How do you keep batteries from stranding you?

comnoz · Jan 9, 2013

What is a good practical setup to bypass the Zener while the battery is on a trickle charge?

So then, you're saying anything above 12.8 for a resting battery is fine for the battery to sit but below that it should be charged? Isn't this what smart chargers do?[/quote]

Just a switch in the battery wire will let a charger work without worrying about the Zener. It also removes any possible drain problem from the capacitor. Connect your battery charger harness directly to the battery.

12.8 is a good resting voltage.

Smart chargers should turn off at the correct voltage. Most smart chargers go to a float mode where they simply pulse on and off a couple times a second to keep them from overcharging. Just a cheap lamp timer to plug the tender in will do a better job of maximizing the battery life. Jim

DogT · Jan 10, 2013

I take the fuse out when charging, actually when I'm not riding too. On my 69 everything is still connected except the ignition and rear light even with the ignition switch off.

Dave
69S

pete.v · Jan 10, 2013

DogT said:
I take the fuse out when charging, actually when I'm not riding too. On my 69 everything is still connected except the ignition and rear light even with the ignition switch off.

Dave
69S

HighJack!
You have your ignition switch hook up wrong. 2 or three position switch? Find out which prong feed the others. That one will be the lead from the battery. I you have a 2 position switch the two top will feed the two bottom or vise a versa. Some have one of the tabs/connecters broke off due to rudundancey and to simplify the battery lead connection.

Battery to the single or one of the top connectors and all the rest gang up to the bottom two.

If you have a 3 position unit then get a 2 position unit. I have one if you want it.

L.A.B. · Jan 10, 2013

pvisseriii said:
DogT said:

I take the fuse out when charging, actually when I'm not riding too. On my 69 everything is still connected except the ignition and rear light even with the ignition switch off.

Dave
69S

Click to expand...

HighJack!
You have your ignition switch hook up wrong.

Pre-71, the two position ignition switch only controls the power supply to the ignition system and stop light.
(take a look at the pre-'71 wiring diagram?)

DogT · Jan 10, 2013

Look at the 68-70 schematic. The ign. switch only disconnects the coil (-) and the stop lamp. Everything else is still connected through the fuse and ammeter including the zener, 2MC, switch on the handlebar, etc.

Dave
69S

pete.v · Jan 10, 2013

DogT said:
Look at the 68-70 schematic. The ign. switch only disconnects the coil (-) and the stop lamp. Everything else is still connected through the fuse and ammeter including the zener, 2MC, switch on the handlebar, etc.

Dave
69S

I see what you mean. It seems strange. I don't really understand why that is. So you are saying that with the key off and out of the bike you can walk up and sound the horn, amongst other things, and this is by design?

BillT · Jan 10, 2013

pvisseriii said:
I see what you mean. It seems strange. I don't really understand why that is. So you are saying that with the key off and out of the bike you can walk up and sound the horn, amongst other things, and this is by design?

My Ranger works similarly. Lights and ignition are controlled by the 2-position switch. Everything else (not much, actually) is live. The Ranger also has a three-position light switch mounted between the gauges - main beam, pilot, off - otherwise known as dim, flicker, off!

L.A.B. · Jan 10, 2013

pvisseriii said:
I see what you mean. It seems strange. I don't really understand why that is. So you are saying that with the key off and out of the bike you can walk up and sound the horn, amongst other things, and this is by design?

It was the usual practice to wire horn so its current did not pass across the ammeter. It seems it was also common at the time for the lighting circuits of British bikes to be wired independently of the ignition switch, and Triumph continued to do this on their twins until 1978.

jseng1 · Jan 10, 2013

Get a modern day magneto. Remove the battery and never get another.

How do you keep batteries from stranding you?

pete.v · Jan 10, 2013

jseng1 said:
Get a modern day magneto. Remove the battery and never get another.

Make me a deal I can't refuse including the beehive valve spring and valve kit.

PM me if you have the willingness to do so.

pete.v · Jan 10, 2013

L.A.B. said:
pvisseriii said:

I see what you mean. It seems strange. I don't really understand why that is. So you are saying that with the key off and out of the bike you can walk up and sound the horn, amongst other things, and this is by design?

Click to expand...

It was the usual practice to wire horn so its current did not pass across the ammeter. It seems it was also common at the time for the lighting circuits of British bikes to be wired independently of the ignition switch, and Triumph continued to do this on their twins until 1978.

This sort of beg the question, Is this a matter if maintaining originality? It seems on the surface to be an easy change to bring the battery into one pole of the switch and the rest to the load side like mine is, yet it also seems to revolve around the function of the ammeter. It seems oxymoronic or "catch 22ish" to isolate the ammeter just so you can watch the rest of your system drain because of keeping it live 24/7.

I am sorry for dramatizing this and it more than likely an issue that doesn't exist yet any little frayed wire or degraded switch or connection could have a drastic affect on the motorcycle and garage as a whole.

DogT, I understand why you pull the fuse when you walk away from your bike.
I realize that it isn't my problem but it is interesting to me.

