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Security system causing problems?

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ovationfan

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When i leave my 2010 Ultra parked for 5-10 days, it won't start. I get that "clicking." I've taken it to two Harley dealers (one of them twice) and an independent shop and the bottom line always seems to be the battery is bad. They charge it up and everything checks out fine. But replacing the battery has not solved the problem. If I keep riding the bike regularly, this problem disappears. One shop kept the bike for over a week and checked the battery each morning and saw the constant draw. He said, however, that the bike had no more draw than any of the other bikes in his dealership.

I've heard some people say the cause is the security system that runs 24-hours. Now i've got a battery tender hooked up to the bike and I'll see if that solves the problem. At $150 to $175 a pop, I'm getting pretty tired of buying new batteries.

I did install a new V&H exhaust system because the catalytic converter heated up so much it was burning my right leg. I don't know if the mapping needed to install the new system may be causing the problem.I'm beginning to think this is a series of engineering flaws. Anyone got any ideas or have had the same problem(s) ?
 
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Wow...that's a new one. I know the bike will draw some power to retain programming, settings, etc., but shouldn't be chewing through batteries. Did the dealership test for wiring faults/codes, or shorts? You could have a pinched wire grounding somewhere & drawing current???
 
I usually but not always, keep a tender on my original battery in the '07 EG. I have gone two weeks without riding and without the tender hooked up. The engine spun as fast as ever. You have something drawing too much current. Hoople can probably tell you how many amps are supposed to be siphoning off for the clock and security sys.
 
One dealer did say he "re-set" some codes. No one said they tested for a short or pinched wire. I think I might just head in that direction next. Hopefully I'll get some cooperation from the dealership.

I really appreciate the help and ideas.
 
I've never had any problems with my 2010 Ultra and I have left my battery tender off for three weeks, it still started as if it had been plugged in. I'd tell dealer that he needs to find out what is wrong with it while it's still under warranty. Good Luck
 
Are you storing the security FOB too close to the bike when it's parked for the long periods? I was told that storing it too close causes constact 'receive/transmit' (for lack of better terms), but I would think if true that would drain the FOB battery before the bike battery, but just a thought.
 
ovationfan said:
He said, however, that the bike had no more draw than any of the other bikes in his dealership.
Click to expand...

If the battery is in fact Good, that would be impossible. The bike would HAVE to be drawing excessive current. I bet if you were to fully charge the battery and then pull the maxi fuse, you could leave the battery for a couple of weeks and it would not go dead. Using a battery Tender will only hide the real issue and not fix the problem. The Tender will just off-set the current draw. You have to be drawing over a 100ma when the bike is off. That is a bunch of current and it should not be hard to isolate. Don't know the exact number of MA for your bike which is considered normal but my guess would be anything over 25 mills is something to look into. I would install an milliamp meter in place of the Maxi fuse and start pulling fuses one by one until you see the load fall off. That will isolate it to a branch circuit. Then look at the factory wiring schematic to see what that branch fuse powers. The root cause won't be far away.
 
Awhile back Chopper provided us with this information on isolating leakage current path and expected current readings:

Milliampere Draw Test
• Be sure accessories are not wired so they stay on at all times. This condition could drain battery completely if vehicle is parked for a long time. Check for this by connecting ammeter between negative battery cable and ground.

MilliampereDrawTest.jpg


• TSM/TSSM/HFSM will continue to draw 16-25 mA for 30 seconds after ignition is turned off. Any disruption and reconnection of battery power, such as disconnecting the battery to place a meter in series, will cause TSM/TSSM/HFSM to draw 16-25 mA for 30 seconds.
1.) Connect ammeter between negative battery cable and crankcase ground. With this arrangement, you will also pick up any regulator drain.
2.) With ignition switch turned to OFF and all lights and accessories off, observe current reading.
a. Add voltage regulator draw to appropriate value for TSM/TSSM/HFSM. If sum is greater than reading observed on ammeter, draw is within limits.
b. A higher reading indicates excessive current draw.
Any accessories must be considered and checked for excessive drain.
NOTE
A battery with a surface discharge condition could suffer a static drain. Correct by cleaning battery case.
Maximum Meter Reading (Averaged)
ITEM DRAW IN MILLIAMPERES
Voltage regulator 1
Speedometer 1
Tachometer (if equipped) 1
TSM (non-security models) 1
TSSM (disarmed) 3
TSSM (armed) 3
TSSM (storage mode) 1
HFSM 1
Security siren 20.0*
* Siren will draw for 2-24 hours from time motorcycle battery is connected and 0.05 milliamperes once siren battery is charged. For best results, disconnect siren during milliampere draw test.
 
do you sit the bike up right or turn the handle bars all the way to side.. seen one bike that would constantly flash the lights for no other reason than the handler bars werent turned to side and it didnt have a little lean and the alarm would go off and run battery dead.. wouldnt always do it right away
 
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