Battery info on the LCD display - questions - Ducati.ms

LSeca · Dec 14th, 2010, 5:13 pm

Just a quick question, hope you experts can chime in here. I fired up my '08 today and it was def laboring on the start...don't know how to describe it but sounded like it took 6-7 crank cycles before coming to life. The display reads out at "13.7", and truth be told I have no idea if I can assume the battery is fine by this. Actually, I have no idea if this info is even relevent at all. I know this question may seem very silly, but I am just not a mechanical type. I guess I want to make sure everything is fine and if I need to replace the battery, to get it done before spring.

Antigrav · Dec 14th, 2010, 6:16 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSeca

Just a quick question, hope you experts can chime in here. I fired up my '08 today and it was def laboring on the start...don't know how to describe it but sounded like it took 6-7 crank cycles before coming to life. The display reads out at "13.7", and truth be told I have no idea if I can assume the battery is fine by this. Actually, I have no idea if this info is even relevent at all. I know this question may seem very silly, but I am just not a mechanical type. I guess I want to make sure everything is fine and if I need to replace the battery, to get it done before spring.

Voltage is not a good indicator of the shape of your battery and the best way to test is with a load tester actually, but 13.7v is a good reading from your battery especially if its been sitting a while. SLA batteries have a natural discharge that is quite quick and that is why people have them on battery tenders all the time. If you haven't started the bike in a while it may be just that it has been sitting a while. The Yuasas that come in the Hyper are good batteries.

After you rode it around did it start better? You may just need to get a battery tender if you don't ride to frequently. If the battery is having trouble after a week or two of sitting then you have a battery on the way out...I can safely assume your getting a good charge from your bike since its at 13v....A battery can still read full voltage but not provide the amps necessary to start the bike, a bad cell could be the issue. Any local bike shop will probably test is for free.

LSeca · Dec 14th, 2010, 7:21 pm

Thanks Antigrav. Yes, it does starta bit better after riding around for a while, but I haven't the opportunity to put some good miles on it either. I think I may purchase a new one as preventative maint. It's good to know the voltage reading doesn't necessarily mean the battery is fine. I thought this may be the case as I was once left having to push start my CBR on a ride with absolutley no forwarning the battery was on the way out, it just quit working.

Thanks again.

freezer16801 · Dec 14th, 2010, 8:13 pm

I'd get a battery tender before purchasing a new battery. I swap mine back in forth between the hyper, track bike, dads cruiser, and the pit bike. They are all over fleabay for $30 bucks or so. I've had batteries last in other bikes for close to 10 years while using tenders.

**CDONA** · Dec 15th, 2010, 12:20 pm

My stock battery only lasted 19 months, the new battery spins the motor faster than the stock batt ever did new. I normally get 4/5 years on a bike batt without using a charger, riding year round. As to multiple start cycles, I hit the button and blip the throttle once just before the starter turns. Now it starts mostly in one start cycle.