Where to Buy Replacement Battery Cables

[ColoradoGS850L]

Okay, today I set the ignition switch to "ON" and tested my battery first. Before setting the ignition to "ON" I had a reading of 12.2V. Once the ignition switch was set to "ON" my reading at the battery dropped to 1.1V. Does this mean my battery is at issue?

Okay, so with your meter set to DC voltage and the probes on the red and orange wires at the ignition switch, with the ignition switch in any position but “ON”, you are probably reading open circuit voltage (battery voltage). With the ignition switch in the “ON” position, or when current is flowing through the switch you are reading the voltage drop through the ignition switch. In that case, zero volts dropped through the ignition switch is good!

Of course, if you have a poor connection some place in the bike’s wiring and current isn’t flowing through the ignition switch, you meter will also read zero volts dropped through the ignition switch.

I’d start out with ignition switch in the “ON” position, and the meter probes on the battery POSTS ( not the battery cable clamps) and read the battery voltage.

Then press the start button and read the battery voltage to see if there is enough voltage to turn the starter, or does the battery fall on its face when under load.

Then move the positive meter probe to the hot post of the starter solenoid and repeat.

Then move the positive meter probe to the hot side of the fuse block and repeat.

Then move the positive meter probe to the hot side of the ignition switch (red wire) and repeat.

Etc. Just follow current flow based on your wiring diagram, until the voltage disappears. The problem will be between where the voltage disappeared, and where it was last good.

Maybe some one will come along here and have a better way of finding the poor connection.

[pdqford]

Okay, today I set the ignition switch to "ON" and tested my battery first. Before setting the ignition to "ON" I had a reading of 12.2V. Once the ignition switch was set to "ON" my reading at the battery dropped to 1.1V. Does this mean my battery is at issue?

If your meter probes were on the battery POSTS and not the battery cable CLAMPS, yes, your “battery is at issue”.
If your meter probes were actually on the battery cable clamps and got a reading of 1.1v, either your battery is at issue, OR, you have a poor connection between the battery POST and the battery cable CLAMP.

[ColoradoGS850L]

Okay, I was testing from the posts on the battery and not the clamps. I'll get a new battery and go from there. Thanks for the help!

[pdqford]

Or just try doing a trickle charge on you battery for eight hours or so and see if it can hold a sufficient charge to continue testing for any other issues.

[ColoradoGS850L]

I've tried charging it and it didn't help. I have a battery on the way, so I'll go from there.

[phydeauxmutt]

Hopefully you got an AGM-type battery?

By the way, last week you were getting 12+ volts, this week you are getting 1 volt. What happened?

[pdqford]

Open circuit read 12 volt.
Under load, read 1 volt.

[ColoradoGS850L]

Yep, what pdq said and yes, I went agm.

[ColoradoGS850L]

The new battery did the trick and it started right up. Thanks for the help everyone.

[pdqford]

Glad we could help.
And Thank You for reporting back the fix.