Did I Kill my battery?

 

My bike is a 2004 Shadow 750.

Last week I pulled into the driveway after riding, hit the kill switch
and forgot to turn off the ignition.  Went back outside about 3-4
hours later and the battery was dead.  I put it on the trickle
charger.  The charging light came on so I thought things were going to
be ok.  Checked it after about 30 minutes and all three lights
(charged, charging and trouble) were blinking in rotation.  The manual
doesn't say what this means.

Put the battery back in the bike and it powered the lights, but
wouldn't start, giving only a clicking sound.  Tried again a few days
later and the battery barely powered the lights.

Did I kill my battery?  (and any idea what the 'rotating' trickle
charge lights mean?)

Thanks
Bill

 

Bill Lentz wrote:


Probably. You "deep cycled" it. Probably sulfated the plates. Lead acid
batteries don't like that. Electricity can't penetrate the sulfate
layer to get to the spongy lead in the plates...

NiCads enjoy being deep cycled, though, makes them take more of a
charge. Deep cycling restores a NiCad's capacity, but it doesn't work
for a lead acid battery..


The digital circuitry in your charger is apparently seeing a "surface
charge" only. A surface charged battery will show the correct voltage
after charging and have the correct specific gravity. But it won't have
any capacity to carry electrical load without the voltage dropping off
badly...

I have a "smart" digital charger. It won't do a thing for a battery
that's almost shot. But my old "stupid" charger will charge up a
battery that's on its last legs enough to start my engine. Imagine
that. High technology sometimes "jest cain't get 'er done..."

 

On Fri, 08 Jul 2005 16:33:00 -0500, Bill Lentz


30 minutes is not long enough to charge a completely flat battery.

Since you trickle charger will not charge the battery, try a
automotive battery charger on the 2 amp setting if you have one.

If the battery is truely dead you can't hurt it.  If it is only mostly
dead you might revive it.

 

Paul Anderson wrote:

I replied to one of the posts that you placed on a similar NG
Try connecting the battery first, THEN plug the charger into the wall
socket.

Worked for me just last week with a similar sit.

Bruce