4 wheeler question

[wayne]

The battery would not stay charged on my Honda Rubicon so I took it to the shop to have it checked out. They said the battery was bad and would not hold the charge, because the charging system was working. They replaced the battery and I took it home. It sat for about 6 weeks before I got it back out, and the battery was very weak. So, what sould be causing the battery to drain with the key switch off? It is 100% stock, nothing aftermarket added to it.

Just for giggles, I charged the battery today and I am going to see if leaving the kill switch in the "OFF" position has any effect on it.

 

[Gravey]

Leaving it idle for 6 weeks will make it weak especially with the cold weather. I start my atv's and tractor every two weeks if not every week through the winter. If not they'll be weak if not dead. Had to jump my rhino the other week because I didn't start it for about a month.

 

[TN RDG RNR]

Wonder if the shops initial charge was with a low-voltage trickle charger. The first charge takes around 8 hours to allow the electrolyte or acid to penetrate the cells. Very important to preserve the strength of the battery.

Id probably have the battery tested at Advance or somewhere, may just be a bad battery. If its weak or dead cell you will know it when its cold like this.

Should be putting out around 100 cold cranking amps if it is healthy.

Good Luck

 

[BlackBelt]

My experience with 2 Honda ATV's:
Use a battery tender to keep it charged.
The electronics use a small amount of electriciy even when sitting parked.
A Honda technician told me about that, and ever since I started using a battery tender mine fire right up even after sitting for months.

 

[Poor redneck]

My experience with 2 Honda ATV's:
Use a battery tender to keep it charged.
The electronics use a small amount of electriciy even when sitting parked.
A Honda technician told me about that, and ever since I started using a battery tender mine fire right up even after sitting for months.

Same experience here.

 

[rdl65]

My experience with 2 Honda ATV's:
Use a battery tender to keep it charged.
The electronics use a small amount of electriciy even when sitting parked.
A Honda technician told me about that, and ever since I started using a battery tender mine fire right up even after sitting for months.

Battery Tender is your friend.

 

[wayne]

UPDATE:

When I went out this morning, the battery would barely turn the motor over. Not enough to start it. So I used the pull rope. As the day went along, the battery would only make the clicking noise if I pushed the starter button. Eventually the motor would die when the transmission would change into 2nd gear. Even if I shifted manually it would die. Got the charger on it now.

 

[wayne]

I'm no mechanic at all, so I don't know why I would even think this, but could it be a bad ground? Would the battery even charge with the motor running if it had a bad ground?

 

[JeepKuntry]

Buy a battery tender or hook it to a charger about every 10 days for 2-3 hours.