Kill switch to disconnect batt from loom?

[gullarm]

My battery keeps running low, even though its on a solar charge all the time. As the days have got shorter and the weather has got more cloudy/rainy I have noticed that its seem to be dropping more charge than holding. I dont have electric in my garage so putting it on a charger 24/7 is a no no - have to run a lead from the house.

The batt and reg/rec is newish. Its charging when it fires up, checked the volts etc/

Has any one used a switch to fully disconnect the batt from the loom, I have an idea in my head how to do it but was wondering if anyone can give me any pointers as to the size of the switch ( current rating ) and where best to locate.

My idea was to run the main live feed into the boot and onto a switch mounted in there, then back to the main starter relay/main fuse..............any ideas ....thoughts?

[thunderace]

You can do. You'd need a proper kill switch though to cope with the current.

I've fitted similar setups to race bikes with a removable push fit key that is attached to the rider on a lanyard. In the event of rider and bike parting company, the key pulls out and immediately kills all electrical supply rendering the bike 'safe'

[Davez29]

Just a thought but would it not be worth trying to find out why your running low? Do you ride with your lights on all the time? Are you running stock bulbs or more powerful, have you checked your alternator?

As far as batteries are concerned, its worth buying a spare in your circumstances, I carry a spare in my tail due to my distance traveled daily, just in case.. My recommendation at the minute would be Lucas. Reason being, not only was it cheap for a liquifix gel type but that I find the CCA so much better than the Varta I was using. I thought that (Varta) was fine until I got the Lucas, the difference in cold starts are so much better I have found..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from= ... s+YTX7L-BS


dave

[squirrel_hunter]

Just a thought but would it not be worth trying to find out why your running low?

This is very much the correct approach.

Even with the battery totally disconnected it would still lose charge eventually over time. How long between rides do you leave it? If its a long time then your answer is simple. Remove battery and charge in house, reattach battery when you want to ride. If its a daily use bike then I would suggest you have a charging fault and no kill switch will solve this. You need to check the charging system fully, as well as the condition of the wiring and the other questions posted above with the addition of are you running an alarm or any other fancy electronics added to the bike that are draining the charge?

[gullarm]

Im a weekend rider - or when I have to get the car from the wifes work place if she is working late, so I can get the kids.

Lights are normal wattage - I have started riding with lights off, batt is 12 months old and so is reg/rec. No alarm or anything else, totally standard.

It seems to be charging fine when running its just when its stood in the garage its going flat, in the summer months it would start no problem ( the solar panel tops it up ) but last sunday it only just started and on thurs it turned over way to slow and didn't take ( so banged on the normal charger for 30 mins ), then I was off.

I have thought about trying to locate the problem but I cant be bothered TBH, my last CBR400 had exactly the same problem. I think its a design fault or some just go bad, if you ride every other day I dont think the problem pops up. When I fit the breaker switch Ill measure the current draw and see what its showing.

I have a voltmeter to wire up as well so will do the two jobs at same time. Ill leave the solar charger terminals and the plug in charger terminals still attached so it will be on charge still. Removing the battery is way too much hassle. My day is busy enough without having to take it off and put if it back on, plus the wife will moan if its in the house on charge all the time.

Im hoping to get electric wired to the garage in the next month or so.

I had a CBR600 F-Sport before this bike and I didnt touch it for six months and that started on the button - 1st time. It was like it had been run the previous day.

[Davez29]

my last CBR400 had exactly the same problem. I think its a design fault or some just go bad, if you ride every other day I dont think the problem pops up.

I had a CBR600 F-Sport before this bike and I didnt touch it for six months and that started on the button - 1st time. It was like it had been run the previous day.

I tend to agree with you, my nc is very lazy to start if left for a week, dunno why? Any other bike I have had just started, whether left for a week or a month. My mate can leave his RC for 6 month and it will start right away, no problems ever with bad fuel either.

[johnnie5]

i personally prefer a tender charger

the reason

batteries dont like being run down

normal lead acid batteries lose charge anyway

bike charging circuits are marginal and dont like hard charging low batteries

batteries that drop in charge have a shorter life

nothing better than hitting the button and the bike starting straight away

For the NC30 you can fit the next size up battery which is a little bit taller but larger AH capacity and higher CCA

maybe look at if you can do this also when time to change batteries

from ducati experiences , if the battery is not 100% charged it struggles to start so thats where my battery tender history stems from

[gullarm]

Hmm - can you fit a bigger battery in the bike?

Anyone tried this option.

[squirrel_hunter]

I have thought about trying to locate the problem but I cant be bothered TBH

You can't be bothered to find what the problem is, but you can be bothered to engineer a solution to a problem that shouldn't be there? Just checking...

May I suggest as a little experiment to disconnect the battery at the end of the next ride and not to reconnect it until you go to use it next as to simulate what this kill switch is intended to do and then report back if its made any difference? Do this without a charger on it. I would also suggest taking a voltage reading after the disconnection and before reconnection noting the length of time its been standing. The results of that may prove interesting.