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Buell Forum » Big, Bad & Dirty (Buell XB12X Ulysses Adventure Board) » BB&D Archives » Archive through January 12, 2011 » BATTERY CHARGE QUESTION. « Previous Next »

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Bdrag
Posted on Sunday, December 19, 2010 - 06:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Hey all,

Man! I have not been riding ANY of my bikes of late. Messed up my right ankle somehow almost like a sprain or maybe an old injury thats decided to drop a bone chip off when its should not be. Anyway, I have put the Uly on life support. The bike sat dormant for about 2 weeks. I dug out the ole battery tender and hooked it up.

The red light came on the battery tender and after about 30 minutes the green light came on. Stayed solid for hours before going to sleep mode, blinking green. The weather is nice and my ankle felt better so decide to take the bike for a 15 minute ride and fill it with fresh gas. It started better, faster then it ever has. The battery was dead when the dealer sold it to me. Its almost always done the errrrr rurrr varooom. This time it was pufffrooooommmmmmmm.

So I ride for 15 minutes and return and well of coarse the fan comes on and runs for 3 minutes or so. I hook up the tender and its red again. It takes 5 or more minutes for the green light to come on.

So my question is HOW can the battery EVER get a full charge for start up if the fan has drained it by running for 5 minutes? I am sure some of you have a cut off. Just seems detrimental for a crisp start.
BDRAG
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Rwcfrank
Posted on Sunday, December 19, 2010 - 09:10 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Bdrag, it happens to me all the time. As bad as it is I like to ride my bike to work which is about 6 miles one way. It gets hot enough to run the fan at the end of the trip going and coming. The 6 miles ride, about ten minutes doesnt charge the battery enough to overcome the loss from the fan running. So after about 2 weeks of riding to and from work I have to put it on the charger for about 30 minutes before the light turns green. If I ride it for a good long ride, 30 minutes or more no charging is necessary.
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Bdrag
Posted on Sunday, December 19, 2010 - 09:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Yes I know what ya mean. When doing the commute thing it takes its toll over a week or so. Slow starts. I wish there was an Oddessy battery for these. I have one on the LC and it rocks!

BDRAG
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Tootal
Posted on Sunday, December 19, 2010 - 09:29 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)





You just need to do some modification.
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Ratbuell
Posted on Sunday, December 19, 2010 - 10:18 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

You need to ride it longer. 15 minutes does not put back the charge that you sucked up by starting it.

Half hour.

Minimum.

Not to mention all the condensation you just built up in that engine and didn't burn off.

I said this in a thread in the 1125 forum earlier today - don't tease the bike. It's not nice. If you're gonna start it, RIDE it. Let it have fun.

For more than 15 minutes.
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Bdrag
Posted on Sunday, December 19, 2010 - 10:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Yes the 15 minute rule. HAhahaaaaa. I am on bikes more as of this week because I sold my Pickup and I am tired of driving the wifes CRV around. You get NO RESPECT in it in traffic. HAhahaaaaaa. I will be using the Strom to commute I guess. Save the Buell for the trips and fun rides.

I will be on the bikes till my Black 2011 SUPER CREW RAPTOR comes in in February. It sucks not having my truck.

BDRAG
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Ourdee
Posted on Sunday, December 19, 2010 - 11:21 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

It is easier to just put it on the tender every night. It likes it that way.
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Uly_man
Posted on Monday, December 20, 2010 - 08:55 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Like they say the bike is not a "on/off" runner, like most bikes, and needs to be hot to stop condensation and charge the battery. As the bike runs-in the fan will run less and less and by 6000 miles it will hardly run at all but this will also depend on the local ambient temp and how hard you have just run it.

I do this on short/commute type runs. With the bike standing, ignition off and the fan is on at low speed turn the ignition on and then off. The fan should stop if not try again. If the fan is on at high speed wait until it goes to low speed, give it 10 secs, and then switch the ignition on and off.

I have found that this and a well run-in bike really helps the battery charge situation a lot. Works for me.
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Uly_man
Posted on Monday, December 20, 2010 - 09:48 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Just as a thought. I have just remembered I bought a Solar charger for the car but was Waaaay to small to be of any use.




