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Battery leads

  • Thread starter Thread starter UncleMike
  • Start date Start date
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UncleMike

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In my clymer it says to disconnect the negative lead then the positive lead from my battery when removing,...

...pretty pedestrian. But then it says that for the 450's you need to disconnect the positive battery lead from the starter motor as well. Where's that?
 
One end of the starter wire is on the starter and the other end is on the starter relay. It's the other big wire, not the battery one.

Steve
 
Ok, hold on. The positive end of the battery (with a red lead) is grounded to some cylindrical gold thing under the left side cover. There is another wire on that thing (with a yellow lead) going from it to the starter.

I've gotta disconnect the red one?

If so, why?
 
You want to disconnect the wire between the solenoid and the starter motor like Steve said. The color may be off depending on who put the wire on. But I am at a loss as to why you would need to remove it? That's a whole nother question all of it's own. What job are you trying to accomplish?
 
The Clymer manual says:

BATTERY SERVICE

Removal/Installation

1. Open the seat and remove the right side cover to gain access to the battery.

2. Remove the rubber strap securing the battery.

3. Disconnect the leads - negative first, then positive. On GS450 models, disconnect the positive battery lead from the starter motor. Remove the battery from the box.


Don't understand why I'd need to do this.
 
I agree with you. And I want to go on record as saying I do not recommend that you don't... but I assure you I wouldn't :)


I would remove the battery leads in what ever fashion I see fit and put in the new one again putting leads on in any way I see fit. Hmwaaaaa!!!

And I don't put my negative to ground somewhere else on the bike when I charge either.

LOL!!!

I just love breakin the rules. It's all fun and games until someone looses an eye!

:P
 
Hey Mike, maybe it is referring to some model where the wire goes right from the positive post to the starter motor? Then it would make sense. They are simply referring to the end at the battery. Could this be? Anyone know?
 
Yeah, that one would make sense. But this one is routed through that other thing. Was is that thing, anyway?
 
I'm pretty sure it's just a relay. It sends the juice to the starter when you push the start button.
 
That's your starter solenoid Mike. I would think that if you remove both leads to the battery and pull it out, put the new one in, reconnect the leads, negative last, you should be fine. I have done it that way all my life. I have never removed the wire from the starter. I really think that is referring to a model who's positive lead goes from the battery straight to the starter. But I could be wrong.
 
Starter solenoid. Thanks.

Is there a book or a website I should read so I can learn all this easy stuff? I read the Online Motorcycle Repair course, but it skips over some of this stuff.
 
I dont know of any online service books. To charge your battery, all you need to do is remove the negative lead from the battery, then remove the positive lead from the battery. Remove the battery from the bike. Sit the battery on your workbench and make sure the battery has water to the fill line indicated on the side of the battery. Leave the fill caps off while charging. Charge at 1.2 amps if possible, but at not more than 2 amps. 1 amp would be fine. As a rule of thumb, if you have a 12 amp battery and want to charge it at 1 amp, you can measure the voltage of the battery to get an idea of how long it will take to fully charge. 12.7 to 12.8 volts is a fully charged battery. 12 volts is pretty close to a fully discharged battery.
In battery charging, you can assume aproximately a 30% loss in efficiency. This says that if you charge at 1 amp for 6 hours, the battery will absorb about 4 amps and not the 6 amps you would at first think.
So, if we say your battery shows 12.3-12.4 volts, it is about 50% charged, or has 6 amps in it. If it has a full capacity of 12 amps, you need to put 6 more into it. A 1 amp charge rate for 8 hours with a 30% loss will give an aproximate charge of 6 amps..

There is no reason to remove any wires from the starter motor or starter relay, particularly with the battery sitting on the bench being charged.


Earl

UncleMike said:
Starter solenoid. Thanks.

Is there a book or a website I should read so I can learn all this easy stuff? I read the Online Motorcycle Repair course, but it skips over some of this stuff.
Click to expand...
 
Wow. That was thourough. I've got an automatic tricklecharger, so it should just shut off when the battery's charged, right?

There are two lines on my battery. Should the electrolyte be inbetween the lines, or right up to the top? Is is bad if they're past the lines? Can I take a syringe and remove some from one channel and place it in another to even them?
 
Don't do that Mike. Let what is in there in there. Just add some distiled water to the ones that need it. Trickle charge away just like Earl said and you'll be fine. You want your battery out of your bike right now anyway as you are working on it and not ready to ride yet anyway :)
 
I usually keep the level at the full line on the battery, but anything between the lines would be fine.

If youre past the line a little bit, I wouldnt worry about it. Just be sure you have a vent tube on the battery so any overflow doesnt drain onto the bike.

I would not take a syringe and remove electrolyte from one cell and put it into another. The reason is that water in the battery "boils"/evaporates away, but acid does not. Each cell needs a specific amount of acid. If you remove electrolyte from a cell, you are also removing acid and when you put that into another cell, obviously you would be adding acid. This would result in some cells not having enough acid and others having too much.

Earl

UncleMike said:
There are two lines on my battery. Should the electrolyte be inbetween the lines, or right up to the top? Is is bad if they're past the lines? Can I take a syringe and remove some from one channel and place it in another to even them?
Click to expand...
 
Better clarification than I gave you but that is the reason. Earl is more patient in the posting than I am :)
 
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