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Battery+checks for beginner (Read 16 times)
FreeSpirit
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #30 - 08/28/07 at 14:15:28
 
Thanks guys! Great info!

I found out the date my battery was made....Feb.'06
And that they should last 5 yrs.
(I'm getting better on searching for info Smiley

Thank ya'll for having patience with me as a newbie...I am getting better....(It was so frustrating to begin with)

I need to learn so much more,hoping clymers manual will help and getting better at searchs so I dont have to ask so many dumb questions)

SO...I now realize it "may" not even be the battery!!
I bought fuses yesterday,also I am going to check around the bike and see if I did do some type of harm when I dropped it!

One last battery question.....how do you test "this type" battery to see if it is good....I do want to do that  first!

Battery is :Yuasa High Performance Super sealed Maint... Free

Thanks again Smiley

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verslagen1
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #31 - 08/28/07 at 14:28:12
 
Most of the auto parts stores will do it for free.
When I had an issue with my car, they tested it in the car for me.

But with the savage, I'd take it out as the terminals can easily be shorted to ground.
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FreeSpirit
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #32 - 08/28/07 at 23:09:47
 
Allan wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:08:
just my 2 cent's

wear eye protection (especially a newbie)

do not smoke around batteries.

get a battery tender and fit the pig tails permantly to the battery then when its laid up you can connect your tender and charge away, lay the wires under your seat,

on an upward note glad to see you girls looking after each other Smiley Smiley Smiley Smiley Smiley

allan.


Thanks Allen,
While reading your post I had the battery in the living room....smoking a cigarette and almost choked when I read don't smoke around batterys Smiley

Fitting the pigtails to the battery permanently was something I didnt know ....thanks I'll do that!

I bought a charger,let it trickle charge for 4 hours at 1.5amps,checked on it and it was charged....is that good? Does that mean my battery has hope ? Or is that normal? Anyone?

BTW....Auto parts store said it wouldnt get a good reading,to check it,unless it was charged,so I went ahead and bought the charger.
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SavageWahine
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #33 - 08/29/07 at 01:16:25
 
FreeSpirit wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:08:
SO...I now realize it "may" not even be the battery!!
I bought fuses yesterday,also I am going to check around the bike and see if I did do some type of harm when I dropped it!


That's pretty much why I suggested earlier to have it tested. It saved me a bunch of time when I thought my new battery was dead (I didn't think it was charging correctly). Turns out it was a fuse, but there is almost always a reason a fuse goes (bike mechanic told me) so it turned out to be a short.

BTW on which side did you drop it?
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FreeSpirit
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #34 - 08/29/07 at 11:58:38
 
SavageWahine wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:08:
That's pretty much why I suggested earlier to have it tested. It saved me a bunch of time when I thought my new battery was dead (I didn't think it was charging correctly). Turns out it was a fuse, but there is almost always a reason a fuse goes (bike mechanic told me) so it turned out to be a short.

BTW on which side did you drop it?


I do remember reading a post of yours in another topic about a starting problem but can't remember where it is!
Was it the one where  the local mechanic young guy helped you and found the short?

Anyway,they couldnt test the battery good unless it was fully charged...or so they said...so it charged up in 4 hrs....I d/c the charger and checked it again today and it was still fully charged.....dont know if that means anything or not.

BUT....I dropped it on the right side....pretty sure my leg got most of the damage though/broke the fall for the bike Smiley But it could be something simple...lose wire,fuse,etc.

I spent most of the day....in the owners manual trying to figure out what was where....and reading info on the bike.
I will get the clymers manual this week in mail ... I'm working long hours and hope to look the bike over good Friday....I should have the manual by then.

I havent seen the spark plug yet,but will Friday to check that,connection,....I can't believe you have to take the gas tank off!

But where was the wiring short on yours?
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FreeSpirit
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #35 - 08/29/07 at 13:33:28
 
Islandwahine..
Oh....I found your post/topic....Powerless!

Maybe I should have titled my topic....Bike won't start for beginner Smiley

But I've learned alot,which I needed to and this has really helped  so I can do things on my own Smiley

Will hopefully get my bike started Friday! or find the reason.

Does it take much to run a battery down on a MC?

Also if anyone knows of good websites to learn MC things for beginners,besides this one, let me know.

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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #36 - 08/30/07 at 23:11:46
 
I guess I'm used to working on cars, didn't know you could run a battery down on a bike. The only reasons I can think of with a car is corrosion on the clamps, broken alternator, loose clamps, etc. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll figure it out soon. I would hop over if I lived in the neighborhood. Two minds are better then one!
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #37 - 08/31/07 at 04:54:50
 
I am going to chime in here - mostly because I want to elaborate on some of the points already mentioned.

If your bike will not start, but it cranks over well when you hit the start button, the battery is not likely the problem.  If the motor won't crank at all, if it cranks very slowly, or if it stops suddenly while you're trying to start it, I would check all the connections and electrical components - especially those that may have taken a hit when you dropped the bike.

It is possible, by the way, to destroy a battery by jarring / dropping it.  Though it would be rather difficult to do, measuring the Voltage while you crank the bike over would tell you a lot.  If it drops way down then it is likely your battery is bad.  Also, knowing the battery Voltage when the bike is running would also provide good information as to the state of the electrical system (alternator / rectifier and regulator).  On the LS650, the regulator / rectifier module is mounted under the pillion seat if I remember correctly.  Though it is not real common, these modules do fail.  One of the ways they can be damaged is by running the bike with a battery that is not fully charged (or at least pretty well charged).  The alternator is not really designed to rejuvinate and old, tired battery.  It is meant to provide enough power to keep the bike running and provide a (relatively) small amount of current to keep the battery fully charged.

