Cooling Fan Drains Battery

[rob f]

The battery does sound like the most obvious but a few checks first. You said that you checked the charging system. Did you check stator output prior to the regulator? And then regulator output to the battery? check for poor wire connections. Easy way is to test that is check the charging voltage at the regulator terminals and then across the battery posts ( not the battery cable). The readings should be the same. How does the bike start? A poor battery would show up more at the starter than the fan.

I was contemplating installing a switch also, but for the opposite reason...to turn the fan on manually during city stop and go driving. I would hook it in parallel so not to effect normal function. Also would have an indicator light on the switch so i could tell when the fan was running as most of the time i can't tell if it is working because of the exhaust noise.
Better yet would be a coolant temp gauge.

[chief]

I noticed today, the cooling fan drains the battery.  Alternator is good, i ran a check.  I just wanted to put this out there and trade some ideas.  as you guys know, if it's hot enough, you can park the bike and the fan will run for a minute or two.

Yeah, it will continue to run until the thermostat turns it off... which is a good thing. This really sounds like a weak battery to me, since you have checked the charging system.

[mittico68]

I do agree with Chief: it could be your bike needs a new battery.
I've got an 800 too, since 1999, and I never faced such a problem like that (and in the summer it happened the fan to go on, after parking the bike).
Just my 2 cents...

[chief]

you trickle charge lithium battery same as conventional?

No. You don't need to trickle charge. If you are going to let the bike sit for more than  2-3 months you simply disconnect the battery. It will keep it's charge for a very long time.

It has really been nice over the winter not to have to worry about the battery.

This is the original post thread on my change.

https://www.vulcandrifterriders.com/forum/index.php?topic=52267.msg114278#msg114278

[Ernest]

How old is your battery?  If you haven't added electrical devices to the bike, it should not be doing this. There is no reason to risk being stranded and the expense involved with that. I'd replace the battery just because it is the easiest thing to do without doing a lot of testing etc.

Year before last I changed over to lithium battery on my 1500 and it has been terrific. More expensive but certainly worth the investment in my opinion.

you trickle charge lithium battery same as conventional?

[Ernest]

i would say the battery is 2 1/2 years old, which is how long i had the bike.  yep, it may be time for a new battery.

[chief]

How old is your battery?   If you haven't added electrical devices to the bike, it should not be doing this. There is no reason to risk being stranded and the expense involved with that. I'd replace the battery just because it is the easiest thing to do without doing a lot of testing etc.

Year before last I changed over to lithium battery on my 1500 and it has been terrific. More expensive but certainly worth the investment in my opinion.

[Ernest]

I noticed today, the cooling fan drains the battery.  Alternator is good, i ran a check.  I just wanted to put this out there and trade some ideas.  as you guys know, if it's hot enough, you can park the bike and the fan will run for a minute or two.

luckily i was at home.  But, this incident could of happened at a gas station.  I would have been stranded.  i was considering putting a on off switch to the fan, so when i'm at the gas station i could switch it off and battery will not go dead.

what if i forget to turn the switch back on?  any ideas?    maybe just get a new battery?  I'm trying to get the most life out of a battery.