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Cruiser
Posts: 171
San Antonio, Texas | OK, guys, I've never had a bike that measured battery output before until my 2008 VV Tour. I don't pay much attention to the gauge, but the other day I noticed that at idle it read 14.2 or so, but if I applied the brake, it dropped to 12.5 or so. Off idle or at speed---14.2, but at idle it drops when I put on the brakes and very slowly comes back up when I release the brake. If I'm at idle and run it down to 12.5 then let it sit for a few minutes, it recovers to 13.5 but sort of hangs there unless I give it some gas, then it's back to 14.2 until I do something to drop it back down. It is the original battery from 2008. Is this an indication that I'm getting close to needing a new battery-or is it normal and I just didn't notice it before? Thanks for your advice and opinions. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1359
New Bohemia, Va | my input is that it's about time to replace your battery if it is the original. At least that is a cheap ($70) elimination that will eventually lead you there anyways. If it still does the same thing after replacing the battery you have a short somewhere. If you don't feel you need to replace your battery, at least clean, grease (dielectric), and tighten the battery connections, to see what happens.
Personally, I'm a little leary with the battery issues, because low voltage can also lead to failures in your electronics that you wouldn't lose otherwise. Play it safe. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | Mine has been doing it since day one, original battery, also. The observance you indicate is also why you get the feeling that the heated seat and handgrips seems to turn off and on. It is like most vehicles, at idle they produce just enough electricity to keep you going, which is why some vehicles lights at idle dim ever so lightly and of course if you add stereo with amps, when the bass hits the lights dim, at speed normally no dimness. |
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Tourer
Posts: 432
Gettysburg, 2008 Tour Premium | This sounds like normal operation to me. The real test of battery condition is its ability to deliver amperage and its recovery from a draw down of stored energy. The gauge reads charging system voltage, not battery condition. Battery codition can figure in to the gauge readings such as if your battery had sulphated plates if would tend to read high most of the time because the battery would 'resist' taking a full charge. In this case the battery would read low static voltage but we use VOLTAGE as an indicator of a battery's ability to deliver amperage (current) because they have a tendency to mirror each other. I think the service manual should give some tests Victory deems adequate for judging battery condition.
Edited by wroman 2011-05-18 9:15 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 1359
New Bohemia, Va | Hmmm, sorry I would have to agree, I'll watch mine on the way home today, but my point is that if you think you have problems, replace the battery, it almost always ends up that way. Sorry if I misled, and thanks to Walter and Brian for giving a better answer. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | Magic,
Mine does the same thing. Just keep riding and have fun!
Ride Safe! |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| Simple swing into a battery store and ask them to do a load test on your bat. Before going put a good ten miles on so your fully charged. Check your battery cables and if so desire add star washers from the hardware store now they will not loosen up on you.
Keep in mind the amp gauge is telling you that your charging!!!! It does NOT tell you battery strength or condition. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | I also agree with the long lost VAakaCapnNemoRyder - if it looks funky, smells funky, probably is funky or a battery. The battery as stated above does give symptoms to send you on other electrical gremlin chases only to find out the battery is the culprit. Ride on, I'm only trying to keep up with half of Cap'n Nemo's miles and he has replaced more pieces than I have even thought to look at yet. I bet I'm just a stuck bearing away from being stranded on the side of the road, no help in sight and no Mastercard to get me there. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1324
So Cal | Mine will read anywhere between 12.4 & 14.2 at idle depending on battery state of charge. When I first bought the bike (early 2008) I had battery problems. I do a lot of city riding. My dealer was 50 mi. away. By the time I got to the dealer, the battery was fully charged and no problem was found. Second time I had a problem, went to the local Honda dealer and bought one for a gold wing. Yuwasa (?) gma battery. Same part number except for the last two letters. No problems after that. In fact, after my accident the adjuster noticed a crack along the top of the battery and it still worked for two more weeks! Needless to say, I replaced it with the same battery from the same dealer. |
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battery question