Battery wire?

[daveyg]

So I got this new battery from the local Yamaha dealer, came with this wire, which I was told was to be plugged into the wiring harness and into the batt, "or else it won't properly charge" Problem is, when I got the bike it had a battery with no extra wire. So I have 2 questions. First, Do I even need this thing? (Bike was a 1980 Special) And second, where's the wire at in the harness that I need to tap into to hook this baby up if I do need it?

[CatatonicBug]

I'm not exactly an electrical expert, but I'm not aware of ANY wire/connection like that on an XS11. There are only 2 wires to the battery anyway - the Positive cable, and the Ground wire.

[xs11bobber]

Ummmm... what is it?

Chances are, your gonna need a tender anyway. These bikes don't have the correct components from the factory to keep a battery fully charged like say a car. This cable appears useless to me. I just bought 2 batteries and neither came with any "extra" parts.

[Incubus]

Got a picture of the battery? Where does this harness plug into it?

Patrick

[Jerry]

The XJ battery has a hole for a sensor. I had not seen one before, but this could be it. On the XJ there is a wire under the seat and over the fuse block that will plug into the sensor. It has nothing to do with charging, is a fluid level sensor, and needs to be cleaned from time to time to work.

Other bikes in the early '80s had similar sensors. However, I don't think your Special came with a sensor circuit. I would plug the hole in the battery and forget about this wire, or return the battery to your dealer and exchange it for one without the sensor plug.

[daveyg]

Jerry knows what he's talking about! Yeah, according to the dealership boys it is a fluid level sensor to basically tell the bike not to dry charge the batt if the level is low, but if left out, it will automatically default to thinking the level of fluid is low and not charge, or something like that. Basically there is just another plug, like the filler plugs, that is in the middle on the top, more to the front (as sitting on the bike). I'll take a pic of the batt tonight if I get a chance. But thanks for helping me make sure I don't need it. Good chance the morons just thought I said XJ instead of XS (since this is just one more of the little tiny things that differentiates the two)

[barberad]

On my XJ, the replacent battery had a "strip type" cover for all of the holes on the battery. I put the sensor thru a hole I put in the strip but it didn't set down far enough into the fluid. The battery specifically states to not put water in it (Guess it's Acid only) so I never really worried about it. I have had no charging problems, but the battery check is always on.

[daveyg]

Barberad, thanks for the info. So even if the bike needed it, it would just make a light come on is all? Thats good to know, and yes, the plug where it supposedly fits is like 1/2 inch lower than the rest of the plugs, so it allows the sensor to sit low enough to contact the fluid. And on initial fill-up acid is used, but if the battery goes too low, it can be refilled with distilled water, since the water evaporates, but it will just make the acidity higher, so adding distilled water puts it back at the proper acidity. Also though, a battery that uses the strip of caps is usually a MF battery (maintenance free) meaning it shouldn't be refilled ever... Anyway, thanks for the input on the wire not being needed. Now I just need to finish filling the holes in my tank, clean the carbs again, and go for broke when life thaws back out.

[xs11bobber]

Ahhhhhh, who needs it to thaw. They make insulated carhartt suits

[Jerry]

You can make the Check Battery light go off when using a non-sensor battery in an XJ, look at this Tech Tip:

http://www.xs11.com/xs11-info/tech-tips/modifications/battery---electrical/207-xj11-battery-sensor-eliminator.html

Thread includes photos. There is a red/white wire on the XJ that plugs into the sensor wire, and this wire is shown in one of the shots.

[Jerry]

One correction...the write-up indicates you should use a 2K Ohm resisteor, this was a type on my part, I actualy used a 2.2K ohm. Value appears not to be to critical.

[barberad]

Thanks Jerry, I actually think I just got used to the balance of the battery indicator and the fuel one being on an the same time. Wouldn't want drive down the road sideways.