Deltarat Posted January 20, 2007 Share #1 Posted January 20, 2007 My 89 VR has been giving me battery problems and I've had to throw a charger on her, or give her a jump to get her going. The problem is I have to remove the tank cover to get to the battery, which means I have to dig out the tool box, find somewhere safe for the cover so it doesnt get scratched, the once the bike starts put it all back together again. Sooooo I was thinking, is it possible to run a low amp charge through the cigarette lighter outlet? I was thinking I would get a trickle charger, wire a aux power plug to it, then just plug it in when the bike is parked. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted January 20, 2007 Share #2 Posted January 20, 2007 Dont know but I am sure gonna watch this post with interest. Really cant see why it wouldnt work though. They advertise those things for cars all the time. The other option is to get a battery tender on it. I believe I've seen those with pig tails coming down so you just have to plug it in once the wires are installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddyRich Posted January 21, 2007 Share #3 Posted January 21, 2007 Yes. But on the RSV you have to leave the key on acc so thecircuit is hot. You should not be charging at more than a couple of amps anyway and the fuse is 5 amps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEER30 Posted January 21, 2007 Share #4 Posted January 21, 2007 I installed a cigarette lighter socket directly to the battery (fused) , mounted behind/under drivers seat . Used doubled sided tape to adhere it to the rear fender . I can connect battery tender to it or used as auxiliary power . Gene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted January 21, 2007 Share #5 Posted January 21, 2007 I had one that was wired directly to the battery and pigtail sticking out to hook up trickle charger. Worked good. You check water in battery?? Sounds like it may be getting old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squidley Posted January 21, 2007 Share #6 Posted January 21, 2007 Orrin, You can absolutely use a battery tender, I use the Jr. on both 1st and 2nd gens. Hook it directly to the battery as it is already fused and on the 1st gen I ran the pigtail out the front by the radiator. I have my G2 hooked up to one right now in the garage. If your bike's battery is starting to give you problems then I would suggest a new one. I installed a PD 680 Oddessy in E-Fishins bike and it seems to be a very nice battery. Freebird has one in his '99 and has been trouble free for 5 years if I'm not mistaken. Here's the tender I use http://batterytender.com/product_info.php?products_id=4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOO Posted January 21, 2007 Share #7 Posted January 21, 2007 I installed a cigarette lighter socket directly to the battery (fused) , mounted behind/under drivers seat . Used doubled sided tape to adhere it to the rear fender . I can connect battery tender to it or used as auxiliary power . Gene I did the same thing except I mounted the lighter plug in the plastic to make it more permanent, also it's a marine type with a rubber plug. But the bottom line is I use it as a battery tender. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Doug Posted January 22, 2007 Share #8 Posted January 22, 2007 Orrin, Why don't you just break down and buy a battery? Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deltarat Posted January 22, 2007 Author Share #9 Posted January 22, 2007 Thanks for all the input, looks like I will be buying a new battery, wiring the lighter so that it is not switched, and installing the pair of squidly's battery cables, probably a weekend project for February. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvercrew Posted January 23, 2007 Share #10 Posted January 23, 2007 On my ummmmmmmmmmm voyager the battery goes dead all the time if you don't ride it for a week. No I don't leave anything on just one of those trates of a voyager. So this year I wired up a cig lighter and installed it under one of the covers on my fairing. I then got a solar panel and put it on the roof of my shed. I have no power out to the shed even though I am a electrician. The panel I got wasn't water proof it is suppose to sit on the dash of a car so I built a glass top to keep water off it. It worked good but it was only 2.2 watts. This spring I will be installing a new panel I got from work that is 55 watts. With the bigger panel I got a charge controller that maintains the voltage of the battery as to not overcharge it. Now everytime I want to go for a ride the bike is all charged up and ready to go as long as I remember to plug in the panel. I love solar. Juat a option if you don't have power close. This is what I will do with all my future bikes venture included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Fulmer Posted January 23, 2007 Share #11 Posted January 23, 2007 Wallyworld (Wal-mart) has a nice little 1.5 amp charger that comes with a lighter plug and a pigtail for less than $20. It also has some nice little lights on it to let you know if it's charging or "floating" I've never used one that I left hooked up but I do put one on my waverunners about every month or so. The lighter plug works great on my dune buggy as the battery is under the seat and not real easy to get to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1bummer Posted March 9, 2007 Share #12 Posted March 9, 2007 If your having a problem with a battery going dead, either the battery needs replacing, the battery isn't getting a good charge, or there is a short. Hook up a volt/ohm meter to check the voltage when it's running. Should be 13v.-15v., if I remember right. Also if ya have alot of lights and or accessories, the charging system may not be able to keep up. You can check for a short simply by removing the negative battery cable and hooking a test light between it and the battery post. If it lights, there's a short. If you do find a short simply remove 1 fuse at a time till the light goes out. Then you have to find what is on that circut that's causing the problem. This all applies to just about any vehicle. Good Lock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timk Posted March 10, 2007 Share #13 Posted March 10, 2007 Here's a little tip on servicing 1st gen batteries. I detested pulling the battery to top it off with distilled water. I had a syringe from one of those ink refill kits. After it was empty, I cleaned it up and made a mark on the needle part to coinside with the upper level of the electrolyte. Push an ounce or so in then pull back, if you get air, push some more in, till you are pulling a little fluid back into the syringe, as soon as it starts suckin air, then it's on to the other 