New battery drained to death in one day 83XS ???

[pnedac]

PO Told me he had been jump starting the bike to get it going in the past. I thought that was devistating to the regulator rectifier. I got a new battery and it started when I first brought it home, but the next day the battery was reading. 2.57 and I know it did not get that was by itself (well, it is possible just not probable) Could the POs jump starting habit have murdered the reg/rec to the point where it would kill the battery like that? 1983 XS

Thanks for any and all help on this. Could be a bad battery, but we'll test it again today after a 24 hour charge and see.

Pnedac

 

[pnedac]

Also, if it is the regulator/rectifier causing the problem on this 83, does anyone know where to find a replacement for less than $110? I see MikesXS has it but I wonder if there is a less expensive one around.

Thanks,

Pnedac

 

[Capt_Zoom]

You might want to check your battery ground. Place your hand on the frame near there and if its getting warm...its a bad ground and will drain your batter overnight.


Do the chrysler reg/rectifyer mod and you can replace things for around $25 with better tech.

 

[gggGary]

Check; grounds, cables, connections, alternator brushes, then start going through the curly's trouble shooting guide. All you need is a cheapo volt meter. Don't just throw on parts, find out what's wrong, fix THAT. Hint the regulator is not the most common failure on an XS650.

 

[Max Midnight]

I'd start by re-charging the battery off the bike and once done let it stand for 24 hours or so then measure the voltage.
If it's 12.5 volt or so then you know the battery is good.

I would then re-fit the battery and with everything switched off see if there is a current draw which would indicate a short somewhere.

That was the easy bit.
The difficult bit is finding where the problem is. Disconnect one component at a time and see if the discharge stops.

 

[Capt_Zoom]

If you have some extra cash one of these will pay itself off within a problem or two.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cable-tracker-94181.html

Picked one up and it helped me isolate a short in my bike. Most places sell these for over $100.

 

[XSLeo]

If the diodes in the rectifier half of the reg/rec are bad they can let battery power bleed to ground.
As Max Midnight said recharge and let sit, put in the bike and see if it discharges, Recharge , disconnect the reg/rec plug and see if it still drains the battery.
Report back.
Leo