Average battery life?

pamcopete · Posted: September 4, 2009, 6:09 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

TeeCat,

Well, i guess I don't see what's the big deal here. You don't have to use a XS650 cable. The ground cable should reach to the opposite end. Just go to your local auto supply or lawn mower store and find a longer cable for the positive terminal.

Or, if you are going to order from Mikes, just order the cable that goes to the starter motor from the starter relay. It's long enough.

TeeCat · Posted: September 4, 2009, 6:47 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

Pete -

The ground cable will not reach that far; it has to go clear to the other (left) side of the battery. I'll have to look into that further... it's supposed to be 17" long.

As to the positive cable, I might be able to get a longer one from a lawn mower place, but there's another small red wire attached to it (not sure how) and I don't know what that is... maybe a feed?

So it does not seem to be quite as simple as replacing the cable itself. But you get what I'm trying to accomplish. It does seem simple... but...

TC

TeeCat · Posted: September 4, 2009, 8:41 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

I have ordered a correct battery from Mike's. I'll just have to wait for it as extending a cable does not seem to be something many people have done.

Meanwhile, since I have this other battery with the poles reversed, I'd like to use it to at least fire the bike up to reassure myself that the battery was at issue. What's a safe way to hook the battery up to the bike externally and run it? Maybe someone here has done that a time or two.

TC

5twins · Full Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 1616

deleted

TeeCat · Posted: September 4, 2009, 8:56 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

Quote::

you could just add a longer red lead as well bolted directly to the positive terminal.

Sorry, I'm not getting you on that. The red bolted to the positive terminal on the battery or where it bolts to the starter relay? Or both? And what gauge wire is that? Stranded or solid? It seems to have a butt or bullet connector on its way to the main fuse.

5twins, I could likely find a way around the ground cable issue. But the face that the red lead is crimped to the positive cable where the latter bolts to the starter relay has me stumped. That's the problem. Otherwise I'd just use a longer positive cable and be done with it. But I don't want to do anything irreversible to the positive cable or feed because now I have ordered a correct battery. But I'd love to run the bike in the interim to reassure myself, and maybe even actually ride instead of wrench! Razz

TC

pumps · Posted: September 4, 2009, 9:33 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

I think if you insulated it well and made sure the connections were clean it would be ok but not correct. It would get you by...

bluebikerblan · Posted: September 4, 2009, 10:12 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

Good point 5T. Am also in the dark on the safety relay and fusing of a 73.
I also go the way of having an operable on/off light switch on the handlebar.

Here's a good battery tutorial TC to read up on while you're down.
www.batterystuff.com/t...ttery.html

And while you're at it the correct size and polarity for a 73 TX I do believe
Good AGM and supplier in my opinion. Check em out!
www.batterystuff.com/b...YT12C.html

BOL, Blue

TeeCat · Posted: September 5, 2009, 6:24 am Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

Thanks, guys.

Knowing that a workaround would not be correct, I'm afraid I may just have to give this up until the correct battery comes on Wednesday or so.

However, what would be a safe way to hook my current incorrect battery up externally just so I can test and get the bike running to confirm that the old battery was he problem?

TC

pumps · Posted: September 5, 2009, 6:34 am Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

In a pinch I have used household wiring. #12 gauge Romex. We had run the battery down on the old Honda trying to get it going and I pulled the AGM battery out of the XS and we rigged it. Worked fine though.

TeeCat · Posted: September 5, 2009, 6:51 am Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

That's a nice old Honda.

So, if I get a few feet of that, how do I make the connections?

I'm still going to run to the hardware store today to see if I can get a couple lawn mower cables to use as extensions. If I can do that and insulate them, I might still be able to ride the bike a time or two. I'm just hard headed. Just don't want to do anything unsafe. If I can manage it, will large shrink tube work well enough?

TC

jayel · Posted: September 5, 2009, 7:11 am Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

heck get what ever lenght of 12 guage romex wire like that you need bend loops in the bare ends and nut/bolt/washer a extenion onto your cables tape the connection to the cable up and go

TeeCat · Posted: September 5, 2009, 7:41 am Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

Worth a try, jayel. I didn't know I could use Romex for the extensions.

