15 with electrical problems
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Stage II
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Lebanon, IN
15 with electrical problems
Hi I bought a 15 sportster two months ago and it had 100 miles on it. Within that two months Ive put 150 miles on it when the weathers been nice. I went to start it last week and dead as a doorknob so I bought a battery maintainer on amazon, nothing to fancy. Went to install it last night and I found a factory wire lead for a maintainer so instead of installing a lead I just plugged my maintainer into that. Went out 12 hours later and when I flip the switch for fuel and everything to turn on, the dash just goes crazyyyy flashing everything. Is it a ground problem, a recall, a common problem?
Club Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 15,428
Likes: 7,122
From: Beyond Fucital
Sounds like your battery's dead. A tender WILL NOT CHARGE A DEAD BATTERY. So, unless you had unplugged the tender BEFORE turning the key the tender is trying to supply the load, Which ain't happening.
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Stage II
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 2
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From: Lebanon, IN
MOTOPOWER MP00205A 12V 800mA Fully Automatic Battery Charger / Maintainer for Cars, Motorcycles, ATVs, RVs, Powersports, Boat and More. Rescue and Recover Batteries
Last edited by Farmboy135; Apr 15, 2018 at 06:46 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,649
Likes: 443
From: Indianapolis
Do you have a Voltmeter?
To troubleshoot your battery you will need one.
A fully charged battery should have a voltage of about 12.7V.
VOLTAGE STATE OF CHARGE
12.7 100%
12.6 75%
12.3 50%
12.0 25%
11.8 0%
A three year old bike with 100 miles on it hasn't been ridden.
Hopefully the battery was charged often
Harley recommends charging the battery every two weeks if stored in the vehicle.
An automatic, constant monitoring battery charger/tender with a charging rate of 5 amps or less at less than 14.6 volts is recommended.
An 800 milliamp charger would take at least 15 hours to charge your 12 amp battery if it was fully discharged. If the battery will take a charge. Some battery maintainers will not charge a battery that is below a minimum voltage.
What lights were on on the battery maintainer after 12 hours?
"Battery Error", "Charging", "Absorption" or "Charged"
To troubleshoot the battery measure the voltage to determine the current state of charge.
To troubleshoot your battery you will need one.
A fully charged battery should have a voltage of about 12.7V.
VOLTAGE STATE OF CHARGE
12.7 100%
12.6 75%
12.3 50%
12.0 25%
11.8 0%
A three year old bike with 100 miles on it hasn't been ridden.
Hopefully the battery was charged often
Harley recommends charging the battery every two weeks if stored in the vehicle.
An automatic, constant monitoring battery charger/tender with a charging rate of 5 amps or less at less than 14.6 volts is recommended.
An 800 milliamp charger would take at least 15 hours to charge your 12 amp battery if it was fully discharged. If the battery will take a charge. Some battery maintainers will not charge a battery that is below a minimum voltage.
What lights were on on the battery maintainer after 12 hours?
"Battery Error", "Charging", "Absorption" or "Charged"
To troubleshoot the battery measure the voltage to determine the current state of charge.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
Do you have a Voltmeter?
To troubleshoot your battery you will need one.
A fully charged battery should have a voltage of about 12.7V.
VOLTAGE STATE OF CHARGE
12.7 100%
12.6 75%
12.3 50%
12.0 25%
11.8 0%
An 800 milliamp charger would take at least 15 hours to charge your 12 amp battery if it was fully discharged. If the battery will take a charge. Some battery maintainers will not charge a battery that is below a minimum voltage.
.
To troubleshoot your battery you will need one.
A fully charged battery should have a voltage of about 12.7V.
VOLTAGE STATE OF CHARGE
12.7 100%
12.6 75%
12.3 50%
12.0 25%
11.8 0%
An 800 milliamp charger would take at least 15 hours to charge your 12 amp battery if it was fully discharged. If the battery will take a charge. Some battery maintainers will not charge a battery that is below a minimum voltage.
.
Most battery maintainers are designed for just that, maintaining a good battery.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,492
Likes: 30,781
From: Pennsylvania
1. How old is the battery?
2. If more than 3 years old, it is probably time for a new one as a discharged battery will never recover fully from a complete discharge.
3. All the above information is good and a Digital Volt Ohm Meter (DVOM) is your friend for many things electrical.
4 Also just because a battery shows good voltage does not mean it has the Amperage (cold cranking amps, CCA) to start the motorcycle. The plates wear down and the amperage decreases with age; however, the voltage will remain pretty constant. Load test should tell you how many CCA the battery has.
5. Get a quality battery for replacement, Yuasa, Big Crank, Deka, and Harley OEM are all good replacement batteries.
https://www.batterymart.com/POWERSPO...&OEM=65958-04A
https://www.eastpennmanufacturing.co...eka-batteries/
NOTE:
The above information, while credible, is worth what you paid for it and should not be considered gospel.
Do due diligence, research and have a H-D Field Service Manual before working on your bike.
You will probably have many opinions and suggestions presented; make sure you research the person providing the helpful information as there are some who provide good information that is useful and some who speak out of other orifices with gibberish. You will figure out this quickly.
2. If more than 3 years old, it is probably time for a new one as a discharged battery will never recover fully from a complete discharge.
3. All the above information is good and a Digital Volt Ohm Meter (DVOM) is your friend for many things electrical.
4 Also just because a battery shows good voltage does not mean it has the Amperage (cold cranking amps, CCA) to start the motorcycle. The plates wear down and the amperage decreases with age; however, the voltage will remain pretty constant. Load test should tell you how many CCA the battery has.
5. Get a quality battery for replacement, Yuasa, Big Crank, Deka, and Harley OEM are all good replacement batteries.
https://www.batterymart.com/POWERSPO...&OEM=65958-04A
https://www.eastpennmanufacturing.co...eka-batteries/
NOTE:
The above information, while credible, is worth what you paid for it and should not be considered gospel.
Do due diligence, research and have a H-D Field Service Manual before working on your bike.
You will probably have many opinions and suggestions presented; make sure you research the person providing the helpful information as there are some who provide good information that is useful and some who speak out of other orifices with gibberish. You will figure out this quickly.
Last edited by CoolBreeze3646; Jul 25, 2025 at 06:23 AM.
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