| Author | Message | ||
     Bernard |
I've been experiencing some starting problems with my S2 lately. Admittedly, I'm not riding it nearly enough, but I replaced the battery with an original HD unit, had it in the shop because the alternator wasn't charging, but all of this is some months back. I now have it on a 0.75amp trickle charger, so it starts, but I can't really tell if it is charging or not. I don't want to ride with the headlight on and keep on starting it until I get stuck in the middle of nowhere with a bad battery . . . again. So I wonder, how can I easily find out if my battery is being charged or not? | ||
| Coxster |
I'm not an expert on the Buell charging system, but I engineered quite a few alternators for the Case/New Holland line of equipment in a past career. 1st check your stator voltage going into the regulator - should be plenty of info in the knowledge vault, I've seen it before. 2nd, check the voltage at your battery while bike is running. I use alligator clip test leads on the battery and run to a meter reading DC volts. You need around 13 volt minimum to charge a battery, although 13.5 - 14.5 is probably what it takes. Again check the knowledge vault | ||
| Greg_cifu |
With a voltmeter. Harbor Freight sells them for like...$4. You really can't diagnose anything without it. | ||
| Bigslug |
I have one of these on each of my Buells; http://www.kuryakyn.com/Products/872/LED-Battery-G auge Mike | ||
| Ratbuell |
+1 on the Kuryakyn gauge. When you ride it, use the 30 minute rule: "If you can't ride it for 30 minutes to put charge back in the battery...don't start the engine". These are big engines, and the starters take a lot of torque. Torque sucks voltage. If you can't run it long enough to replace the voltage...don't start it. Or, (and this is the way I usually deal with it)...take back roads and ride longer  Post again once you get a voltmeter, either a gauge or a test / shop meter. Then, we can get into how to do the voltage tests. | ||
| Buellistic |
BATTERY "INFO"/SERVICE Class 101, just PM me for a copy ... (Message edited by buellistic on November 24, 2012) | ||
| Bernard |
Voltmeter shows 13.7-13.8 at high idle and goes into the 14s when I rev it up. So it's charging. My guess is that last time I had the issue, the battery must have been almost empty from long non-use of the bike when I left, so that it didn't charge enough on the 18-or-so-minutes until I stopped, or the battery is already unable to hold a charge. It's on the 0.75 amp trickle charger for 50 hours now and the light still indicates that it is charging. We'll see. | ||
| Two_seasons |
It's already been said by Rat above. (Message edited by two_seasons on November 25, 2012) | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Umm, Rat... They suck current, not voltage... Just being picky... it's the engineer thing in me  . | ||
| Coxster |
Similar to what is in a battery tender: http://electroschematics.com/5816/led-volt-meter/ I get my components CHEAP from Mouser.com |
