Quick Question about accessing the battery

[MasterOfPupets]

So, I thought I'd be ok with my battery this winter since I have a heated garage, but the heat went out and I'm not getting it fixed (too damn expensive) so in my usual ritual of starting the bike once a week and letting it run a but I've noticed it's having a little trouble cranking, which I assume is a battery issue. I picked up a Batter Tender for it and I want to install the leads tomorrow. This brings me to my question:

Is it safe to tilt the tank up when it's still mostly full? I'm sure it would be easier empty, but I don't want to accidentally spill fuel out of an overflow tube or something like that. Any help is always appreciated.

I took this chance since I'll be doing this to grab a USB adapter and RAM mount so that I can charge my phone/have GPS on the bike. Anyone who's done similar and has any tips I'd appreciate it.

 

[kinderwood]

The tank can be tilted up full or empty. But are you right to be worried you will probably get some gas trickling out the overflow hoses. It's not a lot. Just watch for it, wait a minute and it'll evaporate on it's own. Make sure the air clears.

It's actually pretty hard to get gasoline to light in open air, but better safe than sorry considering how volatile it is.

EDIT:I forgot to add, some may trickle out, but then it will stop.

 

[FinalImpact]

Its heavy when full, but little comes out. Throw a pan under which you can empty if need be. Be careful not to kink the hoses when lowing it. The vents need to work.

ALSO - And VERY IMPORTANT: be careful of the wires to the tank. They can be damaged pretty easily.

POWER TAP:
Check this out. Fused power and a quick and easy install:

TAPA CIRCUIT, INSTANT FUSED POWER SOURCE:
Don't cut up your OEM harness for small accessories. Add this in place of an OEM fuse and power up your Gizmo's!!
PN: NAPA 785135, TAPA-CIRCUIT ; Check out this post for details.
Post where you found Electrical Parts thread

Fits here nicely for powering your stuff and not hacking stuff.

 

[ShoopCE]

Hi! You also just joined the OhioRiders forum, right? I thought I recognized the username.

I installed the lead for a battery tender last summer. The tank was near empty then and nothing leaked. But I ran the battery down later in the fall, I think it was because I left a USB adaptor plugged in. So I had to get to the battery while the tank was full. I had more than a bit of gasoline run out while I had the tank up this time. But it was up for many minutes while I was trying to jump it and understand why it had died. So if you cannot tolerate any gas leaking out and getting on the floor, you should probably siphon most it out to a gas can.

Here are a few related tips I found, mostly here in this forum.

I'm pretty sure the usb adaptor was what drained the battery. The bike had sat for almost a month with the adaptor connected and inside a tank bag -where I didn't see it. The usb adaptors drain current because they contain electronics to step the voltage down from 12 to 5, plus a tiny bit for an LED indicator light.

If you ever have to jump start this bike from a car, be certain to do it with the car engine NOT running. Otherwise, reportedly, the current from the car will overwhelm and burn out the bike's charger rectifier thingy. (The electronics geeks are going to cringe...)

This bike has a very minimal charging capacity. So if you start it frequently, thinking this will help the battery, unless you take it out for a spin and get the revs above 3k for a while, the net result will be to decrease the charge in the battery. It will do almost no recharging while idling.

Last, the bolts on the battery are pretty fussy. A bolt must pass through the leads down through the terminal, and then engage a nut that slides in from the side. The clearances are tight and when you add the lead for the tender some people find the bolt is too short to reach the threads on the bolt. You'll need to insert something under the nut that will move it closer to the top of the little bitty terminal where the bolt can get started into the threads more easily. I first read about this after I had installed the tender leads and didn't understand the problem. Then when I was checking the battery after it died I had this issue. No idea what changed. I inserted the tip of a Q-tip under each nut and it fit just fine and was easy to remove after I got the threads started.

Good luck,
Chris

 

[MasterOfPupets]

Yep, that's me on Ohio Riders.

I'm not too worried about losing a little bit of gas, just want to make sure I'm not going to lose like half the tank or something.

Good to know about the battery not charging when idling. I'll have to keep that in mind. Sadly it looks like we're going to get a few warm days next week when I have to be out of town for work...

I picked up the battery tender brand USB adapter. Figure the only thing I'll use it for is the phone/gps, or possibly my portable pump if worst comes to worst. Not expecting to charge multiple items or anything like that.

I figure I'll do the install tomorrow after work. Should be fun.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

POWER TAP:
Check this out. Fused power and a quick and easy install:

TAPA CIRCUIT, INSTANT FUSED POWER SOURCE:
Don't cut up your OEM harness for small accessories. Add this in place of an OEM fuse and power up your Gizmo's!!
PN: NAPA 785135, TAPA-CIRCUIT ; Check out this post for details.
Post where you found Electrical Parts thread

Fits here nicely for powering your stuff and not hacking stuff.

Slight thread de-rail,

Where its located, to hook up to a voltage gauge(to check ACCURATLY, the battery voltage), will it read correctly (within say.1-.2 volts) of what the battery is ACTUALLY at or will it read lowish?

I'm looking for a place, switched, that can be tied into for the most accurate reading for a digital voltage gauge. (I've found considerable drop at say the directional running lights, etc). It'd be permanently mounted in the black inner fairing, verticle spot on the left..

 

[FinalImpact]

If you're asking me if there will be losses at "that junction" compared to actual battery voltage, Id say yes. Its gone through the main fuse, ignition switch, and tail light fuse. That said, its still close enough for something like a meter to read basic system voltage.

