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Running on battery only???

banjopete

banjopete

Member
Does anyone know how long a carb (non-injected) evo engine can run on battery power only. I recently lost my charging abilities( shorted stator) about 20 miles from home and made it OK. How much further could I have gone before the electronic ignition would have given up???
Pete
 
A battery is just a storage cell. So its all dependent on how charged the battery is before system failed. I would bet that the 20 miles that you made it home was more to do with luck than how much longer you could have gone....
I am surprised that you did not start to have a misfire do to lack of charging system.
 
I rode my Dyna from Tallahassee, FL to home, nearly 200 miles of Interstate highway on just the battery. I disconnected my headlight, but still had the turn signal running lights, tail and stop light. I found a gas station on a hill when I needed fuel, so I could bump start. It was running fine when I pulled into the garage, but I was a tense bundle of nerves. I don't want to do that again.
 
Breeze3at said:
I rode my Dyna from Tallahassee, FL to home, nearly 200 miles of Interstate highway on just the battery. I disconnected my headlight, but still had the turn signal running lights, tail and stop light. I found a gas station on a hill when I needed fuel, so I could bump start. It was running fine when I pulled into the garage, but I was a tense bundle of nerves. I don't want to do that again.
Click to expand...
Were you running a semi battery Pete? I never had that kind of luck when I lost a charging system. I gotta start riding with you!:newsmile100:
 
I need to ammend my previous post. It happened in 1999, so I forgot a detail or two.:D I remember checking the voltage after getting bump started by friends after lunch. It was still charging, but it was around 10 volts. So that negates my input on HOW FAR you can go on battery alone.
 
That is a loaded question. Typically when the voltage drops below 10 volts the ignition starts to sputter
 
A minor correction...20 kms not miles and I have a near new, fully charged agm battery ( not from a semi)...volt meter was reading about 10+ when I got home...I guess it was close to crapping out. I heard elsewhere that one could go as low as 8'ish volts before dieing...I don't want to test the theory.

Thanks guys !!!!
 
Here in Az. several years back, my sportster had the No Charge problem and it was fixed under warranty... the 3 time it went out a year after warranty.

Took a Phone call and some smoooooooth talking by me to the Big Wigs at HD in Milwaukee but they agreed to do the parts again under warranty IF I paid the Labor...

They did the stator Again, Voltage regulator Again, New battery,Huh? Yes they threw that in also... Asking them but told me NO to doing the labor myself, I HAD to have the HD shop do it again....

SO,

I Charged my battery over night and decided to Ride it over to Sierra Vista as they would repair it if I got right in there that day... So off I went.

IT started to miss a little then backfire and died... I coasted to a stop and called the HD shop....Luckily for me, I was close enough and they came out with their shop trailer to picked me up.. I made it 52 of the 68 miles.

NOW if the lights were off I Might have made the full journey. OR Not :nosad

I have a Nice little covered trailer to haul my bike but I Was Stubborn...

signed....BUBBIE

06 carbed Sport 1200 R
 
i'm unsure if you diagnosed right. but if you have a no load on the alternator (stator) it'll be damaged if you run it long.

make sure you know if it's the bad V regulator or bad connection before you dig in to the primary case ;)
 
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