Emergency Electrical Help Needed.

[Ricky-D]

I think that if you are getting power at any point you are testing it should be the same as the battery.

That would be 12 volt plus or minus depending on the condition of the battery.

I don't believe there are any low voltage circuits on the Valkyrie so,

That low voltage reading you are getting makes me think you have lost a ground someplace and the result is that something is looking for a ground through the switch. 

I'd suggest looking at any aftermarket add-ons, lighting or gauges , anything that is powered.

***

[TearlessTom]

But what am I looking for when I look at them?

[gordonv]

I think that if you are getting power at any point you are testing it should be the same as the battery.

That would be 12 volt plus or minus depending on the condition of the battery.

I don't believe there are any low voltage circuits on the Valkyrie so,

Depends on the meter he is using. My digital one gives me low voltage readings, like .25, when there is nothing. My analog one shows nothing on the same circuit. I'm thinking Tom has a digital meter?

So Tom, where are you at now? Have you read the posts from today and followed them?

[Thunderbolt]

or connector somewhere along the way before it gets to the switch.  Follow the path of the wiring, seems like it was in an out of the way spot.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

My interstate did the same thing not too long ago. I rode it arround all morning parked it in the garage and two hours later  got ready to leave for work and had nothing. It was the battery, it had died in two hours. Next day new battery (charged overnight) it fired up like new and has been running great ever since. My battery was about 3 1/2 years old.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I had a problem with the connector on what I think was the "bank angle sensor" once. It was 'more or less' between the seat-lock and the battery and was very difficult to reach. The way I found it was by touching and wiggling everything I could with the ignition on until I saw a reaction. I know it sounds brutal but doing the same thing or something similar might help you find the problem.

Since the bike was running fine till you shut it off with the kill switch and since you had a blown fuse that must have blown either when you shut it off or when you powered it up I wonder if you could have a short to ground in the kill switch somehow?

[gordonv]

Those would all be reasons why your bike wont start/run. But his bike has no electrical power when he turns the switch on.

I know we all want to help, but we need to find out why he has no power, not why his bike wont turn over and run.

It's is ieasy, he doesn't have electricity running through the switch (or before/after it), but it comes down to when he turns the switch to on/run, he gets nothing.

My knowledge is limited, as I'm not a professional electriciton, but I have maybe 10 years doing electronices. I also don't know this bike well enough to know what little things might go wrong, but I know the tilt sensor kills the engine, not the power. Just like the kill switch, ut power still goes to the lights.

Tom says he has battery power, that is how he's able to tell. If we all start telling him to look herre, look there, on unrelated issues, all he is doing is getting frustrated and wasting time.

Sorry if I'm rubbing anyone wrong, but this is one thing I know, and is also why I hate doing electrical, as it could be anything, but lets first find out why he doesn't have power, not why it won't start, then I'll bow away to others who know better (rant over).

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Those would all be reasons why your bike wont start/run. But his bike has no electrical power when he turns the switch on.

I know we all want to help, but we need to find out why he has no power, not why his bike wont turn over and run.

It's is ieasy, he doesn't have electricity running through the switch (or before/after it), but it comes down to when he turns the switch to on/run, he gets nothing.

My knowledge is limited, as I'm not a professional electriciton, but I have maybe 10 years doing electronices. I also don't know this bike well enough to know what little things might go wrong, but I know the tilt sensor kills the engine, not the power. Just like the kill switch, ut power still goes to the lights.

Tom says he has battery power, that is how he's able to tell. If we all start telling him to look herre, look there, on unrelated issues, all he is doing is getting frustrated and wasting time.

Sorry if I'm rubbing anyone wrong, but this is one thing I know, and is also why I hate doing electrical, as it could be anything, but lets first find out why he doesn't have power, not why it won't start, then I'll bow away to others who know better (rant over).

It's been several years since I had the problem with the tilt sensor if that's what it was and I've worked on too many things since then to remember many details. I do know that I saw or heard a reaction when I found the problem. Can't remember if I had a finger on the starter button or if I saw instrument lights come on but I think it was lights. Perhaps it wasn't a tilt sensor, I was just happy to make a good connection and have the scooter back on the road and didn't investigate further.

You're not rubbing me wrong, I never let my ego get involved when troubleshooting. I learned long ago to never get emotionally attached to my diagnosis because that prevents me from seeing new facts as they develop. Problem solving is just that, problem solving. I've found it helpful to hear everyone's take on a specific problem just as I've found it helpful in a new job to be trained by several people who each have different ways of doing the same thing, in this way you can learn perspective and develop your own, frequently better way of solving the problem at hand.

