Just replace my 7 year old battery with new from the stealership. When installing the battery I connected the ground first then the positive at which time I saw a pretty good spark (with key off and alarm not active). So I put a meter from the battery + to the battery cable and it reads 12.5 volts (like there's a light on or something). I realize there are memory draws that keep the mileage recorded, radio stations on presets (although I have no radio) but 12.5 volts? Dealer says their equipment shows no issues. The old battery, when put on the battery tender charged for only 4 hours (after it wouldn't start the bike) and the light was green.

My question is should there be 12.5 volts between the battery+ and the +cable (when disconnected SHOULD I SEE A NOTICEABLE SPARK while connecting that cable (like the key is on???

Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

Can't be sure if the voltage is an issue but you should always connect positive side first.

 

I did initially It was the ground that sparked which threw up a flag to begin with.

 

12.5 volts is about right for a battery in the bike that isn't running. Especially with a new battery that hasn't been totally charged. If you check it when running with RPM around 2,000 it should read around 14.5 volts, but 12.5 is about right for a non running bike.

 

"with key off and alarm not active". The alarm may be pulling a little current to keep it's internal battery charged. At any rate, sounds like you got a lot of good service from the previous battery. 12.5 volts is not unusual for a battery before it starts receiving voltage charging from the bikes alternator. Just ride the bike and let it get charged up. It should be just fine.

 

you should put your meter on amps & check the battery the same way to see how many amps are being drawn from the battery.

 

I would suggest you consider charging the battery fully before you ride the bike. I've always read for maximum battery life it should be charged outside the vehicle before installation.

I have a number of battery maintainers that charge at 1.25 or 1.5 amps and then switch to maintenance mode. When I replace my bike's battery, I plan to connect it to one of the maintainers and let it set until the unit switches to maintenance mode.

 

People; He said he gets 12.5 volts between the positive TERMINAL & the positive CABLE, not the pos & neg terminals. Wouldn't that indicate a draw somewhere? (Sorry, but I am an electrical retard)

 

so wouldnt you take your multimeter switch it to amps put one end on the pos on the battery & the other on the pos cable to see what the amp draw is & then start looking for the culprit....no?

 

If you used a digital meter it will read that even if you do not have a draw do to digital meters are low impedance. The best way if you do not have a low amp clamp for your meter that reads in milli amps you can use a test light between neg batt post on batt and neg cable with poss hooked up.If it lights you have a good draw but it will not read small draws that could drain battery. Or you can go get a 1ohm resistor and use it between the batt neg post and one of your meter leads then put the other meter lead to the neg cable if it dose not have milli volt scale then you need to convert reading. example .020 volts would be 20mv which would = 20ma.
When measuring vehicles with computors and security system on initial hook up they may cause a spark like that do to they are turning on,Also if a draw is indicated you may need to let it sit with the test equipment hook up for 1/2 to 1 hr before the module shut down into sleep mode. On autos any thing under 50ma is ok dont know what Harley wants to se.