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Battery replacement

Odyssey Hardware part number...

This is the part number for the adapter hardware used with the Odyssey PC680.
#2301-0329
 
After reading about aperris' troubles with SEP and being in need of a new PC680 I decided to go ahead and order one through Autoplicity myself. Here is the email they send out after they take your money.

Please Note: Orders are PROCESSED in 1 business day and can take up to 3 Business days to SHIP. Upon shipment, you will be emailed a tracking number. Items that show "Ships From Manufacturer" can take longer depending on the manufacturer availability and schedule of shipment.


The above is immediately followed by another email:

Thank you for your recent purchase. This item will be shipping directly from the manufacture and takes about 1-3 business days to process and then ship directly to you. We want to let you know this ahead of time so you can plan for any delay or let us know if you need it expedited in any way due to a project, build, or anything else you may be working on that requires urgency. If this is the case, please reply to this email so we can get you situated. If no action needs to be taken, your items will be on their way shortly!

Thanks again for shopping with us,
Support Team
Autoplicity.com


I ordered the battery over a week ago and have heard absolutely nothing about the product being shipped. Since they don't stock the batteries and just send your order along to "the manufacturer" with no set ship date or expectations... :dunno

The Internet is riddled with middle men extracting their toll who add zero value to the transaction most of the time. Buyer beware for sure!

Now I wish I just stuck with SEP. :banghead
 
Found the battery in my 2000 1100R to be dead this morning. Since it's the original battery and it did not hold the charge from a 300 mile trip last weekend it looks like time for a new one.

I'm looking at the following brands:
Exide (the oem brand)
Yuasa
Westco
Odyssey

Does anyone have a stong opinion of any of these? I want to get a sealed battery to avoid having to add water in the future, and several of these brands offer sealed/AGM/GEL batteries.

Thanks for the help. :dunno

If your battery lasted for 13 years why not get the exact same battery? Also, verify your charging system is working properly prior to buying a new battery.
 
After reading about aperris' troubles with SEP and being in need of a new PC680 I decided to go ahead and order one through Autoplicity myself. Here is the email they send out after they take your money.

Please Note: Orders are PROCESSED in 1 business day and can take up to 3 Business days to SHIP. Upon shipment, you will be emailed a tracking number. Items that show "Ships From Manufacturer" can take longer depending on the manufacturer availability and schedule of shipment.


The above is immediately followed by another email:

Thank you for your recent purchase. This item will be shipping directly from the manufacture and takes about 1-3 business days to process and then ship directly to you. We want to let you know this ahead of time so you can plan for any delay or let us know if you need it expedited in any way due to a project, build, or anything else you may be working on that requires urgency. If this is the case, please reply to this email so we can get you situated. If no action needs to be taken, your items will be on their way shortly!

Thanks again for shopping with us,
Support Team
Autoplicity.com


I ordered the battery over a week ago and have heard absolutely nothing about the product being shipped. Since they don't stock the batteries and just send your order along to "the manufacturer" with no set ship date or expectations... :dunno

The Internet is riddled with middle men extracting their toll who add zero value to the transaction most of the time. Buyer beware for sure!

Now I wish I just stuck with SEP. :banghead

Well after calling them and creating a support ticket (they have a system but don't respond) I received the battery today.
- Happy enough with the delivery time of one week
- Great price (we all love that) :thumb
- Downside was they are supposed to send shipping notices they don't.
- They promise to respond to service calls withing 24 hrs they don't.

Like SEP they do deliver the batteries in a reasonable time frame which is bottom line for me. Chalk it up to the joy if internet shopping. :whistle
 
None of the typical standard chargers put out a voltage high enough for the Odyssey. They won't "ruin" the batteries but if you want to get the max life and potential out of an Odyssey battery it's best to get a charger specifically designed for them. They use a very high charge current initially and go into maintenance mode at a higher voltage. All the specs are on the Odyssey site.

Well since the charging systems in our vehicles, cars or motorcycles, are nothing special, why would I pick a battery that has "special" needs that won't allow me to get maximum life out of them using the charging system on my motorcycle?

A battery will only take as many amps as it can which is based on state of charge and internal resistance.


Most BMW bikes charge at 13.9 - 14.0 volts and settle down to 12.6 volts overnight if the battery is healthy and holding a good charge.