[flcjr]

this is weired!! Same thing happened to me sunday.. started valk rode it to costco [ 20 miles]when in for steaks for dinner came out all dead no lights. battery seemed ok would light a test light. fuses ok. trailered home. gott out volt meter and checked at battery terminals wich were clean and tight. 12volts. turned on swith and voltage dropped to .5 volts  Battery shorted internal. replaced battery and checked alternator all ok working great now.

[TearlessTom]

I think that if you are getting power at any point you are testing it should be the same as the battery.

That would be 12 volt plus or minus depending on the condition of the battery.

I don't believe there are any low voltage circuits on the Valkyrie so,

Depends on the meter he is using. My digital one gives me low voltage readings, like .25, when there is nothing. My analog one shows nothing on the same circuit. I'm thinking Tom has a digital meter?

So Tom, where are you at now? Have you read the posts from today and followed them?

Hey Gordon, thanks for the rant.   you are right but I don't mind the various ideas, it gives me something to think about.
I had the SO pick up a few more 30A fuses for me last night so I would have plenty just to make sure it was not in that area. Fuses do not blow now.?  I
I had a long shift yesterday and today,(Wednesday) so I will not get home till after midnight tonight.
I Think my next step is to retrace my steps like Ricky D suggested to see if I can find a ground before I cut open the wiring harness to start looking there.


Things I did between running and not were to tighten my exhaust manifold  (should not be an issue) and I re-plugged in the radio quick connect after I was doing some work on the front end.  IT was a quick connect with 3 wires, Positive, Neg Ground, and a wire to an ignition source. I wired it to the battery hot,  , ground to chassy, and the ignition source wire to the 5 amp fuse in the fuse box,  (the fuse didn't blow so I doubt that is it. ) I also have some PIAA lights that I will retrace. and a cruse control, neither of which I would think would cause this kind of problem.

Tomorrow I will also recheck the chassy ground, It looks tight but I have not laid a wrench on it. and start tracing wires.

Friday I leave on Vacation.

So my "temporary solution" (this is what I told the SO) for the trip is  (don't laugh) I am on my way to the Credit Union to pick up a check for a 2006 Harley Davidson Street Glide that I found a few miles away.  The guy is out of work and desperate to get rid of it so he is selling quite a bit under book.

I figure worse case scenario I can sell it for more than I paid when I get back if I have a little patience.

[gordonv]

I was just trying to stick to the problem at hand, no electricity, and not run off in other directions that have no bearing (IMO) with the problem, and didn't want anyone to get their nose out of joint, as this only written media.

OK, so you didn't "just rode it home and turned it off, and came back to a bike that wouldn't start". Things like that we need to know. But that was a very good point from flcjr, you might have 12V at the battery, but any AMPs?

Have you hooked another battery up to it yet? 12V doesn't mean any AMPs to run the bike.

Also, when testing, I'm hoping you're not grounding your meter to the battery, but to the frame, when you test for V at points.

But I'll wait till you come back with your findings of power at the switch, or as posted, at the fuse block with the switch turn on.

[Ricky-D]

I want to add here that 12 volts is not an acceptable value for the battery.

!2 volts is an indication of a discharged battery.

A 12 volt battery in good condition of charge should register at least 12.7 volts.

Now that doesn't seem like such a big difference but believe me, it is a big difference.

***

[gordonv]

I want to add here that 12 volts is not an acceptable value for the battery.
!2 volts is an indication of a discharged battery.
A 12 volt battery in good condition of charge should register at least 12.7 volts.
Now that doesn't seem like such a big difference but believe me, it is a big difference.

Point well taken. Once I see the 12 I stop looking for the rest. I'm usually looking for continuity of power, not how much I have. But like mentioned, try a jumper from a know good battery.

[valkyriemc]

Make sure that when your measuing your bat voltage, that the key is on, and the fuse is good etc. My Interstate wouldn't start after a gas up and it ended up being the battery, which started the bike 1.5 hours earlier that morning. I had zero lights -nothing when it died.

The key to getting an accurate reading is getting the battery under some load. Mine droped to two volts, when the ignition went to on, but measured 12.3 under no load-(key off). If the key is not "on" the bat is not under any appreciable load. If you already have proven this _sorry.

[TearlessTom]

I am checking the voltage from the Positive to the frame.  At the battery and fuse and fusible link I am reading a bit over 12V about 12.3-12.5 .
The battery is only 6 months old but has discharged a time or two. If I don't start the bike for a week or so it will be dead.

