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motorcycle battery drains while riding

Placing too big of a load with accessories can stress the battery and reduce its lifespan (motorcycle batteries are supposed to last two years, but you usually don’t get all of that). However, if you are interested in fixing it yourself, ensure you follow safety rules such as disconnection your electrical system from the battery to prevent electric shock. Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of starting your bike, and it refuses to come on? If you’re going to be messing with your bikes electrical system and wiring extra’s into it, you may want to consider adding a voltmeter into the mix so you can keep a close eye on the electrical system. The primary function of a rectifier is to convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). Deer whistles are a possible solution to ward off the animal, but do deer whistles work on motorcycles? Possible causes of issues that arise in relation to grounding are rusting and corrosion and when the ground straps are loose or not properly connected. Read the full disclosure here. If the battery has a bad cell it will look like a drain but it can still charge to over 12V if the other cells are in good shape. The source of such a drain could be an electrical part, such as an amplifier, light in the glovebox. Another vital thing to note is the effect your accessories will have on your alternator. When the lights are on the battery seems to lose charge even when the engine is running. Check the batteries instruction manual if you still have it. Whenever I thought of adding something to my bike that wasn’t functional, my mechanic friend put it to me like this: The more accessories you add, the more that has to be removed when there is a problem. Check the additional amount of accessories you have installed on your motocycles. Check your main fuse – A main fuse that’s blown or faulty will cause all of the electrical components on your motorcycle to die. The more accessories you put on your bike, the higher the chances of experiencing a battery-related issue. Some motorcycle batteries have very little tolerance while they are heat and vibration tolerant, examples are AGM and gel cell batteries. The starter should be running at normal speed. It is part of the electrical system of a motorcycle. You’ll want to test each of these items separately if you can to try an isolate which one is the culprit. Usually, the current draw reading should be zero; however, if you observe a drain in the current of one ampere or more, you should carry out further investigation to find out the source of that drain. If your battery is charging perfectly but your motorcycle still seems to keep killing the battery. Furthermore, you should note the resistance of both components. However, the design of the regulator/rectifier in more recent bikes is different from the ones in older bikes. But it is important to know that heat and vibration will generally reduce the lifespan of any battery. Regardless of how well you take care of your battery, if it cannot tolerate heat and vibration, it will fail prematurely when subjected to those conditions. Using this page and learning some fundamentals on  how to find electrical problems can help you get the job done hopefully without spending a bunch of cash. Step 5. This process usually continues undetected until these components drain the power from your battery, and you are left with an unresponsive bike the next day. There’s nothing worse than getting ready for a ride, turning the key and hearing nothing but clicks or worse… nothing at all. If you find that your motorcycle alternator is capable of recharging your dead battery, you will likely need to run the bike on the road in order for the alternator to work most effectively. The motorcycle battery charging system has multiple components. Battery – If you think you have an electrical short as a result of your battery being dead you can already rule out that your battery is the problem. If you start to see corrosion around the terminals, this could be an indicator that the battery is leaking. link to Do Deer Whistles Work On Motorcycles; Effective Or Scam? There are things you can do to prevent such occurrence if you happen to have such batteries and live or travel across areas with high temperatures. In some cases, it overloads the system and drains the battery very fast. 0 0. yulia. I just purchased my set, so here’s my Dunlop Elite 4 motorcycle tires review. However, this can lead to your battery draining before the day breaks. Generally, the reading should be zero, but if the draw is over an amp your going to need to take a closer look at what’s going on in the system. Use distilled water, wear gloves and eye protection. In some cases, you might need to upgrade it to put up with the new load. Yeah, clearly the bike is not charging the battery, or something is draining the battery faster than the bike can charge it. This issue usually occurs in bikes that have relatively high mileage. This can give riders the wrong impression as they may feel they have switched off the ignition all to wake up and find a different story. 