Non starter

[czakky]

Thanks to this forum it’s been awhile since I’ve been stumped and probably because of the super important preventative stuff.

Anyhow, it’s a balmy 40f here in Wisconsin and it’s been a long winter so I thought I’d take the v11 for a quick ride. Battery charged a week ago (PC545 5yrs old 12.77v) I  hit the starter and a click with a Barely spinning starter.... I try a few times and it just barely turns. I check my battery voltage again and it’s only 12.45v, that should be enough to bring her to life, right?

Im pretty confident my clutch safety connectors are clean, I’m sure my main ground is clean, the connections on the relays, and on the starter itself are all clean. 

Is my battery toast? I’ve got to come clean I don’t follow the procedure for these Odyssey batteries real good.

[docc]

12.45 is a really weak AGM.

Like 50% at 40ºF.

 

Seriously, discharge the battery with the lights. and apply 6 amps, or more, to bring the battery manually to 14.7 volts (do not exceed 15v).

 

Discharge with the lights and repeat. You can restore these AGM, but only with adequate amperage and a mind to the correct voltages.

[czakky]

So you’re thinking my battery needs to be revitalized? Even though I had a pretty good charge (12.77v) and it still would just barely turn the starter.

 

[docc]

On 3/17/2019 at 5:25 PM, czakky said:

So you’re thinking my battery needs to be revitalized? Even though I had a pretty good charge (12.77v) and it still would just barely turn the starter.

 

Immediately dropped to 12.45v? Seems the 12.77v was just on the surface.  So, yep: condition your battery and try again . . .

 

[czakky]

Alright I’ll re-read the Odyssey thread.

[docc]

When those threads all got moved to "How to . . .", the "answered" feature was lost.  I wish we could restore that to make those threads more of a reference instead of having to wade through the entire process and content.

[docc]

Jaap restored the "Best Answer" feature and I tagged one of the more concise posts in that lengthy battery conditioning thread.

 

czakky, I was reminded of your post in Feb. 2015, very similar to what you have going on now:

https://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?/topic/18838-odyssey-pc545-battery-conditioning/&do=findComment&comment=202277

[czakky]

I’ve been battling this for a while. I have the battery out and charged off the charger Monday at 12.83 checked voltage just now at 12.81. I threw a little brake light on it for four minutes or so voltage dropped to 12.5. I’ll charge her up one more time.

[docc]

1 hour ago, czakky said:

I’ve been battling this for a while. I have the battery out and charged off the charger Monday at 12.83 checked voltage just now at 12.81. I threw a little brake light on it for four minutes or so voltage dropped to 12.5. I’ll charge her up one more time.

Make sure you are using a minimum of 6 amps to bring it up to the 14.7v target. (Even taking it to the 15.0v max would be okay a time or two . . . ) Terminate the charge and repeat as many times as it takes to hold the charge. Technically, letting the battery drop statically to 12.65v (@77ºF), then discharging it before charging with over 6 amps will likely give you the best results.

 

You're on the right track!

 

With your 2002, it is also good medicine to inspect and service the Ignition Switch . . .   And use Caig DeOxit® ! On what? On everything!!

 

 

[czakky]

I have a probably non Odyssey approved charger recommended by the folks at the place I bought the PC545. I’ll report back, but this battery seems like it was never right.

I’ll check the ignition switch again, it has been a couple years.

[docc]

Hey, bud, the mainliest thing is to apply 6 amps or more to get the voltage up to 14.7-15.0.  Low amperage will NOT charge an Odyssey. 

Low amp "Tricklers" below 13.2v are Odyssey death.

[czakky]

My odyssey approved charger arrives today. I’ll report back this weekend.

[czakky]

So I wore the battery down three times and charged her back up at the prescribed 6a. The bike starts but just barely. There are a couple false tries before it will actually start spinning the starter.

I’m not satisfied yet. I will keep trying to condition the battery this week.

[docc]

How does the voltage series look (key off after a few hours, lights on for two or three minutes, cranking, idle, and at some rpm)?

Might be time to get a look at your starter magnets?

[gstallons]

If / when you decide to look , make sure the magnets are still stuck / glued to the housing . Inspect each magnet to verify they are not broken or cracked . Use a bright light to examine for cracks .  Look and make sure they are indexed perfectly opposite each other . It doesn't matter where they are just that they are separated equidistant from each other .  

HTH .