Need help asap guys
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
To try to charge a dead battery with the bike is poor economy.
OP pull the battery- if you think it is not old and in good shape it is worth trying to bench charge, than load test.
if you think the battery is old, or it has previously discharged- find your local Deka battery dealer and get a new AGM type
Mike
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 37
From: Monroe, Louisiana
Try charging the battery for a few minutes before starting the bike. If the voltage comes up some then drops as the bike runs most probably voltage regulator. If battery is bad it won't charge from the battery charger either. If the bike will start after charging with external charger for a few minutes without the jumpers hooked up the battery is probably not the culprit. Something wrong with the charging system.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,144
Likes: 10
From: Mass
...in the old days our simple, side of the road way of diagnosing was to get down on your knees by the primary cover, then get REAL close to the front of the primary, and with your nose, and take a deep slow breath in..if you smell a faint odor of burnt electrical wiring...then it was the Stator gone....if you jump the bike and get it running, and it isn't the stator...then check the headlight beam..if it seems extra bright...then it's the regulator....in the old days I used to go up to the junk yard, and pull a Bosch regulator off a VW and use that on my XLCH..exact same....good luck!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 25,292
Likes: 2,427
From: Eastern NE
OK...we know you have a "touring" bike (can only guess) and something's wrong w/electrical. Can you maybe shed some more light, or be any more vague...???
What year bike, last battery change, any recent mods, did you test your battery load, did you check cable connections (battery = both ends)...???
What year bike, last battery change, any recent mods, did you test your battery load, did you check cable connections (battery = both ends)...???
Might be in the charging system. Doesn't seem right that the voltage went down with engine revs. I agree that the battery is dead but it may be caused by something else. The regulator could cause that, as mentioned above.
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: apopka florida
try this again. this mornings post didnt take. long and short it was the battery. acting normal now. batt lite/eng lite came on this morn but gone after new battery. volts around 13.5/14 at idle . normal.
great forum here. love it. tried many mustang forums -hard to navigate -very little response-those that did respond were mostly idiots. makes u appreciate wat we have here. thanks again Rich
great forum here. love it. tried many mustang forums -hard to navigate -very little response-those that did respond were mostly idiots. makes u appreciate wat we have here. thanks again Rich
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 9,974
Likes: 5,213
From: Michigan
I counted how many bikes Ihave owned the other day and it was somewhere well above twenty.
In the more than 40 years (1969) that I've been riding I have NEVER had a bad voltage regulator, ONE bad stator, but I've bought more motorcycle batteries that I care to admit.
In short, if you're having a charging/starting problem, the first things that you need to check is your battery terminals and connections as they frequently vibrate loose.
After doing that, and IF your battery is more than two years old (and has been kept on a battery tender), chances are very good that you need a new battery.
In the more than 40 years (1969) that I've been riding I have NEVER had a bad voltage regulator, ONE bad stator, but I've bought more motorcycle batteries that I care to admit.
In short, if you're having a charging/starting problem, the first things that you need to check is your battery terminals and connections as they frequently vibrate loose.
After doing that, and IF your battery is more than two years old (and has been kept on a battery tender), chances are very good that you need a new battery.
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 4
From: Annemasse (border of Geneva-Switzerland) facing Mt-Blanc.
In doubt we should first check the open voltage of the battery (main fuse removed):
12.7V = 100%
12.6V = 75%
12.3V = 50%
12.0V = 25%
11.8V = 0%
It seems only a few hours are needed to make a lead-acid battery become unusable once it reaches 0% charge; starting batteries have a life of 1,500 charging cycles (over 10 years) but they self deteriorate within 2 years when not discharged, even when left connected to a tender.
12.7V = 100%
12.6V = 75%
12.3V = 50%
12.0V = 25%
11.8V = 0%
It seems only a few hours are needed to make a lead-acid battery become unusable once it reaches 0% charge; starting batteries have a life of 1,500 charging cycles (over 10 years) but they self deteriorate within 2 years when not discharged, even when left connected to a tender.
Last edited by Expat1; Sep 1, 2012 at 03:24 PM.
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