Slow power drain...???? Help....

4942 Views 39 Replies 14 Participants Last post by "Captain D", Nov 21, 2014

Dennis Peacock

Discussion Starter · Nov 15, 2014

Yesterday my son tried to start up his 1995 VT1100 to go to work, the motor tried to turn over once or twice but that was it. It never cranked up until he put a battery charger on it and started it with the battery hooked up to the charger. It never does that in the spring, summer, or fall. In those months it usually starts right up when you choke it. But when the outside temps drop to below 40 degrees, the bike doesn't like to start unless the motor is warm. Could it be that there is a slow power drain somewhere that's causing the plugs to not spark properly? Besides a battery tender attachment so he can plug the battery up to a battery tender, there isn't anything else hooked up to the battery.

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Dennis Peacock

Discussion Starter · #6 · Nov 15, 2014

I have put 2 batteries on this bike since we bought it 3 years ago. The first battery got to where it wouldn't start the bike. I bought a battery and put on it and that resolved the issue. The issue showed up again last spring when we were getting ready to take a motorcycle senior trip for his graduation. I replaced the battery again last spring and now it's doing it again.

The bike stays in my shop with my bike and my other son's bike. Joe's bike is the only bike that we are going through batteries on. I just don't know where the power drain is coming from......to me...it just doesn't seem like a battery issue.

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Dennis Peacock

Discussion Starter · #12 · Nov 17, 2014

OK. I will do the checks recommended. I have a good meter to check with, I just needed to be pointed in the right direction.

Thanks and I'll post an update once I get the checks done.

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Dennis Peacock

Discussion Starter · #24 · Nov 18, 2014

Ok...took me a bit of reading and poking around to find out what RR is and why you would say that I would need a new Race Ready. :lol:

Regulator/rectifier.....I'll go look.

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Dennis Peacock

Discussion Starter · #29 · Nov 19, 2014

OK....just got in from checking it over.

Battery voltage is 12.60 VDC
Checked for power leak and found none.
Cleaned connectors, put on CPC, reconnected everything.
Since it's warm out today....about 55 degrees F, it started up, no choke, and it idled fine.

Battery voltage at idle: 13.2 VDC
Batter voltage slightly rev'd up off idle: 12.62 VDC
Off the throttle and back to idle, battery voltage: 13.2 VDC

I'm confused....I thought that "up off idle" would cause the voltage to increase towards my expected 14.5 VDC but instead, the voltage dropped close to 12.5 VDC.

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Dennis Peacock

Discussion Starter · #32 · Nov 20, 2014 (Edited)

The only thing the bike has "hooked up" and running is the headlight, tail light, and the front running lights on the turn signals. The bike has nothing else hooked up to the batter except the battery tender harness for charging.

Also, how am I supposed to know what the RPM is on this V-twin?

As best I know it....the bike is all stock. I bought the bike from it's original purchaser and he kept it until I bought it from him about 4 years ago. It had just over 19,000 miles on it when I bought it. It now has about 40,000 miles on it.

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Dennis Peacock

Discussion Starter · #39 · Nov 20, 2014

Thanks John.!!! I was confused. :roll: :mrgreen:

I have printed off your instructions. I will step through this by the weekend and I will report back here my findings.

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