riding with mittens

[dbngould]

All, have a new (600 mi) 2007 parked for the winter in a heated garage (damn these Alaskan winters). Noticed a trail of battery acid down the frame below the batter box today. Can't figure out why, even though the bike is parked on side stand...why didn't any overflow go down and out the overflow tube? I got the battery out, so I could clean up the residue. The negative terminal was a bit "soft"...I'm guessing that was caused by the bit of acid buildup on the screw head?! I tried to remove the lower batter box support screw (it's covered in acid residue)...I can't get it to break loose...it feels really soft when I try to turn it and I'm sure it's gonna strip out if I put any amount of force to it. Suggestions? What caused this happen? The "upper" cell of the battery (positive side) is a bit low (compared to the rest of the cells, but still at the low end of the full line). The remaining cells are full...to the top. How concerned should I be about the acid residue on the frame and screws? It's already burned the paint off where it was dripping around the lower frame arm...

[M.M.]

I had a similar thing happen to my 2006. The problem with mine apparently started when the dealer mechanic didn't push the battery all the way into the battery box during dealer prep of my new bike. That caused the overflow tube to wear against the side panel. The hole worn in the overflow tube allowed battery acid to drip onto the subframe and battery box retaining clamp and bolt. The battery box retaining clamp was also bent due to the fact that the mechanic didn't push the battery all the way in before he tightened the screw. I took the side cover and battery parts out, cleaned everything of the acid, cleaned all acid off of the frame and straightened the bent clamp. I installed a new sealed-type battery and no problems since. -Mike --- dbngould wrote:

> All, have a new (600 mi) 2007 parked for the winter > in a heated > garage (damn these Alaskan winters). Noticed a trail > of battery acid > down the frame below the batter box today. Can't > figure out why, even > though the bike is parked on side stand...why didn't > any overflow go > down and out the overflow tube? > I got the battery out, so I could clean up the > residue. The negative > terminal was a bit "soft"...I'm guessing that was > caused by the bit > of acid buildup on the screw head?! > I tried to remove the lower batter box support screw > (it's covered in > acid residue)...I can't get it to break loose...it > feels really soft > when I try to turn it and I'm sure it's gonna strip > out if I put any > amount of force to it. > > Suggestions? > What caused this happen? > The "upper" cell of the battery (positive side) is a > bit low > (compared to the rest of the cells, but still at the > low end of the > full line). The remaining cells are full...to the > top. > How concerned should I be about the acid residue on > the frame and > screws? It's already burned the paint off where it > was dripping > around the lower frame arm... > >

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[fasteddiecopeman]

I'd neutralize the acid on your frame with dilute baking soda till it no longer 'foams', and then spray either WD40 or some anti-seize over the area of the screw, then use a screwdriver that has a place for a wrench on the shaft and put LOTS of pressure towards the screw as you turn the 'driver. Once it's out, replace it with a similar-threaded bolt. Next thing, remove the battery EVERY year and store it with a battery tender on your work bench. Cheers, Ed

[C COOPER]

Jeff, As usual, very thorough. Thanks! Glad you kept the post. I don't have any plans for adding anything else. The bottom line for me is that I don't need anything but the stock rotor, reliability issues for said aftermarker stator valid or not. I've never tried one, so I just don't know. All the info I have is anecdotal, and y'all know how those anecdotes go. ;~) Chuck

