Battery Dying...
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 345
Likes: 15
From: NY
Battery Dying...
Hoping someone can help. So my bike battery keeps dying. When I jump the battery with a car it starts up fine. Then I put it away and try to start it up the next day it doesn't start unless I jump it.
I have had my bike( It's a 17' sportster) sitting not started for the last 2 months with the negative terminal unplugged as I was doing a new handle bar and gas tank install. I did have to install a new extended wiring harness kit due to 14"apes but I don't think that has anything to do with it. This did happen one time about a year ago and I had to jump it but it ran fine afterwards with no dying.
Anything I can do/check? Thanks....this is killing me. Finished my install and now can't ride.
I have had my bike( It's a 17' sportster) sitting not started for the last 2 months with the negative terminal unplugged as I was doing a new handle bar and gas tank install. I did have to install a new extended wiring harness kit due to 14"apes but I don't think that has anything to do with it. This did happen one time about a year ago and I had to jump it but it ran fine afterwards with no dying.
Anything I can do/check? Thanks....this is killing me. Finished my install and now can't ride.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 32,934
Likes: 36,027
From: Carlsbad, CA
There are sticky’s at the top of the Electrical sub forum, on diagnosing the charging system. Try that.
But, are you riding it end go, or keeping it on a battery tender to keep it charged?
But, are you riding it end go, or keeping it on a battery tender to keep it charged?
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 345
Likes: 15
From: NY
Thank you...not sure what you mean by your second sentence.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 345
Likes: 15
From: NY
Thanks.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 779
Likes: 326
From: Simi Valley, CA
Another thought, as the other poster said - you should put it on a battery tender. You can get a cheap one from Harbor Freight or similar for like $20. They keep the battery fully charged when not using it.
https://www.harborfreight.com/automo...ger-62813.html
Last edited by JakeC7R; Oct 18, 2019 at 03:29 PM.
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 345
Likes: 15
From: NY
Well that is a bummer, mine was doing the same thing on my 2017 and sure enough it was the battery. Do you have a voltage meter? If so I would start the bike up and check the voltage at the battery terminals. It should be anywhere from 13.2 up to 14 plus to make sure the battery is getting enough juice to charge. If not, there are additional tests for the charging system.
Another thought, as the other poster said - you should put it on a battery tender. You can get a cheap one from Harbor Freight or similar for like $20. They keep the battery fully charged when not using it.
https://www.harborfreight.com/automo...ger-62813.html
Another thought, as the other poster said - you should put it on a battery tender. You can get a cheap one from Harbor Freight or similar for like $20. They keep the battery fully charged when not using it.
https://www.harborfreight.com/automo...ger-62813.html
Last edited by mstrlucky74; Oct 18, 2019 at 03:35 PM.
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 779
Likes: 326
From: Simi Valley, CA
The reason I asked about the tender is because you said you had the battery sitting with the negative terminal unplugged, so hopefully you still had the battery on the tender.
Yes the bike needs to be running to check the charging system output. Here are the steps from the sticky referenced earlier. See what kind of voltage you are getting when you get the rpms up:
Electrical - Charging System testing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step 1. First and foremost load test the battery. Most places like AutoZone will do it for free. Even if it measures over 12.5 vdc it can still be bad under a load. Battery is typically rated at 19 amp hours and 270 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA).
Start the engine and measure DC Volts across the battery terminals, the regulator should be putting out 14.3 - 14.7 vdc at 3600 rpm and 75 degrees F.
Step 2. To check the regulator unplug it from the stator. Take a test light and clip it to the negative terminal of the battery and then touch first one pin and then the other on the plug that goes to the regulator. If you get even the slightest amount of light from the test light the regulator is toast.
To do this with a meter: black lead to battery ground, red lead to each pin on the plug, start with the voltage scale higher than 12vdc and move voltage scale down in steps for each pin. Any voltage is a bad regulator.
Step 3. On the other part of the disconnected regulator plug. Set the multimeter for Ohms x1 scale and measure for resistance across the pins of the stator. You should read something around 0.1 to 0.2 ohms for the TC88 32 amp system.
Step 4. Then check for continuity between each pin on the plug and frame/engine ground. The meter needle should not move (infinite resistance)(digitals will show infinite resistance) if the meter needle does move (indicating continuity)(digitals will show some resistance), recheck very carefully. If the meter still shows continuity to ground the stator is shorted (bad).
Step 5. Set the meter to read A/C volts higher than 30 volts (the scale setting for voltage should always be higher than the highest voltage you expect or you may fry the meter). Start the bike, and measure from one pin to the other on the plug (DO NOT cross the multimeter probes! - touch them to each other). You should read roughly 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm.
Step 6. If the battery was good under load test, if the stator is NOT shorted to ground, and the stator is putting out A/C voltage, then the regulator is bad (most likely even if if passed step 2).
Generally the following is true:
22 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.2 to 0.4 ohms.
32 amp system produces about 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.
45 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.
Yes the bike needs to be running to check the charging system output. Here are the steps from the sticky referenced earlier. See what kind of voltage you are getting when you get the rpms up:
Electrical - Charging System testing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step 1. First and foremost load test the battery. Most places like AutoZone will do it for free. Even if it measures over 12.5 vdc it can still be bad under a load. Battery is typically rated at 19 amp hours and 270 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA).
Start the engine and measure DC Volts across the battery terminals, the regulator should be putting out 14.3 - 14.7 vdc at 3600 rpm and 75 degrees F.
Step 2. To check the regulator unplug it from the stator. Take a test light and clip it to the negative terminal of the battery and then touch first one pin and then the other on the plug that goes to the regulator. If you get even the slightest amount of light from the test light the regulator is toast.
