Grounding question
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 327
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From: Vine Grove KY
So this is what I am trying out the main ground cable connected. on the frame side the protective coating started breaking and showing through so I electrical taped it back up. And all the little individual wire that go to ground wire were closer to the frame instead the main ground touching so i put the main ground touching the frame and put all the smaller gauge wire on top. The put a lock washer on the battery side incase of vibration causing it to loosen up. Since I have open primary I took the starter cover off on the primary side well one bolt was real loose so that could of throwing it out of wack(maybe, probably not) so I tightened that down and since the battery was only at 11.8 volts I put it back on trickle charger. I'll give this all a shot before I go into the stickie. Maybe even before the stickie I'll take battery back for warranty issue.
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 327
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From: Vine Grove KY
Here is my out come of today's test I think I have a dead cell in battery with bike running getting 14.5 constant on the battery so charging system is working. Shut the bike of it it girlies to 13.5 and steadily drops .1 every 1-3 min or so. But started to slow down a title bit. I'm letting it sit over night see out come is. But what I'm looking at is since it's any auto zone batter seem they only have 3 months warranty from looking at battery online. And it's past that. Damn it. Looks like another battery in my immediate future
Edit took a look at the battery and it was at 12.2 and flickering between .2 and ,1 goin to pay little bit more from battery plus get one with 24 month warranty
Edit took a look at the battery and it was at 12.2 and flickering between .2 and ,1 goin to pay little bit more from battery plus get one with 24 month warranty
Last edited by Rabbito; Sep 13, 2014 at 07:34 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,583
Likes: 115
From: Boston, MA
Here is my out come of today's test I think I have a dead cell in battery with bike running getting 14.5 constant on the battery so charging system is working. Shut the bike of it it girlies to 13.5 and steadily drops .1 every 1-3 min or so. But started to slow down a title bit. I'm letting it sit over night see out come is. But what I'm looking at is since it's any auto zone batter seem they only have 3 months warranty from looking at battery online. And it's past that. Damn it. Looks like another battery in my immediate future
Edit took a look at the battery and it was at 12.2 and flickering between .2 and ,1 goin to pay little bit more from battery plus get one with 24 month warranty
Edit took a look at the battery and it was at 12.2 and flickering between .2 and ,1 goin to pay little bit more from battery plus get one with 24 month warranty
John at MIA Cycles is a dealer for another brand but he and Graham, from the other side, swear by them. Gel type battery I think.
When's your kid coming? Son, right?
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 327
Likes: 0
From: Vine Grove KY
Me and Jasper bought ours from there and it has not given us any trouble. I like the sales pitch that I can bring it to any location and freely exchange it for a new one. John at MIA Cycles is a dealer for another brand but he and Graham, from the other side, swear by them. Gel type battery I think. When's your kid coming? Son, right?
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: Adamsville, Al.
Yea man it's my first kid and a son due in nov 17. I will see how long this battery last two years is a lot better then a 90 day warranty. And after two year if the battery give me problem I'll look into gel seem like a good battery. And the one on jandp cycles shows a guy drilling holes in it. Making it lighter lol
If you haven't gotten the new battery yet, a load test on your old one should tell if you have a bad cell. You may very well have a bad cell, because 12.2 should be enough voltage, but a bad cell will cause it not to put out enough amps to start it.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 240
Likes: 1
From: Columbia MO.
Gel or Glass Matt batteries are the only way to go. they can stand up to the abuse any vibrating engine can dish out. I bought my Optima battery for my old '75 iron head almost 10 years ago I beat the snot out of that battery anything from shorting out the 2 awg wire from the battery (burned the insulation right off the entire wire) to repeatedly running the battery down to nothing. its still in the bike and just as good as ever. plus NO ACID dripping on the bike.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,116
Likes: 7,638
From: Poolville
Coated 4 Gauge
One needs to understand what the ground actually does, it completes the circuit (as in a circle) so no matter what load is on the positive connection it still needs to complete the loop back to the battery, so there will be a small amount of voltage flowing back to the battery therefore I would think that a coated wire (w/star washer at frame) would give you the best protection.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 327
Likes: 0
From: Vine Grove KY
One needs to understand what the ground actually does, it completes the circuit (as in a circle) so no matter what load is on the positive connection it still needs to complete the loop back to the battery, so there will be a small amount of voltage flowing back to the battery therefore I would think that a coated wire (w/star washer at frame) would give you the best protection.
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Dirt don't hurt
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 21,065
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From: Haslet Texas
I have the star washer already at the frame. The thing I was having a problem with having a battery that was less then 8 months old goin bad. Some how the battery wasn't holding a charge and when load testing it wasn't enough to turn the bike over. I wasn't ready to accept a battery would go bad that quick but you get what you pay for.
Truer words were never spoken.
FWIW I have had good luck with YUASA batteries.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,116
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From: Poolville
Short life
It is rare (but possible) that a battery goes that quick and maybe its not a grounding situation. it is common that there is a poor connection to the stator at the case (they're only a male-female push pins) Have you had your charging system tested?