Dry batteries help......

[Louise]

Just a quickie
Mrs got a 2009 SV650 Gladius 3 weeks ago... 1,100 miles on the clock.
We both did a road trip around Cornwall for the week..
We get to a village, hour later bike is dead. Nothing.
Bumped it. few days later, I noticed her parking light on - turned bike over - nothing. Bumped again.
We take no, and make sure her P/lights arnt on.
Going home, make it to plymouth ferry... ignition on all for 5 mins. Try to leave ferry - bike dead. By this point im pretty peeved having to bump this in leathers.
Phone her dad to locate nearest Susuki garage for new batt.
3 miles down road.
get there, the guy tests bike, really nice -explains the batt is basically buggered, something isnt charging the bike back up to what its ment to be. the 'reg' could of gone ect ect.
Buy new batt and head home.
Next day take it to local dealer, explain whats happen..
He did tests and told us the bike is fine.......
Because its a dry' battery we must not use hazards, parking light as this will drain the 'memory' of the dry battery.

I thought this was a load of tosh - but he explained, that say mem off batt is 100%, use parking light, it will drain 30% (for eg) when we start the bike, it will remain at 30% lower then normal and wouldnt re-fully charge... same as usein hazzard, untill you have the optimax to fully re-charge the batt.
Hence the use of the optimax (which she has)

Now is this true??? If i needed an optimax each time i parked my bike, id be buggered as I live 6 floors up.
Just somehow cant get my head around this

[Clanger]

I had to replace my battery twice in 9 years, it was a major pain. The batteries drain ridiculously quickly, especially if you have an alarm on the bike. I kept mine on constant trickle charge when parked up.

Also - when you buy them new, you have to let them sit and charge up overnight before fitting and using them!!! Not the best Suzuki choice...

Edit: Mine was an acid battery...? You would think that the Gladius would be the same battery as an sv.
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[Louise]

I just dont understand the point in these dry batts?
Mine is the normal type and ive only had one issue which was my fault. Im not liking the fact we may have to buy a few batteries in the future, all because the memory has 'gone' so to speak! .

[Codemonkey]

I think your local dealer is talking crap . Dry cells are a bit less rugged than wet ones in that they require a better regulated charger and don't recover well if discharged below about 1.75volts per cell (6 cells in your battery so about 10.5volts).

If the battery doesn't get discharged below the 1.75volts per cell lower limit, it should fully recover when it gets a charge.

If the battery does get deep discharged, then it may never recover.

To check if your battery is charging correctly, measure the voltage across it with the engine running, it should be somewhere around 13.5volts. If its much higher than this then it will damage the battery, much lower and it will never get fully charged.

[chris-red]

I'm inclined to agree with Chris, i have no experience with 'dry batteries' but it sounds like bollocks.
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[Louise]

I will ask her later tonight to see if the batt has caps or not.
The guy in Plymouth Suzuki said the batt was running at around 10 volts, thus him thinking the regulater? might be busted. He couldnt fix it due to parts and us needed to get home that day.
The battery cost around 40-60£ - her dad paid on the phone.
Ill try get a meter to check myself - just found it odd, the Suzuki garage in Lowford told us different.
The bike is still under warrenty so im wondering if she should take it to another Suzuki dealer near me.