No power to anything ...

[Vyper]

First I'LL say thanks to anyone that has the time to educate me. I need some help on where to start with this problem. I have been reading related posts all day and I can't find anything to help.
I was riding home after chemo yesterday afternoon the bike was running perfect, then ... nothing, it died at about 60mph like I turned the key off, no lights, nothing. I called my wife to bring the trailer. I checked the main fuse and cycled the key every few minutes, still nothing. Today cycled the switch and still nothing. I checked the battery while it was still in the bike and it showed 3.4v. I unhooked everything from it and got 12.4v. Any advice of what I may be dealing with ??? It's a 2005 bulldog.

 

[RON WHITLEY]

some of the other guys might can help you more than me but I will do the best I can sir.i do think your battery is dead I would try to charge the battery out of the bike.see if battery will take a charge .that will help determine if your battery is good a starting point.you said 3.4 volts while still in bike and 12.4 out of bike .with battery out and disconnected it will read 12 volts unless completely dead with no load on it .there is a difference in voltage and amperage .it takes amperage to start ,run ,and operate electronics on your bike.you have a dead battery sir .charge battery make sure it is good if so put battery back into bike it should start then , start bike up with bike running check voltage at battery then with r p m slightly increased should have bout 13.8 to 14.5 if charging system is working properly .if voltage is still low turn engine off unplug connector from regulator to stator at left front of engine look for corrosion inside connector if so clean connector put dialectric lube in connector and plug back in restart bike and recheck voltage then .hope that works.if bike has been ridden in the rain much moisture will get in plug and cause corrosion .if that still don't give you proper voltage at battery .turn bike off unplug connector .restart bike set volt meter to a c volts check voltage at stator terminals should be around 60 volts a c. if so I would say regulator is bad if voltage at terminals is below 60 I would think stator is bad ..wit engine off check stator terminals to a ground should get no reading if you do then stator is probably bad .. hope this has helped you sir I am one of the newer members and never had the chance to help anyone else .but other members have helped me several times .these guys are the best help ever..also any of you other members that read this post and can give more help than I did or correct my advice please feel free to do so .would be greatly appreciated .helped to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Vyper]

some of the other guys might can help you more than me but I will do the best I can sir.i do think your battery is dead I would try to charge the battery out of the bike.see if battery will take a charge .that will help determine if your battery is good a starting point.you said 3.4 volts while still in bike and 12.4 out of bike .with battery out and disconnected it will read 12 volts unless completely dead with no load on it .there is a difference in voltage and amperage .it takes amperage to start ,run ,and operate electronics on your bike.you have a dead battery sir .charge battery make sure it is good if so put battery back into bike it should start then , start bike up with bike running check voltage at battery then with r p m slightly increased should have bout 13.8 to 14.5 if charging system is working properly .if voltage is still low turn engine off unplug connector from regulator to stator at left front of engine look for corrosion inside connector if so clean connector put dialectric lube in connector and plug back in restart bike and recheck voltage then .hope that works.if bike has been ridden in the rain much moisture will get in plug and cause corrosion .if that still don't give you proper voltage at battery .turn bike off unplug connector .restart bike set volt meter to a c volts check voltage at stator terminals should be around 60 volts a c. if so I would say regulator is bad if voltage at terminals is below 60 I would think stator is bad ..wit engine off check stator terminals to a ground should get no reading if you do then stator is probably bad .. hope this has helped you sir I am one of the newer members and never had the chance to help anyone else .but other members have helped me several times .these guys are the best help ever..also any of you other members that read this post and can give more help than I did or correct my advice please feel free to do so .would be greatly appreciated .helped to the best of my knowledge.

Thanks much Ron, I will try a new battery. If that brings it back to life I will go through the other advice you gave. It just confuses me why it only reads 3.4 volts hooked up to a system that has nothing turned on. And 12.4 volts unhooked. But thats why I'm here asking advice, an electrician im not. Thanks again my friend.

 

[Olde Man]

The EHC draws a small amount of power all of the time. It is enough to drain your battery if the Dog is not used on a regular basis. That is why most use a battery tender.

