parasitic draw on interstate

[Oss]

I got a new battery this spring and had a nice 3000 mile ride last month
had not ridden the bike since mid June
This evening I went to start the bike and so dead no lights on dash even lite up
it is parked in my garage out of the sun

I have suspected a parasitic draw for a while

how do I go about trying to isolate it?

It is now on my bmw 2 amp charger

[Valkorado]

Have you installed a bluetooth receiver? If not look for anything installed on a hot wire before the ignition that could be pulling power continually.

My bluetooth is unswitched and always on.  It's low draw but it can suck the juice down.  No problem since at home I use a trickle charger/desulphator. I left the fuse accessible so I can pull it when I'm traveling or during the winter off season.

This summer's flying by.  Sorry for the using the "w" word.

[Jess from VA]

New battery or not, why do you suspect a parasitic draw if it has not run since mid June (in hot summer)?

A stock interstate has some memory items in the dash (speedo & radio), but draw is really minimal.  Do you have anything added?

If the battery went clear to the bottom, it may now be unreliable (or not).   

[Avanti]

A Signal Boss has some draw if you have one installed.

[sandy]

Evan; If you have a Volt Ohm meter, disconnect the neg terminal. Hook up the meter between the neg battery and the neg wire. With key “on” check the milliohms. Pull 1 fuse at a time till the reading drops. That will tell you which circuit may have an excessive draw.

[RonW]

Key should be OFF. 

If memory serves, should not exceed 50 milliamps.

 

[sandy]

Key should be OFF. 

If memory serves, should not exceed 50 milliamps.

 

I stand corrected also it should have been milliamperes , not ohms.

[Challenger]

I found the draw on my I/S by accident.  I replaced the brake light with an LED bulb and noticed one night while it was sitting  in the garage that the tail light was barley glowing. Found the Audiovox Cruise Control was bleeding through the brake wire. Probably not your problem, but shows you how weird electrical gremlins can be.

[Bagger John - #3785]

The I/S stereo radio and the Hondaline CB radio will both put enough of a draw on the battery that it'll noticeably decrease its available power in one to two weeks. As in, may not start the bike.

FWIW, the previous GLs which were equipped with battery-backed memory will do same.

Simple fix is to keep the bike connected to a Battery Tender any time it won't be ridden for more than a day or two.

[Earl43P]

The I/S stereo radio and the Hondaline CB radio will both put enough of a draw on the battery that it'll noticeably decrease its available power in one to two weeks. As it, may not start the bike.

Mine has an AGM and stays charged enough to reliably start after 4 weeks, maybe more. I would never expect it to be completely dead like his was after 7 weeks.

Simple fix is to keep the bike connected to a Battery Tender any time it won't be ridden for more than a day or two.   I do use a tender, but mostly in the winter months when I ride less.

Evan, you don't need a multi-meter if you aren't competent with one. KISS method: Take off the Battery negative terminal. With key off, touch it back to the battery- post in dim light, not sunlight. Note the sound and spark intensity when you touch it back to the battery. Pull suspect circuit fuses one at a time until the spark intensity is negligible and almost silent, that last fuse is the circuit pulling the draw. 

If it never lessens, suspect the alternator. Disconnecting its B+ lead will tell that tale.
Highly unlikely to be the alternator, but possible. Also possible is any accessory you have connected directly to B+, so do those by pulling their inline fuse.

Good luck,

[Oss]

Thanks all

I will charge the battery when I wake up so there is enough juice to test
edit

all day on the tender then the smart charger   The battery is totally dead

I am charging a just about dead battery overnight so I can do the multimeter tests tomorrow

I did buy a usb charger tail before my last trip and wonder if that is the culptit if not the fog circuit

[3W-lonerider]

I did buy a usb charger tail before my last trip

depending on the type of usb charger. yes. they are active and bleed off even if nothing is plugged into them.

[Jims99]

Just left my usb charger on (switched) last Sunday, went to start bike Friday, dead battery. So I agree, could very well be the usb.

[Oss]

Battery is still dead as a doornail   

I emailed the folks that sold me the YUASA battery and for 9.95 will send me a new one after I take a pic showing its dead, dead dead   Kinda like the wicked witch of the west after she got melted

In the meantime I have learned a lesson   Just not sure what it is yet besides
a  Only plug in a usb charger into the charging tail while riding
b  use the DAMN SMART CHARGER THAT DESULFATES ETC (ok jess?) if more than a week off the bike
c   pull fuses one at a time to see what else is drawing once I get that new battery in the bike

I have one old battery that I have charged up to   wow   3.5 volts,  so during this weekend I will see it I can track anything down    

Thanks for the input  appreciate it !

I have a Battery Minder Model 128CEC1  

[Jess from VA]

b  use the trickle charger if more than a week off the bike

Not a trickle charger Evan, a low voltage smart charger that cycles on and off.

Get one with an in line fuse, and run it from a GFCI protected plug, or use a power strip with another fuse in it.  

I've used these for many years with no trouble or fire or cooked battery, and my batteries last a long time.  They come with a pigtail to run to the battery terminals and I ziptie the SAE plug to the frame down by a passenger peg.  Ride in, and plug in, every time.  A steady green led means the battery is topped up.  It comes with a 12 foot cord, if it's farther far from your electrical plug, you can get extensions.

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-0123-Junior-Charger/dp/B000CITK8S/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=94ZBZTYWGMK6&keywords=battery+tender+jr&qid=1660009863&sprefix=battery+tneder+jr%2Caps%2C149&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=AC0UA62Z9ZBMG&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExN01FT1FBTVBJTEdIJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjI4MTQ0MzBRMTVWSkRCVkI2WCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjg2MTEzMUVPMjA3OEpMSE5KRiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

[Oss]

Warranty  honored and new battery on its way
9.95 shipping  ok in my book
Parts giant  

Battery charged friend coming over tomorrow morning so we can try to trace the draw

[Oss]

surprise

The red positive cable that goes from starter to battery was so fatigued that it actually broke on the battery side when I was trying to get the battery in the compartment it slides into  So perhaps the battery was never getting the benefit of a full charge?

Ordered a new one off ebay and it will arrive by next weekend

We did test and there was no draw coming from the usb connection  That was a nice surprise.

Some of the connections on the aux fuse panel we will redo next weekend when we get that large gauge wire back on and will clean up all the connections under the seat.  

fortunately I have a spare bike to ride

I did ride Steve's Harley after lunch.  I believe it has around 150 hp, a very heavy duty clutch as he had blown thru one before, switched from belt to huge chain drive, modified the spoke wheels so he can run tubeless tires.  I forget the process.    it almost looks like chopped.
minimalist no bags or trunk just a shorty windscreen .  Custom paint job he did himself.

The thing rides like a monster less than 500 lbs, fuel injected pulled like a rocket 3   I had fun riding it for a while on some local roads and opening it up on 9a

Next week I will take a picture of it

[RonW]

"The red positive cable that goes from starter to battery was so fatigued that it actually broke on the battery side"

I guess it's worth inspecting that 20 year old crimp. Does copper get brittle from conducting electricity heating it up?

[Willow]

surprise

The red positive cable that goes from starter to battery was so fatigued that it actually broke on the battery side ...

I had the same issue with my Istate.  Symptoms made me believe I had a failing alternator but it was only the cable that was failing.