Oh God, What Have I Done!

2867 Views 22 Replies 8 Participants Last post by GatorJoe, Nov 6, 2019

Retired Guy

Discussion Starter · Oct 19, 2019

Either an allergy or a cold had me down for a while. Yesterday was fairly nice and I wanted to go for a ride on the Super Glide.

It's been on a battery tender but, it wouldn't start. When I tried to jump start it, I accidently hooked up cables up backwards!

When I reversed the cables, it still wouldn't start. Today I bought a brand new AGM battery. But I don't want to screw anything up worse than I already have so I haven't put the new battery in yet.

From what I have been able to find on-line, this can cause all kinds of problems or it might not be too bad. I'm thinking I need to haul the bike to a shop, with the new battery, and let a mechanic look at it.

I should post this in the stupid thread. :crying:

Reactions: 2

1 - 20 of 23 Posts

FlipFlop

· #2 · Oct 19, 2019

If you were asking for a vote, I would say properly install the new batter and see what happens. If it is nothing you can say: Phew!

Reactions: 5

mike721

· #3 · Oct 19, 2019

You won’t hurt anything that isn’t hurt already by trying it. Put the battery in and see what it does.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reactions: 3

Retired Guy

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 19, 2019

Okay, I'll try that but I'll have to wait until tomorrow because of the Fall Festival thingamajig at the church. I don't usually attend church anymore, but I get volunteered to do things.

Reactions: 4

Jmacd62

· #5 · Oct 20, 2019

Check the easy stuff first. Odds are good the battery is just to low.
Clean the contacts.
Have you got a voltmeter? You can get a cheep multi meter for under 20 bucks.
Test your existing battery.
Guess it’s a 12 volt system. Fully charged it should read well over 12 volts a new one near 13. Bellow 12 you will have issues starting.
If the battery is reading low put in on a charger, see if it comes up.
SG or specific gravity testers are just a couple of bucks. If it not a sealed battery the cells are worth checking.
If any are low electrolyte not covering plates, top with distilled water.

If your battery is good, something may have blown. Hopefully just a fuse on the ignition system.
Look at the fuses if one is blown it should be obvious.

Putting your new battery in place won’t do any harm.

I’ve never tried to bypass a solenoid on a bike. I suppose you could but?

See less See more

Reactions: 1

GatorJoe

· #6 · Oct 20, 2019

Deirfnitely test voltage if at not at least 12.5 Volts put it on a Charger ..

Reactions: 1

ZXT10D

· #7 · Oct 20, 2019

Aphrodite said:
...I would say properly install the new batter and see what happens. If it is nothing you can say: Phew!

This ^

With a bit of luck it will work out fine. If it doesn't, check the fuses and main fuse.

Good Luck.

Reactions: 1

Retired Guy

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 20, 2019

Thank you all for your thoughts and encouragement. And I have good news. I went out to the shop and uncovered the bike. I have a small multi-meter and I though I would first see if there's any charge in the battery at all.

Yesterday, when I parked it back in the shop, I guess out of habit I plugged in the battery tender. Had green lights on it this morning.

Before I pulled the seat, I just turned the ignition ON. Checked the headlight low/high beam, left and right signals front and rear and brake lights.

Then I though "What the hell" I hit the starter and the darn thing started! Then I checked the odometer, tripometer, the clock and the gear/rpm, everything was working just like it's supposed to.

This bike is my first Harley, it's my newest bike and when I realized I might have fubar'ed it all to hades, I reckon I just went into full blown "What the heck have I done mode".

I did buy a brand new AGM battery and I think I will keep it and install it during some crappy weather time. But thank you all again for the encouragement.

See less See more

Reactions: 5

FlipFlop

· #9 · Oct 20, 2019

Double check it is charging, but am glad it seems to be all good!

-BK

Reactions: 1

Retired Guy

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 21, 2019

I went out and rode it. I rode a short distance (not too far to walk back home) shut it off and it restarted. Did that a couple times, then rode out to Beaver Dam.

Went to the overlook and shut it off. After 10 minutes or so, it started right up. I rode down below the dam and shut it off. Again it started just like it normally would.

Rode around 40 - 50 miles and all seems well. The only major difference between today and when it didn't start, it was 10 to 15 degrees warmer. Hmmmm....

I'm a fair weather rider with an ever fairer weather bike. They say "Live and learn" I'll be glad when I get to the learning part.