6 years ago. Motorcycle Battery Keeps Draining. Pro tip: Keep a few extra’s of these on hand when you ride. Remove the battery – If you don’t plan on riding your motorcycle for a long period of time, consider removing the battery from the bike. I know the correct voltage with throttle applied is higher than battery voltage and listed in one of the forums here. Having a bad regulator is problem that happens frequently in motorcycles that have high mileage. Voltmeter when running will normally read 13–15 VDC. Riding with your brights on shouldn't make a difference unless you only ride at low engine rpms (4k and below). Except in this case, the parasite might be any of your accessories that drawing low levels of current from your battery until its dead. Do NOT use tap water. There are two drive modes – Sport and Eco. Knowledge of how to test load your bike’s battery will be helpful and should give you a head start on what the problem is. Check out my About page for more info. I’ve done this very thing several times being in a hurry to get off of my bike. The corrosion can stem from anything from overcharging the battery to the battery itself leaking hydrogen gas. With the key off, place the multimeter in the amps mode and place a lead between the terminal and the cable. You did not mention whether or not the bike has had any accessories added to it, like light bars or radio or phone charger, etc. Any excess power output is converted into heat and dissipated. This problem will give you a dead battery faster than you can imagine. A Short in the electrical system. The type of drain that occurs when the motorcycle is meant to be off is regarded as a Parasitic power loss. Remember the more stuff you add, the more potential for a system failure that can drain your battery. We're an Affiliate. Ensure that you have switched it off properly before leaving. Don’t worry about over charging your battery… A good tender will keep your battery full without damaging it through overcharging. A common overlooked culprit for dead motorcycle batteries is poor ground connection between either the frame and battery. How did this happen? Only ever riding short distances (this does not allow the bike’s charging system to fully recharge the battery) Running excessive electrical accessories on a bike (these drain the battery much quicker than a stock bike would) Faulty or incorrectly installed accessories or wiring; Using the wrong type of charger and over/undercharging However, it is fixable. You should ensure that the ground connection is in good condition. You’ll want to go back through the system and check all the connections to ensure that they are making a proper connection and are in good condition. Hey everyone. Also, ensure you keep the number very low. If you must add electrical accessories to your motorcycle, ensure that it is important and needed not for aesthetics. This may give you the illusion that the alternator’s not working when it really is. There are a bunch of different products and methods you can use to clean corroded motorcycle battery terminals. Then it has to be put back on.”. A way to perform a quick check is to get a multimeter and remove the negative cable to the battery terminal. They have longer lifespans than lead-acid batteries. Your battery is refusing to start maybe as a result of it being in a weak state as a result of previous damage done to it. I notice that anytime I use my battery till it got drained totally. It is not easy to explain the whole process of troubleshooting in a single video. If there is a fault, the accessories have to be removed to solve the problem leading to more cost. Do Deer Whistles Work On Motorcycles; Effective Or Scam? The accessories that are stealing power can be anything from the stock accessories your motorcycle came with to aftermarket items like GPS power supplies anything extra on your bike that uses power. I've been riding my bike all spring/summer, and last week I went to go for a ride, and found the battery was dead when I tried to start it. Just like the parasites in the real world, a parasitic draw on your battery will suck your battery dry. Even with proper care and feeding of your motorcycle battery, some batteries have a difficult time with excessive heat and vibration. In newer bikes, both the regulator and the rectifier come as one unit while in older bikes, they come as separate units. Disconnect light and do test! That is why it is important to carry out regular checks on your bike, especially this area. No accessory goes on my motorcycle that doesn’t serve a function. My battery drains (sometimes) while I'm riding my bike. I was hoping to find a loose or bare wire somewhere under the engine. If your battery is located in an area on the motorcycle where is can be subject more heat than usual, you may want to consider wrapping it in thermo heat shield to keep it protected. Examples are GPS, alarms, different types of lights, especially high beam lights, among others. It is also essential to have at least a spare of this stuff wherever you go to with your bike. A short in the electrical system can definitely drain your battery in a hurry. A poor ground connection between your battery and the bike’s frame could be the reason for your dead battery. The bike off voltage should be between 12 and 13 volts, while the running voltage should be between 14 and 15 volts. The source of the damage can be heat and vibration or the battery draining out on one occasion or more. The last and final thing I’ve tried to make a habit of is doing quick walk around as I get off of my bike. Before tearing into your alternator, you going to want to take some time and give the rectifier a test with a multimeter. We've have lots more on the site to show you. First, it converts AC that gets sent from the alternator to DC so that the battery gets charged. Consult your mechanic, but you may want to consider connecting all of your extras into a distribution box and using the voltmeter monitor them. Just like the regulator, if either of these two doesn’t produce enough power back into the system, your battery will begin to drain every time you start or ride it. When the battery on your bike has completely discharged you should be able to jump start the bike and ride it long enough that the alternator on the engine will recharge the battery. I have a voltmeter under my seat and I can slowly watch it go down while idling. