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PostPosted: 20 Mar 2015 11:05 
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Joined: 09 Feb 2011 23:39
Posts: 122
Current ride: Buell Ulysses XB12XT
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
Hi All,

Hoping someone a bit more 'electric' savvy can assist.

Went into teh garage this morning to fire teh old bird up (2008 XB12XT) only to find the battery was flat. This has happened a few times over the past few months but is usually resolved by putting her on charge overnight. Questions I have before I go out and buy a new one.

1) The battery shows 12V on a meter. The dash lights turn on but clucks like a chicken when I try and start it. Jump pack fires her straight up but when the pack is removed she runs like a an old timer with a stomach disorder, farting and spluttering until she eventually cuts out. Surely if the voltage is up the amps will be too, or is that not how the battery works?

2) How does one test the charge rate with a multimeter. I remember there used to be a way of putting a multimeter between the live terminal of the battery and the positive lead and that would give you a charge rate but would need a refresher on this. Any help would be appreciated.

3) Lots of stator talk on the forum so just wanted to get more info on that. What happens when the stator goes? Does it just stop charging, or does the motor die altogether?


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PostPosted: 20 Mar 2015 11:13 
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proff. patpending
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Joined: 06 May 2009 20:20
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Current ride: Victoria Sponge
Location: Bristol - Gateway to all things good
If the charging system fails your battery will run down as you ride, as mine did. The check engine light came on and shortly afterwards the Uly ground to a halt, at which time I caught the bus...

If the battery is hoofed, it may show 12V but won't be able to supply the current. I guess an analogy is how deep you can breathe in, and how much you can inflate a balloon...

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PostPosted: 20 Mar 2015 11:29 
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Location: Manchester
Check the wiring harness where it drops off the bottom of the LH scoop.......they have a habit of chaffing through on the rear cyl. fins.

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PostPosted: 20 Mar 2015 12:09 
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Joined: 09 Feb 2011 23:39
Posts: 122
Current ride: Buell Ulysses XB12XT
Location: Christchurch, Dorset
She had a new RR about 2 years ago and a cheap battery fitted about 3 years ago. No light other than when the bat is struggling and that just shows as a low voltage on ECMSpy. Fires straight up and runs like a dream until the jump pack is removed then even though she still runs she runs very badly. I generally do a very lazy 3-4 mile roud trip to work and back everyday (a trip I could actually walk without any issues) but enjoy doing it as it keeps teh bike working.

Ill check the cables etc for chaffing, wear etc and then clean all the connections. Any ideas on what to cover the connectors with to prevent moisture and water getting in?

Also, any ideas on teh best way to check the charge rate ... i.e. will I get any of those figures from ECMSpy (total ECMSpy novice here)?


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PostPosted: 20 Mar 2015 12:20 
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Joined: 05 Feb 2015 15:56
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Current ride: 2005 Ulysses
Location: Scootland
Get it running and test the voltage across the battery terminal. It should be about 14 if it's charging OK.

As per facebook, my money is on the cheap three year old (not kept on a conditioner?) battery being goosed.


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PostPosted: 20 Mar 2015 12:51 
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Joined: 06 May 2009 17:28
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Current ride: 1991 RS1200 westwind
aCF50 is excellent for preventing corrosion on electrical connections, a fully charged battery should be showing more than 12 volts but as Pash has pointed out you can have full voltage but zero current if the battery is goosed, I had this once years ago on a bike where the battery showed 12v but wouldn't even light a sidelamp bulb.
One way to describe it is that the voltage is pressure and the amps is the volume containing that pressure, so imagine it as water in a barrel and that when full and clear there is a lot of water under pressure waiting to get out but if the container has a blockage then only a small proportion is pressurised so one small spurt when opening the tap and the pressure has gone.

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PostPosted: 21 Mar 2015 10:08 
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Joined: 07 Nov 2011 18:10
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Current ride: Buell ulysses
Location: Telford
marshy wrote:
. I generally do a very lazy 3-4 mile roud trip to work and back everyday (a trip I could actually walk without any issues) but enjoy doing it as it keeps teh bike working.

I think you need to take in on a longer run
firstly to get the thing up to operating temp ( they have a habit of fouling plugs otherwise)
and secondly give it chance to recharge the battery and replace the energy it used to start it .

marshy wrote:
She had a new RR about 2 years ago and a cheap battery fitted about 3 years ago.

cheap battery 3 years ago and used for short runs probably = dead battery

Are you turning the kill switch off when parking , they have been known to have a current draw if left in the run position, that will flatten the battery over time

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PostPosted: 03 Apr 2015 15:04 
Simple ansewer to anyone with a Buell is buy a battery conditioner such as a Optimate. I dtill have the original battery on mine 7 years later and it fires first time even after a long winter layup. Worth every penny.


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PostPosted: 03 Apr 2015 15:38 
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proff. patpending
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Current ride: Victoria Sponge
Location: Bristol - Gateway to all things good
I have 7 bikes and a spare battery paralleled up to one Optimate continuously :shock: ... No probs starting after a year or so of inactivity on the coldest of days (some) on original batteries...

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