No power to anything ...

[Unsprung]

So how does it cook the battery ? I see the 40amp in mine, why a 40 ?

The original circuit breaker from BD was a 40amp unit. Maybe because the VR back then was 32amp output and 30 was to low. My CB AND EHC is fed from the starter on the power side and the VR is on the auxiliary side. I may need to change that.

 

[Unsprung]

Yup, I think BDM made a recall on those CBs... that´s why they went with the 40 amp Fuse.

I like your explanation better Franco.

 

[Unsprung]

Hey John, I apologize for hijacking your thread but I believe we have similar issues. If you get her going before I do post up so I can take the same route and I'll do the same.

 

[Unsprung]

Hoping for the best for ya . stay strong.

 

[Unsprung]

So how does it cook the battery ? I see the 40amp in mine, why a 40 ?

To much voltage from VR to battery can "boil" the acid and compromise battery internal connections. In my case the battery manufacturer said he thinks it was internally shorted.

 

[Vyper]

To much voltage from VR to battery can "boil" the acid and compromise battery internal connections. In my case the battery manufacturer said he thinks it was internally shorted.

I guess the simple question would be ... is there nothing we can do to protect the EHC from a faulty VR or battery. I know there are warning lights you can buy for the VR, but that doesn't stop a shorted battery from frying the EHC. That's a lot of money for something that's not all that rare (shorted battery, faulty VR) I mean it seems to me like an educated monkey could design a better system than this shit BD designed.

No hijack, we're both looking for the same answers.

 

[TapioK]

I guess the simple question would be ... is there nothing we can do to protect the EHC from a faulty VR or battery. I know there are warning lights you can buy for the VR, but that doesn't stop a shorted battery from frying the EHC. That's a lot of money for something that's not all that rare (shorted battery, faulty VR) I mean it seems to me like an educated monkey could design a better system than this shit BD designed.

No hijack, we're both looking for the same answers.

Again, faulty battery does not fry anything, faulty VR does.
Even that, at east usually, does not happen suddenly, but rather in days.
You can get a charging light from Curtis, you can see yellow green or red light indicating wether charging is OK. You also can install a small voltmeter somewhere you can see. Or at least if you lose your low beam check charging voltage right away. I do suppose you have a nice and small multimeter on your tool roll.


Tapio

 

[francoblay1]

Again, faulty battery does not fry anything, faulty VR does.
Even that, at east usually, does not happen suddenly, but rather in days.
You can get a charging light from Curtis, you can see yellow green or red light indicating wether charging is OK. You also can install a small voltmeter somewhere you can see. Or at least if you lose your low beam check charging voltage right away. I do suppose you have a nice and small multimeter on your tool roll.


Tapio

http://www.wildsteedworx.com/index....ucts_id=1258&zenid=2hdr7503k7pvj31rrfeeh4ehc5

 

[Vyper]

Again, faulty battery does not fry anything, faulty VR does.
Even that, at east usually, does not happen suddenly, but rather in days.
You can get a charging light from Curtis, you can see yellow green or red light indicating wether charging is OK. You also can install a small voltmeter somewhere you can see. Or at least if you lose your low beam check charging voltage right away. I do suppose you have a nice and small multimeter on your tool roll.


Tapio

My battery shorted out = dead EHC
I checked my VR when I replaced the Battery (the one that just shorted out) it was working like it was supposed to. I never smelled the battery fuming and was not swelled in any way. The battery I replaced was over 3 years old I only checked the VR as I do everytime I have to replace a battery. The post "WARNING" shows the same battery shorted out and fried two of his customers Big Dog electrical systems. That tells me a battery "CAN" fry your EHC.

 

[Unsprung]

I guess the simple question would be ... is there nothing we can do to protect the EHC from a faulty VR or battery. I know there are warning lights you can buy for the VR, but that doesn't stop a shorted battery from frying the EHC. That's a lot of money for something that's not all that rare (shorted battery, faulty VR) I mean it seems to me like an educated monkey could design a better system than this shit BD designed.

No hijack, we're both looking for the same answers.

I like Franco's setup with 40amp fuse. I'm going to expand on it by adding a separate smaller amp fuse for power to EHC maybe a 25amp.

 

[Vyper]

http://www.wildsteedworx.com/index....ucts_id=1258&zenid=2hdr7503k7pvj31rrfeeh4ehc5

Thanks Franco, I have seen those.