 

[Sven]

Let me get this straight... I ride the bike... stops like I turned the key off... 3v between battery posts with cables on... 12v I pull the ground cable off.

1. Battery: I do not want to have my bike parts all arc splattered with metal off the bolt/frame/etc. I rather find a good ground, vice grip the bolt/raw metal, let the grip be arc'd at places instead. As stated, a surface 12v reading with no amp to push the starter over, I have no battery current draw tool, but with a set of jumper cables I do. So I now find out this way by using the battery alone and bench test the starter motor on the bike.

I clamp the starter post, or at the solenoid side and use that cable and stud.
I clamp the other jumper leads to the battery and hold the last jumper end.
I clamp the ground jumper cable onto the vice grip and does the starter turn?

This now tells me if my battery has the amps to push the starter over.
This now says I have a huge current draw that is taking the volts out of the battery to ground... if starter turns.
This should show me as I place the battery ground cable of the bike, back onto the battery and see a huge arc happen. A Blue Blast in face stay clear. No, not a little spike to keep the clock running in the box; which has to keep the computer on to remember the time.

How old is the battery?
How long do I let it sit between rides?
How many times has it been charge if left sitting for long?

2. Volt Reg: I don't seem to smell an overcharged battery with faulty v/reg. Lights would blow if it jumps over the v/reg from the stator.

3. Stator: I would run in a 'total loss' kind of lingo for saying, I remove the stator and rotor off the bike and run the battery down until it stops running.

Short (pun intended) of a battery going belly up, the bench test is one test, the blue arc is the other. It's either or is my guess. Only your jumper cable(s) knows for sure.

 

[francoblay1]

and............

dont forget to check THIS out!

even if it is three years late..............

 

[Vyper]

and............

dont forget to check THIS out!

even if it is three years late..............

I have actually been a member since 2012. I honestly thought I did my intro then. I will go do that. I have found all the answers I needed using the search, so I haven't posted until now ... but not this time.

As for the battery, I don't have power to anything ! No lights, no speedo (Dakota digital) no ECM ... nothing. I will take the battery to the auto store and have it checked this afternoon. The battery was topped off with a slow 2 amp charge every 2 or 3 weeks. It is a heavy duty AGM 350 cca 9 months old. Haven't rode it much because I've been pretty sick, I have a 3 three week window to ride as much as I can when I can. Then this.

 

[francoblay1]

I have actually been a member since 2012. I honestly thought I did my intro then. I will go do that. I have found all the answers I needed using the search, so I haven't posted until now ... but not this time.

As for the battery, I don't have power to anything ! No lights, no speedo (Dakota digital) no ECM ... nothing. I will take the battery to the auto store and have it checked this afternoon. The battery was topped off with a slow 2 amp charge every 2 or 3 weeks. It is a heavy duty AGM 350 cca 9 months old. Haven't rode it much because I've been pretty sick, I have a 3 three week window to ride as much as I can when I can. Then this.

 

[Marky-Marc]

I would say it is your battery. I use a trickle charger/battery tender when not being used. It really does take about 20+ mile ride to charge the battery or keep it up to charge.......

 

[Vyper]

Well, I just got back from testing the battery, they hooked it up and the tester said REMOVE BATTERY IMMEDIATELY. I guess it shorted out. Maybe I'll be riding again by the end of the week. I'll post next weekend if a new battery takes care of it or no. I really appreciate the help !

 

[Little-Boo]

Well, I just got back from testing the battery, they hooked it up and the tester said REMOVE BATTERY IMMEDIATELY. I guess it shorted out. Maybe I'll be riding again by the end of the week. I'll post next weekend if a new battery takes care of it or no. I really appreciate the help !

Make sure that when you replace the Battery, check and see if there is some kind of pad on the battery tray. These bikes vibrate a lot, which may cause the plates inside the battery to short out. If it doesn't have a pad, get you Mouse Pad, cut it to size spray a little 3M glue on the bottom side of the pad, install the battery and your good to go.

