[infoage1]

I installed a new battery last night. The mini Yuasa YTZ7-S.

It is the same battery that CycleCat requires for their slider kit installation on (some?) Superbikes. I know Alex uses and recommends this battery also.

Two benefits that I can tell. The first is obvious: the thing is small and lightweight at 4.6 lbs. vs. 7.6 lbs. for the recommended Yuasa YT12B-BS.

The second, and perhaps most important, the YTZ7-S battery is filled, sealed, and charged AT THE FACTORY. The YT12B-BS is none of these. With the YT12B-BS, all three are done by the dealer or end user, are VERY critical to be done correctly, and increase the potential for leakage if even one is not done properly.

While the overall capacity for the mini Yuasa is only 60% of its big brother, the CCA are roughly the same. I've only had a chance to try starting the bike a couple times, but the bike fired right up. The starter sounded the same, and didn't sound like it was laboring at all while cranking the engine. The installation was pretty straight forward, with the exception being that the ground cable needed to be lengthened about 5-6 inches.

Anyhow, thought I'd be the group Guina-Pig. I'll be riding all weekend, so will have a chance to better test it.

http://www.yuasabatteries.com/battery.asp?bID=B175&vID=1701

Battery Family: YTZ Factory Activated, Maintenance Free

 

[MonsterHooligan]

i put the same battery in mine a couple weeks ago...same good experience.
(i didnt extend the ground cable, i just flipped the battery around the other way and criss-crossed the cables...that seemed to work ok.)

i took some pics, i'll try to post

 

[infoage1]

i put the same battery in mine a couple weeks ago...same good experience.
(i didnt extend the ground cable, i just flipped the battery around the other way and criss-crossed the cables...that seemed to work ok.)

i took some pics, i'll try to post

I didn't have enough slack in my cables to do that. I rotated the battery CC 90 degrees to meet the positive cable and lengthened the ground as needed (Not sure if this makes sense. It's because the battery terminals are reversed). One other thing, the battery terminals are a wee bit different, so I trimmed the terminal on the positive cable a little with tin-snips. Also, the front of the battery is the new home for my PCIII, not the top as before. Which I think looks cleaner.

Guess I should take pics too...

 

[infoage1]

Here's the final installation. So far, no problems at all. As you can see, I ended up velcroing the PCIII behind the battery. Also, I ended up replacing the ground cable in its entirety with some 6 gauge boat cable which I soldered and heat-shrunk at the terminals. Notice the battery acid damage from the OEM battery:

 

[MonstaS4]

I would be really interested to hear how these batteries perform in the long run. No negative thoughts, just a very interested S4 owner.

 

[ducseven]

Hello Tom,
Post the Info on where you purchased the battery also, I will probably replace mine with it.
Let me know how it works for you, I will be out riding this weekend also.
I haven't had a problem with my stock battery yet but I check it after every ride.
Thanks
Rob

 

[908SSP]

http://www.motorcyclebatteriesusa.com/pages/products-details.asp?id=109

These usually have them in stock prices are decent and the ship quickly.

 

[infoage1]

Hello Tom,
Post the Info on where you purchased the battery also, I will probably replace mine with it.
Let me know how it works for you, I will be out riding this weekend also.
I haven't had a problem with my stock battery yet but I check it after every ride.
Thanks
Rob

Hi Rob,

I bought the battery at the local H0nda dealer. They charged me $65.74 (+tax). With a printed list of $82.18, I think they gave me a pretty good deal.

If anyone is interested in the 3 month old Yuasa YT12B-BS I took out, IM me. $50 plus shipping. If you live near Newport Beach, that's $50 installed .

 

[ducseven]

Hey Tom,
I am not an electrical genius by far, so I had a question about the amps between the two.
The smaller one is .6 and the regular size is 1.0

Does this difference cause any question down the road?

Also I went to my local Honda dealer and they only carried Interstate batteries.

So I am going thru another company to get it.

How did it work for you?

Mine has started to leak finally, very minor but the tray is wet underneath.
Also had some funk with the key turned on and nothing happening at the starter button????

Thanks,
Rob

 

[infoage1]

Hey Tom,
I am not an electrical genius by far, so I had a question about the amps between the two.
The smaller one is .6 and the regular size is 1.0

Does this difference cause any question down the road?

Also I went to my local Honda dealer and they only carried Interstate batteries.

So I am going thru another company to get it.

How did it work for you?

Mine has started to leak finally, very minor but the tray is wet underneath.
Also had some funk with the key turned on and nothing happening at the starter button????

Thanks,
Rob

Honestly, I'm not sure what that spec refers to (maybe some value that has to do with shelf-life draw down?).

But, because it's such a low value, I didn't worry too much about it. I think what we need to worry about are adequate Cold Cranking Amps (CCA), and enough overall capacity to deliver those as long as needed to get the bike started. But I was wondering about that spec also, so I've got a call in to Yuasa to find out (1-866-431-4784).

I've had no problem with my small battery so far. But as the bike has been sitting for a full week with no attention, we'll see if it starts. I might have it back together by tomorrow.

