'weird' battery problem
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Stage II
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
Likes: 1
From: Worcester, MA
'weird' battery problem
Back story (there is always a back story right?):
Live in MA, during the winter I shed my bike on a trickle charger, start up weekly, listen to her purr, and then say see you next week.
(2018 '48 1200)
This past April, get her out of the shed, ride a couple times, no issues. Couple days go by, battery is dead. No juice whatsoever.
- did not leave key in and there are no accessories
So I hit up HD service and buy a new battery (found out later it should have been covered by warranty but parts guys dont always talk to service guys... anywaysss), and I buy the new lithium ion battery.
2 months go by, almost daily rider, never have any issues, boom battery is dead. Now I call the dealership and I'm like wtf. They were super cool, picked up the bike, confirmed that the lithium ion was dead and swapped her out, but they were just as confused as me because they are suppose to go like a year without a load and still crank.
HD Service being aware of my battery issue with two different types of batteries in a short time span do a full check for battery drainage and basically run the lines looking for shorts. Nothing found. I didnt tell them I already did this already because I wanted the extra set of eyes, especially under warranty.
Long story short:
- HD stock battery, sudden discharge
- Lithium Ion battery, sudden discharge
Stock battery tested, they found no issue. Recharged and holding fine.
Lithium battery doesnt have a protocol for testing yet, but it accepted a new charge and is holding a charge so far without issue.
So here I am, with a new Lithium Ion, scratching my head and wondering WTF.
Thoughts?
Live in MA, during the winter I shed my bike on a trickle charger, start up weekly, listen to her purr, and then say see you next week.
(2018 '48 1200)
This past April, get her out of the shed, ride a couple times, no issues. Couple days go by, battery is dead. No juice whatsoever.
- did not leave key in and there are no accessories
So I hit up HD service and buy a new battery (found out later it should have been covered by warranty but parts guys dont always talk to service guys... anywaysss), and I buy the new lithium ion battery.
2 months go by, almost daily rider, never have any issues, boom battery is dead. Now I call the dealership and I'm like wtf. They were super cool, picked up the bike, confirmed that the lithium ion was dead and swapped her out, but they were just as confused as me because they are suppose to go like a year without a load and still crank.
HD Service being aware of my battery issue with two different types of batteries in a short time span do a full check for battery drainage and basically run the lines looking for shorts. Nothing found. I didnt tell them I already did this already because I wanted the extra set of eyes, especially under warranty.
Long story short:
- HD stock battery, sudden discharge
- Lithium Ion battery, sudden discharge
Stock battery tested, they found no issue. Recharged and holding fine.
Lithium battery doesnt have a protocol for testing yet, but it accepted a new charge and is holding a charge so far without issue.
So here I am, with a new Lithium Ion, scratching my head and wondering WTF.
Thoughts?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 235
From: Texas
Installing an aftermarket battery did not fix your problem because it isn't the problem although all indicators point that direction. The real problem is damaging the replacement batteries creating the same scenario. Replace, good, fail, repeat.
My money is on an intermittent voltage regulator that damaged the batteries...BTDT
I found myself in this Catch-22 cycle and ended up just replacing the voltage regulator and battery at the same time to finally fix the problem. If I replaced one, the other would fail...and the problem would start all over again...
Good luck!
My money is on an intermittent voltage regulator that damaged the batteries...BTDT
I found myself in this Catch-22 cycle and ended up just replacing the voltage regulator and battery at the same time to finally fix the problem. If I replaced one, the other would fail...and the problem would start all over again...
Good luck!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,129
Likes: 12,691
From: South Carolina
A wire shorted to ground would instantly blow the fuse, if it were one of the wires not protected by a fuse, the wire would be burned to a crisp. If the cable shorted to ground, there would be a fire...
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 235
From: Texas
Shorted bridge rectifier diodes in the voltage regulator output circuit will definitely cause a current path to ground as well as too much AC ripple on the DC output which will eventually damage the battery and possibly other sensitive circuits.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 300
Likes: 10
From: Black Hills
What Dan said. Need to check the current from the battery when turned off, should be very small. If substantial, then find the component drawing the current.
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