 

[TapioK]

OK then.
Have to look for that story. It is just hard for me to figure how empty battery can fry anything but my brain. Unless it somehow manages to swap + and - poles. Never heard of that happening though.

For me to find faulty VR it took several tries. It did read OK until it heated out enough. I tested it like 6 times. knew something was off from battery acting wrong. Every time numbers were correct until I revved the engine back and forth what felt like 15 mins, then all the sudden voltage jumped to 19 volts...


Tapio

 

[Vyper]

I like Franco's setup with 40amp fuse. I'm going to expand on it by adding a separate smaller amp fuse for power to EHC maybe a 25amp.

I have the same setup as Franco, and a smaller fuse going to the ECH is logical ... so logical that their has to be a reason that's not posted as a sticky at the beginning of this section as a way to protect the EHC.

 

[Vyper]

OK then.
Have to look for that story. It is just hard for me to figure how empty battery can fry anything but my brain. Unless it somehow manages to swap + and - poles. Never heard of that happening though.

For me to find faulty VR it took several tries. It did read OK until it heated out enough. I tested it like 6 times. knew something was off from battery acting wrong. Every time numbers were correct until I revved the engine back and forth what felt like 15 mins, then all the sudden voltage jumped to 19 volts...


Tapio

Well Tapio, I'm going to take your advice and replace my VR too. Because that is a heck of a lot cheaper than replacing the electrical again. Your reasoning why it couldn't do it makes as much sense as why it could. I just wish BD's R&D would have thought past the profit margin. They would probably still be around if that were the case.

 

[Unsprung]

Well, I ain't genious on electronics, but a battery it self can not burn EHC or anything else on the bike. It just storages up to about 12.9 volts. What does burn everything to shit is faulty VR, feeding say 20 volts... Not entirely correct, but Battery just does all it can to keep voltage lower and boils to shit from over charging. Usual sign of overcharging is burned light bulb (low) since it is always on and can't take high voltage for a long period. And a dead battery. Batteries do short out internally by themselves due to heat and vibration once in the while too. When that happens they do act like yours... 12,something volts, then drops on its knees under load.


Tapio

I agree

Again, faulty battery does not fry anything, faulty VR does.
Even that, at east usually, does not happen suddenly, but rather in days.
You can get a charging light from Curtis, you can see yellow green or red light indicating wether charging is OK. You also can install a small voltmeter somewhere you can see. Or at least if you lose your low beam check charging voltage right away. I do suppose you have a nice and small multimeter on your tool roll.


Tapio[/QUOTE
Tapio, I agree the battery didn't start the meltdown. VR is most likely the culprit but I did not have any indication it was bad. Riding down the highway and bike flat quit. Low beam was burnt, and turn/brakes out because of EHC.

 

[Unsprung]

Well Tapio, I'm going to take your advice and replace my VR too. Because that is a heck of a lot cheaper than replacing the electrical again. Your reasoning why it couldn't do it makes as much sense as why it could. I just wish BD's R&D would have thought past the profit margin. They would probably still be around if that were the case.

Same here John, I'll replace VR, and EHC, once I speak to Thunderheart tech and get a quote on the new EHC. I originally purchased the EHC from Curtis who by the way sells a really nice setup with harness and starter relay. Battery was replaced and I'm going through my harness now checking for shorts/grounds as my speed sensor harness was shorted to ground at the point where it goes into the sensor from worn insulation. Speedo does not work anyway and a new sensor may be the fix

 

[Vyper]

 

[Vyper]

My Bulldog ia a 2005. It has the 40amp fused breaker (below) is the newest one better protection or just more convenient because it's resettable. And I Take it these are only to protect the battery from the wire from the VR going to ground and does nothing to protect the battery from being over charged. Is that right ?

 

[Vyper]

If the answer to the second question in my last post is yes ... then all you can do to protect the battery is put some type of secondary VR in line where that fuse (breaker) is before the battery.

 

[Unsprung]

My Bulldog ia a 2005. It has the 40amp fused breaker (below) is the newest one better protection or just more convenient because it's resettable. And I Take it these are only to protect the battery from the wire from the VR going to ground and does nothing to protect the battery from being over charged. Is that right ?
View attachment 27358

I believe this pic is of the latest and greatest. The resettable breaker is what I have and its original on my 03. What I understand is if the VR is overcharging it should trip the breaker or blow the fuse. That did not happen in my case. Hit and miss sometimes and things don't always work. Not sure what caused your mishap but I'm thinking the battery may have gone belly up.