How long should an Extreme Magna Power ETX18L last?

[AApple]

Mine is about 4 years old, iirc, and it seems to be having a harder and harder time starting the 'Wing. This morning, at the gas station, it wouldn't start at all...had to push start it. :rant:
This is after a 40 mile ride into work, very little traffic, so I was at cruiz speed most of the way...no idling. No drivin lights, either.
I checked charging voltage once I got to the shop, and the stator is still werkin, at 14.6v@3000 rpm, and 13.8 @ idle. I did tighten the cables on the batt a smidge...they were a wee bit loose, but not that loose. I did notice, when I had the multimeter hooked up, that the charge rate would be slow for a minute, then jump up, and charge quickly for a minute, then back down. Rekon the RR is goin south? I do have the original one still. The one on there now is one I got from Dan when I was having charging problems before I replaced the stator.

Guess I'll be connecting the new Dura Boost Battery Maintainer 750 I bought Friday to it, but...that won't do any good on the road. Just wonderin how long should I expect this battery to survive? Is it time for a new one? :read:

 

[dan filipi]

I'd put my money on a weak battery after 4 years.

 

[slabghost]

dan filipi » Mon Jun 03, 2013 9:01 am[/url]":1qze6u8l]I'd put my money on a weak battery after 4 years.

:good: +1

 

[Ansimp]

I sell lots of batteries and 4 years is a pretty good run. Get the battery load tested to be sure, but I believe it has reached its useful life.

 

[OldWrench]

Four years, replace the battery. A bad battery had cause more rectifiers, stators, and alternators to go south. Reason being they are attempting to keep a weak battery fully charged causing premature failure. Personally I replace batteries every three years, or as soon as they show a weak load test.

 

[mcgovern61]

It is anticipated that an AGM battery (of this size) will last 3 years with normal use. 4 years is really beyond the limit.

 

[dan filipi]

mcgovern61 » Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:18 am[/url]":zq3myz5h]It is anticipated that an AGM battery (of this size) will last 3 years with normal use. 4 years is really beyond the limit.

Yeah there are guys say they get 5-6 and even 7 years from an AGM, I even read some say they get 10 years from an AGM and almost that from a wet cell but I think that's all talk.
I've never had ANY battery run longer than 3 years before I can tell it's capacity is reduced.
Once they start falling short there's little useful runs left in them.
On cars, they usually die unexpectedly.

 

[joedrum]

oh no ...im staying out of this ..after what ive been through :shock: :hihihi:

 

[dan filipi]

joedrum » Mon Jun 03, 2013 10:19 am[/url]":20109evb]oh no ...im staying out of this ..after what ive been through :shock: :hihihi:

I don't see why :headscratch:
Say what's on your mind, Joe.

 

[joedrum]

advice on charging problems hasn't been a rcent good thing from me to say the least ....I feel like im trying to take joel title away on how many bo bos a guy with some experience can make .... :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: just kiddings joel ... :cheeky: your not the only one who got this talent move over :hihihi:

 

[OldWrench]

advice on charging problems hasn't been a rcent good thing from me to say the least

Joe I have a sign in my shop regarding advice.

Bad advice 50 cents :head bang:

Wild guesses 75 cents :roll:

accurate or good advice one dollar. :good:

dumb looks are still free. :headscratch:

 

[Ansimp]

OldWrench » Tue Jun 04, 2013 12:24 am[/url]":2oordvwd]Four years, replace the battery. A bad battery had cause more rectifiers, stators, and alternators to go south. Reason being they are attempting to keep a weak battery fully charged causing premature failure. Personally I replace batteries every three years, or as soon as they show a weak load test.

I am going to try and debunk some of the ideas behind the charging system. If all old wings were nakeds the amount of failures would of been greatly reduced. The single biggest killer of these charging circuits is the desire of most owners to be more easily seen and in doing so exceed the maximum output of the charging system constantly. Spare charging in the system is shed to ground through the standard Reguator/rectifier as per the majority of Honda systems. They need a good battery because at lower rpms the charging circuit is often underpowered and has to draw back of the batteries reserves. Once revs climb up around the 4000rpm we have full output which can now go to replacing what is lost in the battery at lower revs.

 

[Omega Man]

Here in the desert 2 years is the average life of batteries. I had Old Girlfriend 4 years+ and bought two batteries.

~O~

 

[AApple]

:builder:
Dang thing fired right up when it was time to come home, but once I got home, it would not...just cranked really slow a couple of times. I did get stuck in a solid, move-2-feet-at-a-time traffic jam for over 10 miles on the way home, tho. I put the new charger thingy on it, but I guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and get another battery. :whip: It'll hafta wait until I get over the shock of replacing the fuel infectors in Mama's Caderack....yeesh those things are 'SPENSIVE!($120 EACH x8 :crying: ) Oh well....life goes on...at least the stator is still chargin! :mrgreen:

 

[Ansimp]

AApple » Tue Jun 04, 2013 12:26 pm[/url]":32w512j9]:builder:
Dang thing fired right up when it was time to come home, but once I got home, it would not...just cranked really slow a couple of times. :mrgreen:

Check your charging system as that is the symptoms of an over charged battery! :head bang: :builder:

 

[mcgovern61]

AApple » Mon Jun 03, 2013 9:26 pm[/url]":2bf2cs4y]:builder:
I did get stuck in a solid, move-2-feet-at-a-time traffic jam for over 10 miles on the way home

There is something I can relate to! I was often stuck at red lights and traffic jams and could watch my voltage drop and stay down every time I hit the brakes or the fan came on while sitting still. (I had installed an analog voltmeter in my fairing after all of my battery and charging problems with my '81 engine.) That stop and start plus the 2 mile an hour crawl is tough on the battery.

I ended up increasing my idle to 1100 RPM when I knew that this would be my normal riding for going to work and it helped to keep the battery at 12 volts. But if I get stuck at red lights with the fan and brake lights on, I just hold my throttle up at 2000 RPM to keep the charging up. These bikes were meant to stay on the highway or at least a continuous 2500 RPM to keep the battery up. I find the brake lights alone will drop the voltage pretty quick after about three red lights.

 

[AApple]

Amazingly enough, my engine idles at 2200rpm when warm anyway..... :smilie_happy:

 

[toytender01]

I was having thar 2200 RPM idle on the 1500 until I turned off the choke. :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: Helped the gas mileage too.

 

[dan filipi]

2200 rpm idle has got to be irritating.
Turn a screw, slow that sucker down!

 

[AApple]

:sensored: :sensored: :sensored: Son-of-a- :sensored: :crying:
Well...I cain't put it off any longer....it's done for. Won't even crank it when it's cooled off, now. And....no-one in the area HAS the same battery in stock. I can get one from NAPA today, tho, so that's what Imma gunna do. Theirs is an AGM, with more CCA than the Extreme Magnasports, and it's....gulps...$98.99 (+tax). I'll stop by on the way home and get it. Dagummit....I wuz hoping I could skate by a little longer on this one, but it's ain't hap'nin....
Charging system is working....little over 13v at idle, around 14.6 @ 3000rpm, with a max around 15v, according to my min/max feature on my Fluke meter.