damn parking light !

[stef]

Wanted to take the monster for a spin this afternoon, got the key in the ignition and realise i didn't have any power... aarrgggg !
must have left the parking light on last night, in case some blind rodden walked in the bike (well, it's garaged !)
The voltmeter said '1V' so I have put the battery on charge. I am sure i am not the first one this has happened to. I have had the bike for 1 week, so it is the first for me... any idea on possible damage to the battery ?

I am thinking of building some 'device' to prevent this occuring ever again. ever... some type of sounder ? flashing LED ? (but why would i see a flashing LED if i cant see a frikin headlight !)
has anyone ever thought / built something like this ?

[A Yerbury]

just get into the habit of turning the ignition to steering lock, personally I would worry about early dementia if i needed such a device! we learn from our mistakes.........

[stef]

problem is that the park light is all the way down the ignition, just one further from the steering lock. very easy to switch on... for me anyway. They mount those on cars, why not on bikes ?
I'll definitely look into this, going the sounder route, with an override switch, just in case i do need to use the park light.

[YourOldNemesis]

If the battery's been flattened, it most likely won't hold charge again. If you have starting problems etc.. in the next couple of weeks, you'll need a new battery.

[stef]

your last post confirms what i thought.. couldnt get the bike to start this morning...battery wasnt keeping anything.

[nik_the_brief]

Stef - You made the fatal mistake of buying a YELLOW Monster.

If you'd got a red 'un you wouldn't be suffering now.

[gary tompkins]

Stef,
Sounds more like the battery was pretty knackered in the first place. Leaving parking lights on overnight shouldn't be enough to drain a good battery totally flat.

How old is the battery - if it's more than 2-3 years old it's well past it's best by now?

A battery tender like an Optimate will recover deeply dicharged batteries, provided they are in good condition.

[steviej]

MMMmmm. I've had my YELLOW Monstro :D for 4 years now, I've been unlucky enough to have left the ignition barrel on 'Park' twice. :mad:

First time was on a 8 hour shift at work, the 2nd, a 12 hour, with nothing more serious than a shove from colleagues ever materialising. :rolleyes:

I'm still on the same battery & (touch wood) I've had no problems whatsoever. :D ;)

[stef]

ok, i guess the battery was weak in the first place, reading 1V after 10h of park light.. not even enough to lit up the dash light.
I bought the bike last week, so i dont know how long it has been on (i should have asked, but as somebody else said here before, i went into neanderthal mode when i heard the bike start)
The bike didnt start this morning, so i had the battery on charge all day. stuck it back on the bike tonight... still wouldn't start.
i got quote from ducati for a new battery at 58 quid. i found a varta for 33.. any strong opinion why i shouldnt get the cheaper one ?

[NewMon]

Are bike batteries somehow different from car batteries? I ask because in my experience, batteries do not suffer from being discharged once in a while. Charge em up fully and away you go. Batteries like to be used. For batteries that seem to be damaged or that get left for long periods without being used, then I recommend the optimate or similar. I've never had to replace a battery on any vehicle and I've had some of them for a long time.

[spacemonkey]

Compare the amp/hour rating between the two. I would check the price of a Yuasa Super MF battery. I don't know how much they are, but they are sealed, maintenance free, and allegedly give more power. But you really do need power to turn these engines over. The charging seems marginal on these at the best of times, so I really would go for as much poke as you can. Let us know what you do, and if you go for a non original, let us know how it compares.