Great Plains AGM Batteries...bad news.

[Kuda]

Well, I hate to do this, but I've got some bad news for those of us who've corrupted our older pans to 12 volt. The highly-praised (by some) 12 volt AGM battery sold by Great Plains has once again failed me, this time with no excuse at all. To review, I bought a brand new battery, charged it overnight with a Battery Tender Plus charger, then left on a 9 day trip. End of the first day, it was dead as a stone, shorted internally. I chalked it up to the fact that I was running it hard/hot and the vibrations killed it. (Incidently, I run a Cycle Electric 12v gennie with built in low-voltage regulator.). Bought a cheap Walmart lawn tractor battery and carried on. To thier credit, Great Plains said if I returned it they'd ship me out a new one, which happened. Got it a few weeks later, put it on the same trickle charger, but didn't trust it and kept the Wally-mart battery in there. Well, 7 months later, the Wally-mart battery gave up the ghost, so I pulled the other one off the charger and tested it: 2 volts. Switched it to another known good charger: no change. Without ever being installed/heated/vibrated, it's toast. I won't be returning it, no real point. Just posting this as a warning to others who're thinking of taking the plunge...

-Kuda
'49 panchop

[caschnd1]

That sucks! I've had really good luck with the YUSA YTZ14S using the same charging setup you have. I switched over to AGM batteries in 2004. The one I'm running now I installed in 2007. I put on about 15K miles a year and ride through the heat of Arizona summers (my panhead is my daily commuter). I took a 30-day ride to the east coast in May on my panhead. ~6000 miles and a lot of bumps and vibration. I figured I might have to replace the battery on that trip, but it's still strong. You might consider that model as an alternative. I set it on it's end so it will fit in the battery box and put a piece of black painted 2x4 under it to raise it up to stock height so I can install the stock battery top/hold-down plate.

-Craig

[kevsett]

I've thought about the Great Plains 6v on their website: http://www.greatplainscycle.com/Batteries/6v18aGel.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not sure what to think of the battery in the first place and your comments make me additionally nervous. Do you have a model number for the AGM 12v that you had problems with.

[59Panman]

Kuda,

Yep, just another crappy Chinese battery. Go with what caschnd1 and I said, buy the Yuasa YTZ14S and you won't have a problem. I have had mine for about 4 years now with no problems. This is the battery Cycle Electric recommended when I was having nothing but problems with all the other Chinese, Vietnamese and India batteries. You have to stick with the Japanese made brand. I spend the few extra bucks for the piece of mind.

[Kuda]

I've got another $25 Wally-mart battery in there now, but I just ordered a Yuasa ($135!) which I'll put in before my next trip. The piece of mind is worth it...

-Kuda

[wilko]

Had 2 friends have their AGMs die on the same day. They got home by buying a six volt torch battery an temporarily wiring them in to get home. I put it down to the mechanical regulators cooking them. They have both gone back to lead acid with no problems. I think they are alright with electronic regs though.

[Billpan58]

got my 4th battery since may 15th 2011,2 bad hd classics, one lasted 2 weeks another 50 miles,both bad cells,picked up interstate last friday couldnt get it to charge returned today. picked up koyo 6 volt tonight hope it cuts the musturd.may have to go to 12 volt dont really want to.

[mr. z]

yeah, I've long ago stopped using the GP vietnam batts. I remember you sayin' Kuda that you had one in stock to try later, I'll be dogged, that one took a shit too. Been using tha small Yuasas, they're not too bad, pretty reliable

[RussW]

A sure fire way to beat this dead-battery syndrome is with two batteries. I use 12VX5L-B batteries, tape two together (they form a package that's 4.5" x 4.25" x 5.5" tall), fit right into the horseshoe tank with a wooden block for height. I got a Single Pole Double Throw/ Center Off toggle switch, which has three positions (ON)(OFF)(ON). Three wires off the switch, center is power to the dash , and one lead to each (+) on the different batteries. Wired both batteries with a common ground, now the switch in the forward position runs one battery, the rearward position runs off the other battery, and in the center is a "no juice" position I use when I want the bike secure. I just switch from one battery to the other once a week to keep both charged.
I find the AGM batteries (I've used this setup for both 6 and 12 volts) last a couple seasons, but one day they just die. Don't have much of a "getting weak" phase. So if I lose one, just flick the switch. Not much chance of BOTH dying the same day. Usually replace both at the same time, for about $40/battery it's worth the piece of mind.