On 11/3/07, Jeff Saline wrote: > > On Sat, 3 Nov 2007 16:39:04 -0700 "c cooper" writes: > > The best high amp stator I found is sold by Electro-Sport. My > > entirely > > non-valid statistical sample showed a failure rate higher than I am > > willing > > to live with. Especially on a bike I have gone places I would not > > want to > > try to walk out of. I chose to leave the stock stator in, and > > replace tail, > > instrument cluster incandescent bulbs with LED's. > > > > With my GPS, relayed heat grips on high, relayed halogen headlight > > on high, > > two-way radio plugged in, AutoCom intercom plugged in and MP3 > > player > > charging, my handy-dandy aftermarket charge indicator indicates > > positive > > charge even when idling. If I turn the turn signals on, the charge > > indicator > > flashes to red in synch with the turn signal. Other than that, the > > charging > > system will handle everything I'm wired for. > > > > Now that I think about it though, I don't think the fan was on > > while > > checking charging at idle. It's possible that the fan would put me > > over > > charging capacity at idle. I know it wasn't a problem riding up the > > Continental Divide this fall though... > > > > Regards, > > > > Chuck > <><><><><><><> > <><><><><><><> > > Chuck, > > Below is part of a post I wrote on 31 Oct, 2005. > > I think you're correct that the fan would put you over the edge. > > Best, > > Jeff Saline > ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal > Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org > The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota > 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT > > ******* > ******* > > Beginning of Old Post > > Since this seems to be of interest to quite a few folks, I just got back > from my shop where I did a few electrical tests on MY bike. Here's what > I did. I used a Craftsman digital multimeter number 82139, which has a > 10 amp range and goes on sale pretty regularly at Sears for about $19. I > pulled the side covers and seat so I could get to the top of the battery > and the white wire coming off the positive post. I hooked the meter up > for the 10 amp range and connected it in SERIES at the bullet connector > for the white wire. Please remember I've done a few electrical changes > to my bike so you may get a different reading on yours. But these > readings should be close. > > - With the headlight off, key on, I got a reading of 1.51 amps. I think > this only taillight & instrument lights. > - With the headlight on, key on, I got a reading of 5.43 amps. Low beam > drawing 3.92 amps. > - With the headlight on high beam, key on I got a reading of 6.10 amps. > High beam drawing 4.59 amps. > - With the headlight off, key on, fan on, I got a reading of 3.83 amps. > Fan drawing 2.32 amps. > - With the headlight off, key on, horn blowing, I got a reading of 3.08 > amps. Horn drawing 1.57 amps. > - With the headlight off, key on, Dual Star LED Brake light on, I got a > reading of 1.93 amps. LED brake light drawing 0.42 amps. > - My heated grips are on a different circuit and I got readings of 1.55 > amps and 2.75 amps. > - My Gr8 Design heated vest pulled 2.21 amps. > - I didn't test my heated gloves. > > My battery was reading about 12.05 volts. Yes I know I'm on the verge of > battery failure. Thank you very much. : ) > > The factory manual says the alternator puts out 14 amps @ 8,000 rpm at 14 > volts. Remember the conversion is amps x volts = watts. So 14 amps x 14 > volts = 196 watts at 8,000 rpm @ 14 volts > > The KLR engine I understand uses a magneto type system so that doesn't > put a drain on the battery or charging system. So when my bike is > running down the road here's what I suppose I'm using electrically: > > Normal instrument lights, tail light (remember I have a dual star LED > rear light, I suppose the stock uses maybe 0.8 amp [8-12 watts] more) and > headlight (mine is stock at 55 watts). That adds up as follows: > > - Normal instrument lights & tail light = 1.51 amps @ 12.05 volts > - Headlight on low beam = 3.92 amps @ 12.05 volts > TOTAL = 5.43 amps @ 12.05 volts > Converted to watts that is 5.43 amps x 12.05 volts = 65.43 watts > > - If you are running a stock high beam headlight, that uses 5 more watts > and increases use to 70.43 watts. > - Apply the brakes and you are using an additional 0.42 amps or 0.42 amps > x 12.05 volts = 5.05 watts. > - Blow the horn and it takes an additional 1.57 amps or 1.57 amps x 12.05 > volts = 19.63 watts. > > So, I suppose a KLR running down the road without extra lights, heated > grips or other accessories, but running high beam, applying the brakes > and blowing the horn is using about 95 watts. This should probably leave > (I'm guessing here) about 100 watts for other stuff if you're having a > real good day and your charging system is working well. But, since the > brake light and horn are not used all the time you are probably really > only using about 70-75 watts*. For most folks that probably leaves a > solid 100 watts to play with. But your battery better be in good shape > and you must be keeping the rpms up and running long enough to charge the > battery after cranking. Someone on this list I think recently stated it > takes about 1 minute of charging for each second of cranking. If you are > using all your charging capability to make extra electrical stuff work, > your battery won't be getting charged. > *If you have a stock tail/brake light you should probably add 8-12 watts > to the total. > > End of Old Post > > ******** > ******** > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]