Reactions: 3

mike721

· #11 · Oct 21, 2019

Glad to hear it’s ok! Put in the new battery, the old one might be weak, and you should be good to go in any weather.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reactions: 2

Retired Guy

Discussion Starter · #12 · Oct 21, 2019

This just hasn't been my week, and not just the motorcycle too. Maybe I'm starting to go senile or something.

Anyhow, I've got two brand new tires for the bike. Just got a new Harbor Freight motorcycle tire changer and the car tire changer base, the motorcycle tire changer mounts to.

I think I'm going to wait a day or few to see if these gremlins have moved on or if I'm still plagued. Try something easy like filling the truck with diesel. If that goes okay, well then maybe...

Reactions: 1

Unkle Krusty

· #13 · Oct 22, 2019

Aphrodite said:
Double check it is charging, but am glad it seems to be all good!

-BK

Do this, or else.

UK

Reactions: 1

GatorJoe

· #14 · Oct 22, 2019 (Edited)

Just hook your multimeter up to your tender connection set at 20 Volts DC .. Will read in minus volts if polarity not right won't hurt anything .. Read just the Battery First should be at least 12.5 Volts, 12.8 is even better .. Than Crank it up and should read around 13.5-14.5 Volts if charging correctly .. I always tell a few even if don't use a Tender regularly as I do just to be able to simply check your voltage as decribed above is worth having a tender connection .. If get a steady reading of 15+ Volts your battery is bad or your Voltage Regulator needs replaced .. Found out from experience is a good rule of thumb if going to replace your Regulator is good practice to replace your Stator as well and be done with it .. Something waiting to do on my 05 Dyna but so far the Charging System has been perfect on a 15 year old Machine.. ( Knock On Wood )

Reactions: 2

Retired Guy

Discussion Starter · #15 · Oct 26, 2019

Okay Gator. Wrote down all those numbers so I'll have them next time I go out to the shop.

Reactions: 2

Retired Guy

Discussion Starter · #16 · Oct 27, 2019

The old battery, after being off the battery maintainer for 15 to 20 minutes did not measure up to Gator's specs. Bike wouldn't start either. (Sent you a PM Gator with my numbers.)

With the new battery, right out of the box 12.7 volts, bike starts and charges 14.2 something volts.

The battery is a genuine HD battery, none of the month or year tabs were torn out so it might be the original battery and might be 7 years old. (Maybe)

Interesting to me is the only difference between the old and new battery was 0.3 volts (approximately), but all the numbers were above 12 volts.

Thanks to everyone,

hogcowboy

· #17 · Oct 27, 2019

12.7 minus .3 equals 12.4 which equates to shot battery which you proved with the new battery. But put that new battery on a maintainer to get it up to full charge. That is if your maintainer will do it. I have one that will not charge a battery that far down already. But a quick fast charge then switching to a maintainer works every time. Batteries and maintainer are kinda crazy. But you should be okay with yours even with my weak maintainer.

Retired Guy

Discussion Starter · #18 · Oct 27, 2019

When I got everything all put back together, I plugged in the maintainer and after a few seconds, it went into charge mode.

Got a couple different problems now. My eye with the plastic lens is fubar'ed, so seeing is a problem and the other is, ah...rhoids. I can fix one but(t) not the other. Ageing can be frustrating but I'm not ready to thrown in the towel yet.

Pass the mentholatum please.

Reactions: 1

hogcowboy

· #19 · Oct 28, 2019

Retired Guy said:
When I got everything all put back together, I plugged in the maintainer and after a few seconds, it went into charge mode.

Got a couple different problems now. My eye with the plastic lens is fubar'ed, so seeing is a problem and the other is, ah...rhoids. I can fix one but(t) not the other. Ageing can be frustrating but I'm not ready to thrown in the towel yet.

Pass the mentholatum please.

I think the new goto remedy is going to be CBD oils. At least right now it's the hot item.

Retired Guy

Discussion Starter · #20 · Oct 28, 2019

I'll not touch that stuff. I'll not have anything to do with it. There are other, real "medicines" that I have to take, but I'll not buy the BS this is a wonder drug.

Politicians were bought off and now cannabis and cannabis oil is wonderful. I call BS on that. They're going to do more harm than good with this.

Now I haven't researched this myself, but I have a niece that has a green card so she can get this stuff. She told me yesterday, that when she was given her green card, she could no longer purchase a firearm.

Here, take this nice green card, all you have to do is give up your constitutional rights. That price is too high.

Reactions: 2

1 - 20 of 23 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.