Electrical, where to look first?
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Stage III
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
From: Bellevue, Ne
Electrical, where to look first?
2014 Ultra Limited. First sign of trouble last year was the heated grips wouldn't get warm, it was starting OK, until once when it wouldn't. I jumped it, got it home, replaced the battery (which may have been 4-5 years old) with a new Duracell. All was good.
I stored it over the winter with the trickle charger on it, and it fired up like a champ, everything worked. We got a cold snap, and it didn't get ridden for 2 weeks. No trickle charger. Started fine, but the heated grips wouldn't get warm. It was about this time, I noticed my volt meter was staying well up in the 14v range, no matter what the engine was doing.
I left it on the trickle charger overnight, and when I rode to work today, the grips warmed up nicely (anybody else have grips that get too hot if set over 3?), then, riding home after work, the volt meter responded to engine revs, and got about as high as 14v, but the heated grips wouldn't get warm again.
I am doubting it is the battery, it is new. My fear is, is it the stator or the alternator playing tricks on me, and is it going to tank another battery prematurely on me?
Thanks for any advice. Love the bike, bought it 2 years ago, but had to replace the water pump last year, as well as the battery. Starting to feel like one thing after the other. I want to get out and go for a really long ride, but I am having serious trust issues...
I stored it over the winter with the trickle charger on it, and it fired up like a champ, everything worked. We got a cold snap, and it didn't get ridden for 2 weeks. No trickle charger. Started fine, but the heated grips wouldn't get warm. It was about this time, I noticed my volt meter was staying well up in the 14v range, no matter what the engine was doing.
I left it on the trickle charger overnight, and when I rode to work today, the grips warmed up nicely (anybody else have grips that get too hot if set over 3?), then, riding home after work, the volt meter responded to engine revs, and got about as high as 14v, but the heated grips wouldn't get warm again.
I am doubting it is the battery, it is new. My fear is, is it the stator or the alternator playing tricks on me, and is it going to tank another battery prematurely on me?
Thanks for any advice. Love the bike, bought it 2 years ago, but had to replace the water pump last year, as well as the battery. Starting to feel like one thing after the other. I want to get out and go for a really long ride, but I am having serious trust issues...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 18,452
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From: backwoods
Not saying it is battery, but it does seem in these threads, a common theme is goofy batteries.
You could put meter on DC at battery, rev up, should be around 14.4 ish. could put meter on AC at stator plug, not positive your year, but 20 voltsish per 1000 rpm. Rev is up until you see 80 volts
You could put meter on DC at battery, rev up, should be around 14.4 ish. could put meter on AC at stator plug, not positive your year, but 20 voltsish per 1000 rpm. Rev is up until you see 80 volts
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 34,661
Likes: 36,271
From: outskirts of ba habba
Not saying it is battery, but it does seem in these threads, a common theme is goofy batteries.
You could put meter on DC at battery, rev up, should be around 14.4 ish. could put meter on AC at stator plug, not positive your year, but 20 voltsish per 1000 rpm. Rev is up until you see 80 volts
You could put meter on DC at battery, rev up, should be around 14.4 ish. could put meter on AC at stator plug, not positive your year, but 20 voltsish per 1000 rpm. Rev is up until you see 80 volts
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 10,066
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HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
Trickle charger or float charger? They are two very different chargers. A trickle charger over the winter can indeed damage a brand new battery, especially a cheap one.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 25,310
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From: Eastern NE
Kk now...stop w/ the sand kicking on @Fyrtamer electrical woes. Keep on subject as we're looking @ great riding weather on our MidWestern horizon. 
@Fyrtamer (neighbor) - give us a list of any electrical upgrades on your scoot...if any. Also, how many miles, how was bike jump'started & did you check the battery connections @ both ends?
@Fyrtamer (neighbor) - give us a list of any electrical upgrades on your scoot...if any. Also, how many miles, how was bike jump'started & did you check the battery connections @ both ends?
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2021
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From: backwoods
A common theme seems to be these goofy batteries.
Myself, I put in a charge over night once a month, I don't leave on. I got to many batteries for that and don't want cords all over.
Myself, I put in a charge over night once a month, I don't leave on. I got to many batteries for that and don't want cords all over.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2021
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From: backwoods
20
Thanks for any advice. Love the bike, bought it 2 years ago, but had to replace the water pump last year, as well as the battery. Starting to feel like one thing after the other. I want to get out and go for a really long ride, but I am having serious trust issues...
Thanks for any advice. Love the bike, bought it 2 years ago, but had to replace the water pump last year, as well as the battery. Starting to feel like one thing after the other. I want to get out and go for a really long ride, but I am having serious trust issues...
By leaving this bike on a tender all the time, if the battery is bad, you will not know until it doesn't start away from how. Lay off the tender