I have a 2000 FLHT Electra Glide and my battery won't hold a charge. Battery is only 6 months old. Broke down on the road and was lucky enough to be near an auto repair shop that had a charger to charge it up and made it home OK. In the 6 miles from the shop to the house, volts went from 12.0 to 8.0. Ran without radio or turn signals. Can I assume it is the voltage regulator, or do I need to look into the rotor and stator as well? Also, would it be best to upgrade from 40 amp to a 50 amp? I don't run any accessories other than radio.

Thanks -

Jetjunkie

 

With the engine running (2k) use a Volt-Ohmeter to measure the voltage across the battery, 14VDC (reg o/p) is req'd to charge the battery properly. If u have no problems cranking then your connections are likely tight. All ur indications point to a problem with the charging system.

 

Battery will charge with an external charger, and bike cranks fine, just super quick drain on the battery and no recharge. Should I replace all recharging components or try to isolate it out to what is defective?

 

If the charging components (stator/reg) are defective the battery will die very quickly. Before doing anything ensure the reg i/p and o/p are tight. Useful gen in the self help section re: checking same.

 

Take time out to visit the DIY Electrical section, where you will find a couple of Stickies, which will help you diagnose your charging problem. They should remove the guesswork and identify or confirm what it wrong.

 

@GRBROWN - Thanks! - that is just what I was looking for. great to know.

 

My pleasure! Let us know what you find, especially if everything works!