82' GSx1100E Battery Indicator Light is always on Help

[Thehotbeast]

Just bought a 1982 GSx1100e, very good condition. After cleaning of the carbs it started right away, runs like a charm except...

The battery indicator light stays ON, I have checked to charging system and all is fine at 14.1 Volts at 5000 rpm and around 13.5 at iddle. I figure I had electrical contacts to clean, did that and no change.

Any suggestions ?

Thanks

[Dave8338]

Is it hooked up?

[Thehotbeast]

Yes it is...

[Steve]

Is it hooked up?

Since you just bought the bike, you may not know all the little quirks about it. The fact that you thought it was a charging issue only highlights that fact.

The "Battery" light is connected to a sensor that fits into a hole on top of the stock battery. Its purpose is to determine fluid level in one of the cells, not charging level. Since it is obvious that the battery has been replaced sometime in the last 26 years, I would bet that the latest replacement does not have that access hole for the sender. Look at the top of your battery. If you only see the two large wires at the terminals, this is what has happened. If you see a smaller, third wire that goes into the top of the battery, check the fluid level in the battery. If the fluid is OK, you have a problem with the sensor.

If you really want to have that feature active, you will have to find a battery with the hole (yes, they are still available), drill a hole in the current battery (personally, I would not do this), or remove the sensor at its connector, then connect the sensor wire to a switched 12-volt wire, like the horn wire or tail light wire.

Overall, I would recommend eventually getting a sealed AGM battery for the bike. If the access to your battery is as difficult as the '81 1100E that I am working on, it is definitely worth the extra money. I don't mind having to open/remove the seat or even remove a tool tray to have access to the battery, but to have to remove the air filter box? Come on. There is not even access to the terminals in case you ever had to jump-start the bike.

.

[Thehotbeast]

Thanks Steve, this explains it and I will just remove the bulb in the instrument cluster.

Don't really have access problems, the bike came with PODS...

Thanks

[Steve]

... I will just remove the bulb in the instrument cluster.

Yeah, there is always that possibility, too.

Don't really have access problems, the bike came with PODS...

Hopefully it came with JETS, too.

.