To do this with a meter: black lead to battery ground, red lead to each pin on the plug, start with the voltage scale higher than 12vdc and move voltage scale down in steps for each pin. Any voltage is a bad regulator.
Step 3. On the other part of the disconnected regulator plug. Set the multimeter for Ohms x1 scale and measure for resistance across the pins of the stator. You should read something around 0.1 to 0.2 ohms for the TC88 32 amp system.
Step 4. Then check for continuity between each pin on the plug and frame/engine ground. The meter needle should not move (infinite resistance)(digitals will show infinite resistance) if the meter needle does move (indicating continuity)(digitals will show some resistance), recheck very carefully. If the meter still shows continuity to ground the stator is shorted (bad).
Step 5. Set the meter to read A/C volts higher than 30 volts (the scale setting for voltage should always be higher than the highest voltage you expect or you may fry the meter). Start the bike, and measure from one pin to the other on the plug (DO NOT cross the multimeter probes! - touch them to each other). You should read roughly 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm.
Step 6. If the battery was good under load test, if the stator is NOT shorted to ground, and the stator is putting out A/C voltage, then the regulator is bad (most likely even if if passed step 2).
Generally the following is true:
22 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.2 to 0.4 ohms.
32 amp system produces about 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.
45 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.
Thread Starter
|
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 345
Likes: 15
From: NY
The reason I asked about the tender is because you said you had the battery sitting with the negative terminal unplugged, so hopefully you still had the battery on the tender.
Yes the bike needs to be running to check the charging system output. Here are the steps from the sticky referenced earlier. See what kind of voltage you are getting when you get the rpms up:
Electrical - Charging System testing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step 1. First and foremost load test the battery. Most places like AutoZone will do it for free. Even if it measures over 12.5 vdc it can still be bad under a load. Battery is typically rated at 19 amp hours and 270 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA).
Start the engine and measure DC Volts across the battery terminals, the regulator should be putting out 14.3 - 14.7 vdc at 3600 rpm and 75 degrees F.
Step 2. To check the regulator unplug it from the stator. Take a test light and clip it to the negative terminal of the battery and then touch first one pin and then the other on the plug that goes to the regulator. If you get even the slightest amount of light from the test light the regulator is toast.
To do this with a meter: black lead to battery ground, red lead to each pin on the plug, start with the voltage scale higher than 12vdc and move voltage scale down in steps for each pin. Any voltage is a bad regulator.
Step 3. On the other part of the disconnected regulator plug. Set the multimeter for Ohms x1 scale and measure for resistance across the pins of the stator. You should read something around 0.1 to 0.2 ohms for the TC88 32 amp system.
Step 4. Then check for continuity between each pin on the plug and frame/engine ground. The meter needle should not move (infinite resistance)(digitals will show infinite resistance) if the meter needle does move (indicating continuity)(digitals will show some resistance), recheck very carefully. If the meter still shows continuity to ground the stator is shorted (bad).
Step 5. Set the meter to read A/C volts higher than 30 volts (the scale setting for voltage should always be higher than the highest voltage you expect or you may fry the meter). Start the bike, and measure from one pin to the other on the plug (DO NOT cross the multimeter probes! - touch them to each other). You should read roughly 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm.
Step 6. If the battery was good under load test, if the stator is NOT shorted to ground, and the stator is putting out A/C voltage, then the regulator is bad (most likely even if if passed step 2).
Generally the following is true:
22 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.2 to 0.4 ohms.
32 amp system produces about 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.
45 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.
Yes the bike needs to be running to check the charging system output. Here are the steps from the sticky referenced earlier. See what kind of voltage you are getting when you get the rpms up:
Electrical - Charging System testing
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Step 1. First and foremost load test the battery. Most places like AutoZone will do it for free. Even if it measures over 12.5 vdc it can still be bad under a load. Battery is typically rated at 19 amp hours and 270 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA).
Start the engine and measure DC Volts across the battery terminals, the regulator should be putting out 14.3 - 14.7 vdc at 3600 rpm and 75 degrees F.
Step 2. To check the regulator unplug it from the stator. Take a test light and clip it to the negative terminal of the battery and then touch first one pin and then the other on the plug that goes to the regulator. If you get even the slightest amount of light from the test light the regulator is toast.
To do this with a meter: black lead to battery ground, red lead to each pin on the plug, start with the voltage scale higher than 12vdc and move voltage scale down in steps for each pin. Any voltage is a bad regulator.
Step 3. On the other part of the disconnected regulator plug. Set the multimeter for Ohms x1 scale and measure for resistance across the pins of the stator. You should read something around 0.1 to 0.2 ohms for the TC88 32 amp system.
Step 4. Then check for continuity between each pin on the plug and frame/engine ground. The meter needle should not move (infinite resistance)(digitals will show infinite resistance) if the meter needle does move (indicating continuity)(digitals will show some resistance), recheck very carefully. If the meter still shows continuity to ground the stator is shorted (bad).
Step 5. Set the meter to read A/C volts higher than 30 volts (the scale setting for voltage should always be higher than the highest voltage you expect or you may fry the meter). Start the bike, and measure from one pin to the other on the plug (DO NOT cross the multimeter probes! - touch them to each other). You should read roughly 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm.
Step 6. If the battery was good under load test, if the stator is NOT shorted to ground, and the stator is putting out A/C voltage, then the regulator is bad (most likely even if if passed step 2).
Generally the following is true:
22 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.2 to 0.4 ohms.
32 amp system produces about 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.
45 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.