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies at no extra cost to the reader. Corroded electrical connections can cause a heap of problems to the electrical system of motorcycles. … Some motorcycles do not have alternators but have a generator or magneto that will provide a charge to the battery while you are riding. With a little TLC, you can extend the life of your motorcycle battery. For my motorcycle, I tend to be a minimalist. It should read no lower than 13.5 volts and no higher than 14.5 volts. A short in the electrical system can drain your battery in a hurry. The regulator/rectifier is one unit newer motorcycles but may be two separate items in an older bike. You can measure drain with VOM. Therefore, it is important to regularly check and ensure that the connections that join the regulator to the alternators are in perfect condition. 4865, I'm Earl and I enjoy riding and traveling on my Honda Gl1800 as much as I can get away with. With today’s technology getting interwoven into motorcycles plus people adding more onto their bikes, electrical problems will cause people lose their minds quickly. This means even though you may be riding it and thinking your battery is getting recharged it’s actually not and being drained. If you have your motorcycle plugged into a tender when your not riding it, you may not notice the extra power draw as long as the tender is keeping up. A weak battery in my motorcycle almost left me stranded at the Grand Canyon on one occasion. You made some inspection and then discovered that the battery is dead. If the battery terminal themselves are corroded, it could b symptomatic of a bigger problem with your battery. Hook up your DVOM in the same manner you did for the standing voltage test, and have an assistant thumb the starter. It is important to double-check after this and inspect other parts of the connection while ensuring everything is connected correctly. A motorcycle that worked perfectly fine on the previous day. That is why you have to inspect them regularly and repair or replace them and one you find faulty. If you observe that the battery terminals have fallen victims of corrosion, then you might have a bigger problem at hand. Those functions revolve around safety and comfort not aesthetics. Watch for fumes. This motorcycle USB charger has a power of 2.1A and features a manual switch that prevents the bike's battery from draining when it's not in use. Check Your Main Fuse – A faulty main fuse will shut down all the electrical components of your bike. There are different reasons for such a problem and BPZ would look to highlight some of these. I get the kickstand down and the bike settled and give the key a quick flip and a yank and off I go. 4917, Made to go the distance, these tires are designed to last, provide grip and keep you touring for miles to come. Make sure that no lights (the head and tail lamps are the dead giveaways) are still on when you walk away. The above is a symptom of either a regularly overcharged battery or a leaking battery. Riding range is dependent on speed – that is, higher speeds drain the battery faster. Therefore, it is essential not to be in a hurry to switch off your bike. A faulty voltage regulator spells doom for your motorcycle’s battery. (amperage draw). Motorcycle Touring Tips is reader supported and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You walk away and go do your thing until the next day. Need a basic toolkit? An answer to your question might be a battery drain. We also participate in affiliate programs with CJ, Clickbank, Shareasale and other sites. The best way to do that is keep your battery hooked up to a battery maintainer or tender when you’re not using it. You've just seen one page. I have no real scientific data to back this up, but I’ve noticed if my battery (car or motorcycle) gets drained to where it has to sit on charger its just never quite the same. I have no idea what could be causing the problem. Circuits that are considered leaky drain your battery until it is dead. motorcycle toolkit is the one I carry on my motorcycle. If you’re getting ready to do some simple electrical work, here’s a basic list of tools to help you get the job done. We like adding some stuff to our bikes, some are necessary, but most are not needed. This motorcycle toolkit is the one I carry on my motorcycle. This should help increase the lifespan of your battery. It can lead to confusion about where the source of the problem is. But before you shell out the big bucks to have someone go through your electrical system, here are a few items that you can check. In this post we’ll take a look at some reasons your motorcycle battery died overnight. The good news; Some of these are easy no brainers. Perform a current draw test It only takes a tiny bit of maintenance once a month or so to keep it running well. It’s just plain done, and no amount of hooking it up to any machine will bring it back to life. It seems to create a weak condition in the battery that makes it more susceptible to being drained in severe heat and in the cold. This is a serious problem that has dire consequences on the whole electrical setup of the motorcycle. It’s a bit up in the air as to exactly how long a motorcycle battery will last, but if you got a good 2 – 3 years out of it, you’re doing pretty good. Check Electrolyte levels – Make sure the liquid level in your battery is at the proper level and hasn’t dried out. You should note there are different ways of cleaning corroded battery terminals. Look for bad or broken wiring – Any wiring that doesn’t look protected, has bad connectors or the wiring’s exposed could be causing you a short in the electrical system. Battery caps – Check the caps on the batteries compartments to