Help with electircal situation

kip · Feb 19, 2006

I started up my LT this afternoon thinking I would warm it up and ride a few miles since I haven't had a chance to ride in the past few weeks.

I noticed that it seemed like the battery was a little low when I cranked it but it fired right up and was running as normal.

I was busy fixing a flat on my wife's car when I noticed that the headlight on the beemer went really dull and before I could get over to the bike it quit. When I turned the key off and back on, the bike was totally dead....no lights, no nothing.

I got out my multimeter and put it on the battery and read 0 volts. Thinking possibly the battery was just that dead I put my battery charger on set on 2 amps. Immediately my charger tripped off. I removed it and then checked conductivity across the battery and read a dead short.

I thought that the next sensible step would be to check with you guys and see if anybody has some clues as to what might be going on. My bike is a 99 model which I have had for less than a year. It has about 83,000 miles on it and in the time I have had it nothing electrical has been an issue.

As always, I will greatly appreciate any insight you guys can provide. Unfortunately, today I do not have a manual for the bike or a wiring diagram.

I am going to go peruse the H.O.W and look for other posts relating to electrical stuff.

thanks
Kip
Jefferson GA
99 LT
00 ZXR1100

ltcanup · Feb 19, 2006

Bad battery.Plates shorted.99 model needs new battery anyhoo

omurphy · Feb 20, 2006

disconnect the battery and check it before going any father. it dies sound as if the battery has a dead short between the plates. omurphy

Lynn_Keen · Feb 20, 2006

I'll assume that your battery is of the "WET Electrolyte" type as opposed to a sealed battery. With the old style battery it is unfortunately common for them to experience sudden catastrophic failure. Your lucky because that seldom ever happens at home. Anyway, what happens is that as the battery ages there is a sediment that builds up in the bottom of the battery case. It eventually gets deep enough that is simply shorts out all of the plates in the battery leaving you stranded. The only fix is a new battery.

dshealey · Feb 20, 2006

What everyone else said, get a new battery.

If it still had the original '99 battery in it you were awfully lucky it lasted that long.

Go for an Odyssey PC 680, or Westco battery! If you cannot get it locally, check eBay, they are always available there for a good price.

ksailor · Feb 20, 2006

Kip: The above posts are right on; but I do agree with Murph... first order of business is to disconnect the battery and check it to make sure that no other cables are attached. This will show if there is a short across the battery or if the short is in the bike wiring. If the battery is shorted you'll know real quick. Good luck.

kip · Feb 20, 2006

thanks

thanks alot guys
its not the orignal battery but i will disconnect it and make sure it reads the same disconnected before getting a brand new battery

i guess it couldnt have happened in a better place!

thanks dshealey ill get an odyssey pc680

riderup1 · Feb 20, 2006

I cannot believe your battery lasted this long...my 00 battery puked out a year ago....

meese · Feb 20, 2006

Kip,

When you replace the battery, make sure the new one is fully charged before trying to start the bike. On the earlier LTs trying to start with a low battery can cause the starter relay to stick, so the starter turns constantly even with the key off.

Read this thread for details. And look through the Electrical section under Troubleshooting in the Hall of Wisdom for more info on the starter relay.

Hopefully you shouldn't have this problem, as it sounds like the bike started normally and then the battery died. But it could also be that the stuck starter relay caused the starter to drain the battery, and that is also the short you're reading. So pulling the battery and testing it separately is a good idea, as is being cautious when installing the new battery.

Help with electircal situation

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