Not that it makes a big difference, I get 14.0 to 14.2V, depending on temperature. As for my battery, it'll measure 12.9V the day after and holds that voltage for about 3 weeks without a battery maintainer. Thats using a standard BMW Exide battery.
 
.........

Not that it makes a big difference, I get 14.0 to 14.2V, depending on temperature. As for my battery, it'll measure 12.9V the day after and holds that voltage for about 3 weeks without a battery maintainer. Thats using a standard BMW Exide battery.

+1. 14 and change is a very common number. I've never used anything but the OEM Exide. i don't really know where it fits in the scheme of life but I have had times where my usual bike will sit for a number of months and I haven't run into issues. Go to garage and it starts right up. I'm sure there's better out there but I've never bothered. I'm pretty bad keeping track of my own service records but I know with certainty my last Exide lasted almost 4 years.
 
I'm with Billy on this one. My original Exide (from my early '04 RT) got replaced at five years old ONLY because I was about to take an extended road trip and didn't want to think about it. The present one is still going strong. (I sometimes put the little Chinese-made BMW smart charger on it if it's going to sit for a while.) I'm not interested in adding any adapting hardware, and the price is reasonable at my local non-BMW shop (whom I have no trouble supporting).
 
MotoBatt

Take a look at MotoBatt:
http://www.motobattbatteries.com/?gclid=CI7GwKHhubgCFShxQgodAQsABQ

I just put one in my '02 R1100RS About $126 or so, free shipping from KY. Dimensions are exact for the battery box. Terminals are adaptable (my cables attached with no mods or tweaking). AGM style. This battery replaced a Westco branded (Panasonic) battery that lived 8 years 3 months. The core sits on the garage floor and still reads 12.6 volts.

For a bit less I put a Yuasa YTX14-BS AGM at about $94 in my '07 R1200GS. It replaced the OEM AGM Exide that lived for 6 years 8 months. The core livs on the garage floor with its brother and reads 12.7 volts. Both have been idle for about three weeks. I never had a battery issue in the lives of these two. I must have "fed" them just right.

Hard to say which battery is best. Battery conversations are often first cousin to oil threads. As many pros as cons when discussing batteries. My first consideration is a) does it fit correctly? b) are the terminals correct? c) does it meet spec? d) what's it reputation? e) $$$ I also will NOT consider flooded and gel type batteries. Shorai: I'm still waiting for the verdict to come in and the price to come down.
 
Sorry if I caused a problem for you!

Well after calling them and creating a support ticket (they have a system but don't respond) I received the battery today.
- Happy enough with the delivery time of one week
- Great price (we all love that) :thumb
- Downside was they are supposed to send shipping notices they don't.
- They promise to respond to service calls withing 24 hrs they don't.

Like SEP they do deliver the batteries in a reasonable time frame which is bottom line for me. Chalk it up to the joy if internet shopping. :whistle

On my order, I paid Autoplicity with my Amazon account. Amazon sent me a shipping notice when the battery shipped. I ran into slow response time to emailed questions too. I did find that if I called them, they quickly answered my questions. What I do not understand is their claim they are shipping direct from the manufacturer. I contacted the Odyssey folks at an address located in PA. They were shipping from PA if I ordered from them. The battery I received from Autoplicity shipped from California. I received my battery in a week too.

I was disappointed in the response time by email at Autoplicity. For all the "bull" I went through with SEP and to a small extent Autoplicity, I would not order from them again. If I had to order today, it would be from Amazon with its free shipping, or 2 day shipping for Prime members at $120.56 total with brackets:

http://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-PC680...&qid=1374183077&sr=1-1&keywords=odyssey+pc680

or at Batterymart through Amazon at 118.22 and order the brackets separately. Batterymart does not include the "L" brackets. They take them out of the box and charge separately.

Amazon has legendary customer service and would be my first choice in the future.

Amazon-Autoplicity shipping notice received 6-29-13:

Dear Al,

Autoplicity shipped the following item(s) in your order 103-xxxxxx placed on June 25, 2013:


Odyssey Battery Power Sports Battery
Sold by: Autoplicity
Quantity: 1
$94.24 each
Carrier Tracking Number: shipping from the manufacturer


--------------------------------------------------------------------

Item Subtotal: $94.24
Shipping & Handling: $8.49
Total: $102.73
Paid by: MasterCard |Last 4 digits:xxxx
 
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On my order, I paid Autoplicity with my Amazon account. Amazon sent me a shipping notice when the battery shipped. I ran into slow response time to emailed questions too. I did find that if I called them, they quickly answered my questions. What I do not understand is their claim they are shipping direct from the manufacturer. I contacted the Odyssey folks at an address located in PA. They were shipping from PA if I ordered from them. The battery I received from Autoplicity shipped from California. I received my battery in a week too.

