Trouble installing battery tender in '83 Nighthawk 650

[Vorsprung]

Hey,

I ran down my battery not knowing that idling doesn't charge it up, and I haven't gone on any rides long enough to charge it back up all the way. I didn't want to get another push start, so I'm just installing a battery tender (also useful for when I'm on work travel) and I'm having a little trouble. I remove the right side cover and unbolt the little swingarm covering my battery and disconnect the overflow hose, but that battery is stuck in there pretty good. Am I doing this the right way, or should I try to attach the little eyelet connects to other points where the battery is connected?

Thanks,
KP

[scoathy]

if the battery will not slide out when you open the swing arm then I would guess one of the following possibilities:

wrong size battery
cables are wedged between battery and battery box
some foreign object is wedged between the battery and side/s of the battery box
some sticky-icky substances has adhered the bottom of the battery to the battery box.

I'd pull out the flashlight and see what you find above and on the sides of the battery.

Will it slide upward at all?

Good luck!

[Vorsprung]

Thanks for the reply scoathy.

I can't get that thing to move in any direction, partially because I can't get a very good grip on it. I checked out my battery again, it doesn't look like there's anything on the sides that's all clear. My only guesses is that there's something on the bottom (rust doesn't stick to plastic I think) or that there is a cable on the top, looks like the positive cable is connected to the solenoid or something.





Is there anywhere else you think I can attach those cables? I was thinking putting one eyelet where that red cap on the left is (I think it goes over to the positive terminal) and the other over on the right... or should I put that on the chassis somewhere?

In case those images don't load:

http://img101.imageshack.us/i/img2730g.jpg/
http://img99.imageshack.us/i/img2729k.jpg/

[windrider]

The battery should slide out.  I would try to pry up on it a bit, carefully.  The positive cable may have it jammed.  You can put the battery tender positive cable on the connection under the red cap.  Just check and make sure it is "hot" all the time.  Use a meter or a test light to verify.  The negative cable from the battery tender can go anywhere to the metal frame or engine.  Just remember, sooner or later that battery has got to come out.  Might as well figure it out now, while you're not riding.  Good Luck.

[ariwhiteboy]

  to the forum!  Hope you are able to get that battery out.  While a battery tender is a great idea, just know that it will take a loonnng time to charge a battery that has been run down. If you have access to one a regular charger would be a better bet for this task, then once the battery is charged plug it into the battery tender during periods of non-riding. Keep us posted and ride safe! 

[drdubb]

I had some of the same problems. with my 650. That battery space is tight. The PO had jury rigged the batter cables and that what was jamming mine. When I did get it out, I got some cables off ebay and then for the trickle charger, I made a ring connector and leave it on the battery permanently. I just plug in the charger now. I used tie wraps to attach plug to the frame in an out of the way space.

[Laminar]

[Laminar]

It's likely that the positive cable is wedged in there. Time to start yanking.

[Vorsprung]

Thanks for the help everyone, I really appreciate it. I'll give it another go tonight, if I can't get the sucker to pull out then I'll attach the tender at some other points.

What a great way to start off being a member of this forum.

[Munkey]

You should probaby charge your battery with a real battery charger first. Battery tenders are designed to put a very small current into the battery to prevent a fully charged battery from losing it's charge during times when they are not being used. They are not meant to bring a discharged battery back up to full charge.

I'm not saying your tender idea is a bad one, just don't expect it to bring your dead battery back to full charge.

[bajakirch]

I have a 550, but there's a lot of similarity in parts and functions between the 2 models. IDK if the 650 uses the same battery as the 550, but in the photos that battery seems wider than the one in my 550. That could be part of the problem.

I had trouble getting the battery out once too. Turned out the postive cable had gotten jammed in there. It took some tugging, but it finally came out. Hard part, as you said, is that it's darn near impossible to get a good grip on the thing.

And IIRC, there's no access to the battery from the top, so taking the seat off probably won't help. Maybe you can fit a screwdriver or rod of some sort in from the left side somewhere and give it a push (just be careful you don't puncture the battery).

I ended up installying a pigtail on my battery so I can easily hook it up to my charger. I'll top the battery off for an hour or so before or after riding and it's been working well all season. A combination of a new battery (purchased last fall) and the regular top-offs has virtually eliminated the starting problems I had last season.

[Vorsprung]

Just wanted to let you all know it was the positive cable wedged in there, I unscrewed the lead you see in the picture and then used it to pull the battery out. My only question is for the negative lead, is there some reason I can't just attach it directly to the battery? Does it actually have to go to a point on the chassis?

As for my tender, the manual says it also has a charging mode before it switches to that low-current mode. It should be overnight, so by tomorrow around noon (PST) I'd have no doubts about the battery being full.

[Laminar]

The negative lead needs to go from the battery negative post to one of the starter to engine mounts.

[Brittles]

My only question is for the negative lead, is there some reason I can't just attach it directly to the battery? Does it actually have to go to a point on the chassis?

Yes, you can attach the negative to the battery. It doesn't really matter as long as it's grounded.

[Vorsprung]

Thanks for your help all, I got the charger/tender plugged in and it's going along. Hopefully there's nothing else that keeps me from starting up, it was pretty much golden every time when I first got the bike about a month ago!

 

Freakin' love these smilies...

[edac]

  I like the banana