A substitute battery

S

SlickRick

XS400 Addict
Messages
125
Reaction score
1
Points
16
Location
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
What can you use, instead of battery, to start your bike when tuning it?? I run down batteries when tuning by on off all the time.

Thank for any ideas.

SlickRick :bike:
 
Do you have an old school battery charger? I just hook one up and run off that. New styles and 'tenders' won't work due to the automatic controls on them.
 
Hi, your right my small charger did the battery in. Old school metal ones? Might find one in a resale shop.
I have a 12 volt regulated supplier and a big car charger ??

Thank you for the tip.

SlickRick
 
Just don't run the car motor while it is hooked up. Or better yet disconnect the battery from the car.
 
I think that there is a risk of charging the small motorcycle battery at too high of rate, especially if it is a deeply discharged dead battery, allowing a lot of current into it, more than the battery can absorb. That causes outgassing of oxygen and hydrogen.
 
Hi guys,

Battery dead, Headlight wont come on, Horn can work. starting??? TCI??? don't know

What steps, in order, should i take to work through this problem?? Not sure but a power source (new battery) keep headlight off, ect.???

Thank for all the help, could not keep this bike running without youu!

SlickRick
 
The first thing is to find out why the battery is dead. Did the battery die with the ignition off? Is it over a year old? Try putting it on a charger overnight then check the voltage. Your battery may have died if your charging system isn't working. If that's the case, you've hit the age old problem and google search on this site will help you out.

Your headlight should not come on unless the bike is running because it needs power from the stator to turn on. Can you get it to start? The horn would still work with the key on and it doesn't draw a lot of power so it would probably work to some extent even if the battery was low.

The TCI is rarely ever broken but the wires into the TCI can go bad. You can check for continuity through the wires to see.
 
I don't know the wiring diagram off the top of my head, but it's probably worth checking out the fuses, or updating the fuse box if it hasn't been already.

I'm not sure of the question or the problem. Does the bike start with a charged battery?
 
Hi,

The story on the battery is I was tuning the bike (getting it to idle correctly) but starting the bike so much the battery worn down(its two years old, the light is on when running didn't help). So I throw on the charger on it and kept it on, finally nothing. Battery won,t take a charge. So something that can keep voltage to bike. I guess I,ll buy a new battery and start there and check out what was suggested.

Thanks
 
That's a good start. Let us know what your voltages at the battery are at 2000 and 5000 rpm. It sounds to me that the battery is fried. While miracles happen and some people get 4 years out of there battery, general life span is only about 1.5 years.
 
I got 10 years out of the one in my 79. :shrug: The one in it now has been in it for 5. I take good care of it tho keeping the fluid full and putting it on a tender in a warm place for the winter.
 

Similar threads

A
Popping from one carb, bike only runs on full choke!
Replies
8
Views
328
The Wang
The Wang
Joe_Delli
Electrical issues: No Power
Replies
9
Views
771
LeBouc
L
N
1979 SX 400 electric start
Replies
4
Views
338
Itschrisb
I
Pmcbee
My xs400 adventure begins!!!
Replies
1
Views
199
CaptChrome
CaptChrome
T
77 xs400 starting problems
2
Replies
39
Views
1K
thecurryman
T
Back
Top