I see the little feed wire there... thanks for doing the drawing! "Visual aids" help for me. Embarassed

TC

5twins · Full Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 1616

TeeCat · Posted: September 5, 2009, 9:45 am Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

5twins, my positive cable is just like the pic I posted above, with the smaller red wire that's attached to the positive at one end and bolted to the relay, and there appears to be a bullet connector or a butt connector of some kind.

Here's what I did this morning:

A guy at the hardware store made these for me. They're proper battery cable and proper fittings, crimped properly. I plan to affix one end of each to each cable - pos and neg - with a small bolt/nut/washers, and shrink tube the whole connection. I also plan to shrink tube the ends that will connect to the battery because the connectors would not fit over the cable insulation without tearing it. The extensions will cross each other on their way to their respective terminals, but it seems like it should work.

I have to cut the grass, but thoughts on this are welcome. I mainly want to be safe on this.

TC

5twins · Full Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 1616

TeeCat · Posted: September 5, 2009, 10:59 am Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

5twins, I still might try your ground idea. I just have to finish my chores and then go out there and see what I'm dealing with on the ground side. I really only looked at the battery end of it yesterday.

Will keep you posted, and thanks again.

TC

TeeCat · Posted: September 5, 2009, 1:12 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

Okay...

Here you see that I was able to move the ground to the left (near) side of the battery, where the negative terminal is, and connect it. I used one of the two extensions I had made to go from the existing positive cable connection across the battery to the positive terminal. You can see that I have the connection wrapped. The rubber cover for the positive battery terminal is under there too, though, as I didn't want to cut it off, though it's not in great shape; I'll need it what I reverse this when the proper battery arrives. I hope the positive tab is up against the battery terminal tight enough... it was a challenge getting it on there because of the angle.

I have almost a full 12 volts on the voltmeter even with the lights on. I'm about to try to start it. Do I need to cover the positive connection to the battery with anything? Safety... safety...

And as luck would have it, I'm not going to be able to ride the bike anyway; this battery seems to be just deep enough to where my K&N oilcan -type air cleaners will not go back on without forcing. So... off to Mike's to try to get some shorter oval/cone ones.

TC

5twins · Full Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 1616

TeeCat · Posted: September 5, 2009, 2:15 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

twins, I installed it that way yesterday, but then my left front seat rubber came into contact with the positive terminal and my seat would not close all the way.

Do I need to cover the positive post before I try to start it?

Tried to shave the mounting collar of my air cleaners, but they are still too long, so I can't ride the bike anyway after all this. But if it runs, then I'll know it was the battery... I hope.

TC

Retiredgentleman · Posted: September 5, 2009, 2:40 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

Yes, you definitely want to cover the positive post. That big grounded seat bottom is above the battery. Otherwise you risk smoke and fire!

TeeCat · Posted: September 5, 2009, 3:06 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

Okay, I left the seat kind of up and fired her up. I need to repair the torn pole cover when the right battery arrives.

She fired right up on the second try. The first time, there was a pop and I wondered if it was something with the battery pole, but it must have been a backfire... I think out of one carb... maybe from loaded carbs from kicking before, or the filters being off. Scared me. But no arc marks on the seat pan, so... must have been a backfire. Hate that.

Then, she fired right up. Immediately, the voltmeter was reading 13V at about 1100 rpm, and 14V at 1500 rpm. So it seems that the culprit was a dead or dying battery.

I don't want to ride it without air filters... I'll order some more compact ones from Mike's... they have the no-step mount now. I have to force the existing K&Ns just that much... Sad

And might one make a proper cover for the whole battery top?

At least I believe I know what the presenting problem was. Learned a thing or two as well, so I suppose all is not lost... just a bit of riding and some money...

Maybe a beer and a bit of acoustic guitar on the porch now...

TC

pumps · Posted: September 5, 2009, 7:46 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

You know mike has a cover made to go over the battery right?

TeeCat · Posted: September 5, 2009, 7:50 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

pumps, it's not for 73s as far as I can tell.

pumps · Posted: September 5, 2009, 8:01 pm Post subject: Re: Average battery life?

Oh I bet it will work. Ask mike.

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