2012 charging issue
Picked up the 2nd new battery today, slapped it on and it fired right over, quicker and stronger than the 1st new battery. Now I'm going to let it sit over night and fire it up in the morning to make sure there isn't a drain on the battery somewhere.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 157
Likes: 1
From: San Jose California
The terminal that is bolted to the starter is crimped to the cable. It may be hidden by shrink tubing, but the crimp is there.
Hope the new battery solves it!
Hope the new battery solves it!
I'm an idiot I thought you meant to look for kinks in the wire. I didn't check the crimp though. I'll take a look at it in a little bit here.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,093
Likes: 7,622
From: Poolville
Possible overcharging....
Did you check to voltage at the battery @ 2000 rpm? if it's 0ver 15.5 and climbs as rpm's are increased you could have a bad regulator overcharging your battery. also causing your problem. Do you ever smell sulfur?
I did rev it to 2k and it stayed around 14. Something. Only thing I did notice was what looked like the acid in the battery venting out. There was like a light tanish??? That was dried seeping out of the battery cover with the stock battery an it was all inside of the cover too.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 235
From: Texas
It is dang near impossible to troubleshoot an electrical problem over a forum but anyway...
I am understanding that you replaced the battery with a better model that can deliver more cold cranking amps and there is 14 volts across the battery terminals @2000 rpm and you are observing what you think may be battery acid coming out of what I assume is the sealed top of the battery.
The 14 volts is good but the venting is not, if that is what you are observing. Venting like you described, if it is the acid component, suggests that you are really cooking the battery which could be because it is really cranking out the amps when you are starting and is really low and taking a heavy recharge. This could be from a loose or bad main power connection from the battery to the starter or grounds, or a failing starter that is really struggling and drawing the amps to crank over the engine, or something not electrical causing the engine to be hard to crank over when it is cold. This could cause the battery to really take a heavy recharge when it is already still warm from the heavy discharge it just delivered...might account for the seeping.
It also could be the voltage regulator acting up as well...
Still, could be a battery issue...
Good luck.
I am understanding that you replaced the battery with a better model that can deliver more cold cranking amps and there is 14 volts across the battery terminals @2000 rpm and you are observing what you think may be battery acid coming out of what I assume is the sealed top of the battery.
The 14 volts is good but the venting is not, if that is what you are observing. Venting like you described, if it is the acid component, suggests that you are really cooking the battery which could be because it is really cranking out the amps when you are starting and is really low and taking a heavy recharge. This could be from a loose or bad main power connection from the battery to the starter or grounds, or a failing starter that is really struggling and drawing the amps to crank over the engine, or something not electrical causing the engine to be hard to crank over when it is cold. This could cause the battery to really take a heavy recharge when it is already still warm from the heavy discharge it just delivered...might account for the seeping.
It also could be the voltage regulator acting up as well...
Still, could be a battery issue...
Good luck.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,566
Likes: 55
From: Londonderry, NH
Charging problems were common on 2012's. Bad voltage regulators from the factory. In most cases they were intermittent. There was a recall, but it has expired.
I'd check for error codes to make sure you weren't having that problem. If your battery runs down while riding, you have a charging problem.
I'd check for error codes to make sure you weren't having that problem. If your battery runs down while riding, you have a charging problem.
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Welp I lied. I let the bike sit all nigh and it fire right up, which makes me think there's no drain while ignition is off. I rode for about 3 hours yesterday and parked it. Came out this morning and boom same old bull shhh. Probably going to go ahead and buy a damn regulator.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 235
From: Texas
I found this step-by-step guide on checking the condition of the diodes in the regulator on the J&P Cycles website. Step-By-Step Instructions for Checking Your Harley Charging System
Regulator Test: Each of the following tests isolates the regulator only, so if any of these tests fail, the regulator is at fault.
Identifying Wires:
Battery Charge Lead- Wire going from regulator to battery positive.
AC output leads- Wires coming from the Stator to regulator.
Ground- Wire from Regulator to ground or regulator may be grounded via the physical bolting to chassis.
Regulator Ground Test:
Insure the regulator body is grounded or grounding wire is fastened tight to a good ground (you should verify this by checking continuity from regulator body to chassis ground).
Fwd/Reverse Bias Test/Diode Test:
This check is testing the Diode function to ensure it is regulating the AC current for the stator into DC Current.
Switch multi meter to Diode Scale.
Place your Multi meter positive lead on each AC output wire.
Place your multi meter negative lead on the battery Charge wire.
The meter should read voltage typically around .5 volts.
Next, switch your multi meter leads putting the negative lead on the AC output wires and the Positive lead on the Battery Charge Wire. The reading should be Infinite.
With your meter on the same setting, place your multi meter positive lead on the regulator ground wire or to the regulator directly, and then place your meter negative lead on the AC output leads. The meter should read voltage typically around .5 volts.
Next, switch your multi meter leads putting the negative lead on the regulator ground and the Positive lead on the AC output wires. The reading should be Infinite.
Hope this helps...
Regulator Test: Each of the following tests isolates the regulator only, so if any of these tests fail, the regulator is at fault.
Identifying Wires:
Battery Charge Lead- Wire going from regulator to battery positive.
AC output leads- Wires coming from the Stator to regulator.
Ground- Wire from Regulator to ground or regulator may be grounded via the physical bolting to chassis.
Regulator Ground Test:
Insure the regulator body is grounded or grounding wire is fastened tight to a good ground (you should verify this by checking continuity from regulator body to chassis ground).
Fwd/Reverse Bias Test/Diode Test:
This check is testing the Diode function to ensure it is regulating the AC current for the stator into DC Current.
Switch multi meter to Diode Scale.
Place your Multi meter positive lead on each AC output wire.
Place your multi meter negative lead on the battery Charge wire.
The meter should read voltage typically around .5 volts.
Next, switch your multi meter leads putting the negative lead on the AC output wires and the Positive lead on the Battery Charge Wire. The reading should be Infinite.
With your meter on the same setting, place your multi meter positive lead on the regulator ground wire or to the regulator directly, and then place your meter negative lead on the AC output leads. The meter should read voltage typically around .5 volts.
Next, switch your multi meter leads putting the negative lead on the regulator ground and the Positive lead on the AC output wires. The reading should be Infinite.
Hope this helps...