My battery keeps dying...
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 83
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From: Delaware
My battery keeps dying...
I have 2012 WG and for some reason the battery keeps dying. I have put the battery on a tender,recharged it a few times, but still the same thing. I haven't added any new electrics other than grounding the XIDES to the neg. Any ideas?
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,760
Likes: 211
From: Manila, Philippines
Did you test the battery? Since its still under warranty, would take it back and have them check. My first battery died after 3 months and dealership replaced it. Also have them check that your charging system is putting out enough to charge it.
Devil's Advocate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 36
From: Alberta, Canada
Check all of the connections. I had issues at first with bolts getting loose. Both ends of the ground and positive terminal. My current battery is still the original. 7 years and counting.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,395
Likes: 266
From: Southern California
Repeat battery discharging with the engine off is usually caused by what is called a "Parasitic Draw" which is a current draw even when it appears that the bike is turned off.
The Do It Yourself (DIY) way to diagnose this is to disconnect the negative Battery Cable and attach a Test Light between the Battery Terminal and the end of the Battery Cable that you just disconnected. By doing this, any current that is flowing will have to pass through he Test Light. Because it takes very very little current to make the Test Light filament glow, if the Test Light Bulb is glowing at all, and I do mean at all, when you think everything is turned off . . . you have an excessive Parasitic Draw. If the filament Glows at all: 1.) Make double sure you really do have everything turned off, 2.) Pull each fuse one at a time until the Test Light turns off and then put all of the fuses back except for the one that turned the Test Light off. There is a Parasitic Draw and it is one of the circuits that the one fuse you are still holding in you hand protects. If the offending fuse protects more than one circuit you will need to replace this fuse and then disconnect each of these circuits that fuse is protecting until disconnecting one of them turns the Test Light off. The circuit that when disconnected turns the Test Light off is the source of your problem. 3.) If you remove all of the fuses and the Test Light is still on, replace the Voltage Regulator. On our Harley's the Alternator Rectifier Bridge is in the Voltage Regulator and one of the Rectifier Bridge Diodes is shorted. This failure is rare so make sure you do steps 1 & 2 before jumping to this conclusion.
You would also be well advised to have or get a wiring diagram as not having one will make your job very difficult.
The Do It Yourself (DIY) way to diagnose this is to disconnect the negative Battery Cable and attach a Test Light between the Battery Terminal and the end of the Battery Cable that you just disconnected. By doing this, any current that is flowing will have to pass through he Test Light. Because it takes very very little current to make the Test Light filament glow, if the Test Light Bulb is glowing at all, and I do mean at all, when you think everything is turned off . . . you have an excessive Parasitic Draw. If the filament Glows at all: 1.) Make double sure you really do have everything turned off, 2.) Pull each fuse one at a time until the Test Light turns off and then put all of the fuses back except for the one that turned the Test Light off. There is a Parasitic Draw and it is one of the circuits that the one fuse you are still holding in you hand protects. If the offending fuse protects more than one circuit you will need to replace this fuse and then disconnect each of these circuits that fuse is protecting until disconnecting one of them turns the Test Light off. The circuit that when disconnected turns the Test Light off is the source of your problem. 3.) If you remove all of the fuses and the Test Light is still on, replace the Voltage Regulator. On our Harley's the Alternator Rectifier Bridge is in the Voltage Regulator and one of the Rectifier Bridge Diodes is shorted. This failure is rare so make sure you do steps 1 & 2 before jumping to this conclusion.
You would also be well advised to have or get a wiring diagram as not having one will make your job very difficult.
Last edited by Bluehighways; Oct 1, 2013 at 11:50 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 235
From: Texas
Put a good charge on the battery then put a dc voltmeter across the battery terminals. The volts should read ~12 vdc. Crank it and read the volts as the starter turns...should be around 10 vdc typically. Low volts indicates a weak battery not holding a charge...replace the battery and try again. After the engine cranks, the volts should read ~13.5 volts. Low volts with the engine running means that the charging system is not working. Checking the charging system is not difficult. Find and remove the plug from the stator to the voltage regulator. Crank the engine and read across the terminals. Should read ~35-45 volts AC. Check across the stator terminals with the ohmmeter. You should read continuity (shorted) or very little resistance. Next, read from each terminal to the engine case...should read infinity (open circuit). Any reading to ground indicates the stator is shorted and will need to be replaced. If the stator output is good and it is not shorted, then the voltage regulator is probably gone. If all of these checks are good, then you have a bad connection that you just probably fixed doing the checks.
Let us know how it goes...
Let us know how it goes...
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 83
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From: Delaware
Thanks all! I will try all and if that doesn't work, of the FN dealership!! I hate giving them my cash.... thanks again
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Out on Deranged
You should def still be under warranty.
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 859
Likes: 14
From: Millsboro Delaware
The bike should have a 2 year unlimited mileage warranty. It is fine to diagnose the problem prior to bringing it in and I think you got some very sound advice from the other posts but if you tamper to much with it the warranty will become null and void. If it is not an easy fix, like loose battery cables I would bring it in and let them fix it.
