trouble with batteries

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bulldawg

Active member
Joined
Oct 15, 2012
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Location
edmond,okla.usa
replaced battery 3 times in last couple of years.
would replace and check voltage,check ok battery last appx 6 months replace, check ok etc.
connectors looked ok.last time replaced with glass mat battery last about 4 months
afterlast failure checked the coltage,had 13 volts but tried to start and selonoid would only click starter would
not turn. took off selonoid, r/r.disconnected stator plug with 3 yellow wires burned connector.
cut off plug and soldered the wires cleaned and put electrical contact grease on connections.
also on frame ground. charged battery put all back togather and just barely got it to start and checked the voltage on the battery and got15 volts even at idle.shut off and tried to restart but would only click.
could the battery be fried again? the battery tender indicatted a full charge disconnected it and it read 13 volts
got me stumped and need some suggestions and or advice

thanks

don
 
There is a good chance the problem is the starter button, you should take it apart and clean the contacts. If it's to complicated, just spray some contact cleaner in the switch, it should help.
 
First thing I would do is have the battery load tested.
One way to do this is check the voltage while cranking. It should not go below 10 volts BUT, that way won't be accurate because if your starter is shorting it might cause the drop below 10 volts or if there's some other loose connection causing the drop.
I have a battery load checker I bought from a discount tool shop for $25.
It's been worth the investment checking the car batteries when I suspect a problem or just to get an idea if the battery is failing. Was handy checking the battery on my daughters first car.

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The 15 volts your seeing might be caused from a loose or corroded ground to the regulator.
That voltage could also be frying the batteries. Odyssey battery says NEVER charge at or above 15 volts or there will be permanent damage to their AGM battery.

Have a close look at the plug at the regulator also.
The same 3 yellow wires can overheat there as well as any of the others.
 
will have the battery load tested. have a feeling a new battery is in order. getting expensive for me.limitted income retiree
since 89 with no cost of living adjustment and prices skyrocking.
need to get this problem solved before another battery is fried.
cant turn over to start to check until iget another battery.
i am old and slow but i will keep on trucking and eventually get it fixed.
thanks for the response from both you guys
don
 
If it load checks ok it could end up being the start button not making good contact like flash suggested or it could be a tired starter.
Will it crank if you bypass the starter solenoid or go straight to frame and starter post with good jumper cables?
If not then there's some other problem.
 
thanks dan for the replys.

had the starter replaced about 8 months ago.
i will delve deeper into the grimmlins a little later
let me ask a guestion about brushes on gw alternator.
how long or how many miles do they last?
my valkyrie has alternater like the gw1500s
have 73500 on the odometer.

thanks again
don
 
It's common for corrosion between the aluminum and the ground cable to build up and lose voltage there. The ground cable is hidden behind the triangular top motor hanger near the battery. You can remove the triangle, the engine won't go anywhere. Then examine the cable and its mating surface. Often the aluminum part is all bubbly and corroded. Clean it to bare metal with a flat file and reattach. See if that helps. Sounds like power loss through corroded connections, could be anywhere else in the line, including start button. There are a few recent posts about running a relay to get full power to the coils that might lessen the load going through the start button. Hope I get as many years post retirement as you and can still ride then.
 
one item eliminated,battery load test was good,now on to starter and switch.will redo the ground cable
connectiohow is the regulator/rectifier grounded? one of the wires in the connectors?or by the mounting bolts?
i am now thinking the starter switch might e the culprit.
will post results as i go.
thanks again to all of you who have helped.

don
 
i feel your pain im still trying to get my 77 to run right ...the ignition can be monsterous ...at least it is for me ...i havnt yet replaced averything that needs to be replace or the actual culprit yet :rant: :cheeky: :mrgreen:
 
bulldawq:

I feel for you as I have been having the same problem all summer. Last three years I have had 4 new batteries.
I did the alternator conversion on my 83 wing. I think I finally found that my coils were doing strange things to my bike.
Since the conversion and coil replacement my bike has not used any more water in the battery: blown anymore main fuses: it quit dying on me at any given time-riding or sitting: it has stopped acting like it had bad gas:

I too went through all the connections,put a new starter on it, put another starter switch on, ignition key replaced,
coils replaced. Before I changed the coils I burnt the tender wires (charging wires) all the way to the tender box They were that hot.

coils do not interchange on the 80-83 wings unlike some peoples opinions on this.If you get as far as replacing coils use the same coil that is on your bike now. The 83 have a resister on it and will not run good on an 80 system.

Since I have done all the above my bike is starting and running good now. The battery is fully charged and I am slowly getting some confidence in my ride again.

Hope you soon get a solution to your bike and hope you post your doings and findings.
 
slabghost
jf the 1100 (83) HAS A BALLAST RESISTOR,where might it be?
i will be attempting to solve this problem tomorrow.
i had rather ride the wing on most occasions than the valkyrie.
thanks again guys for your input

DON
 
I found this pic on ebay. Supposed to be for 83. Resistor is the white component which you won't see if the coils are mounted.
 

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