| Maintain your Battery and check your
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| | The system voltage should rise with
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| charging system!9 times out of 10 the
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| | engine RPM. A voltage of around 13.5 to
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| reason why your bike won't start is
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| | about 14.5 should be displayed. If the
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| usually because of the battery condition
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| | voltage stays constant and/or is slowly
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| or loose connections. A charging system
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| | decreasing, or if the voltage rises above
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| failure is less likely but is still
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| | 14.7 volts the charging system is not
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| possible.I will talk about both of them
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| | functioning.What do you do now? You have
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| here.First look at your battery
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| | to check two things. The Stator and the
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| connections. Check for obvious and
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| | Regulator. The stator creates an AC
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| easiest to fix problems first. A loose
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| | voltage. The regulator changes the AC to
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| connection, poor ground etc. will likely
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| | DC voltage and also maintains that
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| cause intermittent operation of the
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| | voltage at the proper level.The Stator
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| starting and charging systems. If you
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| | can be checked with the Ohms function on
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| find a loose connection and/or corrosion,
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| | your meter. Locate and remove the plug
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| clean the connections with a wire
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| | for the stator on the front of the engine
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| brush.Before re-attaching apply a little
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| | block. You will see two or three pins
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| grease to the contact points. The grease
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| | inside.Set the meter for low Ohms, and
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| helps to prevent any of the white
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| | measure the continuity between these
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| corrosion residues building up around the
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| | pins. 5 Ohms or less is what you are
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| battery terminals.Try and start her up
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| | looking for here. Set the meter to the
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| now. You still have a problem? Go down
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| | highest setting. With 1 lead attached to
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| to the mall and buy yourself a small
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| | a metal part of bike check for continuity
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| electronic multimeter. (Make sure it has
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| | to each pin. You meter should read
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| both AC and DC volt functions, as well as
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| | infinite, or no continuity. If these
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| a continuity (or OHMS)function. Pull out
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| | tests check out then your stator is fine.
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| the battery and set it on a counter. Set
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| | If there is a fault in any of these
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| your multimeter to DC volts. Measure the
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| | tests, then see your dealerThe regulator
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| Battery voltage by placing the red lead
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| | is the easiest of all to check. The
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| on the positive and the Black on the
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| | regulator is made of solid state
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| negative.The voltage read should be
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| | electronics and can't be opened. Replace
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| around 12.5 volts (higher is OK) If the
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| | the regulator if everything else on the
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| voltage is less than this it may indicate
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| | charging system checks out or if there is
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| a poor battery. Notice I say, "may" here
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| | an overcharging situation.On most
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| because the bike's charging system might
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| | Harley's you will not know if the
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| be at fault. In this case the battery
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| | charging system is beginning to fail.
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| will most likely be OK.Confirm that the
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| | The evidence shows up when you have dim
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| electrolyte level in each cell of the
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| | lights or she just won't start. There
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| battery is good. Add distilled water
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| | are aftermarket accessories that you can
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| only to cell's with a low level.
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| | install on your bike that will tell you
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| (Obviously you cannot add water to a
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| | the current state of the charging
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| maintenance free battery) Charge the
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| | system.Save yourself some bucks here!!
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| battery overnight with a slow charger
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| | With a simple multimeter available from
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| only. Motorcycle batteries cannot handle
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| | any Electronics parts store you can
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| a fast charge. Make sure the charger
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| | troubleshoot your charging system and
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| only charges at a rate of 2 amps or
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| | check your battery and most likely repair
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| less.Install the battery and try and
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| | any problems yourself.Keith Nivon is an
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| start her again. If she still won't go
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| | avid Harley Davidson Motorcycle
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| buy a new battery and your problem will
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| | Enthusiast! His website contains
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| likely be fixed. If she starts and runs
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| | information on all things Harley
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| like a charm, then you have to find out
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| | Davidson. is a great resource for
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| why the battery went dead. You need to
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| | anyone who shares a passion for Harley
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| check the charging system.With the engine
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| | Davidson Motorcycles. Have a look at
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| running, place the multimeter leads on
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| | for more information.
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| the battery. Rev the engine a little.
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