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Author Topic: Rain = dead battery?  (Read 3714 times)

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Offline 4n2twstr

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Rain = dead battery?
« on: May 23, 2012, 10:02:21 AM »
So I didn't have my bike cover w/ me and left my bike out in the rain during this past Monday's downpour.  Now bike won't start, very faint lights, won't even kick-start.  My question is- could rain kill a battery?  I am pretty sure my battery was on its way out and it was just coincidental but I was just curious.  I got my seat re-upholstered and water seems to seep through easier as there was water on top of battery.  Pulled out battery from bike and it seems that I may have a dead cell since multimeter readings drop after trickle charging.  My second question- if I ride the bike w/ this dead battery, am I just asking to get stranded? (pretty sure I it's a yes).  My bike's charging system is OK.  Thx, btw already ordered new battery (Scorpion AGM).  Googled current battery and it's for freakin lawn mowers that got awful Lowes reviews, thx PO!
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bollingball

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Re: Rain = dead battery?
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2012, 11:16:52 AM »
Must have left the wipers on ;D

am I just asking to get stranded?  YES

Ken
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Offline 4n2twstr

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Re: Rain = dead battery?
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2012, 12:10:35 PM »
Not the wipers but the heated seats!

Ha, yeah def the battery after further testing.  Was all just coincidental w/ the downpour I guess...
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Offline stereosilence

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Re: Rain = dead battery?
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2012, 12:24:06 PM »
Most car/bike batteries are not deep cycle, meaning they are not meant to be run all the way out. It is possible that the water acted as a conductor from some exposed hot wire to the frame and drained the battery. I would eyeball it and try to cover up any exposed wires. Hopefully a new battery is the answer and you won't have any trouble in the future...
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Offline 4n2twstr

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Re: Rain = dead battery?
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2012, 01:48:51 PM »
^ That makes perfect sense specially cuz I left the connector for my trickle charger exposed and was soaked.  Never leaving the bike outside w/out a cover anymore, that's for sure.  Thx.
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Offline LesterPiglet

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Re: Rain = dead battery?
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2012, 01:50:45 PM »
I would guess water got into your wiring and made a few connections. Lots of WD40 required.
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Offline Rigid

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Re: Rain = dead battery?
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2012, 02:09:37 PM »
Yes, water and even dirt and humidity between the terminals can drain a marginal battery.  This can actually be measured with one probe of a multimeter on a terminal and the other on the top case of a dirty battery.  I washed my truck once, rinsed under the hood, killed the battery dead.
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