Battery light is on

[aaronerman]

My battery light is on all the time. I have a 1980 GS 1100E, just put a brand new battery in. The last one sat for over a year and just needed to go. But what to do with this light? Is there a process of elimination with my multimeter to go through?

 

[Steve]

There are three things you can do to extinguish the light.

1. Put in the "correct" battery that has a port for the fluid sensor that turns out the light.

2. Remove the light from the instrument panel.

3. Find the green wire that goes near where the battery lives and connect it to a switched power wire.

The light has nothing to do with charging, it is only there to sense fluid in ONE cell of the original battery.

.

 

[aaronerman]

You're kidding, that light has nothing to do with my charging?! OK, so my battery is a 14AH 12V... and yes, I just looked in my manual and there's ONE line about an electrolyte sensor. Crap, just bought this battery. But what a load off my shoulders! I thought I was going to have to buy a new charging system. It's bad enough that cylinders 3 & 4 aren't firing right now. THANKS!!!!

 

[wacky941]

When you got your new battery, was there a little package that had a wire that looked like it went through one of the caps? and had what looked like a resistor on the end? If the answer is yes then that is the part you need to turn the light out.
The new type batteries no longer have the seventh hole specifically for the sensor they now supply the alternate cell plug so the battery is "universal."