I had it hooked to a charger at one point while testing.  Would this count as Amperage or do I need to hook another battery to it?

[gordonv]

I had it hooked to a charger at one point while testing.  Would this count as Amperage or do I need to hook another battery to it?

That would be amperage, but it may not be enough to start the bike, till the battery charges.

Your battery shouldn't discharge in only a week to the point it wont start, sounds like either a bad battery or something is discharging it over that time. My old battery dies after a few months.

I would suggest you take your auto battery (car turned OFF), and jump to your bike battery, and turn on/start. If you then get power, then your bike battery is hooped again. If still nothing, then you'r still looking for V at the switch/fuse block.

[TearlessTom]

I will try that in AM. Thanks

[wizard -vrccds#125]

Check the starter switch ! When you push it what happens ? Lights go out ! If it is melted like mine was, pull the switch and hot wire at the contasts and it will start but still have no headlight. Easy to try !

[GJS]

The battery is only 6 months old but has discharged a time or two. If I don't start the bike for a week or so it will be dead.

Great thread!
If your battery (or anyone else's for that matter) is dead after a couple of weeks, you have a problem.
Something is drawing something somewhere that needs to be stopped.
My last new battery, after a night of charging, was 13.4. I've seen 13.7.
Sealed Lead Acid batteries (SLA) batteries don't like being discharged very deeply. The design of the battery is for short stints of high amp discharge. In automotive batteries this is often referred to as Cold Cranking Amps. Big short bursts, followed by quick charging again. SLA batteries love to be fully charged.

Good luck.  I would not be surprised to find out that whatever is taking your battery down, is related.

Glenn

[GJS]

One more little tidbit...

It is normal (considered OK)  for a Sealed Lead Acid battery to loose 1% per month, of charge. Keep in mind a 12volt battery is often useless to start anything, near or below 12volts.
High quality big batteries with thick plates loose less. If your not sure when comparing equally sized batteries? Buy the heaviest battery.

Cheers,

[TearlessTom]

this is weired!! Same thing happened to me sunday.. started valk rode it to costco [ 20 miles]when in for steaks for dinner came out all dead no lights. battery seemed ok would light a test light. fuses ok. trailered home. gott out volt meter and checked at battery terminals wich were clean and tight. 12volts. turned on swith and voltage dropped to .5 volts  Battery shorted internal. replaced battery and checked alternator all ok working great now.

I was just trying to stick to the problem at hand, no electricity, and not run off in other directions that have no bearing (IMO) with the problem, and didn't want anyone to get their nose out of joint, as this only written media.

OK, so you didn't "just rode it home and turned it off, and came back to a bike that wouldn't start". Things like that we need to know. But that was a very good point from flcjr, you might have 12V at the battery, but any AMPs?

Have you hooked another battery up to it yet? 12V doesn't mean any AMPs to run the bike.

Also, when testing, I'm hoping you're not grounding your meter to the battery, but to the frame, when you test for V at points.

But I'll wait till you come back with your findings of power at the switch, or as posted, at the fuse block with the switch turn on.

DING!!! DING!!!DING!!!

Folks we have a winner. 

It was the battery after all. Hooked the bike to my wife’s car battery and it fired right up!
Still reading 11.5 volts across the battery now it has been sitting for a week.

Took the battery back to Car Quest where I had bought it back in February. The guy put a meter on it and checked and got the same reading but ZERO AMPS!!!!   

 He sent out for a new replacement battery even though it was beyond the  “6month” replacement period;  and even offered to meet me after they closed to deliver the battery if it came in late due to them being closed tomorrow and Monday.   Great Customer Service.!!!

Thank you all for your help and suggestions!

Now what am I going to do with the HD FLHXI?  It has a few bugs but I am able to work them out and it is a pretty sweet ride?

Tom

[fudgie]

Yea Fudgie for calling this one! 

[TearlessTom]

Battery?
[/quote

Yea Fudgie for calling this one! 

Ooopps Sorry Fudgie, 

I didn't go back far enough in the thread to see you said battery 1st.
 Amperage never occurred to me since I had voltage and it was a new battery.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

He beat my me by about 34 minutes, glad you got it running Tom.

[gordonv]

Battery?
[/quote

Yea Fudgie for calling this one! 

Ooopps Sorry Fudgie, 

I didn't go back far enough in the thread to see you said battery 1st.
 Amperage never occurred to me since I had voltage and it was a new battery.

IAnd I thought it was Ricky-D, so I also went back to the beginning to look also. Good call.