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My bike has been sitting for a while and the battery is completely old and dead. I jump started it fine from an old battery out of my Twincam using the Kickstart and it fired up ok., but when I disconnect the jump battery it stops running. I run a Points ignition.
My question is will they run on a dead battery with points ignition? I thought they would but maybe not? Thanks.
Battery needs a little something to allow the bike to run off the regulator output alone, its completely flat wont stay running. Ive hot wired in a little 9v bat before and managed to kick mine over, kept it running till l got home.
I agree with Twisted, but maybe, just maybe, you have a charging issue which is what caused the battery to go dead in the first place. But before I started chasing my tail, just get a new battery and then throw a meter on it to check output when running. If all checks out, just a dead battery. Good luck.
Once upon a time you could do that stuff. But modern AGM batteries seem to fail catastrophically when they go. Could be a complete open circuit or a complete short circuit inside the battery.
A generator bike will make it's own power. An alternator needs a little power as stated by Twisted to produce power (electricity). Points will run with much less power than electronic. Electronic ignitions need full power to operate.
A generator bike will make it's own power. An alternator needs a little power as stated by Twisted to produce power (electricity). Points will run with much less power than electronic. Electronic ignitions need full power to operate.
Originally Posted by chopper_man
Old days we ran a battery eliminator which is essentially a capacitor.
I have had as many Generator Harleys, as Alternator style... never could make any Battery eliminator work... . not even the Mighty Max.. which is quite sophisticated.. Good Theory tho.
An Alternator Always makes more power than any Generator... on a Harley...
Never used the 9v transistor battery... but have successfully utilized a lantern battery... More than once.. Either are Hard on Regulators, because H-D charging systems run "wide open" always, and the regulator shunts any excess to Ground...
I have had as many Generator Harleys, as Alternator style... never could make any Battery eliminator work... . not even the Mighty Max.. which is quite sophisticated.. Good Theory tho.
An Alternator Always makes more power than any Generator... on a Harley... Never used the 9v transistor battery... but have successfully utilized a lantern battery... More than once.. Either are Hard on Regulators, because H-D charging systems run "wide open" always, and the regulator shunts any excess to Ground...
The 9V was a bit of a desperation move early one morning on a road trip after finding myself in compromising position with a boyfriend due home and a dead battery from leaving the key on. Surprised me it worked but it was enough to trigger the Dyna S apparently. I was running the later 32 amp charging system in the shovel also. Pulled the rig up after she warmed up a bit, ran fine.
Know how it goes, necessity is mother of invention.
Racepres, I am not clear on what your post is saying, but I will be clear, a generator equipped vehicle does not need a battery of any kind to produce electricity. My 1967 XLCH came from the factory with no battery and it made enough electricity to power the headlight and brake light. Of course it was a Magneto model so that made it's own spark to start and run it.
If it had been a coil and points model, it would have needed a battery to get it started (power the coil) but then you could have removed the battery and let it run on straight generator power once it was running. You would need a battery to power the coil to restart if you turned it off; perhaps that is what the capacitor was trying to do as far as being a battery eliminator. There has to be voltage powering a coil to start a points and coil ignition system, but no battery is needed after it starts and is running.
Back in the day we were schooled in flashing the polarity of generators and also using the electric starter as a generator or vice versa as needed. The good old days...NOT!
Thanks guys all good answers, My charging system is good just a ten year old battery thats sat for a long while, I knew the battery was on its last legs. I built my friends bike over 20 years ago and still work on it for him, I put a M5 Mag and a White Power battery eliminator capacitor on it and it works great. Usually starts first kick and has lights and turn signals everything. SU carb too.
Cheers ..
Last edited by mattyhaig; Nov 5, 2021 at 11:49 PM.
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