L.A.B. · Jan 10, 2013

pvisseriii said:
I am sorry for dramatizing this and it more than likely an issue that doesn't exist yet any little frayed wire or degraded switch or connection could have a drastic affect on the motorcycle and garage as a whole.

The circuits are still fused, so the only drastic effect I can think of would be a flat battery from the lights being left on. The lighting circuits can of course be changed around easily enough if desired so they are isolated by the ignition swich.

bluto · Jan 10, 2013

rick in seattle said:
Like many on this forum, I have several two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles at two different locations. To preserve battery life, I began keeping each one on a Battery Tender Plus; a quick-connect pigtale is attached to every battery. Before long, I simply got into the habit of connecting the tender as soon as I turned off the petcocks and ignition. While Battery Tender recommends this practice for the obvious benefit of selling more tenders, I came across the following article on BikeWebWorld:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/motorcyc ... y-charger/

which advocates this practice. So I was surprised to see Jim Comstock recommend against keeping the bikes on smart tenders full time, stating that this would shorten battery lifetime. As I'm inclined to take Jim's remarks seriously, I would greatly appreciate a bit more detail from Jim. I've got 6 batteries at risk here.

Another thing to watch out for on a positive ground bike is the the hot side of the tender harness is exposed and unfused, this could be disastrous....my bike had had one installed by the PO and I removed it....FWIW he also installed an Odyssey battery and it has been completely trouble free for nearly 3 years and I have not bothered with the tender

DogT · Jan 10, 2013

It's just not that big an issue to me. When I put the bike in the garage I always pull off the side panel and take the fuse out, just habit now. Kind of like putting on the helmet and taking it off. Now if I could just remember to turn on that oil feed valve......thank god for micro-switches.

Dave
69S

pete.v · Jan 10, 2013

DogT said:
It's just not that big an issue to me. When I put the bike in the garage I always pull off the side panel and take the fuse out, just habit now. Kind of like putting on the helmet and taking it off. Now if I could just remember to turn on that oil feed valve......thank god for micro-switches.

Dave
69S

Just store the fuse in a little compartment behind the oil feed lever.

Yellow_Cad · Jan 10, 2013

bluto said:
rick in seattle said:

Like many on this forum, I have several two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles at two different locations. To preserve battery life, I began keeping each one on a Battery Tender Plus; a quick-connect pigtale is attached to every battery. Before long, I simply got into the habit of connecting the tender as soon as I turned off the petcocks and ignition. While Battery Tender recommends this practice for the obvious benefit of selling more tenders, I came across the following article on BikeWebWorld:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/r3/motorcyc ... y-charger/

which advocates this practice. So I was surprised to see Jim Comstock recommend against keeping the bikes on smart tenders full time, stating that this would shorten battery lifetime. As I'm inclined to take Jim's remarks seriously, I would greatly appreciate a bit more detail from Jim. I've got 6 batteries at risk here.

Click to expand...

Another thing to watch out for on a positive ground bike is the the hot side of the tender harness is exposed and unfused, this could be disastrous....my bike had had one installed by the PO and I removed it....FWIW he also installed an Odyssey battery and it has been completely trouble free for nearly 3 years and I have not bothered with the tender

After a friend of mine had a Norton motorcycle fire in my presence while he was on the bike just after unhooking an unfused charging pigtail, I made sure that I had a fused pigtail.

DogT · Jan 10, 2013

pvisseriii said:
Just store the fuse in a little compartment behind the oil feed lever.

Not a bad idea. I could put a little storage clip on the lever, kind of like the spare fuse holders on the back of old electronic equipment since I'm using a 3AG type. Trouble is, I'd forget and go get another fuse from the spares. I just know I would. The micro-switch is working for now, if it fails, I'll get the IJ one.

Dave

rick in seattle · Jan 10, 2013

The point about the charging risk on a positive-ground bike is a good one. I converted my Mk3 to negative-ground just to avoid such worries. My only positive-ground vehicle is my Victor, and for that I have a special intermediate pigtale (RED connectors) that does the cross-over without any thought required from me.

All pigtales supplied by Battery Tender are fused.

ashman · Jan 10, 2013

I feel sorry for you guys from cold climits, over here we can ride all year round and a little bit of rain don't worry me when it does so no need to keep charging the battery on a charger we just go for a ride, 7am here and it was all ready 32c.

Ashley

Yellow_Cad · Jan 10, 2013

Battery Tender's website tells that when a battery that is fully charged, say that has just been for a run, is rehooked to the Battery Tender the red light will come on. In a few minutes, the tender will sense that the battery is fully charged and the green light will come on. If the red light stays on for a longer period (hours), it indicates that the battery was not fully charged (maybe issues with the charge system) OR there is some sort of electrical drain (such as blue can, etc). This tells me that if I go for a ride, come in and hook up to the tender and the light goes from red to green in minutes, then I likely don't have an issues with my charging system or with my blue can or other small leaks.

How do you keep batteries from stranding you?

comnoz

DogT

pete.v

L.A.B.

Moderator

DogT

pete.v

BillT

L.A.B.

Moderator

jseng1

pete.v

pete.v

L.A.B.

Moderator

bluto

DogT

pete.v

Yellow_Cad

DogT

rick in seattle

ashman

Yellow_Cad

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