Its 1.5w @ 17.5v @ max lighting conditions. It should be ok on the small Buell battery, charged, so will give it a try out. It can not over charge the battery but needs a lot of light, old tech cells, to give max charge. Worth a try I guess and free.
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Towpro
Posted on Monday, December 20, 2010 - 12:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I thought my charger was doing OK until I bought the Schumacher SEM-1562A. It has a mode to reverse sulfation of batteries. When I first tried it the Green light would not come on, so I returned it thinking it was bad. the new one did the same thing. I left it on over night and it finally turned green. Then same thing when I put it on my other motorcycle and my ATV.
All my batteries must have had sulfation and the charger was going through the desulfation mode. Now the charger will turn green much faster.

I still have my old one (also a Schumacher) so I just rotate which battery is hooked to which charger. I also use it to keep my Diesel pickup charged (2 batteries)
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Blugorilla
Posted on Monday, December 20, 2010 - 12:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Keep in mind that your accessory outlets are not live with the bike off, so you will need to figure a way to connect it to your battery direct, such as a battery tender plug...


EDIT:that was for the solar panel, BTW... saw that Tow got a post in before me...lol

(Message edited by blugorilla on December 20, 2010)
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Uly_man
Posted on Monday, December 20, 2010 - 12:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The Uly uses a Gel type battery, because its laid on its side, and can not be treated like the old school Lead acid types. Even the new Lead acid types are not built the same way now.

Get a grip Guys a modern battery is nothing like it used to be 10 years ago. Its a whole new ball game.
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Lt_adderall
Posted on Monday, December 20, 2010 - 07:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Ratbuell: Thanks for that advice! My wife and I now run the other XB's ( Lightning and City Cross ) for 1/2 hour minimum. Any errand running gets done on the Blast.

Hey Tootal; how do you like that Odyssey Dry Cell? I was looking at one in the Aerostitch Catalog ( as a possible active remedy to this Stator/Recitifer - Battery Charging Situation we all have to manage.)

Pretty interesting "claims" on this battery:

* Works better / longer than conventional batteries; more powerful & dependable
* Cranking amps are double to triple to regular batteries.
* 8 Yr design life, low shelf life, low self discharge rate
* Deep cycle reserve powerful for starts when battery is 70% discharge.
* CHP uses them as with the bike off they can run flashing lights and radios twice as long as regular battery

How do you like the performance on this battery?
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Ratbuell
Posted on Monday, December 20, 2010 - 08:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Lt - I, and my '06 Ulysses (with the OEM battery still in it and going strong), are glad to help!

I also have '05-dated batteries in both the S2 and the S1W (both bikes were bought used and that was about when I had to replace the 'abused' batteries). All HD batteries, right out of the parts book. The M2L battery was replaced in '10 as I bought that bike used with no battery tender lead on it, and one day it was just dead as a stone. Another new HD battery, and a tender lead. And of course (because I'm too dumb to come in out of the cold) a heated clothing lead just like all the others.

To be fair...I do tend to plug in my "daily ride" in weather like this. Cold saps juice, and it also makes the bike work a LOT harder to crank since oil is more like molasses...

The other bikes, I just rotate through on the tender. I never pull a battery. My garage is unheated and if I lick my hand, on a day like today I *will* stick to my tools. I use a pair of Battery Tender Jr's - one for the daily bike (generally the Uly, but sometimes the S2 because it has that AWESOME fairing and lowers for wind protection), and one to rotate through the others a couple days at a time. If I think I'll get the urge to ride the CR...I move the plug to it. If, like yesterday, I realize I've been neglecting the S1W...I plug it in for a day or 2, and then rotate the charger to one of the others for a day or two (probably the M2L next since it needs some exercise). But I never start them until I'm ready to ride them. And every last one of them has a voltmeter on it.
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Tootal
Posted on Monday, December 20, 2010 - 08:16 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I've been using them for years. One lasted seven years in my 91 Electra Glide Sport. I never put a charger on it over the Winter either. It is also a dry cell and it likes a lot of amps. Trickle chargers should only be used to "top off" an already charged battery. I use a 12 amp charger on the one in my car. Computers will suck them down a bit in a month's time. They will take a 100 amp charge. In fact, if one was run down completely you can recharge it full in fifteen minutes at a hundred amps. They are made in Missouri too. They aren't cheap though!
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