I was disappointed in the response time by email at Autoplicity. For all the "bull" I went through with SEP and to a small extent Autoplicity, I would not order from them again. If I had to order today, it would be from Amazon with its free shipping, or 2 day shipping for Prime members at $120.56 total with brackets:

http://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-PC680...&qid=1374183077&sr=1-1&keywords=odyssey+pc680

or at Batterymart through Amazon at 118.22 and order the brackets separately. Batterymart does not include the "L" brackets. They take them out of the box and charge separately.

Amazon has legendary customer service and would be my first choice in the future.

Amazon-Autoplicity shipping notice received 6-29-13:

Dear Al,

Autoplicity shipped the following item(s) in your order 103-xxxxxx placed on June 25, 2013:


Odyssey Battery Power Sports Battery
Sold by: Autoplicity
Quantity: 1
$94.24 each
Carrier Tracking Number: shipping from the manufacturer


--------------------------------------------------------------------

Item Subtotal: $94.24
Shipping & Handling: $8.49
Total: $102.73
Paid by: MasterCard |Last 4 digits:xxxx

No worries here. I would say the same. Autoplicity offered a great price, the delivery was a tad slow and information on shipping was not forthcoming. Other than that, I got the battery which is the bottom line.

Surprised to read here about charging voltages of over 14 VDC. I have calibrated digital voltmeters on both my oilhead and one of my airheads and they both indicate charge voltages of 13.8 to 13.9 most of the time. Very occasionally I will see 14.0 VDC. Lately I've been noticing the BMW OEM gel battery dipping below 10 VDC when cranking and this is the first warning of oncoming failure so I ordered the Odyssey. Five years is end of life for the Exide gel cells BMW use in this neck of the woods. I believe most of the reason for different life spans is temperature related. A battery in Tuscon or Orlando is just not going to last as long as they do in the north west no matter how fastidious you are about maintenance.
 
Just had to bring this thread back to the top one more time...

I ordered a PC680 this afternoon from Odyessy. It was 118.44 with free shipping maybe a tad higher than the others, but I had a quick conversation about chargers / maintainers with the man on the other end. He answered my questions, was knowledgeable, and I was going to buy soon anyway so why not reward his business directly.

I did try to contact a local dealer to spend the coin with them, but no reply or call back. Al-rightee then.

Last month I was getting ready for 1st ride back after surgery, and that battery even though it was on a tender was so weak she wouldn't turn the crankshaft with the fine pistons attached.... I dont think it would turn the crank if the pistons were not attached either.

So to spite my face, she has been sitting for a couple of weeks. My next day off the battery should be in my garage RFI.

Dad
 
...and that battery even though it was on a tender was so weak she wouldn't turn the crankshaft with the fine pistons attached.... I dont think it would turn the crank if the pistons were not attached either.

Dad

What make and type of battery was it?

How old was the battery?

And why brand of tender are you using?
 
I'll have to get back to you on that

Alex,

I'll get that info for you when I replace the battery I can tell you that the battery was 2 to 3 yr old going by what the last owner told me.

I use a Battery Tender Jr and that was running the battery when I went to start it. The bike has been laid up since around February when I went on my medical leave. I did start it once or twice after the surgery, but it has taken me a while to get around to wanting to put a leg over the saddle. Mainly work related, but not having time, and working to the point that it takes me a day to recover from the previous weeks hours and "stuff that goes on in industry"

I asked the tech at Odyessy about my bike useage / storage routine and would a Jr tender be sufficient to keep the PC680 at a optimum for best life. I did ask did I need a specific charger / tender for my riding habits. He did assure me that with routine riding the Jr would take care of the battery just fine.

For that info and time he took with me, I figure he should get this sale.
 
Gel battery.....

