battery voltage

[Z71]

After sitting or a while, my bike's battery voltage drops to about 11.8 Volts.  After running for a few minutes, the voltage climbs to 14.2 while engine is running, which reflects a healthy charging system.   Is it time for a new battery?

(This post should probably be in the C14 bike forum).

[VirginiaJim]

How long have you had your present battery?  Need a baseline to start this off.

[maxtog]

After sitting or a while, my bike's battery voltage drops to about 11.8 Volts.  After running for a few minutes, the voltage climbs to 14.2 while engine is running, which reflects a healthy charging system.   Is it time for a new battery?

When the bike is running, you can't read the voltage of the battery, you are seeing the voltage of the battery plus the alternator in parallel.  If the voltage did NOT climb significantly, it could mean a defective battery or charging system.  However, there is not enough info provided to make much of any determination about anything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lead-acid_voltage_vs_SOC.PNG

11.8 volts is an estimated charge of 40%

You need to define "sitting for a while", and also tell if it was FULLY charged before it sat "for a while", and also state the age of the battery.  There could be nothing wrong with it at all.  Most LA batteries are only good for 3 to 5 years, depending on use and charging patterns.

[Pokey]

Battery Tender, trickle charger, battery minder.......these are your friends.

[lt1]

You are probably getting close to time for replacement if the bike is starting to crank slow.  Mine is to the point where the battery won't hold enough of a charge to start the bike if it sits over 2 weeks.  At this point, I just plug the tender in if I won't be riding it for a while.  I'll replace the battery before any longer trips, but am not worried about it for local hops.

[Z71]

The bike is an '09, purchased new in March '10, when the battery was charged/activated.   I have not had much luck with Kawasaki OEM batteries.  The one on my other Kawi bike crapped out after one year.    Yuasa batteries on my Suzuki bikes have been much better.

[MGvalerio]

Z71 fino ad un voltaggio 11,4 la GTR 1400  si hanno partenze istantanee.

La mia GTR 1400 ABS è un MY 2007 ,ho sempre la prima batteria...ma da segni di carica ora molto bassi 11,6 volt a motore freddo.

é giunta l'ora per me di sostituirla la batteria nonostante la moto non risenta a motore freddo di questa basso voltaggio.


MGvalerio.

[lather]

After sitting or a while, my bike's battery voltage drops to about 11.8 Volts.  After running for a few minutes, the voltage climbs to 14.2 while engine is running, which reflects a healthy charging system.   Is it time for a new battery?

(This post should probably be in the C14 bike forum).

Your resting battery voltage should be around 12.4 to 12.8 But if you are using the on-board volt meter without starting the engine, the draw of the fuel pump and the display will pull it down a  few tenths of a volt. Also I doubt the on-board volt meter is very accurate. It is much better to use an external volt meter. Check it 30 minutes after a 40 minute ride or  being on a tender for an hour. Then check it again 24 hours later. If it has dropped more than .5 volt I'd say it done for.

[IRULE]

Z71 fino ad un voltaggio 11,4 la GTR 1400  si hanno partenze istantanee.

La mia GTR 1400 ABS è un MY 2007 ,ho sempre la prima batteria...ma da segni di carica ora molto bassi 11,6 volt a motore freddo.

é giunta l'ora per me di sostituirla la batteria nonostante la moto non risenta a motore freddo di questa basso voltaggio.


MGvalerio.

What a beautiful language. But I'm lost.

[Jeremy Mitchell]

Your resting battery voltage should be around 12.4 to 12.8 But if you are using the on-board volt meter without starting the engine, the draw of the fuel pump and the display will pull it down a  few tenths of a volt. Also I doubt the on-board volt meter is very accurate. It is much better to use an external volt meter. Check it 30 minutes after a 40 minute ride or  being on a tender for an hour. Then check it again 24 hours later. If it has dropped more than .5 volt I'd say it done for.

The voltage meter on the C14 is always accurate within .1-.2 of a volt.  Most of the time it is dead on with my auxiliary gauge.

I replaced the battery in my 08 a couple months ago and the lowest I have seen my voltage drop to is 12.9 after a couple days of being parked (my auxiliary gauge is wired directly to the  battery so I can always see the voltage at a glance).

[lather]

Yours may be accurate, mine is .5-.7 volt optimistic according to three different external volt meters.