What's drawing my battery down?
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Novice
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 17
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From: San Antonio, TX
What's drawing my battery down?
Have a 08 Roadking classic. Washed my bike sunday and rode it several hours later into the garage. Next day in the afternoon, security alarm went off. Found the main battery down to 5.5 volts. pulled the battery, charged it up (hoping the battery has an internal short) and had it checked out. Battery checked OK.
Now my question is how do I go about finding out what is drawing down the battery? (yes the ignition was off)
If this helps, a month ago when I washed my bike, dried it off, started it up and put it in the garage, the next day it was dead as a door nail. I replaced the main 40 amp fuse that was blown and haven't has a problem for several hundred miles until now. I know, don't wash the bike.
Please help or this may drive me to drink
El Borracho
Now my question is how do I go about finding out what is drawing down the battery? (yes the ignition was off)
If this helps, a month ago when I washed my bike, dried it off, started it up and put it in the garage, the next day it was dead as a door nail. I replaced the main 40 amp fuse that was blown and haven't has a problem for several hundred miles until now. I know, don't wash the bike.
Please help or this may drive me to drink
El Borracho
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: PA
It sounds like water is getting underneath of your seat and leaking on to the battery. If the battery becomes covered, electricity will leak across the posts and drain the battery. Next time you wash it, check the battery and see if it's getting leaked on.
Unofficial HDF Chaplain
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 21,160
Likes: 18,083
From: san diego
disconnect the neg cable, hook up a digital ammeter (fluke works great) st up to read amps, between the loose cable and the neg batt terminal let the bike sit for 15-20 minutes, shouldn't read more than 15-25 milliamps. if it reads more than that ( it will read like 200-300 milliamps) then theres a draw start to disconnect fuses one at a time until draw goes down, if it doesn't go down, now you have to start disconnecting consumers, one at a time. no need to disconnect fused items you just pulled the fuses. my guess though is the voltage reg or stator is causing the draw (if there is one) by the way that batt is 4 years old and its time for a new one might be your problem despite what it checked out as
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Novice
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: San Antonio, TX
Harleycharlie,
Thanks for the lead. I first tried with my $3 Harbor freight meter and wated my time. Then I dug and pulled out the Fluke meter and got 117ma and dropped to 68ma before I pulled the fuses. Now I think it was charging the siren battery. Tried to disconnect the siren, but it is smarter then I am. I'm guessing now that water is getting into the votage reg and when it dries I'm OK. What do you think? any fix. Should I still pull fuses and try to lower the load?
El borracho
Thanks for the lead. I first tried with my $3 Harbor freight meter and wated my time. Then I dug and pulled out the Fluke meter and got 117ma and dropped to 68ma before I pulled the fuses. Now I think it was charging the siren battery. Tried to disconnect the siren, but it is smarter then I am. I'm guessing now that water is getting into the votage reg and when it dries I'm OK. What do you think? any fix. Should I still pull fuses and try to lower the load?
El borracho
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,943
Likes: 3
From: NYC
take the battery out. fully charge it. then down load a voltage state of charge chart and analyze the battery's state of charge. making this up, numbers are like if the battery test 12.4 it's a 50% charge and if it test 12.9 it's an 80% charge. Your battery is 3 years old and that battery compartment gets hot as hell. Battery is supposed to be sealed, but it will dry out if exposed to the heat demon's operating temp's.
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Novice
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: San Antonio, TX
Will check the battery again, but I forgot to say it is only one year old. I changed it out last year
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 658
Likes: 1
From: Chesapeake, VA
To disconnect siren without it going off: turn the ignition switch on, then pull the maxi fuse, turn switch back off. Dang thing is really loud at arms length huh?
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