I really screwed the pooch!

[dougger]

Help!! I let the battery on my 80 xs11 get too low and tried to jump it with cables from my wife's car. I'm okay so far, but I cross connected the pos and neg and shorted something. I have checked all of the fuses behind the right side cover, but could not locate any fuses behind the left side cover per the owners manual. Any thoughts?

[mro]

main fuse

Left side near top, small rubber box about 1 1/2 inch square...


mro
BTW, only pos side of jumper has to go to battery, neg can go to engine or bare spot on frame

[DiverRay]

If there is the fuse on the left side, it may be closer to under the seat. Look for an inline glass fuse holder that has room for a spare fuse.
Good Luck!

[dougger]

Hmmm.... I checked, but no fuses. Let me make sure that I'm looking in the right place. On the left side of the bike I am looking at the tool kit and the neg side of the battery. I don't see anything resembling a fuse block. There have been a couple of mods to this bike, like an oil cooler and different signals. If someone was going to move or eliminate this fuse cluster, where would it go?

[dougger]

Well...I just pulled the battery...no electrolyte solution at all...is that bad? Holy crap. Does anyone have a recipe for home made solution?

[Crazcnuk]

Just fill it with water (distilled?) and charge it.

When a battery is dead, it's just water in there, albiet very bad tasting water!

(don't ask me how I know...)

[79XS11F]

Replace the battery ... Yes you can fill it and charge it but your asking to have it let you down somewhere when unexpected. These bikes need a GOOD battery to run the electrical system so taking a battery and using it after it has been let to dry out or even worse had the fluid boiled off by over charging is playing with fire .
Rob

[Crazcnuk]

Well, unlike the suspicious sams around here, I never assume anything.

I would fill it and charge it. Slowly, overnight at 2amps or less, then TRY it.

It is likely hooped, but it never hurts to try it. You'll know one way or the other pretty quickly.

You can also have the battery tested, if it takes a charge at all.

As for letting you down, ANY battery, or any other component can leave you stranded at any time. Just replacing things because it might let you down means you can't keep any vehicle for more than the warranty period!

[79XS11F]

Originally posted by Crazcnuk
Well, unlike the suspicious sams around here, I never assume anything.

I would fill it and charge it. Slowly, overnight at 2amps or less, then TRY it.

It is likely hooped, but it never hurts to try it. You'll know one way or the other pretty quickly.

You can also have the battery tested, if it takes a charge at all.

As for letting you down, ANY battery, or any other component can leave you stranded at any time. Just replacing things because it might let you down means you can't keep any vehicle for more than the warranty period!

Yes any part can let you down at any time but running with parts that are known to be questionable is asking for trouble. Any mechanic can tell you that PREVENTATIVE maintenance is always cheaper then waiting until it breaks.
PREVENTATIVE maintenance is good practice. Replacing a battery that has been let to go dry is PREVENTATIVE maintenance and in my opinion good advise. It's like replacing tires when the wear bars tell you to do so instead of waiting until loose control of the bike in a corner.
Rob

[GNEPIG]

Quote:
Yes any part can let you down at any time but running with parts that are known to be questionable is asking for trouble. Any mechanic can tell you that PREVENTATIVE maintenance is always cheaper then waiting until it breaks.
PREVENTATIVE maintenance is good practice. Replacing a battery that has been let to go dry is PREVENTATIVE maintenance and in my opinion good advise. It's like replacing tires when the wear bars tell you to do so instead of waiting until lose control of the bike in a corner.
Rob

Wow!
Spoken like a professional Rob.
In other words: don't be a cheap b@stard and it won't let you down.

[Crazcnuk]

No, it's like replacing parts because you don't like the date they were made!

The tire bar analogy doesn't fit, because those bars are telling you your tires are wore out. What I am talking about is replacing stuff when you have no indication there is anything wrong with them.

I prefer to test them first, rather than assume. In this case, the battery will likely not even take a charge, then he will know he needs a new one.

If I filled it, charged it and it worked, held a charge, etc. I would use it until it wore out, just like any other battery.

I do preventative maintenance on critical parts like wheel bearings, brake pads (if I don't know the history), All fluids, and anything else that could kill me unexpectedly.

"Not one of those that keep the landfills full, and parts dealers smiling"

[mro]

don't see anything resembling a fuse block

Does not look like a fuse block. Has but two wires, one in and one out. (think either red or red w/white stripe)
Located before battery, just under top of frame left side behind side cover. (Unless aready used should be a spare fuse in rubber block.


mro
BTW,
nothing works when main fuse blown.
No lights and won't crank.

[Hobbit]

Battery

The problem with a battery that has been dry is that the sulfer on the plates seperates from the plates and drops to the bottom of the battery. Not only are the plates missing some of the chemicals they need to react, the sulfer can short across the plates at the bottom causing the battery to fail.

A sulfated battery will normally take a charge but has no residual charge. To test for this, hook up a voltmeter and turn on the ignition(don't start the engine). If the voltage drops quickly with just this minimal amperage charge, the battery is sulfated.

[Axel]

Fuse holder

The fuse holder on my bike is easily accessed by removing the seat and lokking down on the left side just rear of the battery . It is in a rubber block mounted on the frame crossbar by a metal tang similiar to the one that holds the flasher.

[79XS11F]

Originally posted by Crazcnuk
No, it's like replacing parts because you don't like the date they were made!

The tire bar analogy doesn't fit, because those bars are telling you your tires are wore out. What I am talking about is replacing stuff when you have no indication there is anything wrong with them.

I prefer to test them first, rather than assume. In this case, the battery will likely not even take a charge, then he will know he needs a new one.

If I filled it, charged it and it worked, held a charge, etc. I would use it until it wore out, just like any other battery.

I do preventative maintenance on critical parts like wheel bearings, brake pads (if I don't know the history), All fluids, and anything else that could kill me unexpectedly.

"Not one of those that keep the landfills full, and parts dealers smiling"

If you don't think the battery is a "key" component your mistaken. It is the HEART of what is already known to be a weak electoral and charging system. No having a battery fail will not likely kill you but could leave you stranded somewhere at the most inconvenient place or time (Murphy's law will dictate that's that will likely happen) and in a worst case could lead to the damaging of other key components in the electoral system. Buy a battery when you know your is most likely fried ... or wait until stranded and pay for a tow and or taxi, buy a new battery and be inconvenienced. It's not like replacing light bulbs before they blow? and no it's not like replacing parts because one does not like the date they were made. If I felt like that I would not own a 29 year old bike .. would I now?
Rob