 different scoots for almost 4 years...
its only been charged one time when the stator died on the gy6.
big bucks $$$ but way worth it.

[Kermit]

Quick follow-up question (I'm the OP, to refresh your memory). I honestly don't remember how long I left the battery tender hooked up to the bike a while back. Maybe a couple of hours??? Might there be a chance of reviving this battery if I leave the battery tender on, say, overnight? Or am I just reaching at this point?

[Kermit]

You know...thinking about it a bit more...I have nothing to lose by giving my idea a try. I'll shift some things around in my garage and get the tender hooked up. Stay tuned.

[Jge64]

Tenders run remarkably slow… I've had batteries that are not really too discharged still take 20 - 30 hours to go green…

[Kermit]

Oddly, it turned green within about 15 minutes. I'm still leaving it charging overnight.

[WhiteNoise]

I did read your last reply to me, you checked and all was good, and with a new tender.

So yeah, Kermit, give it a go, plug it in as long as you want. I'd go at least 24 hours, plus some if you can. It certainly won't hurt. You said it went (solid?) green quickly, that "looks" promising. You'll see.
"Let it Go" When it starts up (yeh!)...ride it! Locally to get things moving. Maybe to a station to have them test the battery? Up to you, you'll know what to do.
Worse outcome? you'll be buying a battery. Not so bad, but I wish ya luck from juicing her up.
Let us know, okay?