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Unless you have some kind of accessory like that maybe installed alarm, there is not much parasitic current draw. Some current is always flowing else the clock would not run. During the Winter mine sits without problems and I put the charger on about once a month.
If you know how to use a multimeter, you can easily check for current draw while you have the ignition off. Just disconnet the positive battery cable and connect the meter with one lead on the battery terminal and the other on the cable terminal. The meter has to be in the DC amps or milliapms and the leads in the correct meter jacks for amperage reading.
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(06-28-2016, 08:59 PM)Lord Popgun_imp Wrote: Unless you have some kind of accessory like that maybe installed alarm, there is not much parasitic current draw. Some current is always flowing else the clock would not run. During the Winter mine sits without problems and I put the charger on about once a month.
If you know how to use a multimeter, you can easily check for current draw while you have the ignition off. Just disconnet the positive battery cable and connect the meter with one lead on the battery terminal and the other on the cable terminal. The meter has to be in the DC amps or milliapms and the leads in the correct meter jacks for amperage reading.
Need to reset the clock after that procedure.
(06-28-2016, 02:22 PM)Chuck Bronson_imp Wrote: Since I last wrote. I have charged my battery fully and it has kept 12v for 2 days without riding. When I would start the bike I checked the voltage to see if my charging system works. And I think it does. Puts out 14v while running. On third day checked battery still good. Went out for a ride and everything fine. I know my battery is supposed to be dead at 7v but so far so good. I know my charger is not making the beeping noise. I still haven't taken off my side covers to further investigate. I'm thinking maybe an alarm that was installed before I bought it used.
How long should a battery last without riding or charging? If there is a short somewhere should it pop the fuse?
Take the side covers off and investigate. Might be possible to recover from 7V if the charger has the type of intelligent recharging process needed for that but it is unlikely, would need to be desulfated. Most likely one or more bad cells. But I've seen them come back, too.
Standard battery should be at 12.8V for 100 percent charge, LiFe at about 13.4V.
If yours is only charging to 12.0V it is bad. Prepare to be stranded.
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(06-28-2016, 02:22 PM)Chuck Bronson_imp Wrote: Since I last wrote. I have charged my battery fully and it has kept 12v for 2 days without riding. When I would start the bike I checked the voltage to see if my charging system works. And I think it does. Puts out 14v while running. On third day checked battery still good. Went out for a ride and everything fine. I know my battery is supposed to be dead at 7v but so far so good. I know my charger is not making the beeping noise. I still haven't taken off my side covers to further investigate. I'm thinking maybe an alarm that was installed before I bought it used.
How long should a battery last without riding or charging? If there is a short somewhere should it pop the fuse?
My bike has no alarm or other parasitic draw. I can leave it for a month and it will start right up like I just rode it the day prior.
If your bike is used, you may want to pop the side covers off sooner than later and look under the seat and see what's what.
One more thing... a fully charged battery should show 12.6+volts. If you're is only showing 12.0 volts, it's at less than 50% charge. As I said, you have a dead cell and as someone else mentioned, prepare to be stranded somewhere if you manage to get the bike started with the battery at that level.
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Until you figure what's wrong, make sure you always park it on a hill so you can jump start it easily. It's a b*stard of a bike to push!
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(06-29-2016, 05:28 AM)Cormanus_imp Wrote: Until you figure what's wrong, make sure you always park it on a hill so you can jump start it easily. It's a b*stard of a bike to push!
So, we can bump start this bike? I thought it needed some battery to start. Or will a bit of charge be enough? #don'tknownothingaboutletrics
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Well, I've seen two of them bump started. Both had a faint charge in the battery, but both started.
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(06-29-2016, 06:21 AM)Cormanus_imp Wrote: Well, I've seen two of them bump started. Both had a faint charge in the battery, but both started.
Good to know. Thanks!
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I've taken my side covers off and I don't see any alarm everything looks original. I last rode yesterday at noon pacific. Checked my battery at noon today and it reads 13 v. I connected my charger to see if I can hear beeping but nothing. Maybe because my battery was already fully charged that my battery charger sensed it and wouldn't send a charge. I'm going to wait about 5 days and check again. I'm also going to pick up a meter that will read dc amps. Mine only has an AC amp option.
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(06-29-2016, 09:02 AM)Chuck Bronson_imp Wrote: I've taken my side covers off and I don't see any alarm everything looks original. I last rode yesterday at noon pacific. Checked my battery at noon today and it reads 13 v. I connected my charger to see if I can hear beeping but nothing. Maybe because my battery was already fully charged that my battery charger sensed it and wouldn't send a charge. I'm going to wait about 5 days and check again. I'm also going to pick up a meter that will read dc amps. Mine only has an AC amp option.
If you are at 13V you are good to go. Sounds like maybe it just needed a good, full charge.
That beeping was the Mother Ship, after all, it's been three years.