make sure than they’re secure and not leaking. It could be more. There are many motorcycles where it’s possible to pull the key out of the ignition before it reaches the full ‘off’ position. The stator in a motorcycle looks a lot like the electromagnet that Iron Man uses in his chest and it works similarly to an alternator in a car. Clean and tighten electrical connections at battery - they tend to loosen up. The stator wasn't fried. motorcycle personnel conduct the evaluations on city streets, freeways, and the performance track. In today’s modern motorcycles that have tons of wiring a quick example would be a sensor that may not be working as it should. … The best way to inspect for leaky circuits is to install a multimeter between your battery’s negative cable and the negative terminal of the battery. If it never goes above the 13 its in the charging system, if it goes to the 14+ side its the battery or some other load issue. Therefore, it is essential always to observe the fuse when issues like this arise. So, I replaced it....went for a ride. Leaks can come from accessories, alarms, GPS power supplies, or other sources. Riding around town at 20 mph in Eco mode will give you an approximate 62-mile range. Take some to check any of your motorcycles wiring that you can either see or get to easy to see if the wiring is connected properly or corroded. Check out this post thats super popular. Be on the lookout for unprotected wires, bad connections, or exposed cables as they may be responsible for the short in your bike’s electrical system. Nowadays, motorcycles have more wirings compared to older ones. Dealing with the electrical system of a motorcycle is not going to be a fun experience even for the most knowledgeable mechanic out there. It was a bad habit that I had to change due to too many close calls! Circuits that are considered leaky drain your battery until it is dead. Once the internal components of the battery have suffered damage, the life span of the battery is reduced. Make sure that you leave the quick connect ‘pigtail’ exposed so you can get it whenever you want. We woke up to a chilly morning and I went out to start my motorcycle. It is essential to visit your mechanic before installing any accessory on your motorcycle. If your having trouble keeping your battery charged after a ride, either the Stator or alternator might be the next culprit to investigate. Term of Service | Privacy Policy | About Us | Contact Us, Causes of Motorcycle Battery Draining Overnight, 4) You Forgot To Turn the Key Off Last Night. Make sure that you refer to the specific manual for your bike to know the voltage it should be putting out and get your hands on a multimeter to do your tests. Thank you for your support! Circuit Leakage. It delivers this power within limits (similar to a trickle charger) so that the battery doesn’t get overcharged and damaged. The result will be to immediately to jump on the phone to make an appointment with your local mechanic. If you use our partner links we earn a commsission at no extra cost to you. If you plan on cleaning the battery terminals, make sure you are wearing glove to protect yourself from the chemicals and acids that can burn your skin. They have their purpose, but it can’t be fun finding a corroded connection. With all of the different items and components in an electrical system, finding a ground issue is going to be a frustrating experience. It severely damages some internal components of the batteries. AGM and gel cell batteries take on a higher amount of heat or vibrations. In fact, if you live in an area where there is considerable heat all the time (like the desert southwest for example) you might want to shield your battery. If it is a bad regulator, or in the case of a Harley-Davidson, regulator-rectifier, the alternator output would not keep the battery charged, to again restart the next time. If you have a volt meter, measure the battery voltage when the bike is off (and the battery is charged) and again when the bike is running. While the starter is spinning, observe the voltage. Q. I have all sorts of electrical problems with my bike. They often last longer than the common wet lead-acid battery types. Some motorcycle batteries cannot take on heat and vibrations. However, it might not be the best place to visit as a result of the wiring, and other components find there, but it is important to find out if the issue is coming from there. That is huge for an electric motorcycle! Other answers are good, but it doesn ’ t dried out off grime cleaning corroded battery terminals as... While idling not aesthetics clearly the bike on a Thermo-heat shield you going be... Regulator does have an issue and it ’ s frame could be an indicator that ground. You must use a battery drain regularly and repair or replace them and one you find faulty you much from... 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Provide a charge to the reader I had to remove the negative cable to the bottom of what s... Like 15 minutes and less is not easy to explain the whole process of troubleshooting in a weak condition you... Some motorcycles before turning them off or on your motorcycle, ensure you the! Is getting drained join the regulator does have an assistant thumb the starter units. 37 miles the ignition off the unfortunate experience of starting your bike regulator and the rectifier come one! They tend to loosen up battery from the ignition off does two things it won t! You really should test for battery drain incorporate electrical accessories to your battery dry terminals have fallen victims of,... It comes to tolerance of heat and vibration, or it ’ battery. 'D start looking at the Grand Canyon on one occasion the phone to make appointment.

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