Ncbikebabe
XS650 Enthusiast
just a quick question. on my 72 with kickstart only what size battery should i get and how can i test to make sure the engine is getting spark? yeah i know its a newbie question lol
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Battery and electric question
- Thread starter Ncbikebabe
- Start date
On any year with just kick start most any battery will work. It doesn't take much power to run the ignition. Just be sure you have a switch to shut off the lights when starting, the extra draw of the lights may discharge the battery enough to not power the ignition.
Batteries are sized electrically by an amp/hour rating and a ca rating. The a/h is how long the battery will last when delivering a current draw. The ca rating is the amount of current draw the battery can deliver when cranking an electric start.
A stock battery is a 14 a/h this means it can deliver 14 amps for one hour. or 1.4 amps for ten hours. The ca is tested at different temps. ca's are tersted at 70 dehgrees and cca's, cold cranking amps is tested at 32 degrees. Some even quote a 0 degree ca.
Some of the new technology a very small battery physically can deliver very large ampounts of power. This lets a small battery perform like a large battery.
On a just kick start bike people have used batteries as small as .8 a/h. This will run a bike ok as lonmg as you don't run it down to much, like leaving the lights on. These batteries are about the size of a cigarette pack. They sell for around $10 online.
To check for spark you need your ignition installed on the bike. Hook up enough of the wiring so you can power the ignition from the battery or hook up a set of jumper leads from any good battery to the bike. Pull the plugs, With both out it kicks easier. Hook the plugs in the plug sires. Hold the plugs against the head of the bike. Now comes the tricky part. While holding the plugs on the heads turn on any switches needed, as in key and engine stop. Kick the engine over while watching the plugs for spark. A big bright blue spark is best. A big yellow is ok but a small one isn't so good.
You can test for spark without much of the stock wiring. On a 72 it has points. Set the gap and timing on the points. It's in your repair manual.
Now hook the points wires to the coils and condensers. The upper set of points run the right coil, the lower runs the left. These points wire run to one side of the coils. Often the coils have an orange wire and a grey wire, The grey to the points the orange to power. How hook a wire from a battery, any 12 volt will work. I have a spare car battery I use for this. Positive to the orange wires on the coils, the negitive to anywhere on the engine. A switch to control power is a good idea.
Once wired up you pull and hold the pligs as described, turn on the power and kick.
Having some help to hold the plugs will come in handy.
Leo
Batteries are sized electrically by an amp/hour rating and a ca rating. The a/h is how long the battery will last when delivering a current draw. The ca rating is the amount of current draw the battery can deliver when cranking an electric start.
A stock battery is a 14 a/h this means it can deliver 14 amps for one hour. or 1.4 amps for ten hours. The ca is tested at different temps. ca's are tersted at 70 dehgrees and cca's, cold cranking amps is tested at 32 degrees. Some even quote a 0 degree ca.
Some of the new technology a very small battery physically can deliver very large ampounts of power. This lets a small battery perform like a large battery.
On a just kick start bike people have used batteries as small as .8 a/h. This will run a bike ok as lonmg as you don't run it down to much, like leaving the lights on. These batteries are about the size of a cigarette pack. They sell for around $10 online.
To check for spark you need your ignition installed on the bike. Hook up enough of the wiring so you can power the ignition from the battery or hook up a set of jumper leads from any good battery to the bike. Pull the plugs, With both out it kicks easier. Hook the plugs in the plug sires. Hold the plugs against the head of the bike. Now comes the tricky part. While holding the plugs on the heads turn on any switches needed, as in key and engine stop. Kick the engine over while watching the plugs for spark. A big bright blue spark is best. A big yellow is ok but a small one isn't so good.
You can test for spark without much of the stock wiring. On a 72 it has points. Set the gap and timing on the points. It's in your repair manual.
Now hook the points wires to the coils and condensers. The upper set of points run the right coil, the lower runs the left. These points wire run to one side of the coils. Often the coils have an orange wire and a grey wire, The grey to the points the orange to power. How hook a wire from a battery, any 12 volt will work. I have a spare car battery I use for this. Positive to the orange wires on the coils, the negitive to anywhere on the engine. A switch to control power is a good idea.
Once wired up you pull and hold the pligs as described, turn on the power and kick.
Having some help to hold the plugs will come in handy.
Leo
Last edited:
Ncbikebabe
XS650 Enthusiast
wow thanks!!! just what i was looking for!!!!
Here's a pic of a spark tester I like to use. You need a short length of solid 12 gauge wire, an alligator clip, and a hose clamp. Strip the insulation off of both ends of the wire. Connect the alligator clip to one end. Connect the other end to a spare spark plug body using the hose clamp to secure it. Very simple to make.
With this set-up, you just clip the alligator clip to an engine cooling fin, and connect the spark plug lead. Its much more secure than trying to hold a spark plug against the engine by hand. If you are going to be working on these bikes, you will use this tool many, many times.
With this set-up, you just clip the alligator clip to an engine cooling fin, and connect the spark plug lead. Its much more secure than trying to hold a spark plug against the engine by hand. If you are going to be working on these bikes, you will use this tool many, many times.
Attachments
Ncbikebabe
XS650 Enthusiast
now thats handy! I'll be making one of those tonight!
shotgunjoe
XS650 Hunter
Im using a battery meant for a kids dirt bike (crf50 maybe?). Its roughly 2"x4"x3", I got an agm with fancy brass terminals... I get tons of spark with the pamco. OUCH!
