Triumphrat

denny · 05-14-2008

The TBS died tonight, Luckily I was in front of home when it happened.
Dead Battery!
It would not crank over. I connected the Battery Tender and let it charge while I did the oil change. After that it cranked over easily. So I am thinking it's probably the alternator.

Can I test it with a VOM? While it is mounted to the bike?

Any Ideas?

Wombat · 05-14-2008

Measure the voltage across the battery terminals while the bike is running (no battery tender connected) and revs around 3k.
If it reads 12+ volts, it is a good sign that the charging system is working.

Check the fluid levels in the battery if it is a wet type.
These bikes tend to boil off battery fluid.

How old is the battery?

denny · 05-14-2008

Battery was new last July, it is an AGM type.
I got tired of filling the standard battery, maybe AGM is not so good for these bikes? Or maybe I got a bad one?

I'll check the alternator tomorrow evening, It's too late to start the bike up in this close neighborhood.

Wombat · 05-14-2008

I have had an AGM battery in mine for about 2 years now and had no probs but that is not to say that you wont.

Any warranty on the battery if it is a dud?

Another easy test is when you rev the bike, the lights should get brighter if the charging system is working.

denny · 05-14-2008

Unfortunately the battery is out of warranty, I think it was only 90 days.

jimmyj900 · 05-14-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by denny

The TBS died tonight, Luckily I was in front of home when it happened. Dead Battery!

When was the last time you rode the bike? Has it been sitting for a while without charging?

I'm asking because I'm still researching the AGM batteries and trying to get a feel for how they behave.

Jim

denny · 05-14-2008

I rode 350 miles 2 weekends ago and it was fine. a few short rides in the meantime. I don't ride to work, because 45 MPH on a straight road during rush hour through many stoplights is not so much fun for me. Last night I went for a ride to warm it up for the oil change, about 50 miles.
On the way home it started missing a bit at low RPM's On the highway at 70-80 it was fine. When I pulled into the subdivision it was really missing bad at low rpm. Died in front of the house and the battery would not crank it over. I connected it to the battery tender while I did the oil change and it cranked OK, I did not start it because of the late hour in a close neighborhood.

After sitting on the Battery Tender til I got off work this evening, it was charged up again and started right up.

It turned out to be the Alternator.

With old alternator right after disconnecting the Battery Tender 13.75V
Started it up 12.2 v while running.

So I got out my spare alternator, hoping that it was good.
13.5 volts not running, 14.2 volts running. So the battery is still good as far as I can tell. Heading to Southern Kentucky on Thursday evening, so I will find out.