[PanJud]

A sure fire way to beat this dead-battery syndrome is with two batteries. I use 12VX5L-B batteries, tape two together (they form a package that's 4.5" x 4.25" x 5.5" tall), fit right into the horseshoe tank with a wooden block for height. I got a Single Pole Double Throw/ Center Off toggle switch, which has three positions (ON)(OFF)(ON). Three wires off the switch, center is power to the dash , and one lead to each (+) on the different batteries. Wired both batteries with a common ground, now the switch in the forward position runs one battery, the rearward position runs off the other battery, and in the center is a "no juice" position I use when I want the bike secure. I just switch from one battery to the other once a week to keep both charged.
I find the AGM batteries (I've used this setup for both 6 and 12 volts) last a couple seasons, but one day they just die. Don't have much of a "getting weak" phase. So if I lose one, just flick the switch. Not much chance of BOTH dying the same day. Usually replace both at the same time, for about $40/battery it's worth the piece of mind.

That VERY idea occurred to me about an hour ago! (Not with the switch though, paralleling them to double current capacity) I took my '62 on a 900 mile round trip this over the last few days, (Roanoke, VA to Dayton, OH) Had never gone this far, and wife (Suzuki rider) was somewhat dubious, considering my Duoglide's record in this area. (In fairness to the bike, ALL problems thus far, which have put me on the side of the road, were electrical, most being bad batteries, rendered useless from sitting weeks/months without the tender) Over the last couple months, had generator die (2nd time in 15 years, I can live with that) month or 2 before that, el cheapo battery died in FLA (had dragged it down, ought have dumped the neglected battery before I left) ANYhow, after assuring wife to NO END that the antique was up for the task--replaced back brakes, secondary chain, etc (belt primary) We embarked. Pulled off the highway about 200 miles into the trip, and as I went to idle, the bike just DIED--glided thru right turn at red light, parked in empty lot. Was afraid I was gonna have to tell her the new generator was bad...(must have missed a bare wire or something grounding it) and we'd have to figure out how to drag the thing back home...getting bitched at the WHOLEEEEee way, of course. Poked around a bit, looking for shorts/opens, as my volt meter said it had 13.1 at rest, and went to zero at key-on...found nothing obvious, took battery across the street to Advance, they said it was a goner...bought another crappy little Taiwan atv battery and was off an hour later. (Didn't have much in the way of warm and fuzzys tho)

Did SAME thing on the way back, (again, as we were pulling off for gas) this after I did the first 100 miles with head-light off, thinking that would reduce stress on battery---we were dealing with 97 degree heat both ways. Suspicious this time, as all the symptoms were identical as previous, I took my 12 volt burglar alarm battery I use for charging cell phones, etc while camping and hooked it up...bike started first kick, and generator/regulator were doing their respective jobs correctly. THIS time, I remoted my NEW el cheapo battery into the saddlebag....went the next 300 miles at 65 mph, no problems.

I was assuming it was heat, my mechanic says in his experience, Pans with horseshoe bags which have been converted to 12V have an inherent problem--can't get more than 5 amps capacity on a 12v battery into the available space. (Roughly 4"X4"X4-1/2') and the high current at highway speeds, combined with the oppressive heat due to battery's location, wrecks the low-amp batteries. Had just sent an email to Yuasa about the YTZ7S wen I read this thread....stacking 2 cheap-arse batteries would work great, assuming they could deal with the heat...dunno. If the Yuasa can deal with the scenario, I guess I'd rather go that route

[Larry]

I've been using the battery on the left. 12 amp, SLA, fits in the oiltank.[attachment=0]batteries2_opt.jpg[/attachment]

[PanJud]

Hmmm...looks like standard sealed lead-acid burglar/fire alarm battery......you have the 58-62 swing-arm-horseshoe bag?

[RussW]

Panjud, I had thought as well to wire two batteries parallel to allow for additional capacity. I'm not an electrical expert, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that a short in a cell in either battery would drain both batteries in this configuration. I know the 5.5 A is small, and the Cycle Electric gen/reg combo I run is designed to accommodate a small capacity battery, but I don't know if I would necessarily get a longer life out of two batteries in parallel (or a single battery with an 11 A/H capacity), due to the heat/vibration they are subjected to. The two batteries running independent doesn't rely on trying to make any one battery last longer than conditions will allow, it actually is a concession to the fact that they WILL die eventually (one or two seasons, maybe three?). My hope is that BOTH won't die on exactly the same day unless, of course, I have some really bad karma coming my way...

[59Panman]

Yuasa YTZ no problems.

[Cotten]

..I know the 5.5 A is small, and the Cycle Electric gen/reg combo I run is designed to accommodate a small capacity battery,...

Russ!

Your CE regulator will even charge an ElectraGlide battery.

The heat issue is alleviated if you have CE's "low voltage" regulator.

The 5.5a batteries are reliable for a year (with the low voltage), so why not just change it every spring?
It would be the same cost as expecting two to last two years, and a lot easier to keep an eye on than a stack.

....Cotten