Battery problem…..Again

[Seadoobuddy]

As some of you know I keep a ski in Florida which I use 1-3 times a year on vacation.

Nov. 2014 I bought a new battery …..and also a 1.5Amp charger/maintainer from Harbor "Fright". Model 99857.
After using the ski I put the battery on the maintainer, left it until March of 2015….it was fine and used the ski again. Put it back on until this week. (Besides coming to a house with 2 rooms under water….different thread maybe)….anyways the battery was very very warm, almost hot but not burning hot. I tested the volts and it read 11.58……I let it cool down for a about 2 days and tested it again, the volts were 5.99. I put it back on the same unit and the RED "Dead" battery light came on…..another charger brought it up to about 6.8 but it fell quickly. I took it back to advance Auto. They tested it at 5.40 V. The screen read "Needs Charging". They put it on their big fast charger for about an hour and it still read 5.xx V. So I bought a new one, now model # T16L instead of ETX16L, this has 260 CCA compared to 325 for the ETX. Raised the price too a few dollars. They blame the charger and HF blames the battery.

No one is taking responsibility for bad charger or battery. i called HF tech number and actually hooked it to my new battery while on the phone with them….it's charging up to 14.5 (it started at 12.8 from Advance) like the manual says it will…..IS THAT TOO HIGH? the minimum is 13.5 V before it starts charging again.

Any advice or suggestions?????

 

[Coastiejoe]

I have found that if you leave the battery hooked it, it cooks them to the point where the internal plates warp. If it is your desire to always leave it on, I would buy a gel cell battery.

For mine, I pull them for winter and ONLY begin a tender-charge about 2 weeks before I plan on putting the battery back into the ski.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

this was a AGM battery.

thanks, I'll do that this time. Hopefully my bro (who watches the house) will do this if I remind him next year some time.

 

[LouDoo]

Hi Tim,

Two things, spend a couple of extra bucks and buy a Battery Tender battery charger, don't leave the battery connected permanently to any charger, only use the charger to refresh the battery. Or better yet an Optimate4 charger.

Second, do not buy a battery from Advance, the AGM battery they are now selling is made in China, looks like the same battery they sell at Wally World. I recommend an Energizer AGM battery from batteries plus, made in USA with a 2 year replacement warranty, the best warranty for a motorsports battery.

Lou

 

[racerxxx]

SDB this is the exact reason I don't subscribe to a battery tender. If I'm leaving my skis to sit for a while, I disconnect the battery. If I get 2 or 3 seasons from a battery I'm fine with that @$60 a battery. It's $30 a season or less.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

OK Guys.
The battery I bought last year from Advance was made in the USA , the one yesterday is in the ski but no box with it. I'll check it out tomorrow and maybe take it back.
I bought a Battery Tender JR at Wally world the other day for $34.95. but took it back today since I have larger charger here but it's not a maintainer. (Action Yamaha was $39.95 and Advance was $52.95 for same item.)

The new battery could be made in China like Lou said…..it's less CCA and the stupid set up for the cables to bolt on…"loose nuts".
I have a ride on Sunday so I need to be quick about this issue.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

I checked online at battery plus. I only see a 1500 1500CC listed for a 1999 model.
the battery listed is CYLA20HLBSXTA. Is that correct?

Can anyone find the correct battery for a 1999 GSXL?

 

[LouDoo]

Hi Tim,

If the Advance battery has floating nuts it's the Chinese battery.

I happen to have the Duracell battery in my garage, the model number is: DURAGM-16L-US, 325CCA

Also check Amazon for the Battery Tender Jr., I'm thinking I paid around $20.00.

Lou

 

[bigJake]

Hi Tim,

Two things, spend a couple of extra bucks and buy a Battery Tender battery charger, don't leave the battery connected permanently to any charger, only use the charger to refresh the battery. Or better yet an Optimate4 charger.

Second, do not buy a battery from Advance, the AGM battery they are now selling is made in China, looks like the same battery they sell at Wally World. I recommend an Energizer AGM battery from batteries plus, made in USA with a 2 year replacement warranty, the best warranty for a motorsports battery.

Lou

Lou, I have the Optimate 4. do you know if the Desulfate mode does anything for AGM batteries or is that just for lead plate batteries?

 

[Luv2Camp]

There are two things I wil not buy from harbor freight. Cordless drills and battery chargers! I bough one of the trickle chargers about 5 years ago for my camper. Out in the garage one day and check the battery and it was hot. Voltage check on the charger was almost 18 volts! Have a battery tender Jr. wired in my gtx for the last 3 years. I plug it in after every use and stays hooked up all winter long. No issues so far.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

There are two things I wil not buy from harbor freight. Cordless drills and battery chargers! I bough one of the trickle chargers about 5 years ago for my camper. Out in the garage one day and check the battery and it was hot. Voltage check on the charger was almost 18 volts! Have a battery tender Jr. wired in my gtx for the last 3 years. I plug it in after every use and stays hooked up all winter long. No issues so far.

Will a BT Jr. tell you when it's charging and when it isn't?
how many amps is it?

 

[Coastiejoe]

My Jr charges at .02. The light will turn on and off based on what it is doing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Luv2Camp]

My Jr charges at .02. The light will turn on and off based on what it is doing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It has led light that flashes and changes color to let you know the status of the charge

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Was at least one terminal of the battery disconnected from the ski? If yes, I blame the charger but if the ski is connected and is discharging the battery this will cook the battery despite having a good quality maintainer.

 

[Seadoobuddy]

Was at least one terminal of the battery disconnected from the ski? If yes, I blame the charger but if the ski is connected and is discharging the battery this will cook the battery despite having a good quality maintainer.

This battery was out of the ski and sitting on a wooden work bench in the garage.
Could the Florida heat in the summer have anything with this issue, since it's a hot garage.

When i left this past Monday I put the battery in the house but not hooked up to a charger of any type.