Electrical issue. Help
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3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 7
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From: Florida
Electrical issue. Help
I recently took the sporty to a hardtail and a lot of the wiring was redone. Now, I ran off the original battery that was previously in it and everything was fine initially. After a while it had trouble starting the bike so I replaced it thinking I'd had the battery a while and it was time. Now I've had a battery about a month and the same issue is occurring.
At this point, the bike seems to jump start fine, but if I jump it and immediately remove the cables, the bike runs odd and will stall unless I'm revving it. With the bike off, I'm getting 12.8V, but as soon as it turns over And I pull the cables, I get between 4V and 4.3V. What's going on?!
At this point, the bike seems to jump start fine, but if I jump it and immediately remove the cables, the bike runs odd and will stall unless I'm revving it. With the bike off, I'm getting 12.8V, but as soon as it turns over And I pull the cables, I get between 4V and 4.3V. What's going on?!
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 1,035
Likes: 2
From: Western Washington
Doesn't sound like you keep the battery on a tender to keep it charged. Sounds like something is slowly draining your battery and it is never getting fully charged back up. Your going to have to check your grounds and wires to make sure you have good connections. Make sure you don't have a wire that is pinched or cut. When you did the hardtail was it a bare frame. Cause you have to be careful welding with all the current going through electronics and wiring.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,067
Likes: 394
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
It may be overcharging or undercharging the battery, first check all of the connections as suggested above. Go buy a battery tender and fully charge the battery, then start the bike and using a voltmeter on the battery terminals bring the idle up to 2000RPM and hold it there, you should see 14-15 volts if your charging system is working properly.
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Florida
It may be overcharging or undercharging the battery, first check all of the connections as suggested above. Go buy a battery tender and fully charge the battery, then start the bike and using a voltmeter on the battery terminals bring the idle up to 2000RPM and hold it there, you should see 14-15 volts if your charging system is working properly.
Now once I jump start it, with the choke fully engaged, that's what's getting me the 4-4.3V. That's got to have me at 2k RPMS, right?
Doesn't seem to be any loose connections, frame is still bare metal, so no paint interference.
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3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 7
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From: Florida
So I checked with a little more revving and as I rev more, the voltage drops down to about 3V.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Then next thing is to check the regulator, should be instructions for checking it in your service manual.
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Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 7
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From: Florida
Because I suck with a multimeter, checking those two things has proved tough. As a side question, would either of those going bad directly result in it becoming tougher to start the bike even with a jump?? Or maybe indirectly, is it beginning to fry my starter? There's consistently a click, long pause, then everything begins to rotate...but that long pause concerns me.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2014
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From: NC/SC
Because I suck with a multimeter, checking those two things has proved tough. As a side question, would either of those going bad directly result in it becoming tougher to start the bike even with a jump?? Or maybe indirectly, is it beginning to fry my starter? There's consistently a click, long pause, then everything begins to rotate...but that long pause concerns me.