Battery Dramas (I am probably an idiot)

[pl4gu3b0rn]

Bike has been off the road for a while (sort of) and I rode it to work yesterday.

Accidentally left the park lights on for half the day, so then when I came back to it the battery was too depleted to turn the engine over.

Got it jump started and home, annoyed. Then put it on a smart battery tender to charge it back up.

Anyway, my point is I cant see how it could have drained it THAT much across the time its been standing, as it wasn't properly off the road i was just using it occasionally.

So I wonder if something is up with the charging system and that battery has just drained down over a long time, how would I check this out, I know on a car you just look for around 14v across the battery when the engine is running. Is this the same on the GS or with it not being an alternator is this different?

Cheers

[The Buddha]

That parking light is about 22 watts, and in 6 hours your 1/2 a day count ... you'd effectively suck ~150-200 watts out of the battery.
That battery is a 10 ampere hour battery. You've drawn 2 amps an hour for 6 hours. That's 12 ampere hrs. Well and truly over the top for it. And that is assuming its in good shape.
It can supply 10 amps for 1 hr, 100 amps for 6 min etc etc ...

Cool.
Buddha.

[adidasguy]

Old battery. sat a long time. Might be low on acid/water.

How old is the battery? How long did it sit? That makes a difference.
Didi you check acid levels (if it is not a sealed, AGM or Shorai battery)?

[pl4gu3b0rn]

I repeat  my previous I am probably an idiot statement.

Sort of renders the park light redundant then doesnt it!

Yes I know I left it on during the day for which I feel stupid.

But, in the UK atleast the highway code states you should leave parking lights on whenever you park at night on a road faster than 30mph.

In which case your bike wouldnt start in the morning

adidas its a lead/acid type and level is fine, it had been sat (well occasional use) for about 2 weeks. And as to the age of the battery I dont know it was on bike when i bought it 18 months ago.

[sledge]

Take it to Halfords or Kwik Fit, they will do a free load test on it