Dead battery

[RoadWarrior]

I put the bike in the trailer yesterday about 6PM amd it started fine. 24 hours later I pulled it out of the trailer turned on the ignition and instruments lit up, light came on a little dim and radio did not come on at all. When I tried to start, nothing happened.

I jumped it and got it started and took it for a ride. Battery voltage off idle was just under 14V. At idle it drops to just over 12V. I don't remember it doing that before this episode. Pretty sure it stayed at a constant...just over 14V, even at idle.

What are you guys seeing as far as voltage at idle and going down the road.

I'm pretty sure I didn't leave the ignition on when I put it in the trailer. Let's say I did though. Does it have a low voltage shut down feature where if you leave the ignition on, it will shut down to prevent the battery from going flat?

I was thinking that if I left the ignition on, the battery would have gone flat dead.

The only thing I added recently was the Hogtunes amp. Just to be on the safe side, I disconnected the amp.

 

[TomA]

If your using the Aux it will shut off at 45 minutes according to the propaganda in the owners manual. Can't remember if I have tested this or not but that's the deal to protect itself.

 

[RoadWarrior]

If your using the Aux it will shut off at 45 minutes according to the propaganda in the owners manual. Can't remember if I have tested this or not but that's the deal to protect itself.

By aux, do you mean the accessory position on the ignition switch? I really don't think I left it on. If I had, the headlight and radio would have been on, which would have been quite noticeable in the dark trailer while I was strapping it down.

Dealer told me they have seen the CVO's with amps kill the battery in 2 days.

 

[TomA]

Not sure about what the dealer is telling you but in Aux mod with the switch the headlights shouldn't be on.

 

[RoadWarrior]

That's right, lights are not on in aux mode. Maybe when I loaded it yesterday, I accidentally put it to the aux position. I'm trying to figure out why it went dead. I don't trust it to start if I shut it off until I figure it out. Might take it to the local dealer in the morning just to make sure it's charging OK and to make sure the battery doesn't have a dead cell.

When I told them I installed an amp, they told me they have seen issues with the HD boom amps killing the battery when left sitting for a couple days

 

[RoadWarrior]

Just had a thought. I had the keys and the security FOB in the truck cab, which means the bike security system was active. Would 12 hours of bouncing around in the trailer have caused the security system to go off non stop and kill the battery? Not sure what happens when the security system goes off. I've never tested it. Not sure of it flashes lights, peeps the horn, etc.

If so, is there a way to disable the security system for trailering or should I just put the security FOB with the bike?

 

[OldMike]

See "Transport Mode" in your owners manual.
The motion detector can kill the battery. Jump starting and running a bike with a dead battery is not a good idea, your battery needs to be fully charged or replaced with a good charged battery.

 

[CrBear]

Yep, happen to me as well picking up the bike and trailering from KC to Dallas. Harley sales forgot to tell me to take the "fob" out of my pocket on the way back. Dead when I got home. Then I read the "Transport" mode in the manual..

 

[RoadWarrior]

Yep, that's what's going on. I'm in WI and the manual is in TN, but I googled the procedure. Looks like we're trailering up to the nearest dealer for a new battery. This must be bike gods punishing me for trailering my bike.

 

[Mojo]

Yep, that's what's going on. I'm in WI and the manual is in TN, but I googled the procedure. Looks like we're trailering up to the nearest dealer for a new battery. This must be bike gods punishing me for trailering my bike.

Road Warrior- you should be able to just recharge your current battery rather than buy another. Many who tow/trailer overlook the disable Security System instructions in the owner manual.

 

[CrBear]

Totally! Took mine about 1 1/2 days

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[RoadWarrior]

Being away from home, I just had them install a new battery. Everything is back to normal now. Proper voltage readings and all. I'll have the old battery tested and replaced under warranty if it's gone bad. Then I'll have a spare battery just incase.

 

[RoadWarrior]

So after having a new battery installed, everything was fine. Now we're back home and again, the battery is almost dead after 12 hours on the trailer. I disabled the security system as per the manual and the bike responded just as the manual says it should, but when I shook the bike, the turn signals flashed. I did the disabling think a few more times and still, it seems the system did not disable. I just left the FOB with the bike and hit the road. When we got home, it started, but the volt meter is back to showing 12.5 or so at idle and just under 14 down the road. I guess the only way to keep the battery from dying on the trailer is to disconnect it.