Battery chafing on Small Tank Stelvio. |
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Doc.
Senior Member Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Location: South Bucks Status: Offline Points: 639 |
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Posted: 12 Aug 2020 at 15:39 |
Fitted a new Battery today. Last one (same type), has been in since Jan 2016, and was getting a bit 'tired'. Starts nicely now. Found some damage on the old one, where the Welds on the Bracket had been rubbing. Might be worth checking if you have the early Small Tank model. I removed the original Foam Rubber Pad it sits on, and used some slightly thinner Adhesive-backed Foam, adding a section where those Welds are. Also levered down on the Retainer while tightening the Screws, to make sure it was as secure as possible. Edited by Doc. - 12 Aug 2020 at 15:50 |
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Brian UK
Moderator Group Joined: 13 May 2014 Location: Surrey Status: Online Points: 17641 |
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Does the Motobatt differ physically from the original Yuasa?
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Brian.
Better 5 minutes late in this world than years early in the next. |
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Doc.
Senior Member Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Location: South Bucks Status: Offline Points: 639 |
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Dimensions are identical to the Yuasa equivalent, YTX20CH-BS. 151mm Long 87mm Wide 161mm High
I think it had been free to move slightly in it's recess. The Clamp that secures it bears on the top end, so the lower end can probably bounce around a little on rough roads/off-road. In the Stelvio (Small Tank version), it lays down at an angle of around 65° from upright. There's no packing as standard on top of it, just the Clamp Plate at the top end. |
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Gianni
Senior Member Joined: 16 May 2014 Location: Muswell Hill Status: Offline Points: 676 |
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This is incredibly useful to know - thanks. I have had two MotoBatt batteries (same as yours) in my early small tanked Stelvio. Both failed within two years - one is unrecoverable and is used as a portable electric pump battery around the garage. The other is happily turning over my LM1 and the black Quota I am debugging in another thread but it totally refused to start my Stelvio - I shall try your method.
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Le Mans 1, Spada, Cali 1, T3 Mongrel, Le Mans V, Quota x 2, Stelvio TT
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theone&onlymin
Senior Member Joined: 14 May 2014 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2072 |
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Gianni
Senior Member Joined: 16 May 2014 Location: Muswell Hill Status: Offline Points: 676 |
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Stuck the old MotoBatt battery in the beast and pressed the starter - nought.
Pressed and held it and she fired up, albeit reluctantly. Thanks again for the tip.
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Le Mans 1, Spada, Cali 1, T3 Mongrel, Le Mans V, Quota x 2, Stelvio TT
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Doc.
Senior Member Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Location: South Bucks Status: Offline Points: 639 |
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The 2008 is a bit different to both the later types, as far as Battery fitment goes. Gianni. It's worth getting some sort of Battery Tender/Monitor/Optimiser, such as one of the Optimate Series. http://www.tayna.co.uk/battery-chargers/optimate/optimate-2/?gclid=CjwKCAjw1ej5BRBhEiwAfHyh1ILROyTifXKdfMcJl7t1K8q5o0k3HblqWEcVMwD2qGF2b_pHRQX_SRoC5yQQAvD_BwE Cheers
Keeping your Battery connected to one 24/7 (when it's at home) will make it last as long as possible. Most modern vehicles have some 'parasitic' drain on their Battery (Alarm, Imobiliser, etc), so keeping it topped up is important. Don't use a 'Trickle Charger', it needs to be a unit that keeps an eye on the Voltage permanently, and just tops it up as and when needed. |
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Gianni
Senior Member Joined: 16 May 2014 Location: Muswell Hill Status: Offline Points: 676 |
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I have an Odyssey PC545 which I left in a (non-parasitic) bike for 9 years - it was able to spin up a Guzzi with no problem and without needing charging. I have other Odysseys which still work after 15 years and have been charged with a standard Halfords charger. Shame none of the Odysseys seem to fit the Stelvio
I now remove the MotoBatt battery from the Stelvio when it is not in use and regard it as a poorly designed short-life component. May go back to Yuasa this time - £94 from Halfords, only £2 more than a battery for my MG car and about the same price as another MotoBatt from Gutsibits when delivered.
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Le Mans 1, Spada, Cali 1, T3 Mongrel, Le Mans V, Quota x 2, Stelvio TT
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Doc.
Senior Member Joined: 17 Sep 2015 Location: South Bucks Status: Offline Points: 639 |
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Some early Motobatts had quality issues I believe, but I'm happy with getting 4 yrs and 7 months from mine.
Yuasas tend to last a bit longer, but then they cost a fair chunk more, and don't have the 4-Terminal layout, which I find very handy. |
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Brian UK
Moderator Group Joined: 13 May 2014 Location: Surrey Status: Online Points: 17641 |
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It's the parasytic drain on the Stelvio and all the other newer models which kills the battery. Coupled with the small capacity of these AGM style batteries. Actually, for my money, I prefer a decent smart charger connected every two or three weeks to charge up the battery fully rather than a battery tender. They have the advantage of being able to properly charge the battery if it becomes discharged. AGM batteries need a charge rate of at least 2 Amps if discharged, most battery tenders won't provide that.
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Brian.
Better 5 minutes late in this world than years early in the next. |
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Gianni
Senior Member Joined: 16 May 2014 Location: Muswell Hill Status: Offline Points: 676 |
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In the case of my (mostly) functioning battery - it seems that it can take and retain a charge which is sufficient to start an 850 with a Bosch starter or a 1000 with a Valeo starter. But it droops and loses the screen when asked to start a Stelvio 1200. This suggests it is the starting current delivery that is compromised with age as well as charge retention.
I checked the two MototBatt batteries and realised that it is the newer one (3+ years) is fit only for low current applications around the workshop. The older one (8+ years) still just about works - not too bad. Perhaps my expectations are too high? Certainly charging discipline is essential with AGM batteries. But to be fair it was probably the parasitic drain along with age that killed my conventional car battery while it has been stationary for the last few months.
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Le Mans 1, Spada, Cali 1, T3 Mongrel, Le Mans V, Quota x 2, Stelvio TT
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Brian UK
Moderator Group Joined: 13 May 2014 Location: Surrey Status: Online Points: 17641 |
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Both go hand in hand, the lower the capacity, the lower the available current.
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Brian.
Better 5 minutes late in this world than years early in the next. |
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TooJuicy
Senior Member Joined: 06 May 2015 Location: Guildford, Surr Status: Offline Points: 759 |
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I do too - I leave the battery to drain for a week or two then plug in a (C-Tek) Smart Charger to boost the charge then leave on float charge for a couple of weeks before taking battery off-charge to drain again. No clever science involved, but I feel giving the battery a regular wallop with 14.x volts is better than sitting long term on 13.x volts. I'm likely deluding myself. I also replace my battery every 5 summers with another Yuasa as a matter of course, because I cannot be bothered to suffer from bad battery electrical problems so it's part of my maintenace schedule. If a battery is £100 then it's costing me £20 a year. For me £20 is dirt cheap considering the other costs of running a motorcycle, and to avoid battery issues it's a bargain. I suspect if £20/year is too expensive to contemplate I've seriously chosen the wrong hobby! Tony P. S. Over winter when bike is not in regular use I tend to pull the main fuse(s) as the handbook recommends, and battery holds its charge for months.
Edited by TooJuicy - 18 Aug 2020 at 17:08 |
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