A battery tender is a must have ?
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Novice
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: LAKE TAHOE
A battery tender is a must have ?
Purchased a low mileage 2002 FLHTCUI last summer. Put a new HD battery in it and ran great all summer. Went to start it after sitting about a month and the battery was totally dead. Do i have a problem or do these bikes require a battery tender when parked for a period of time ? I do not know what to think. Thank you for any replies that i might get.
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 450
Likes: 2
You have a problem. Tender is a great thing for keeping the battery at peak charge and will likely extend life of the battery. Your battery should not be dead after only a month though.
Here is how I would go about finding your problem. Get the battry up to full charge, most important thing. If it will not hold a full charge, and likely it wont, do not buy a new battery just yet. You need to figure out and fix your problem first, or you will just keep killing batterys. Get yourself an amp-meter and hook it in series with the battery/cable[s]. most go into the negative side as it is safer in regards to arching. Go to fuses and pull one out at a time until the amp-meter drops to a normal range. You just narrowed it down to which circuit the problem is in. Problem is, you still have to find it from there, but as of now, this is were you are at, and If I were you, that is what I would do.
Here is how I would go about finding your problem. Get the battry up to full charge, most important thing. If it will not hold a full charge, and likely it wont, do not buy a new battery just yet. You need to figure out and fix your problem first, or you will just keep killing batterys. Get yourself an amp-meter and hook it in series with the battery/cable[s]. most go into the negative side as it is safer in regards to arching. Go to fuses and pull one out at a time until the amp-meter drops to a normal range. You just narrowed it down to which circuit the problem is in. Problem is, you still have to find it from there, but as of now, this is were you are at, and If I were you, that is what I would do.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, Ca.
Have an 01 Electra Glide, when new the battery went dead within a week if not ridden, bought a tender and that battery lasted about 7 years, if bike is in garage the tender is hooked up. Always figured the alarm drained the battery.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,863
Likes: 55
From: Sedalia,Missouri
I just installed my new battery today and this time I'm going to use a tender. My original stock battery in my 2010 Ultra lasted 2 yr 4 mo. I ride year round but never used a tender on it.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 6,913
Likes: 87
From:
Never used a battery tender on any of my Harleys and batteries have always lasted at least five years (maybe at least seven, I don't remember). I have left the bike sitting as long as three months with no problem. Current battery is almost six years old.
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Advanced
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 74
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From: Cheyenne, Wy
I live in Wyoming and my bike is riden atleast once a week even during the winter, never had a dead battery......never used a tender and dont plan on it.
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Joe Kucinski
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 3,030
Likes: 177
From: Tipp City, Ohio
I've had my 05 battery in my old Snapper riding mower for the last 4 years. It is still going strong and kept in an unheated out building. I should have left it in my bike. It has never been on a tender.
Road Master
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 773
Likes: 124
From: Between purgatory and retirement
I know my battery is going to be draining because of the alarm, etc. There is a constant drain on the system even when not in use.
I use a Battery Tender whenever I think I am not going to be able to ride for a few weeks ( although I find I am sometimes more optimistic then I should be ) , but especially when it starts getting cold.
My bike was new on the showroom floor, and when I bought it the battery was stone dead from them demonstrating the alarm, radio, etc.! Dealer charged it before delivery and ( knock on wood ) so far still have that same battery in the bike, and when I put it on the tender last week for the first time this year it only took about five minutes for the indicator light to turn green.
I don’t know what kind of accessories you have on the bike, or if you have an alarm, etc., or what kind of draw an ‘02 has vs. my ‘09, but these are the thing you should consider before condemning the battery. IMHO.
I use a Battery Tender whenever I think I am not going to be able to ride for a few weeks ( although I find I am sometimes more optimistic then I should be ) , but especially when it starts getting cold.
My bike was new on the showroom floor, and when I bought it the battery was stone dead from them demonstrating the alarm, radio, etc.! Dealer charged it before delivery and ( knock on wood ) so far still have that same battery in the bike, and when I put it on the tender last week for the first time this year it only took about five minutes for the indicator light to turn green.
I don’t know what kind of accessories you have on the bike, or if you have an alarm, etc., or what kind of draw an ‘02 has vs. my ‘09, but these are the thing you should consider before condemning the battery. IMHO.