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  • #1

    Weak battery? Flat battery?

    I had a problem with the battery on my XJR1300. Basically, it's a small battery (like many modern bikes) and I've been using it for short runs around town, going to the post office, shops, coming home, going back etc. The battery has not been charging up enough to start the bike. Alternator output/charging is all fine... it's just the repeated short runs. I'd heard about something called an Optimate which trickle charges the battery when the bike's not being used.

    My bike garage has no power, so the Optimate wasn't possible. But... I bought a solar panel http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2202943708...84.m1439.l2649

    and found that it cured the problem! It has a charging light on it and it generates current even on a cloudy day. I'm very pleased with the results. Usually, the battery was flat after a week. Not any more. The solar panel has crocodile clips on it and the XJR seat comes off easily with the ignition key. For the XS1100, with its more difficult to remove seat, I thought it might be possible to connect the leads to the 12v power output under the right side panel.

    I was so pleased with the panel that I bought another two of them from the same seller. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with them... possibly a solar-charged truck battery pumping rain water from my water barrels.

    So, if you're plagued with a low battery, or short runs draining it, the above might be your solution. My panel is mounted on the garage roof and the wire is long enough to going through the soffit to the bike.
    XS1100F 1980 European model. Standard. Dyna coils. Iridium plugs. XS750 final drive (sometimes). Micron fork brace. Progressive front springs. Geezer regulator/rectifier. Stainless 4 into 2 exhaust. Auto CCT (Venturer 1300) SOLD. New project now on the go. 1980 European model.
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  • #2
    Your system is off the grid! Sort of... Hey, run a power circuit into your garage for power tools, etc.
    Skids (Sid Hansen)

    Down to one 1978 E. Stock air box with K&N filter, 81H pipes and carbs, 8500 feet elevation.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by skids View Post
      Your system is off the grid! Sort of... Hey, run a power circuit into your garage for power tools, etc.
      Well.... I was thinking of rigging up a couple of truck batteries in parallel. Then mounting the other two panels on the garage roof, again in parallel, to charge the batteries.... htne running lights off them (I think power tools is asking a bit much!).

      It's certainly solved my flat battery problem.......
      XS1100F 1980 European model. Standard. Dyna coils. Iridium plugs. XS750 final drive (sometimes). Micron fork brace. Progressive front springs. Geezer regulator/rectifier. Stainless 4 into 2 exhaust. Auto CCT (Venturer 1300) SOLD. New project now on the go. 1980 European model.

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      • #4
        solar charging

        james, i also have a small solar array for recharging batteries. it's 45 watts at 3.5amps. i bought it to recharge my humongous rv battery which i use to power cooling fans and lights when our power fails in the summer heat. that big battery hooked up to my inverter and battery maintainer will charge the bike batteries in short order. works great. and we get lots of sun here in phoenix!

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        • #5
          Why not just mount the panel to the bike and hard-wire it to the battery? Then, it would be charging no matter where you were parked!
          1980 XS850SG - Sold
          1981 XS1100LH Midnight Special (Sold) - purchased 9/29/08
          Fully Vetterized and Dynojet Kit added, Heated Grips, Truck-Lite LED headlight, Accel Coils, Irridium plugs, TKAT Fork Brace, XS850LH Final Drive & Black SS Brake lines from Chacal.
          Here's my web page devoted to my bike! XS/XJ User's Manuals there, and the XJ1100 Service Manual and both XS1100 Service manuals (free download!).

          Whether you think you can, or you think you cannot - You're right.
          -H. Ford

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          • #6
            Originally posted by CatatonicBug View Post
            Why not just mount the panel to the bike and hard-wire it to the battery? Then, it would be charging no matter where you were parked!
            It's funny you should say that. This very evening, I already mounted a panel on my XJR1300... hard wired into the battery. I'll post some pix tomorrow. It looks cool, I reckon! It also has a trendy little blue flashing diode to show it's charging. The panel is mounted on the rear seat fairing and actually looks like part of the bike (mine is black).....
            XS1100F 1980 European model. Standard. Dyna coils. Iridium plugs. XS750 final drive (sometimes). Micron fork brace. Progressive front springs. Geezer regulator/rectifier. Stainless 4 into 2 exhaust. Auto CCT (Venturer 1300) SOLD. New project now on the go. 1980 European model.

            Comment

            • #7
              Here it is......
              Last edited by James England; 09-10-2012, 06:33 PM.
              XS1100F 1980 European model. Standard. Dyna coils. Iridium plugs. XS750 final drive (sometimes). Micron fork brace. Progressive front springs. Geezer regulator/rectifier. Stainless 4 into 2 exhaust. Auto CCT (Venturer 1300) SOLD. New project now on the go. 1980 European model.

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              • #8
                Here it is...... it was charging merrily this after noon with its little blue light flashing away......








                I must say, since I fitted the solar panel to the garage roof and connected up the battery, it's not flattened at all. Quite the opposite... the starter motor turns faster and the bike starts more easily.... hence fitting one to the bike! It looks better in real life than in the pix. The panel doesn't show up black with the camera flash but it actually is black and looks like part of the rear seat fairing.
                Last edited by James England; 09-10-2012, 06:35 PM.
                XS1100F 1980 European model. Standard. Dyna coils. Iridium plugs. XS750 final drive (sometimes). Micron fork brace. Progressive front springs. Geezer regulator/rectifier. Stainless 4 into 2 exhaust. Auto CCT (Venturer 1300) SOLD. New project now on the go. 1980 European model.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Is it a coincident that your license plate says xjr or is that how they do plates over there?
                  Nathan
                  KD9ARL

                  μολὼν λαβέ

                  1978 XS1100E
                  K&N Filter
                  #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
                  OEM Exhaust
                  ATK Fork Brace
                  LED Dash lights
                  Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters
                  Green Monster Coils
                  SS Brake Lines
                  Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

                  In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

                  Theodore Roosevelt

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by natemoen View Post
                    Is it a coincident that your license plate says xjr or is that how they do plates over there?
                    No, it's not a coincidence. Registration numbers here are allocated when a vehicle is new and remain with the machine for its entire life. They show a vehicle's age and are just a combination of letters and digits. But, it is possible to buy a registration number from the government which looks like something.. a name, car model, bike model etc and have it transferred to a vehicle on payment of a fee. There's a big market here now for it.... people try to get their names, or jobs or pet's names or whatever. You have to choose the best available number... you can't have one made up to your own exact choice. I bought my number recently because it's almost 1300 XJR. If I sell the bike, the plate would go with it (many people retain plates because they have their names on them or similar).

                    I tried to get XJR130D but it had been sold... to someone with an XJR1300
                    Last edited by James England; 09-10-2012, 07:02 PM.
                    XS1100F 1980 European model. Standard. Dyna coils. Iridium plugs. XS750 final drive (sometimes). Micron fork brace. Progressive front springs. Geezer regulator/rectifier. Stainless 4 into 2 exhaust. Auto CCT (Venturer 1300) SOLD. New project now on the go. 1980 European model.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Daytime pix

                      Here's a couple of shots in the daytime....



                      XS1100F 1980 European model. Standard. Dyna coils. Iridium plugs. XS750 final drive (sometimes). Micron fork brace. Progressive front springs. Geezer regulator/rectifier. Stainless 4 into 2 exhaust. Auto CCT (Venturer 1300) SOLD. New project now on the go. 1980 European model.

                      Comment

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