A lot of low-speed operation (as is what often happens with a beginner) can also cause a battery to drain - especially if it is old.  Since beginners are often re-starting the motor a lot and, when they are running, are riding at slow speeds over short distances, the alternator never has a good chance to catch up to the drain on the battery.  In that case, a good slow-charger will be worth its weight in gold - especially if you have an "off season".  I didn't see in your post where you live but, if you have to put the bike away for a while each year, you will really benefit from having a battery tender.

Finally, (or maybe this should have been first) batteries are not un-safe but they are dangerous (there is a difference).  You should always keep fire and sparks away from lead / acid batteries because they create and vent Hydrogen gas when they are charging.  This can linger for a long time in and around batteries so that is why it is never a good idea to work around this type of battery when you are smoking.  However, even power tools (like drills, grinders and other such things) have electric motors which create very small sparks internally.  These are enough to set off a battery so be careful with those as well.  Best rule of thumb - always wear protective eyawear and rubber gloves when you are working on a MC (or automotive) battery and only do so in a well-ventilated area - use a box fan to circulate fresh air if you have to.  Also, always remove the negative battery terminal first and replace it last.  This will drastically reduce the chance of sparks and fire.  Motorcycle batteries are not nearly as  bad as car batteries, but they are still capable of burning you very badly if you are ignorant to the risks.  Good luck, and be safe - especially after you get your baby running!
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FreeSpirit
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #38 - 08/31/07 at 09:01:34
 
SavageWahine wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:08:
I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll figure it out soon. I would hop over if I lived in the neighborhood. Two minds are better then one!


Thanks! Yep,we're not exactly neighbors are we Smiley

And two minds are better than one.....or 10 is better than one! Glad I had all this help!

I didnt get the Clymers manual yet.....they must have forgot to mail it Smiley So maybe tomorrow....I'd much rather have decent pictures ,if I need them. I hate to start working on something I'm not use to and not have everything I need.

But as far as a MC battery running down....I assume its like any battery,.....maybe someone will tell us SmileyBut if you leave your bike on by mistake,I'm sure that would drain the battery!?

But this is good in a strange way.....its got me into the workings of the bike and seeing its not really that difficult Smiley Not like I had thought....so far Smiley

It's actually fun learning!
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #39 - 08/31/07 at 11:18:24
 
Starlifter wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:08:
For the eventiual battery replacement I have been considering the "Big Crank".
Did someone say that the battery bay needs a modification for the crank to fit? If so what is it?


The big crank has really big terminals.  the cables have a tab that's bent down to keep it from twisting.  You'll need to bend that up.  Otherwise, goes right in.

And yes, leave the lights on and it will drain a battery dead.
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FreeSpirit
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #40 - 09/01/07 at 20:05:37
 
Cant get the screw out of the left panel thing. I've tried WD-40 several times,giving it time to soak in and still can't get it to turn....I've almost stripped the screw!

Any suggestions? I did see somewhere something about a impact screwdriver .I know nothing about those ,don't really have much money,already spent too much on bike this week.....so hoping for other suggestions.

Trying to put battery in to see if my bike will start after charging the battery.

Thanks for any help.
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #41 - 09/01/07 at 20:09:20
 
If you're talking about the cover with s40 or ls650 on it, an impact driver won't do much good as there isn't much meat behind it.  And you'll just bend the cover.

Get a small pair of vice grips and clamp on the side of the head.  Then you can turn it out.

And do give it a squirt of penetrating oil.  wd40 ok, but pen oil better.
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #42 - 09/01/07 at 20:49:57
 
verslagen1 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:09:
If you're talking about the cover with s40 or ls650 on it, an impact driver won't do much good as there isn't much meat behind it.  And you'll just bend the cover.

Get a small pair of vice grips and clamp on the side of the head.  Then you can turn it out.

And do give it a squirt of penetrating oil.  wd40 ok, but pen oil better.


clamp on the side of  the head.......its a flat head,can't get anything to the side of it. Used bike ,not sure if this screw is original or not.

penetrating oil....what is that? Maybe a name of one would be familiar. 3in1 oil?(I think that's the name of it,not sure.)
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #43 - 09/01/07 at 21:04:34
 
Good luck FreeSpirit!
I ran into the same problem today trying to get the philips screw out of the turn signal stem. I shredded the head of the screw, so now I got to think of a way to get it out while the fork is off of the bike. Don't want to be messing with it later, too hard to reach.
I think I'll try one of those kits that lets you make a new hole in the screw to loosen it up. Requires drilling though, not too exited about that!
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Re: Battery+checks for beginner
Reply #44 - 09/01/07 at 21:25:30
 

Some of the phillips head screws on mine are ,odofied to straight screwdriver slotted heads. I have a Dremel tool clone & cut off discs I can use to make a slot. If you dont & you can get to it well enough, sometimes a hacksaw can work out, but thats dangerous, if it slips, paint is gonna suffer. Use masking tape & protect the paint. You can also use a file to cut into the head & grab it with vise grips. If you have already flared the edges of the phillips head you can use a small punch & small, light hammer, using light taps, to slowly drive the meat back into position & then try again, maybe the tapping will free the bolt a bit.
Good penetrating oil, Kroil, also, I think I saw an ex Navy guy suggest wintergreen oil,
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