When you ask about batteries you will get many answers, I went through several batteries and could not understand why they went bad so fast.
After the third or fourth one I found out that the gel batteries get damaged by any charger that puts out more than 12 volts. most chargers put out more than 12 volts. So you must have a battery charger that is made for gel batteries! The charger I was using had a setting for gel but it put
out as much as 13.5 volts. Does not sound like it's much but the people at the battery store said that's all it takes to destroy the gel batteries.
I have been using a battery tender for the last 2 years and so far so good.:scratch
 
When you ask about batteries you will get many answers...

You got that right, and from people (probably on the internet) who have no business providing answers...about a lot of things. :rolleyes



After the third or fourth one I found out that the gel batteries get damaged by any charger that puts out more than 12 volts.

What clown gave you that bit of information?


Most chargers put out more than 12 volts.

Well I hope they do.



So you must have a battery charger that is made for gel batteries! The charger I was using had a setting for gel but it put out as much as 13.5 volts.

True, but if it was only putting out 13.5V it was undercharging the battery.

What do you think your motorcycle's charging system puts out?

God, I wish there was some distant planet we could put those people on.

Edited to add: here is a GEL battery charge & float voltage chart that you can pass onto the provider of that info you posted. It is from the East Penn Technical Manual.

GEL.jpg


It is pretty well spot on as the charging system on my R1150 GS Adventure runs 13.9 to 14.2V, depending on temperature.
 
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Yes I agree.
Too many internet experts.

The worst part is some of them are vendors and suck people into spending their hard earned cash on crap.

Those Voltage Monitors that use colored LEDs as indicators, come to mind. What garbage! And then you have people doing product evaluations (webBikeWorld and MCN come to mind) on them saying they are great...based on what...nice little LEDs that flash back at you? It doesn't take much to suck the average consumer in.

On another forum, a vendor was pushing a charger (Save-A-Battery) as the last battery charger you will ever need. :rolleyes Well it might be if it were any good. Gold contacts...wow, like everybody needs those. :rolleyes It even did a "Load Test"...I knew better and it took ages to get a number out of the company. It did a load test of 20W...yep, less than 2 amps. Hell, my headlight will load test that battery better. :laugh A real load test is defined.

We should start a thread about all the effing BS on the net.

BTW, my coworker read the above comments and couldn't keep a straight face. We both work in a lab; power systems, chargers, batteries, etc.
 
The worst part is some of them are vendors and suck people into spending their hard earned cash on crap.

Those Voltage Monitors that use colored LEDs as indicators, come to mind. What garbage! And then you have people doing product evaluations (webBikeWorld and MCN come to mind) on them saying they are great...based on what...nice little LEDs that flash back at you? It doesn't take much to suck the average consumer in.

On another forum, a vendor was pushing a charger (Save-A-Battery) as the last battery charger you will ever need. :rolleyes Well it might be if it were any good. Gold contacts...wow, like everybody needs those. :rolleyes It even did a "Load Test"...I knew better and it took ages to get a number out of the company. It did a load test of 20W...yep, less than 2 amps. Hell, my headlight will load test that battery better. :laugh A real load test is defined.

We should start a thread about all the effing BS on the net.

BTW, my coworker read the above comments and couldn't keep a straight face. We both work in a lab; power systems, chargers, batteries, etc.


Snake Oil Salesmen - Haven't changed in a Hundred years.

It never ceases to amaze me how few people actually go to the manufacturers websites and download the charging requirements or follow the recommendations.
Odyssey would be a good example.
 
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Problem Solved

As I Said in my first post, something was killing my battery. The mechanics at the BMW dealership told me to make sure that the charger
I was using was suited to the battery. So by changing the battery charger I no longer have a problem.
People will try to impress you with all kinds b.s. like charts and graphs most often to compensate for lack of real intelligence.
Alternator out put and battery charger out put are not the same thing.
Regardless of the numbers, the advice that I got works.
 
Alternator out put and battery charger out put are not the same thing.

Well they should be as far as voltage end points are concerned if the battery isn't to be over or under charged.

What charger (make and model) did you get that works with your battery?

What charger (make and model) did you have that killed your battery?

Yes, charts, graphs and facts intimidate those that really have no knowledge of things!

After the third or fourth one I found out that the gel batteries get damaged by any charger that puts out more than 12 volts.

I hope you know a 12V battery does not measure 12V or it would be about 60% discharged. They measure anywhere from 12.65 to 13.10V fully charged depending on battery chemistry. So your 12V charger will never get them to a full charge.
 
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