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Still trying to get to the bottom of cold battery problems

GuzziHero

GuzziHero

Cruisin' Guzzisti
GT Contributor
Joined
May 2, 2009
Messages
485
Location
Stoke-on-Bloody-Trent
A week ago, I ran my G11 for about 60 miles. Got home, took the fuses out, washed it and put it away.

Yesterday, I came to it. 7C and 11.7V on the display. I just put the fuses in and it started just dandy. This is on the stock YUASA battery. It even stood a few restarts because it stopped a few times due to being cold. I ran to Burton and back, round trip of maybe 60 miles again. Took the fuses out, put it away.

Got up this morning, 3C and 11.9V on the display. One meagre attempt to start and then the low voltage cut off came in. I mean, what the flacknud? There was no charge warning on the bike, and I just had it on my maintenance charger for 20mins... that now says the battery is full.

I ADORE this bike but right now, I am dreading it wont start each time I run it. Is anyone else having the same issues I am?
 
Re: Still trying to get to the bottom of cold battery proble

Sounds like the battery is failing. You have the surface voltage, but the reserve capacity is gone.
 
Re: Still trying to get to the bottom of cold battery proble

There are quite a few people who have reported starting issues with the current Guzzi's. Do a search and you should find plenty of info as well as suggestions on how to resolve the issue.
While cold may play a factor in it, there seems to be more to it then that, at least for most people. It seems to be a voltage drop across the wiring (too small a wire and/or corrosion) that causes the ECU to see too low a voltage and it stops the bike from trying to start. A cold battery could contribute to this as it would have less voltage available to begin with. Replacing and/or adding to the wiring to bring more voltage to the party seems to be the way to go.
 
Re: Still trying to get to the bottom of cold battery proble

I've done the terminal cleaning and earth-behind-the-carbonite-alike clean, still no go. I'll browse around for the other advice, cheers :)

The problem seems to be not how cold it gets, but how quickly the temperature drops. Last night saw the temp go from 9C to 1C in about 2 hours here.
 
Re: Still trying to get to the bottom of cold battery proble

Take your Griso to bed on a cold night and keep it nice and warm, it will love you in the morning :mrgreen:
Can't say the misses will greet you with as much joy, but I aint got one. :D !

Rather than pulling the fuses to save the battery from self discharging over time, it would be better to leave the fuses in and add a battery charger. Best I can recommend is an Optimate, they will even recover batteries that have started to sulphate.

The good battery chargers will cycle your battery like it was actually being used, by placing a light drain on it then charging it back up. This will not only keep it a little warmer but fully charged with 12.8v plus, and a much higher level of CCA's (cold cranking Amps) than your current fuse pulling system.

I should shut-up now, selling new batteries or towing bikes with flat batteries is my business. B)
 
Re: Still trying to get to the bottom of cold battery proble

I have a Tronic T4X, basically a poor mans Optimate, but it doesnt give instructions on whether it can be left in place to charge on the bike. It also doesnt answer how the bike can start after being stood idle for a week in freezing conditions, then refuse the day after a longish ride.

I know Guzzis are very battery intensive to start, my V50 and Cali both had/have batteries almost as big as the engines! I guess that the designer just figured "This bike will only be used by Sunday riders in 15c+ conditions" or something. The Yuasa that thr bike came with holds its charge for about 4 weeks, fuse out, over winter. A backup one I bought has been off the bike for months and the Tronic wouldnt even attempt it, I had to recover that with a trickle charger.

It is sort of the 'why' I am looking for, not the 'how to sort' if you get my meaning. I mean, will I be able to ride to a friends house 30 miles away, stay overnight, and be sure it will start in the morning?

I think I'll have to invest in an Optimate proper. I thought I had read somewhere that AGM batteries prefer to be punch-charged, but I'll give it a go.

Thanks for all the input :)
 
Re: Still trying to get to the bottom of cold battery proble

Umm... self-inflicted wound, I think. :roll:

Its sat all week, no problem in starting yesterday. Came to it today for the Potteries egg run. No go.

FNNNG THNNNG FAMMMPH I say. Wont kick off the Cali or the spare battery.

Come back from the egg run on the Cali, look at the Griso.

Go to take the battery off and... the positive lead snaps off.

---
So I will buy a new one. Question now is, how do I stop this happening again (other than fitting a strap under the battery so I'm not tugging the leads to get the thing out)? When under the seat, the seat is pressing on the leads. Has anyone else had a problem with this happening?
 
Re: Still trying to get to the bottom of cold battery proble

GuzziMoto said:
There are quite a few people who have reported starting issues with the current Guzzi's. Do a search and you should find plenty of info as well as suggestions on how to resolve the issue.
While cold may play a factor in it, there seems to be more to it then that, at least for most people. It seems to be a voltage drop across the wiring (too small a wire and/or corrosion) that causes the ECU to see too low a voltage and it stops the bike from trying to start. A cold battery could contribute to this as it would have less voltage available to begin with. Replacing and/or adding to the wiring to bring more voltage to the party seems to be the way to go.
Click to expand...


I just posted about mine but am thinking maybe a computor issue as I hooked up my heated vest to the battery and it started no problem . Now all that happens is a clicking in the solenoid . No dash lights just clicking . The battery is fine and had it checked with the right equipment , amps and voltage right up there . Anyway , looking like a trip to the dealer for me as is still under warranty but w* t* f* this should not be happening on new bikes . How can a starter be gone at 10,000 kms. ? Whats next ? I'm no Pete Roper and I feel my wallet getting thinner !
 
Re: Still trying to get to the bottom of cold battery proble

Have you left it for a while with the fuses in? I still cant believe that the manual tells you to remove the fuses if its sitting for a couple of weeks, to save draining the battery. Its insane.
 
Re: Still trying to get to the bottom of cold battery proble

Yeah I busted the connector on one of my leads a year or two back. That RH bend is not really a great design in this respect. I just drilled a hole in what's left and bolted it back up.

And Yeah, I'm never confident on mine as to whether anything at all will light up when I turn the key, of if the motor will spin when I press the button. I will be dealing with this in the next month.
 
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