Battery Tender question

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Mar 23, 2014 | 04:38 PM

#21

Lowcountry Joe

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Joined: Sep 2007

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From: Near Myrtle Beach, SC

Why stress over it. Bike will be fine for several days if the battery is in good shape. Connect directly to the battery posts. Other connecting points, especially connecting the ground side to a metallic bike part, can become problematic after a time.

Mar 23, 2014 | 05:00 PM

#22

roadking2014

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Joined: Oct 2007

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From: South Carolina

Its fine. It's not rocket surgery, its just the path of least resistance. pos. lead on starter is back to pos on battery and negative is ground to frame anyway.

Mar 25, 2014 | 09:35 AM

#23

SIDECAR BOB

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Joined: Jun 2009

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From: CENTRAL IL

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dionicio

Positive lead to the starter is always hot, unless You disconnect the battery.

hate to disagree, but if it was hot then the starter would be running, it isn't energized till the solenoid is activated, now if your talking the lead from the battery to the hot side of the solenoid ,that side is always hot but the side that runs from the solenoid to the post on the starter is not.
.

Last edited by SIDECAR BOB; Mar 25, 2014 at 09:42 AM.

Mar 25, 2014 | 11:03 AM

#24

07RoadHawg

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From: Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIDECAR BOB

The solenoid is part of the starter housing... The wire you see connected to the starter (the only one you could clamp to) comes straight from the battery and is hot all the time. The starter switch on the handlebar comes through the small wires and plug to activate the solenoid which is, again, built in as part of the starter.

If you want to prove this to yourself, go out there and jump that post on the starter to the frame. Be prepared to melt part of your wrench, screwdriver, and the post on the starter. You can probably figure out how I know this...

As to the OP's question - Yes, your tender will work like that. As others have sated, better to just skip this temporary arrangement and go straight to the battery.

Last edited by 07RoadHawg; Mar 25, 2014 at 11:06 AM.

Mar 25, 2014 | 11:43 AM

#25

SIDECAR BOB

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From: CENTRAL IL

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07RoadHawg

there is a separate lead from the solenoid to to the starter , yes the solenoid is piggybacked on top of the starter , but the STARTER is not always hot and if a tender was connected TO THE STARTER terminal , it will not charge , and yes on some bikes the starter lug is accessible, the battery cable from the positive terminal runs to the solenoid terminal not the starter. if I could figure out how to post a picture I could show you . and if you want to prove it , instead of melting a wrench you may want n a try a test light or v.o.m approx 12 volts to the battery side of the solenoid and 0 volts unless solenoid is turned on at the side that runs to the starter, works better and doesn't ruin a wrench. Sum it up three terminals on the solenoid 2 heavy gauge and one small gauge 1 goes to battery always hot, 2nd heavy gauge terminal to the starter only when solenoid energized,, 3 small gauge supply 12 volts to activate solenoid. And the best way to hook up the tender pigtail is still direct to the battery , will supply the most direct and least resitance

Last edited by SIDECAR BOB; Mar 25, 2014 at 11:52 AM.

Mar 25, 2014 | 01:08 PM

#26

07RoadHawg

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From: Here

Quote:

Originally Posted by SIDECAR BOB

Ok Bob, ok... Nobody said hooking to the battery wasn't the best way and that the starter is hot all the time.

Here's your picture. That stud on the right under the boot with the cable and nut is hot all the time. The cable comes from the battery and hooks in right there, thus making that point hot all the time. To your point, that is the "hot side" of the solenoid.

Let me say it this way, the only point on the starter easily accessible to clamp a battery tender on (shown in the picture) is hot all the time, connected directly to the battery, and would work to charge the battery.

Again, is it the preferred way? No. Will it work? Yes.

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Mar 25, 2014 | 02:15 PM

#27

texaspirate

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Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 501

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From: Galveston Bay Area, The Republic of Texas

It is the best way to have your battery connected to a pigtail. Easy plug and unplug direct to battery. The tender is designed for a direct connection.

Note: The 2014, the pigtail is standard on the bike. Your dealer should have given you a HD tender with the bike at delivery. Older bikes, you had to buy the tender/pigtail. As I did for the 07 Ultra and added a pigtail to my Dyna WG.

Last edited by texaspirate; Mar 25, 2014 at 02:20 PM.

Mar 25, 2014 | 04:27 PM

#28

SIDECAR BOB

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From: CENTRAL IL

Quote:

Originally Posted by 07RoadHawg

Well I don't have an 883 available to , so on cannot day for fact how easy or not the solenoid to starter connection is to access, really pretty easy on a big twin. But the questions was the starter lug hot at all times and could a battery tender be hooked to it. The the starter lug is not hot all the time and would not charge the battery unless the solenoid was energized . I fully understand that the battery cable terminal from the battery to the solenoid is hot and would work with the tender on either end. maybe I didn't explain what I was trying to say well, but I didn't want the OP to hook it up to the starter and wonder why it wouldn't charge.