New dead Battery?

[olds455]

Last week when I left work to ride home my 89 750 kat was dead. I got a jump and rode home with no issues. The battery was questionable to begin with so I purchased a new battery last sunday. I put it together per the instructions and rode the bike to work and home monday through wednesday. I went camping with the family for two days and to the airshow yesterday. The bike sat for those three days. This morning its completly dead, just like that day after work, no lights or stater click.

Where would I start to look for a power drain if the bike is parked in the steering lock position? The only thing I can think that gets power is the ignition switch and the starter. Its charging at this time. Im probaly going to carry a 10mm wrench to disconnect the battery when not in use. The day at work I was there for about 10hours. This hasnt happened before in the last 60 days Ive been riding the bike.

Thanks for any thoughts, help or ideas, Joe

[Tmod]

Where do you live?

The reason I ask is in California there is a time controlled fan to cool down the carbs after shutdown and if that stayed on it could drain the battery.

Tmod

[brooder]

Clock and fuel gauge also pull power when the bike is off.

Try this: http://www.motorcycleanchor.com/moto...lectrical.html

[Newbie2it]

89's dont have clocks. As for the drain, disconnect the negative cable, attach a test light between the neg battery terminal and the negitive cable, If the keys off and the light lights, you have a draw. Start off simple first to isolate where the draw is from. Pull one fuse at a time till the light goes out. Once you find that fuse, then you will know which circuits in the wiring has a dead short. Then its just a matter of hunting down that circuit.

[frosti108]

89's dont have clocks. As for the drain, disconnect the negative cable, attach a test light between the neg battery terminal and the negitive cable, If the keys off and the light lights, you have a draw. Start off simple first to isolate where the draw is from. Pull one fuse at a time till the light goes out. Once you find that fuse, then you will know which circuits in the wiring has a dead short. Then its just a matter of hunting down that circuit.

good info right here. same way i figured out the draw in my car

[DumbLuck]

did you charge the new battery after adding the acid? you can put your multimeter on the battery when the bike is off and should get 12.6 volts or so from a full charged battery. with the bike running, should be 13.5 - 14.5 volts if the charging system is up to snuff

[Newbie2it]

Either way.. Its an 89, Even if it is only holding now at 5 volts. If he connects a test light to the neg lead and the Battery and the light lights, Hes got a draw. Pre98 have Zero drain due to no accessories including fuel guage needing power.

[olds455]

Sorry for no reply, works beens kicking my butt. IThe battery has the new acid and charged for 10+hrs as instructed. I charged it againg and its holding good voltage-12+ Ive ridin it yesterday and today to work and back adn ive disconnected the battery while at work and at home and it still has great voltage and no dead battey. The charging system 12.8 at idle and up to 15v at higher rpm.Ill go try the test light and get back, Thanks for the tip.

[DumbLuck]

you can check for amp draw easy without a test light or disconnecting stuff. set your meter for DC amps, put the red lead on where the negative cable attatches to the motor, and the black lead to the negative battery terminal. key OFF on a pre there should be no draw, key on, not running, just a couple 3 amps (lights)

[olds455]

No luck on the test light test. I tried key off and key park with no light coming on. ill have to try it with the multimeter tomorrow. maybe its something intermintent whiich would make it a big pain in the butt to find. Ill let you know what I find.

[Rangerx52]

just counter it with a trickle charger.

either solar or plug in.

or it could be like mine, with a half-dead alternator. it generates enough to run the bike but still draws from the battery and doesnt charge.

makes road trips real short.

[Newbie2it]

Charger or solar to resolve a voltage drain huh?

LOL

Wow, I can see that bike in ten years... Oil leak? put a Tin can under it to catch the oil to put it back in.

[thetable]

Where would I start to look for a power drain if the bike is parked in the steering lock position?

You're turning one click too far and running the parking lights.

If it is more than that, you have a rather serious electrical gremlin, that is best fixed with a kill switch, or a multimeter and a fair amount of time. It would be rather difficult to walk someone through troubleshooting a random electrical issue without being there in person.

[plupien79]

Charger or solar to resolve a voltage drain huh?

LOL

Wow, I can see that bike in ten years... Oil leak? put a Tin can under it to catch the oil to put it back in.

I thought that tin can trick was only for Harley Davidson's.

[Newbie2it]

Yes, it is, and some Kawis But harleys for sure, under the breather elements.