P700 Battery problems

[pioneer_titan]

I bought my P7-4 brand new back in Febuary. I stay pretty busy so I've only got about 85 hrs on it. I try to crank it up at least 2 times a week or whenever I go into my shop. I tried to crank it the other day and the battery was dead, I checked the voltage and it showed 12.3v. I jumped it off and drove it and killed it and started it no problem. Went out and started it the next day and it fired up, but the next day it was dead again. I have a winch and a lightbar that I know aren't draining the battery. Are the factory batteries just junk or is there another problem i should be looking for?

 

[swsebek]

Battery's aren't bad and usually pretty good. Sometimes they just go bad. But I would check to see if the battery is charging. Should get about 14 volt while running and have 12 volts not running. Also check for a loose connection at battery.

 

[PolkaJoe]

I lost a young battery on my motorcycle that acted the same way. It metered fine both running and not running, I believe a cell connection just crapped out.

It would start fine, and then out of nowhere just have nothing in it on the next start. I’d meter it and show 12.8, but just clicked. Swapped the battery and have had zero problems.

The P7-4 has had no problems with battery or charging system so far.

 

[allgm1]

when you say you "crank it up" a few times a week are you just starting it up and shutting it off and not letting it run for a while? I use my almost daily around the yard and a occasional quick ride on the trails,but I still don't just start it when Im done and drive it to the shed and shut it off without driving it around for a few minutes to recharge the battery. I still do all of that even thou I'm running an automotive size battery, if your not running it long enough to recharge the battery it will die after a while, and I think there is no better charge than a long ride to put a good deep charge back into it.

 

[Gator]

12.3V sitting in the shop is right.
Check to see if it is a surface charge. Turn the key on and turn the headlights on, then check the voltage again. If it drops to 10.6V you've lost a cell.
If it is still higher than 11.5 volts you probably need to tighten your connections.

 

[pioneer_titan]

Whenever i crank it up during the week i usually let it run about 5-10 minutes and then shut it off. i rode it this past wknd for a few hours and today is Thursday and i cranked it this morning and it started just fine. All connections are tight, I think you are right allgm1 and it just needed a good deep charge. Thanks for yalls input.

 

[allgm1]

Do yourself and your pioneer a favor and pack the family up this weekend for a all day ride that will fix er up. I live in NH,and use my pioneer to plow with. which means lot of slow driving and a lot of battery usage that can often be followed up by a week of sitting in freezing temps. If I don't make sure I run it around the yard for a while before parking it won't start next time I need it. I am still trying to see the point of starting it during to week if your not going for a ride,not only is it running your battery down, but I would think its not real good for the engine/starter after a while. I would put a battery tender on it if I was concerned about the battery and save the cold starts until I was going to ride it IMO.

 

[Wallace]

Buy yourself a battery tender if you can't ride regularly. It will save your battery in the long run.

 

[Steve-O]

Just what allgm1 just said above. Keep a tender on it at all times when not riding. It will save you from buying batteries every year or two.

 

[HondaTech]

FYI letting a unit idle for any amount of time will charge a battery or help maintain 1 either. The best way to maintain a battery on anything is to attach a tender or float charger to it.

If the battery is sitting @ 12.3v it should at least attempt to crank the unit over.

As far as stock batteries go, I'll never use anything other than Yuasa. More often than not they'll outlast anything. I've got 10 years in the business and nothing yet has beat the oem Yuasa branded batteries. I cant count how many junk parts store batteries I've replaced that the customer claimed they just installed.

 

[ReidMcT]

...I am still trying to see the point of starting it during to week if your not going for a ride,not only is it running your battery down, but I would think its not real good for the engine/starter after a while.

It certainly shortens the oil life by adding moisture to the crankcase, which combines with combustion by-products to create acids. Motor oil contains additives to neutralize these acids, but short run times (5-10 minutes) will deplete the additives, creating a severe-service condition that calls for more frequent oil changes. Conversely, actually using the vehicle for 20 minutes or so drives out the moisture.

Better to let unused engines sit (on a battery tender).

 

[allgm1]

Better to let unused engines sit (on a battery tender).

Never owned a battery tender, probably never will, and I prefer not to have an unused engine, these days I'm keeping the battery fully charged with frequent rides.

 

[jwfirebird]

that's a pretty common mistake, frequent starts ruins the battery and engine like he said have to ride it over 30 min I would say to charge it from starting. at idle it takes forever because the output is way lower. best to just get a good charger like ctech or batt tender