A better fix is to put the charger on a timer and just have it come on for a couple of hours per day. You might have to experiment a little to find out how long to leave it on to keep it charged without overcharging and drying out the battery.
A better fix is to put the charger on a timer and just have it come on for a couple of hours per day. You might have to experiment a little to find out how long to leave it on to keep it charged without overcharging and drying out the battery.Just had (remembered) another thought re your problem - try inserting a low wattage (8-10W) bulb in series with your charger. It should drop the current enough that it'll still trickle charge the battery, without overcharging it. Cheap fix.
You're welcome. I'm picking up some handy tips along the way too!Steve! Thanks for the links, man. I'm going to read it all tonight.
So, I tried to start the bike today and it started to my surprise. The bike then died and the lights quickly dimmed and wouldn't start again. So, I can't check the voltage on it with the bike running just yet. I tried to have a friend push start it and that didn't work either. The lights quickly died to nothing. I have it hooked up to a quick charger and headlight is on dimmly. I'll leave it on for a minute and see what happens. Then, I may keep it on a trickle charger during the night. I think this one is going to the shop.
Yeah, I am not mechanically learned. But I can be. Every time something like this happens, I end up learning everything about it. Still, I have no experience in doing anything like this myself.You're welcome. I'm picking up some handy tips along the way too!
Slow (trickle) charging is MUCH better for batteries than dumping in a lot of amps all at once. Sleep on it, and try again tomorrow, when it'll at least start and run... Then you can at least measure the 'running' voltage across the battery.
Good idea re taking it to a shop - I get the feeling you're somewhat unsure of yourself electrically/mechanically. At least you can specify that they test the stator output AND the regulator, which should avoid you having to pay for unnecessary parts.
I'm not a 'professionally trained' mechanic myself (well with batteries I am - as a Telecom tech many years ago...). But I've been fixing my own vehicles (and 'stuff ups'Yeah, I am not mechanically learned. But I can be. Every time something like this happens, I end up learning everything about it. Still, I have no experience in doing anything like this myself.
Ducati: Turning riders into mechanics since the dawn of motorcycling!Yeah, I am not mechanically learned. But I can be. Every time something like this happens, I end up learning everything about it. Still, I have no experience in doing anything like this myself.
Good idea. Another option is from the 'dull headlight thread' http://www.ducati.ms/forums/57-supersport/142378-headlight-dull.html#post1407958Something you should do is put a switch on the headlight so you can turn it off when starting the bike. That light draws some amps!!! I put my switch at the light plug on the bulb....
That's why I don't like riding my wife's Bandit 1200S. And prefer MY bike!*** I borrowed my friend's GSXR 750 for the weekend and really got to know it. What a fun bike that is once I got used to it. So effortless to go fast in the straights as well as through the twisties. Still, I missed my bike and actually prefer to work harder to go fast on a slower bike.
Hmmm - the question now, is WHY did that fuse blow? That's NOT a common one to die! If I was you - I'd be VERY careful for your next few rides, and keep checking that it's OK!OK, so the bike is apparently fixed. It was a simple matter of a blown fuse. Apparently the "large 40A fuse" was blown and the replacement of it fixed the problem. Thank god it was a simple fix. Let's hope that it doesn't happen again. I haven't had a chance to really ride it since I got it back. Maybe later this week. Any idea where I can get that specific fuse? The shop only had a large 30A fuse and they said that I should get the proper fuse before I take it out. They said that I can find it at pep boys.
How did you manage to touch the two terminals together? And for the fuse to blow, you'd have had to touch the output side of the fuse to an earth (frame - negative side of battery) somehow.Actually, now that I think about it, the positive terminal did touch the negative causing a spark when I installed the new battery. The problem was more acute after that. I think that could have caused the fuse failure.
Edit: they said that they checked all other electricals with a meter to make sure the problem wasn't elsewhere and found everything normal. Now, I would need to order a few 40A fuses to carry on my ride to make sure I won't get stranded.