Has anyone thought of running with a second battery?
- 1979wing
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:25 pm
- Location: Winnipeg, MB Canada
- Motorcycle: 1984 GL1200 Aspencade
1979 GL1000K Craig Vetter Edition
1979 CBX-Z
1972 750-4
2003 SilverWing
Has anyone thought of running with a second battery?
I've done some stereo work to my 79 wing, Alpine deck, 4 speakers in my Windjammer, and a Kenwood under seat sub in my Vetter trunk. The sound is awesome, bike going strong, but worried about the strain on the electrical. Was considering a motorcycle gel battery in the trunk to supplement power during short rides. Sub has a volume control, and I can switch off. Would this help?
- WingAdmin
- Site Admin
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- Location: Strongsville, OH
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1982 GL1100A Aspencade (sold)
1989 PC800 (sold)
1998 XV250 Virago (sold)
2012 Suzuki Burgman 400 (wife's!)
2007 Aspen Sentry Trailer
Re: Has anyone thought of running with a second battery?
Batteries can only store what is being put into them. In a car and motorcycle, the battery's main reason for being is to start the bike. Once running, everything electrical on the bike is running from the stator/alternator - including the battery charging circuitry.1979wing wrote:I've done some stereo work to my 79 wing, Alpine deck, 4 speakers in my Windjammer, and a Kenwood under seat sub in my Vetter trunk. The sound is awesome, bike going strong, but worried about the strain on the electrical. Was considering a motorcycle gel battery in the trunk to supplement power during short rides. Sub has a volume control, and I can switch off. Would this help?
If your charging system isn't capable of handling the additional load of your stereo, then adding a second battery will only prolong the problems you have - in addition, it will cause additional load on the charging system trying to charge that second battery as well, which will leave you LESS power available for your stereo.
- 1979wing
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:25 pm
- Location: Winnipeg, MB Canada
- Motorcycle: 1984 GL1200 Aspencade
1979 GL1000K Craig Vetter Edition
1979 CBX-Z
1972 750-4
2003 SilverWing
Re: Has anyone thought of running with a second battery?
How about a more powerful stator? Are those available?
- WingAdmin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 21694
- Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:16 pm
- Location: Strongsville, OH
- Motorcycle: 2000 GL1500 SE
1982 GL1100A Aspencade (sold)
1989 PC800 (sold)
1998 XV250 Virago (sold)
2012 Suzuki Burgman 400 (wife's!)
2007 Aspen Sentry Trailer
Re: Has anyone thought of running with a second battery?
The stator is limited by available space in the motor. There are some larger ones that have a slight bump in power, but if you're looking for a real solution, you're probably wanting to investigate an external alternator conversion like a Poorboy conversion.1979wing wrote:How about a more powerful stator? Are those available?
- SnoBrdr
- Posts: 784
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- Motorcycle: 1978 GL 1000
131K Original Owner
Re: Has anyone thought of running with a second battery?
I shudder everytime someone mentions changing a stator.WingAdmin wrote:The stator is limited by available space in the motor. There are some larger ones that have a slight bump in power, but if you're looking for a real solution, you're probably wanting to investigate an external alternator conversion like a Poorboy conversion.1979wing wrote:How about a more powerful stator? Are those available?
- 1979wing
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:25 pm
- Location: Winnipeg, MB Canada
- Motorcycle: 1984 GL1200 Aspencade
1979 GL1000K Craig Vetter Edition
1979 CBX-Z
1972 750-4
2003 SilverWing
Re: Has anyone thought of running with a second battery?
I was set on having the full Craig Vetter 79 Wing, with all the chrome I could find, and the stereo I couldn't afford in 79, even though I was working as an auto stereo installer in Vancouver. So, my bike is a dream bike, AND a survivor, with 7500 orig. Kms on it, and no major work done.
I was hoping having a second battery in the trunk just for the sub would move it off the grid, and I would use it during a ride, and then charge the battery between rides. I think I'm going to stick with that, as the sub is a bit of a gimmick, kind of like a Dixie air horn, and no, I'm not installing one of those.....
I was hoping having a second battery in the trunk just for the sub would move it off the grid, and I would use it during a ride, and then charge the battery between rides. I think I'm going to stick with that, as the sub is a bit of a gimmick, kind of like a Dixie air horn, and no, I'm not installing one of those.....
- 1979wing
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:25 pm
- Location: Winnipeg, MB Canada
- Motorcycle: 1984 GL1200 Aspencade
1979 GL1000K Craig Vetter Edition
1979 CBX-Z
1972 750-4
2003 SilverWing
Re: Has anyone thought of running with a second battery?
And that will also mean that I leave the electrical system unmolested.