I imagine if one were to only ride around town, with repeated startings, there could be a problem because of inadequate charging.

Good deal, you caught your leaker in time. You might post that on the "real" battery thread, as I know all of Ducati NA is following that one...

I have no clue what that starter issue is. I know mine sometimes continues to run as if the solenoid is stuck.

 

[ducseven]

Mine did the same thing also, just kept cranking.
Scared the crap out of me.
Oh well, keeps you guessin
Thanks
Rob

 

[infoage1]

Hey Tom,
I am not an electrical genius by far, so I had a question about the amps between the two.
The smaller one is .6 and the regular size is 1.0

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom M [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2003 2:00 PM
To: Wallis Jason
Subject: Yuasa Battery


The following information has been submitted for Technical Assistance.

-- Contact Information --
Dealer Name: Tom M
Address:
City, State, Zip:
Telephone:
Fax:
E-mail: [email protected]

Comments:

Hi, What does the "Amps 0.6" refer to in this example of your spec sheet?

Tom

Battery Family: YTZ Factory Activated, Maintenance Free
Battery Type: YTZ7S

Voltage: 12
Capacity: 6
Dimensions: 4 7/16" x 2 3/4" x 4 1/8"
Weight: 4.6 lbs.
Metric Dimensions: 113mm x 79mm x 105mm
Metric Weight: 2.1 kg
Polarity:
Acid Volume: N/A
Amps: 0.6
C.C.A.: 130

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

That is the recommended charging current. If you have any other questions, please let me know.

Jason A. Wallis
Product Engineering Manager
Yuasa Battery, Inc
2901 Montrose Ave
Laureldale, PA 19605

Phone: 610-929-5781 ex. 124
Fax: 610-929-8653

 

[ducseven]

Yep, Sounds exactly like what happened. Then on top of that twice I turned the key on and got nothing at the start button. But a quick off-on with the key and all was well.
Rob

 

[infoage1]

My S4 has done that a couple of times, keeps cranking without starting. Turn the key off and it quits, turn the key back on and hit the button, engine lights off and all's good.

Does this behavior jibe with what you guys have experienced?

Yes, this has happened to me about six times. Without thinking too hard about it, I figured it for a bad solenoid. I did zero diagnostic work to try to understand it (thought it would be a warranty issue anyway; not my problem.)

Intermittent anyway, which are always a b!tch to track down. I have heard of several solenoids replaced under warranty for this (not that that means much).

Something to keep in mind, many (all?) S4 2002 owner's manuals have 2001 schematics in the back, which are worthless to 2002+ S4 owners. The way to tell is by the instuments in the diagram. If they match the digital 2002 cluster (LCD's) you can follow them. I do have a correct schematic (thanks Jer). I'll try to look at it later.

 

[infoage1]

um...Is this starter/solenoid thing beginning to sound to anybody else like ANOTHER one of those chronic problems Ducati needs help admitting they have?

Maybe this needs posting to the General Monster Forum...

 

[i7of9]

S4 starting issues. Hmm, I may be missing something in this thread so please correct me and I will send one of those embarrased smilies [smiley=smartass.gif]. I think the owners manual has this info, I'm not sure. Another S4 owner told me about this. Anyway, if you leave the ignition on or try starting (without enough choke etc) and fail within 15 seconds of turning the ignition key on, the ecu will keep you from starting the engine. Only way to reset the ecu is to shut off the ignition and turn it back on. I think its touted as an anti theft feature. I think its more of a pain in the neck. Easy to test this if you don't think its true, just turn the ignition switch on and let it sit for 30 seconds or so then try to start the engine. Sooo, am I totally lame and this was covered or is this just another tales of Ducati!

Borg Girl

 

[i7of9]

Okay, so I finally figured out from the rest of the thread (dah) [smiley=embarassed.gif]

Borg Girl

 

[ducseven]

Hey Borg_Girl,
You are absolutley right! I turned the ignition on and waited about a minute and sure enough it wouldn't start.

Now if we could only figure out the starter engagement problem......
Thanks,
Rob

 

[infoage1]

Update:

Well, my bike sat for a week-and-a-half.

I cranked it over a bunch with no gas in the tank while I was changing my oil yesterday.

I just put gas in the tank, pulled the fast idle lever up, and hit the button.

Fired right up. [smiley=waytogo.gif][smiley=waytogo.gif]

 

[infoage1]

Bit more follow-up.

I talked to the Yuasa tech (Jason) at length last week about this battery, the YTZ7-S. Couple things: that 0.6 amp spec has more to do with a "bench charging" situation than anything. Also, he said this battery is "designed different" than other batteries, much denser, hence the power it puts out relative to its size. Also, we talked about the leaking GS batteries a little. Towards that end, he said that was why Yuasa put the vent holes higher in their YT12B-BS, to protect from that. And, he didn't think there was any problem at all installing the YTZ7-S in our bikes, like we do, on its side.

In general, I didn't get ANY negative feelings from my conversation with him about using this battery in our bikes.