Continuity between battery terminals?

[stogieluvr60]

My battery took a crap over the winter so I went out and found a new one and installed it. In 2 days it was stone dead. Recharged it and in doing some troubleshooting I find I have nearly complete continuity between battery terminals disconnected from the battery. .079 to be exact. What could cause this? And what do I do about it?

[Dan89flstc]

First tell us what you are working on...

[PoorUB]

You need to test for amp draw when off, and best after it has been off for some time. Again the year and model would help. Pretty much any motorcycle built in the last 20 years will draw a tiny bit of power when off so your continuity test is meaningless.

[Coyote]

You need to test for amp draw when off, and best after it has been off for some time. Again the year and model would help. Pretty much any motorcycle built in the last 20 years will draw a tiny bit of power when off so your continuity test is meaningless.

  You need to do a current draw test. Your continuity test may or may not be very valid as the bike load is not purely resistive.

If the current draw is high, you can pull fuses until you find the circuit the problem is on. (assuming you have a non CANBUS bike) You need to specify the bike year and model.

[stogieluvr60]

First tell us what you are working on...

This is a 2014 Ultra Classic. The battery has been tested and is good. The charging system is putting out 14.68 volts when running. But there is a short somewhere. When connecting the battery terminals, a bit of arching occurs and according to the man at the battery shop, that is an indication of a short. I'm looking through my service manual trying to find a place to start to troubleshoot this issue.

[Coyote]

First tell us what you are working on...

This is a 2014 Ultra Classic. The battery has been tested and is good. The charging system is putting out 14.68 volts when running. But there is a short somewhere. When connecting the battery terminals, a bit of arching occurs and according to the man at the battery shop, that is an indication of a short. I'm looking through my service manual trying to find a place to start to troubleshoot this issue.

The sparking is normal. It does not indicate a short. There are modules on your bike that are connected to power even if the ignition is off. All of them have capacitive filters on the supply line. When you connect the battery, there is a brief sudden current draw to charge the caps which will cause a spark.

The only way to know what's going on is to do a quiescent current draw test.

[Appowner]

Time for a new tool for the tool box!    Find yourself a clamp on amp meter.  Make sure it will do DC Amps as not all of them will.  Price should be less than $50 for an acceptable one.  Or you can be like me and spend a couple of hundred for a Fluke that's a full function Multi Meter as well.

Amazon has a bunch that should fit the bill for you.  But so will your local auto parts stores, Wal Mart, etc if you're in a rush.

One of those tools you won't use much but sure is nice to have when you need it.  Just pull the batteries when not in use to avoid corrosion.

[Dan89flstc]

Time for a new tool for the tool box!    Find yourself a clamp on amp meter. 

Way overkill...

All that is needed to measure parasitic battery drain is a multimeter.

[PoorUB]

I have plenty of meters, but I will use a 12 volt test light between a battery terminal and the cable. Hook up the light and start unplugging and plugging back in accessories until the light gets dim, or goes out . A heavy draw and a test light will glow fairly bright and get obviously dim as the load drops.

Also, to Stogie, what was the last thing you messed with? Adjust the hand controls? Have anything apart? Last fall?

[smoserx1]

I have several meters as well, including an analog meter and an old Fluke 73 in my toolbox.  All have certain advantages, but the favorite one I have for testing something like this is the very cheapest meter that Harbor Freight sells, for $6.39 when NOT on sale.  I like it because it is not auto-ranging and has 2000 and 200 microamp ranges as well as 200 and 20 milliamp ranges.  Then it has a 10 amp range that uses a separate jack.  At this price you can buy two in case you destroy one.  Start at the 10 amp range and work down through the ranges.  Be sure to hook the meter in series (I have seen people who don't know how to do this).  Whatever you do don't actuate the lights or the starter.  FWIW, my bike is really old, a 99 flht and has no security or similar.  I still have a parasitic draw of about 630 micro-amps (which is almost nothing) but even with this I can sometimes get a tiny spark when connecting the battery.

[FloridaJim5]

Anyone know the spec for the OP?  Usually the allowable or normal IOD is measured in milliamps or ma on the meter.   

[Coyote]

Anyone know the spec for the OP?  Usually the allowable or normal IOD is measured in milliamps or ma on the meter.

4-8mA on the newer bikes, depending on if you have an alarm module installed is what I've always measured.

[Appowner]

Time for a new tool for the tool box!    Find yourself a clamp on amp meter. 

Way overkill...

All that is needed to measure parasitic battery drain is a multimeter.

Of course it is.  But then you don't have a reason for a new tool!   

[Big Cahuna]

Some things that draw power when the key is in the off position. Alarm system, radio presets, a possible remote light in tour box left on, un-switched power to a radio amplifier, phone charger left plugged into something. Check those things first, if all looks good, go to fuse box and with your meter hooked up, start removing fuses and note which one causes the voltage to rise when pulled.,,,