Hey all- this one has me confused. CB550 project bike. All LED lights, m-unit (the original), kick start, antigravity battery in a box that sits on top of the swing arm, year old Rick's R/R for lithium, with a brand new top-end rebuild and brand new harness. Over the last three days 3 batteries have died, and on the last one, the casing melted off.
Here is what happened.
Got the bike back last week, easy kick over and riding. Drove it to work and when I finished for the day the battery was totally dead. I figured I had left the ignition on when I pulled the keys. Had a spare that I attached, road it home no problem. Parked it, and the next day, the battery is dead. Again, figured I was a dummy and turn the key the wrong way. Got a new antigravity over the weekend and road it yesterday to work, no problem. Left work, kicked right over and was riding home and about 15 mins in, the whole bike just turned off ( i was in traffic for a lot of the time but was moving). Battery was dead- not even giving a reading. Pushed it home- which was fun- and threw the battery on a trickle charger. Came back a couple hrs later and realize it wasn't taking the charge. Pulled the battery and the plastic casing was oozing off the back and puddling in the battery box. After I stopped freaking out that there was battery ooze all over me, i tossed the battery in the garbage at the end of my driveway.
These could all be related events, or a couple of non-related events.
1. the dead batteries (especially the first two), could be from turning the ignition key the wrong way OR from the tricky M-unit parking lights or wiring. Turn signals and horn are controlled by a corresponding three momentary button unit, and the headlight is controlled by it's own one momentary push button (one is lo, two is high). I don't think this is what killed the battery the third time because I don't see how it would have kicked over and ridden if the battery was drained. also, i read the posts on the forum about the parking lights, and while I turn off the bike when the lights are in LO, i haven't even used the HI.
2. the heat from the engine or vibrations destroyed the third battery. The thing is that neither of the first two batteries did anything like this/ for about 2 years the batter was under the swing arm, in the same box, without anything similar happening.
3. The third battery somehow overloaded with a dead short. Whole the battery top is exposed in the space between the seat and swing arm, but i don't see how anything could have bridged the polls.
4. the melted battery was a different event then the dead battery... meaning, it was lemon or i someone dead shorted when i put on the trickle charger. still doesn't explain the first two batteries or why the third kicked over and road fine for 15 mins.
I'm stuck with the antigravity b/c the box fits it perfectly. I looked at the shorai and it's a touch too big. So i ordered a new one that'll come today. I also ordered some foam that I'll put under the the battery.
I plan on testing the charging system to see if the RR is bunk- but i don't see how that's possible b/c it's like a year old.
One weird thing was, at some point (no idea which battery), i was getting a 13 v reading off of the battery even when the ignition was off. no lights on the m-unit besides the flashing alarm light. I had the multimeter on the positive and neg terminals, and then again on the positive and grounded terminals.
Would love some thoughts that I can test out.
