Refresher Post For Battery/ Charging Systems

[Jack Klarich]

• Battery Drain: Initially, the motorcycle might run fine on the battery's stored energy. However, the battery's capacity is limited, and it will eventually discharge. Depending on the motorcycle's electrical load, this might happen relatively quickly.
  
• Diminished Electrical Performance: As the battery discharges, you'll experience a gradual reduction in the performance of electrical components, including lights, indicators, and ignition. The battery's voltage will drop, leading to dim lights and weak spark, affecting engine performance.
  
• Coil Heating: The ignition coils might heat up due to inadequate voltage supply. When the voltage drops, the coils may struggle to create a strong spark, leading to incomplete combustion in the engine. Incomplete combustion can cause the engine to misfire, leading to excessive heat in the exhaust system and potential damage to the exhaust components.
  

• Stalling and Reduced Performance: If the battery discharges completely, the motorcycle's engine might stall, leaving you stranded. Additionally, the motorcycle's overall performance will be severely compromised.
  
• Battery Damage: Continuously discharging a lead-acid battery to very low levels can damage the battery and shorten its lifespan. Lead-acid batteries are designed to be periodically recharged, and deep discharges can cause sulfation and other forms of damage.
  
• Electrical Component Damage: The lack of regulation can cause voltage spikes that may damage sensitive electronic components in the motorcycle's electrical system, such as the ECU (Engine Control Unit), sensors, and more.
  

In conclusion, removing the R/R and relying solely on the battery is not a sustainable or advisable solution. The motorcycle's charging system should be kept intact and in proper working condition to ensure the health of the electrical components, battery, and overall performance of the motorcycle. If you suspect issues with your motorcycle's charging system, it's recommended to consult a professional mechanic to diagnose and address the problem appropriately.

 

[Sully]

I keep my battery on a charger 24/7....Is that a good or bad thing to do ???

 

[Jack Klarich]

I keep my battery on a charger 24/7....Is that a good or bad thing to do ???

Tender is fine, just make sure the connections @ the battery are clean and tight

 

[Burnerboy]

I keep my battery on a charger 24/7....Is that a good or bad thing to do ???

Just besure it's a battery maintainer, that stops charging once the battery become fully charged..... NOT A BATTERY CHARGER THAT KEEPS CHARGING.... You do not want to over charge your battery.

My battery is now on a Maintainer, as we speak...(A battery maintainer STOPS charging once it's fully charged)

Question: Does your charger have a gauge, that tells you, at what percentage your battery voltage is at???

Ronnie

2/7/24

 

[rhino 2]

I keep my battery on a charger 24/7....Is that a good or bad thing to do ???

Battery Charger or is it a Maintainer ??....A charger is not good for long term use....A maintainer will fully charge the battery and then turn off.....And once the battery losses some charge it will automatically turn on again ..

A regular charger will /can shorten the life of a battery...

 

[cScjhb]

I keep my battery on a charger 24/7....Is that a good or bad thing to do ???

Charger.....Yes. Bad. Tender......Good.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Testing Specific Gravity Of A Non Sealed Type

How many here are old school like me and still use one of these?

 

[rhino 2]

How many here are old school like me and still use one of these?

Hydrometer….. Mine is so old the balls are stuck in the tube ‘besides now with sealed batteries they are about as useless as tits on a Bull ..

 

[Sully]

I keep my battery on a charger 24/7....Is that a good or bad thing to do ???

I didn't mean to say a Charger, it's on a battery maintainer. Shows the charge by a Green light and a Yellow flashing light. Thanks for all the replys.........

 

[cScjhb]

Just a side note...... Something I learned several years ago. Leaving a battery on a maintainer ALL the time can result in a problem. It did for me. One summer I packed my bike, unplugged the maintainer and left for an extended trip. Bike started and ran great. Next morning I had zero battery and was several hundred miles from home! My battery was dead as a door nail. Leaving the battery on the maintainer "masked" a worn-out battery..... for one day! From then on, I always unplugged the maintainer a day or two before going on a trip. Just to make sure the battery is, in fact, in good shape..... Jim

 

[Burnerboy]

Just a side note...... Something I learned several years ago. Leaving a battery on a maintainer ALL the time can result in a problem. It did for me. One summer I packed my bike, unplugged the maintainer and left for an extended trip. Bike started and ran great. Next morning I had zero battery and was several hundred miles from home! My battery was dead as a door nail. Leaving the battery on the maintainer "masked" a worn-out battery..... for one day! From then on, I always unplugged the maintainer a day or two before going on a trip. Just to make sure the battery is, in fact, in good shape..... Jim

Jim,

This is actually a good reminder, cause the exact same thing happened to me, last season, while I was 100+ miles from home, attending a TRIKE rally in Vermont... (THANK YOU DOUG, if your reading this, for the use of your truck, to purchase another new battery)

Ronnie

2/8/24

 

[1dn5up]

I’ve got 3 bikes. Rotate the maintainer by weekly . Never leave it on one battery for more than a few days . Then one month off .