 

[francoblay1]

Make sure that when you replace the Battery, check and see if there is some kind of pad on the battery try. These bikes vibrate a lot, which may cause the plates inside the battery to short out. If it doesn't have a pad, get you Mouse Pad, cut it to size spray a little 3M glue on the bottom side of the pad, install the battery and your good to go.

 

[liferider]

Damn, just read Franco's thread to Gary's and saw this ones name and the first thing to pop in my head was Viagra!

 

[Vyper]

Damn, just read Franco's thread to Gary's and saw this ones name and the first thing to pop in my head was Viagra!

Hahaha .... that name may fit better as of late.

I hope everyone reads that post marked "WARNING" that's the same battery that just stranded me. Now I'm afraid the electrical system is toast.

 

[Vyper]

Well ...... it fried my electrical system. I am trying real hard to use civil language. I do have a couple questions, if anyone can help.
1. Of all these replacement electrical systems, Wire Plus, DOC's, KMW. Did the guys engineering (selling) them now work for BDM ?
2. Can anyone give me a parts list of what I need to straight wire this thing and just how big a pain in the ass it will be. It's a 05 bulldog air ride.

 

[garyb69]

Well ...... it fried my electrical system. I am trying real hard to use civil language. I do have a couple questions, if anyone can help.
1. Of all these replacement electrical systems, Wire Plus, DOC's, KMW. Did the guys engineering (selling) them now work for Big Dog then ? Because I'll be damned if Im going to buy shit from any Einstein that designed the first !
2. Can anyone give me a parts list of what I need to straight wire this thing and just how big a pain in the ass it will be. It's a 05 bulldog air ride.
I find it hard believe they built these bikes without competent electrical engineers. They designed a low voltage system to work with high voltage and absolutely no safe guards to protect the low voltage system from the contamination of supplied higher voltage. Thats not an oversight, thats f"in' the customer !

Damn that's bad luck, unfortunately our bikes are renowned for electrical problems. I have the Wire Plus on mine, it was already fitted when i bought the bike and have had no problems with it but i know guys on here have their different preferences. You need to speak to Curtis (KaptinAmerika) at Wild Steed Worx, he should be able to sort you out.

 

[DRBarnhart]

1. Of all these replacement electrical systems, Wire Plus, DOC's, KMW. Did the guys engineering (selling) them now work for Big Dog then ? Because I'll be damned if Im going to buy shit from any Einstein that designed the first !

In short:

1. Wire Plus - some after market folks that came up a module(s) to replace the EHC. Reliability seems to be in question as of late.

2. DOC - Designed by a Big Dog enthusiast with a huge personal motivation to have a reliable electrical system in our bikes.

3. KMW (RIP) - Designed by gentlemen previously employed at the original Big Dog Motorcycles and at the current Big Dog Motorcycles/Kansas Motor Works.

Both DOC and KMW are apparently based on the Thunderheart controller with the harness pre-cut and terminated to be plug-n-play using BDM original switching.

2. Can anyone give me a parts list of what I need to straight wire this thing and just how big a pain in the ass it will be. It's a 05 bulldog air ride.

I don't subscribe to the "wire it old school" method so I can't help you here.

Dennis

 

[Vyper]

Hey, Thanks Dennis.
I'm going to change some of my replies in here and apologize for them. I had a little break down there. I would wire the Thunderheart myself but after reading this thread, ELECTRICAL NIGHTMARES !!!! I'll pass on that, If the hand controls worked with the converter I would go that route. So it will be the (KMW RIP kit) or (DOC's kit)

 

[Vyper]

Decided to go with DOC's kit. I'm sure KMW's RIP kit is a good choice, if they have fixed the function of the hand controls. I didn't like the fact that they marketed the first kit as plug & play when the hand controls didn't perform the same functions, and reviews of questionable customer service. The WP kit just has too many mixed reviews on the kit and customer service. I talked to Jeff at DOC's first and could see no reason to look any further. I honestly couldn't find any complaints about his Kit or customer service.

 

[BWG56]

I think you will be satisfied with your choice, a couple guys have just put this unit in their bikes and they are happy with it.