Ugh, Bike dead.

[freebird6]

Finished reading the wiring saga this week.

New battery last Sunday. Cleaned up grounds and felt good. Rode 2x since then, couple of hundred miles. Yesteday stopped at the hardware store after a short 15 miles. Went out to turn bike on......DEAD, nothing .....had a couple of mornings it started fine but read Battery Low. Charged fine and restarted after work.

Once it was dead I had my wife bring my jump starter. fob worked but not enough to start the bike. Jumped it off her car and started fine several times. Every time I unhooked the battery from the jumper cables it died. Let it run for several minutes to see if it would charge....undid the jumper cables it died.

Wondering where to start to diagnose this and get it resolved. Calling on the brain trust.

 

[mgoodrich]

Well, although it is rare with a new battery, it sounds like one of the plates inside may have partially shorted.

Take it out and have it tested. That would be the starting point from you saying that it dies after the jumper cables were removed.

 

[Bud]

I agree. New can fail just like an old one.

 

[Jorge]

Sounds like good advice Tom.
If a cell shorts, you'll go down to about 10.5V at full charge.
If you want, I have the old battery (just changed this evening) that was marginal, and we can swap it in to help diagnose.

 

[freebird6]

Sunday project. Battery test. Thanks. Step one.

 

[cuda]

I just replaced mine with a Lithium battery, and so far I like,

Electrical Gremlins are the worst, so far I've been lucky in 13 years of ownership

 

[freebird6]

Went out and tried to start still no good.

Pulled the battery, replaced with the old battery which had been on Noco Smartcharger . Made sure grounds wee clean and took the Fuzeblock and heated gear pig tail off. Started right up.

Let it run for a minute then went back and put the new battery back in. Started right up.

Put the old battery back in with the accessory leads and Fuzeblock back on. Started right up. Went for a 55 mile ride stopping and turning back on. Starting right up so far.

I am going to take the new batt by our local battery shop and have it tested

Somehow in the back of mind a little voice keeps saying "It's always the ground"

 

[Bud]

Went out and tried to start still no good.

Pulled the battery, replaced with the old battery which had been on Noco Smartcharger . Made sure grounds wee clean and took the Fuzeblock and heated gear pig tail off. Started right up.

Let it run for a minute then went back and put the new battery back in. Started right up.

Put the old battery back in with the accessory leads and Fuzeblock back on. Started right up. Went for a 55 mile ride stopping and turning back on. Starting right up so far.

I am going to take the new batt by our local battery shop and have it tested

Somehow in the back of mind a little voice keeps saying "It's always the ground"

You didn't mention cleaning the ground when you installed the new battery. Is this a case of the ground looked good so you skipped that part?

 

[ron203]

One of our Georgia guys went through this with his FJR recently. Replaced his battery. First new battery was bad, second new battery one was ok.

 

[freebird6]

You didn't mention cleaning the ground when you installed the new battery. Is this a case of the ground looked good so you skipped that part?

Nope. I clean the ground every time I pull the Batt. I got back in there to replace the steel wool I line the back of the batt compartment with over. the winter. Cleaned the ground and brushed the posts and ground cable, screw and attachment point. I know in my head it was a ground but I can't prove it.