Hey guys,

So I was out riding my 1993 Wide Glide last night, and suddenly the bike died on me along with all electricity. Today I checked the battery, and found out there was 0 volts on it, so that narrows everything down to either a bad battery or no charging. Battery is only one month old by the way. I also did a visual inspection of the battery and there were some signes of the battery being hot. Small and shallow melted spots on different places on the battery. This got me thinking though, since I've encountered this problem on my rigid Shovelhead before. Is there any chance a faulty voltage regulator could have overheated the battery? I don't know if this make any sense though, since the voltage regulator and the battery are connected by the main-breaker in between. So in theory, the main-breaker should kick in before the battery overheats? Also I'm thinking a faulty main-breaker only would cut the power, so that there is 0 volts back to the battery from the regulator. I'm I right about this?

So, what do you guys think? The melting-damage to the battery might be due to heat from the motor/exhaust? And loss of all power is due to a faulty main-breaker? - Also, how do I test this.

 

Was the battery properly filled with electrolyte/distilled water and then charged prior to use? Is it possible that something on the hot side wasn't routed properly when the battery was reinstalled, causing it to short against something?

More importantly, what's up with the flat-side-shovel sitting on the floor? That's always been my absolute #1 engine choice to build a rigid around... I hope to do so one day!

 

You were riding it and the voltage went to nothing?
Is there any voltage at measured terminal to terminal?
If not my guess is your battery broke. in the inside..

 

It's a sealed battery. Don't think anything on the outside caused a shortage. And yeah, were riding and then voltage went to nothing. Measuring terminal to terminal it reads 0 volts. Come to think of it, shouldn't a dead battery due to charging failure have some level of voltage to it? Meaning that 0 volts is an indication of shortage of the battery somehow?

The shovelhead on the pic is actually a '58 panhead with shovelhead top-end. Doing a chopper-build next to my Dyna.

 

If you get "0" out, and cant it to charge, it is broke.

 

Terminal probably snapped internally

 

If you have 0 volts there's an open not a short. You will need to check the entire charging system.. Very simple just need a VOM and a FSM. You would also get more help over in the Evo Classic Model section. In that section there is a step by step sticky posted there that can guide you through the entire diagnostics of the charging system...

 

Thought he said zero volts on the battery. Not the system.

 

I was referring to the battery. If there is 0 volts which is very uncommon there is an open inside the battery. Still need to check entire charging system.. should also get a Factory Service Manual, only$60 at the Moco...