Joined
·
70 Posts
Bike is a 2011 XL1200 Custom Sportster
I used a FLUKE meter for all my testing.
Open Circuit Voltage is 13.0 volts
Key on ready to start is 12.5 volts
Idle speed charging system is 14.0 volts
Ohm value form negative battery post to primary cover case bolt is 1.1 Ohms
Not real scientific, but I can’t find anywhere on “How to determine If the battery is junk” so I came up with this. The Ohms from the negative battery post to the primary case bolt looks good to me (maybe I’m wrong). The drop in voltage while cranking is the problem I’m having as a (hold my breath) “slow crank at first then starts” (exhale and thank god I’m not stuck somewhere moment). It still has the original factory battery and it’s on a battery tender.
I started the bike eight times and the voltage range was 5.5 volts while cranking to 10 volts. Two times the voltage was 10 and it cranked well with no hesitation. The rest of the time the voltage was 6.5 to 5.5 volts and it cranked slow (hesitated) and started as always but recovered to 12.25 volts after the buttons was released.
“The Test”
I would turn on the key and let all lights go off, then start the engine for five seconds and record the lowest value as the engine was cranking on the FLUKE meter and turned the engine off for one minute and repeated eight times total (why eight times, I don’t know it’s a number I picked).
Question, Time for a new battery?
Thanks,
Grampa Kracker
I used a FLUKE meter for all my testing.
Open Circuit Voltage is 13.0 volts
Key on ready to start is 12.5 volts
Idle speed charging system is 14.0 volts
Ohm value form negative battery post to primary cover case bolt is 1.1 Ohms
Not real scientific, but I can’t find anywhere on “How to determine If the battery is junk” so I came up with this. The Ohms from the negative battery post to the primary case bolt looks good to me (maybe I’m wrong). The drop in voltage while cranking is the problem I’m having as a (hold my breath) “slow crank at first then starts” (exhale and thank god I’m not stuck somewhere moment). It still has the original factory battery and it’s on a battery tender.
I started the bike eight times and the voltage range was 5.5 volts while cranking to 10 volts. Two times the voltage was 10 and it cranked well with no hesitation. The rest of the time the voltage was 6.5 to 5.5 volts and it cranked slow (hesitated) and started as always but recovered to 12.25 volts after the buttons was released.
“The Test”
I would turn on the key and let all lights go off, then start the engine for five seconds and record the lowest value as the engine was cranking on the FLUKE meter and turned the engine off for one minute and repeated eight times total (why eight times, I don’t know it’s a number I picked).
Question, Time for a new battery?
Thanks,
Grampa Kracker