1976 Sportster. Why does the battery lose its charge?
Hi Johnny,
No, it would not be an open circuit, as that would cause nothing. Most likely a diode issue.
You did not mention if the bike drains when running, or sitting...Kind of a big thing....
IF not running and the battery drains, isolate the battery by disconnecting all negative cables at the battery. If the problem resolves, the regulator is suspect. It has the diodes that fail.
IF the battery drains while running, look into the charging system. There is a lot of trouble with the plug, where the charging system comes through the engine block. they overheat and fail to function. Not something you can always see, until the plug is pulled out.
If this plug is damaged, it is fairly major to switch out the stator. I have successfully made a soldered connection in this area and filled again with black silicone.
Johnny, there are a ton of other areas that can be suspect, but much more rare for your condition, as stated.
7/28/2015 12:51:05 PM •
Johnny...
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