New battery dead after a week?

[FlangMasterJ]

So I had the shop down the road look at my KTM since it wasn't starting. Turned out to be the battery (didn't realise the battery had to be functioning for the kickstart to work too).

The bike started and ran fine last weekend a week after the battery installation but tried to start it yesterday, it ran for a minute then stalled, tried the electric start and had no juice, tried kicking but to no avail (pretty sure I broke my foot too).

Now for a brand new battery to go dead after a week I'd assume it is losing charge somewhere. The bike still has the headlight and the indicators up front but the tail light and indicators removed. Would this be where the issue lies?

All I'm wanting is this bike to be able to start and run so I can get it up on TradeMe and be done with it. Since having it recovered from being missing for nine years it has cost me over a grand and is really in no better shape than when I first got it back.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Jase H]

I'm no mechanic. So, don't quote me if I'm wrong. :-)

What state is the alternator in? If it's munted, it won't charge the battery on the go. And if the battery's that flat, you'll not get a spark at the plugs.

This happened to me with an old car. Hence, my guess.

I wouldn't have thought removing the lights would drain the battery when switched off, as that circuit should be dormant anyway when you switch off (the headlight doesn't stay on, does it?) Unless the removal kept something live with the circuitry that should be dead. Try getting hold of a multimeter and see if there's any voltage between the 'disused' wires and the -ve terminal of the battery (once it's recharged).

Of course, there could be some other electrical fault draining the battery. A strong enough multimeter could be connected for confirm this.

[Erelyes]

Obtain multimeter.
Test voltage at terminals when bike off. Should be 12.5 or so.
Again when pushing the starter.
And ideally, again, when running (with headlight turned off or headlight fuse pulled). Should be 14V or so.

You may need to jump-start the bike to get the latter. Unlike a car-to-car jumpstart, you DO NOT want to have the donor vehicle running - turn it off.

Post results, but I am guessing the running voltage will be under 13.8V, probably less than 13V.

[jellywrestler]

A strong enough multimeter could be connected for confirm this.

never heard of one of these, where can i get one from, they sound uber cool

[PrincessBandit]

never heard of one of these, where can i get one from, they sound uber cool

any sparky can help you out with that

[Banditbandit]

If the new battery is already dead, then the shop might have been wrong and it was not the battery in the first place.

If the battery really is dead, then the battery is at fault and you should get a replacement from the shop ...

If it is the charging system and not the battery, then you need a new altenator - and the shop have unnessarily sold you a new battery .. but maybe it was an old battery AND a dud charging system ...

Get a Sparky to check it or get a multimeter - as suggested above ..

[FlangMasterJ]

Cheers everyone. I'll get it looked at.

[jellywrestler]

If it is the charging system and not the battery, then you need a new altenator aside from the spelling what about all the other components in the charging system, how come you diagnose this particular item?

[jellywrestler]

any sparky can help you out with that

i've been a sparky for 38 years now and never heard of them having to have a certain level of strength.

[skippa1]

never heard of one of these, where can i get one from, they sound uber cool
Ive got a used one you can buy....fucken cool but very expensive. I will pm my account details, a six figure sum should do it (dont get funny with the decimal point either)

[Banditbandit]

aside from the spelling what about all the other components in the charging system, how come you diagnose this particular item?

Yeah .. you are right - it could be other components of the charging system ... in my experience I have never had a failure in other components of the charging system (not to sday it could not happen) but I have had issues with the alternators. Brushes, stator, rotor ...

[F5 Dave]

Gee you've been lucky, most manufacturers have been blighted with reg rec failures, particularly Suzuki in the 70/80s. Reg would die causing over voltage, popping bulbs, boiling batteries, which would strain the alternator burning that and if you were lucky killing the ign box.

Then the oil would get low, overheating the alternator, which would cause strain on the battery and. . . .

[FlangMasterJ]

Hmmm I think the issue may be a little simpler than first thought. The guys at the shop put a 12V 5.5Ah battery in when the manual states a 8Ah. Would this be the reason for my woes?

[FlangMasterJ]

For fuck sake now I'm even more confused. Just rang TSS Red Baron and they said they put 6.5Ah batteries in their KTM's. Replacement batteries on TradeMe have my bike listed taking a 5.5Ah (currently in it) and the manual says 8Ah.

[MarkH]

Hmmm I think the issue may be a little simpler than first thought. The guys at the shop put a 12V 5.5Ah battery in when the manual states a 8Ah. Would this be the reason for my woes?

It should still take & hold a charge. An 8Ah battery would hold more charge but the 5.5Ah should still have enough to start the bike.
Unless you have a dud alternator or a parasitic drain or some other electrical fault.

[caspernz]

Hmmm I think the issue may be a little simpler than first thought. The guys at the shop put a 12V 5.5Ah battery in when the manual states a 8Ah. Would this be the reason for my woes?


For fuck sake now I'm even more confused. Just rang TSS Red Baron and they said they put 6.5Ah batteries in their KTM's. Replacement batteries on TradeMe have my bike listed taking a 5.5Ah (currently in it) and the manual says 8Ah.

Quite easy for some of us to laugh at the above...but hey, we all gotta learn.

Google the basics of an automotive electrical system. Battery, alternator, reg/req plus the various electrical components. You need an auto sparkie or someone who understands the basics to look over your bike. It sounds almost as though you could well have a combination of things going on. Alternator or reg/req not doing its job properly plus a parasitic drain in some of the alterations that have been made. A smaller battery, as in Ah rating, is not ideal but not the answer in total.

As much as this doesn't sound like what you want to hear, in all likelihood your local KTM dealer/service agent will suss and sort this in short order.

[FlangMasterJ]

Quite easy for some of us to laugh at the above...but hey, we all gotta learn.

Well you're definitely going to laugh now. Pretty sure it turns out the battery wasn't grounding properly. The contact was just dirty. Not only was the battery going dead really quick but since the bike was running poorly it'd never run long enough to charge anyway.