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Bad Battery

Discussion in 'Pull up a chair and sit for a spell' started by HarleysLR, Jul 18, 2010.

  1. HarleysLR

    HarleysLR Active Member

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    Getting ready to go to Colorado Confederation of Clubs meeting in Denver this morning. Had breakfast went into the garage bike started right up, 5 minute ride to the gas station, pulled into pump and shut off bike. Pump won’t take my credit card. Started up moved to a different pump, shut off bike. Filled up, went to start bike sounds like starter tried to engage and all power to ignition goes off. Pushed bike to the side of store, pulled battery caught a ride back home tested battery showed 12.99 on the volt meter. Decided to drive 20 miles to get bike trailer and bring bike home for diagnosing the problem. Call my son for some help. Trailer is in the barn with stuff stacked all over it, remove stuff and restack stuff to the side. Trailer has a near flat tire. Pull trailer out of barn hook to truck and move closer to little shed with air compressor in it. Fill tire ready to go get bike. Haven’t moved trailer since 03 license are expired, don’t care by this time and leave to go get bike. Get bike home retest battery still says 12.95 on volt meter, seems ok. Put it back in back. No power to ignition, but have power to accessory side of switch. Check all fuses, all ok. Thinking about pulling the tank, so I can get down to the wiring harness, sons hey let’s try the battery out of the other bike, pull seat off other bike, test battery in it to see what it says, it says 12.95. Son says let’s try it anyway before siphoning the gas out of the tank. So remove battery from my bike, remove battery from other bike and put it in my bike. Power to switch and bike starts right up. My battery in other bike, same symptoms’ as I had, no power. Battery test ok with voltmeter but doesn’t work in reality. Use a test light on battery it barely lights up, same test light on battery from other bike it shines bright. Conclusion of 6 hour ordeal - Bad Battery. But got to spend some good quality time with my son and grandson.
    HarleysLR, Jul 18, 2010
    #1
  3. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    the ONLY way to test a battery is with a load tester. a battery can be nearly dead and still read voltage......glad ya was able to get it going...........
    chucktx, Jul 18, 2010
    #2
  4. cowboy

    cowboy Moderator Staff Member

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    sounds like it all turned out for the better as you got the spend the time with your son & grandson
    cowboy, Jul 18, 2010
    #3
  5. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Yesterday we spent the whole day down in Salem, OR at the new Good Vibrations Rally. After a full day of riding in the hot sun, listening to bands and drinking beer and some hard lemonade we went to dinner with a few others. Wife and I had to get gas and while we were gone one of the guys wives decided she was cold. Temp dropped to 60 after being 85. She plugged in her heated gear without the bike running, :gah: and yep battery is dead. I got back to where everyone is at and her husband has been sitting there trying to start it. Now battery is really dead. I carry jumper cables but yea know how hard it is to get to the battery on a 09 Ultra, what a job.
    Had to put the cables on it and let it run, charging up his battery but had to keep the dang guy from trying to start it before it was ready. Finally got his hands off the start button and let it charge up a bit. Got it started and told him keep the heated gear off and don't shut it off till yea pull in the barn. He had a 50 mile trip and got it home.
    His battery was 6 years old and just worn down. He also never keeps it on a tender during the winter months.
    FLHTbiker, Jul 18, 2010
    #4
  6. BluePearl

    BluePearl New Member

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    Yup need a load tester - amps is what starts the bike not volts!!
    I got a set off jumpers set up off my battery tender wires plug in the quick connect and 6' cord! Have to remember power goes both ways in wires :D :D
    Now get on that bike and get down to DMV and update that trailer plate :witsend::roflmao::roflmao:
    BluePearl, Jul 19, 2010
    #5
  7. HarleysLR

    HarleysLR Active Member

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    HarleysLR, Jul 19, 2010
    #6
  8. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Riding with a guy that had his charging system go out and we were in a remote area plus on a holiday Monday. We took the battery out and put one of our batteries in and jump started it. Rode for about 70 miles and then repeated the process again. Got him home this way.
    FLHTbiker, Jul 19, 2010
    #7
  9. amf4399

    amf4399 Active Member

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    I would of gone through at least a twelve pack. 6 year old battery ? thats pretty good. I get a little nervous when it gets 3 years old.
    amf4399, Jul 19, 2010
    #8
  10. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    i think i would have went to the starter on your bike........much easier than the battery,,,,,,,,,,,,:)
    chucktx, Jul 19, 2010
    #9
  11. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Chuck, things on the new bike are really buried.
    FLHTbiker, Jul 19, 2010
    #10

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