If you want it switched and right off the battery you still need at least a one fuse and a switch (again, there will be losses). However, the switch could be solid state relay ran from that location to reduce space and current loss.

 

[The_Paragon]

so in my usual ritual of starting the bike once a week and letting it run a but I've noticed it's having a little trouble cranking, which I assume is a battery issue.

If I'd have a dollar for everytime Ive heard this... (Id be riding a new FJ-09Blah)

It doesnt do your bike any good to be started and run in the garage during the winter. Doing so only drains the battery and introduces moisture into the oil that doesnt get burned out. Its Entirely pointless.

When you park it in the fall, pull the battery out, roll the bike in the corner and leave it alone till spring. Thats what i do, I also dont mess with stuff like battery tenders or anything like that. I'm still using my stock original battery from 2009 (25,000 miles)

Townsend:
You made my day.. I will immediately head to napa and buy one of these!! (Maybe Two!!)

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Townsend:
You made my day.. I will immediately head to napa and buy one of these!! (Maybe Two!!)

Thanks but Randy found / posted it.

I'm just looking for a good location (and simple) to access the actual state of the battery. That tag along fuse might have been good for that purpose. I've checked voltage off the running lights (directionals) vs the actual battery and its a bit of a difference..

This Datel would fit nicely on the left side of the inner fairing. Just need an accurate place to hook into.

DATEL DC Voltmeters

 

[FinalImpact]

Thanks for noting the error! :thumbup:

As mentioned before, if its at / near a load, its going to reflect some loss. IMO - just knowing its general health will be more beneficial than the dead-nuts "actual" battery voltage.

I guess I've never looked - is the tail light on while cranking? It should be. That said, the piggy back adapter is a clean simple fused install. At that location the feed wire is larger than the wire out to the tail lamp. It made a great place to tap into for the fuel controller.

If someone needs MORE locations, the lid to the main fuse box will have to be removed. Nice looking meter. Keep us posted if you grab it.

 

[MasterOfPupets]

It doesnt do your bike any good to be started and run in the garage during the winter. Doing so only drains the battery and introduces moisture into the oil that doesnt get burned out. Its Entirely pointless.

When you park it in the fall, pull the battery out, roll the bike in the corner and leave it alone till spring.

Good to know about it being pointless. Learn something new every day. As for pulling the battery, if it were easier to do like some bikes (pull the seat and there you go) then I would, but with the pain in the ass it is to get to the battery on the FZ6, I just can't do it. I'm the person that was out on Christmas Eve riding because it was 50*. I'm not the person that parks it until the weather breaks and stays warm for a week or two. I like having the option of just unplugging the tender and going for a ride.

Tender install happened today. Got the tank lifted and found there was already a lead there. Turns out the last owner had one on there, but it wasn't fused so I went ahead and replaced it with the new one. Then i realized the screws were stripped out pretty bad, so I had to make a run to get new ones. After that I finally got it finished and put back together. All told I think it took about an hour (not counting the run to the dealership since I wasted some time there drooling over an FJ09.)

Didn't do the RAM install yet. I need to sit on it and see where I want to put it, and it's just too damn cold to do that right now. Will probably do that this weekend.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Thanks for noting the error! :thumbup:

As mentioned before, if its at / near a load, its going to reflect some loss. IMO - just knowing its general health will be more beneficial than the dead-nuts "actual" battery voltage.

I guess I've never looked - is the tail light on while cranking? It should be. That said, the piggy back adapter is a clean simple fused install. At that location the feed wire is larger than the wire out to the tail lamp. It made a great place to tap into for the fuel controller.

If someone needs MORE locations, the lid to the main fuse box will have to be removed. Nice looking meter. Keep us posted if you grab it.

I have my Steble horn aluminum mounting bracket in that area but that gauge should still fit.

I don't re-call what the voltage drop was at the ft running light, perhaps it'd be closer to the tail running light but it was more a drop from the battery than I expected. I checked the voltage at the point where I have the GPS line tapped into (running light), but again, it was a bit lower than the actual battery voltage.

It'd still show charge/discharge, etc but as you can see, the Datel is pretty accurate and I'd like to take / install it to work as accuratly as possible..

 

[The_Paragon]

Good to know about it being pointless. Learn something new every day.

(not counting the run to the dealership since I wasted some time there drooling over an FJ09.)

Yepp, at idle they pretty much draw off the battery. Not enough rpm to create a charge..


I hear ya about drooling.. I was just at my local dealer, they had a 2' X 3' poster for me to take home. Blah

 

[ShoopCE]

I hear ya about drooling.. I was just at my local dealer, they had a 2' X 3' poster for me to take home. Blah

They gave you a poster! Guess I was too convincing in saying that I wasn't ready to buy, despite the obvious trail of drool ...

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I was just at my local dealer, they had a 2' X 3' poster for me to take home. Blah

Kinda old posters, but to the left is an '03, to the right an '05 FJR.

Of course I had an '04 model. The MC trailer I made isn't there in the garage (outside now under cover) but the posters are still there!

 

[MasterOfPupets]

They gave you a poster! Guess I was too convincing in saying that I wasn't ready to buy, despite the obvious trail of drool ...

The owner offered to let me test drive it once the weather breaks... I don't think I will though. I have a lack of self control and I don't think I'm ready for a divorce right now...