Radio/CB backup circuit killing battery

[ray3055]

Went to use the trike today and the battery only showed 8 volts it was working fine over the weekend so I figured there must be a draw on the battery. I put a test light across the neg terminal and cable and there was a low volt slow pulsing, it just turned the filament in the bulb a dull red. I started pulling fuses and it finally went out when I pilled the backup fuse in the relay box. Any ideas why this would happen all of a sudden. I sent the radio out for repair for low volume and the backup fuse kept blowing, they found no fault with the radio and it turned out to be the C1 #18 cable was pushed out of the connector half way. I fixed the tab and its been working fine for the past 6 mo.

[ct1500]

What you are seeing with the test light is probably the normal Honda specification draw of up to 5mA.

Fully charge the battery and re-test using a meter capable of reading mA. Normal draw is around 3mA. Test charging system output voltage at battery during idle and again at 2k RPM. Have the battery load tested.

[ray3055]

Thanks for the reply, the charging voltage is 14.2 at idle and 14.1 at 2k. I am charging the battery now and will bring to a local shop to have it load tested. Thanks again.

[tfdeputydawg]

One of the reasons I always plug my wings battery into a battery maintainer(not a trickle charger)every time I park it in the garage! BTW, the battery was 10yrs old before I replaced it!!! It still tested good but, I was concerned with it's age.

[Alan_Hepburn]

Want a nice little tool for finding out how much current is flowing through various cicuits? Check out this tool from Harbor Freight. You pull the fuse from the circuit in question and plug this guy in it's place - it'll tell you how much current is flowing, up to 30A.

[WingAdmin]

Want a nice little tool for finding out how much current is flowing through various cicuits? Check out this tool from Harbor Freight. You pull the fuse from the circuit in question and plug this guy in it's place - it'll tell you how much current is flowing, up to 30A.

I've got one of these and works great! It's a shunt ammeter, so it has limited accuracy at lower draw rates, and if you exceed its limit, you burn it up, but used correctly, it works perfectly.

[ray3055]

Well I charged up the battery and had it load tested, the battery was rated 330CCA when new and after three load tests during the day it passed and came back as 270CCA. I just finished putting it back in and the draw was 2.3ma. It is charging 14.21 at the battery at idle. Maybe one of the million relays in this thing got stuck?? Let's just hope this doesn't happen again. Thanks for every ones thoughts and ideas.

[newday777]

Well I charged up the battery and had it load tested, the battery was rated 330CCA when new and after three load tests during the day it passed and came back as 270CCA. I just finished putting it back in and the draw was 2.3ma. It is charging 14.21 at the battery at idle. Maybe one of the million relays in this thing got stuck?? Let's just hope this doesn't happen again. Thanks for every ones thoughts and ideas.

Did you use a battery charger to charge it or just run the bike? You didn't say but mentioned idle volts....
You haven't said how long it sets between rides or if you keep it on a battery tender between rides???
You said it's been fine for the past 6 months in your original question. Your profile says you are in MA. Putting 2+2 together says it sets for a longer time than used in the past 6 months. (I'm from NH). I would assume...but you know what that gets ya.

[ray3055]

I charged the battery with a charger before and after the load tests. I try to ride at least once a week now that the weather is better and not raining. I had just gone for a 2hr ride a few days before so I knew the battery was fully charged plus I added a digital volt meter to keep track of the voltage. I installed a 90A alternator this past winter because the old one seemed a little week. I keep the bike in storage over the winter and only install the battery when I work on it otherwise it's on a battery tender. The battery is AGM and I got it 08/2019. I live in a condo so I can't keep it on the battery tender all the time when not in use.

[Charlie1Horse]

Pretty good since this is only 04/2019.

[newday777]

I charged the battery with a charger before and after the load tests. I try to ride at least once a week now that the weather is better and not raining. I had just gone for a 2hr ride a few days before so I knew the battery was fully charged plus I added a digital volt meter to keep track of the voltage. I installed a 90A alternator this past winter because the old one seemed a little week. I keep the bike in storage over the winter and only install the battery when I work on it otherwise it's on a battery tender. The battery is AGM and I got it 08/2019.

I live in a condo so I can't keep it on the battery tender all the time when not in use.

Get yourself a solar batter tender

[ray3055]

Sorry I'm old and have a hard time remembering what year it is that was 08/2018

[ray3055]

I took the battery off the charger put it in the bike and went for a ride with the wife, we stopped to get something to eat and when I went to start the bike --8Volts-- on the meter. Good thing I carry a jumper box in the trunk, got the bike started went home took the battery out and went to where I bought it. It has a 1yr replacement warranty, they said they had to charge and test it and would call me later in the day to give me the results. No call that night and nothing in the morning so I called them at noon. They said that the battery was still charging and was between 75% & 100%, they asked when I dropped it off and I told them yesterday -dead silence- they asked how many volts showed when it was dropped off, I told them their meter said 10 1/2V, how many now 11 volts please come inn and get your new battery. We went for a group ride today no problems we stopped 4 times and the bike started with just a touch of the starter. I did order the solar panel charger to keep it topped off. Thanks for every ones help.

[newday777]

Glad you got it figured out.

[WingAdmin]

I took the battery off the charger put it in the bike and went for a ride with the wife, we stopped to get something to eat and when I went to start the bike --8Volts-- on the meter. Good thing I carry a jumper box in the trunk, got the bike started went home took the battery out and went to where I bought it. It has a 1yr replacement warranty, they said they had to charge and test it and would call me later in the day to give me the results. No call that night and nothing in the morning so I called them at noon. They said that the battery was still charging and was between 75% & 100%, they asked when I dropped it off and I told them yesterday -dead silence- they asked how many volts showed when it was dropped off, I told them their meter said 10 1/2V, how many now 11 volts please come inn and get your new battery. We went for a group ride today no problems we stopped 4 times and the bike started with just a touch of the starter. I did order the solar panel charger to keep it topped off. Thanks for every ones help.

Be careful with solar panel chargers. The Battery Tender Solar Charger will automatically shut off and float charge when the battery is full. If you hook up a solar panel directly to a battery, it will continue to try to charge the battery when it is already full, and this can destroy a battery very quickly.

I've used this little widget before: Battery Tender Solar Controller. You hook up the solar panel to it, and then it hooks up to your battery. It then charges the battery, but shuts off and converts to a float charge once the battery is full, instead of overcharging it.

[ray3055]

Yes I did get the Battery Tender Solar Panel Charge Controller, I don't need any more battery problems this year. Thanks