5. I went from servicing once a year to much more often. I use this on new batteries with the acid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cdnlouie Posted March 10, 2007 Share #14 Posted March 10, 2007 I love my accessory plug which I wired up to lighter socket in the fairing panel. I upgraded the fuse and wiring so that it will handle higher wattage. I added an accessory plug socket to my float battery charger and actually move it back and forth between my two bikes. Just plug it in or out with no removal of parts. I added a plug-in socket to my electric gloves and plug them in as well. Much quicker and easier to use than all the hardware that comes with them. I also welded a nut on on the battery cover bolt so you don't need a wrench to unscrew it, easy access. I love the inkjet bottle, got one of those too. Life is good when it is simple, Louie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1bummer Posted March 10, 2007 Share #15 Posted March 10, 2007 I did some stereo work on my bike last night after my last post on this subject. Then I realized that the stereo needs to draw power from the battery to retain the memory. Also I forgot about the digital clock. So there are at least two thing on our bikes that can drain a battery over time. As soon as I can find my volt/Ohm meter I'll try and remember to figure out how much of a drawthere is. I like the syringe idea too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonRider Posted March 11, 2007 Share #16 Posted March 11, 2007 The 1st time my battery went dead, I had to remove the cover to get to the battery, so I figured if I was gonna have to do this again, it would be much easier to jump start or put on the charger if I could access thru the locking cover for the gas tank, so I hooked up to heavy guage wires with terminal attached and ran one down each side of the frame and made them exit out at the gas filler. Now if I have to jump it or put it on the charger, all I have to do is open the gas door and Im all set, saves time and works great...........:cool10: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wild hair 39 Posted March 12, 2007 Share #17 Posted March 12, 2007 jump starting a 1 st gen,is not a good idia,remember allan h at vogel 2 yrs ago,jump started his bike,after liaving the lits on,didn't charge up the battary any,less than a mile down the road,burnt out both the volt reg and the alt,so i don't take any chances,9 volt or more be fore you jump start now that my story and i'm sticking to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wild hair 39 Posted March 12, 2007 Share #18 Posted March 12, 2007 jump starting a 1 st gen,is not a good idia,remember allan h at vogel 2 yrs ago,jump started his bike,after liaving the lits on,didn't charge up the battary any,less than a mile down the road,burnt out both the volt reg and the alt,so i don't take any chances,9 volt or more be fore you jump start now that my story and i'm sticking to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytquin007cox.net Posted November 2, 2008 Share #19 Posted November 2, 2008 is it true that if you jump start your bike with a car batterry you will burn a fuse or worse? what if the car was turned off? do you know how many amps a car batt. puts out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hipshot Posted November 2, 2008 Share #20 Posted November 2, 2008 The 1st time my battery went dead, I had to remove the cover to get to the battery, so I figured if I was gonna have to do this again, it would be much easier to jump start or put on the charger if I could access thru the locking cover for the gas tank, so I hooked up to heavy guage wires with terminal attached and ran one down each side of the frame and made them exit out at the gas filler. Now if I have to jump it or put it on the charger, all I have to do is open the gas door and Im all set, saves time and works great...........:cool10: Lewis! that set up you "jerry rigged", don't sound to sanitary, to me! If you have fuel vapors hanging under the filler cap cover, JUST ONE spark, from a wire, could send you to the E.R., if not worse! might be wrong, here, but i wouldn't want to have that set up on mine. just jt:080402gudl_prv: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thom Posted November 3, 2008 Share #21 Posted November 3, 2008 is it true that if you jump start your bike with a car batterry you will burn a fuse or worse? what if the car was turned off? do you know how many amps a car batt. puts out? you can jump start a bike from a car and no it will not blow a fuse , i have done it many times , the best way to do it is to use the car battery to charge the m/c battery or you have happen what Lowell is talking about , a dead battery is a dead battery and our staters are not the most powerful in the world and you will need a charged battery to power the stater . i have a battery tender plug wired to my battery and the end is in the gas cap area but it is about 18 in. long so when i plug it into my jumper cables or battery tender i am a long way away from the gas cap . i used to carry a spare battery before i changed my starter to a Vmax 4 brush starter , it starts as easy as new wing now , even on the cold days. Thom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytquin007cox.net Posted November 3, 2008 Share #22 Posted November 3, 2008 well had to jump start bike off car last nite put an odessy 680 batt in this am hope i didnt fry any thing . willlet you know. btw.. i know where rectifir is where is alt.? same as stator? mike q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squidley Posted November 3, 2008 Share #23 Posted November 3, 2008 well had to jump start bike off car last nite put an odessy 680 batt in this am hope i didnt fry any thing . willlet you know. btw.. i know where rectifir is where is alt.? same as stator? mike q Alternator is called the stator on the bike, it's on the left side lower forward engine case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytquin007cox.net Posted November 4, 2008 Share #24 Posted November 4, 2008 got it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venturous Randy Posted November 6, 2008 Share #25 Posted November 6, 2008 Lewis! that set up you "jerry rigged", don't sound to sanitary, to me! If you have fuel vapors hanging under the filler cap cover, JUST ONE spark, from a wire, could send you to the E.R., if not worse! might be wrong, here, but i wouldn't want to have that set up on mine. just jt:080402gudl_prv: Lew, I have to agree with hipshot on this one, I would be uncomfortable having any electrical connections in the gas cap box. Just too easy for something going wrong. RandyA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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