Charging Battery

[akpasta]

Think I need to charge my battery. Pulling up to work today it started cutting out just like my S90 does when it needs a battery charge.

I usually leave the light switch on but the high-low beam switch in the middle (headlight off), as that's supposed to charge the battery better. However, I also use the electric starter, and earlier in the ride to work, I had to switch over to reserve since reg fuel setting was running dry, which meant pumping the electric start to get the reserve gas into the carb/cylinder quickly ... that probably drained the battery a lot. It's a new battery.

What will happen if I use the 6v battery tender I have for my S90 on the 12v CB77 battery? Will it just take twice as long to charge or is there any other drawback?

[Goodysnap]

Think I need to charge my battery. Pulling up to work today it started cutting out just like my S90 does when it needs a battery charge.

I usually leave the light switch on but the high-low beam switch in the middle (headlight off), as that's supposed to charge the battery better. However, I also use the electric starter, and earlier in the ride to work, I had to switch over to reserve since reg fuel setting was running dry, which meant pumping the electric start to get the reserve gas into the carb/cylinder quickly ... that probably drained the battery a lot. It's a new battery.
What will happen if I use the 6v battery tender I have for my S90 on the 12v CB77 battery? Will it just take twice as long to charge or is there any other drawback?

Cranking the engine does nothing to get gas to the carbs. Best to wait a bit and if your still rolling dump the clutch in gear to refire. If I'm fast I will ussually get it switched before it even stalls completely. Have you checked your gas cap vent?


A 6 volt battery tender will do nothing for your 12V battery other than maintain it at 6 volts if it happens to be that low.

[akpasta]

GOOD POINT, it's a tender. duh.

Ya, I've only put 250 miles on this bike so I've only had to switch it to reserve a couple times, and I haven't quite mastered the warning signs yet, besides some popping from the exhausts when you're coasting to a stop in neutral.

I'm just hoping I can get home after work. Guess it'll be lights-off and low-rpms the whole way.

[akpasta]

GOOD POINT, it's a tender. duh.

Ya, I've only put 250 miles on this bike so I've only had to switch it to reserve a couple times, and I haven't quite mastered the warning signs yet, besides some popping from the exhausts when you're coasting to a stop in neutral.

It's the strangest thing, but on my way home I passed a gas station so I pulled off. And turns out that it was gas, even though i had JUST switched to reserve, and have in the past gotten at least 10 miles out of the reserve. Go figure.

[Goodysnap]

Hmmm? I'd be whatchin closely. 10 miles seems a little light for reserve capacity. I'd guess it's proly around a gallon. Should be more like 40-50 I'd say. Never tested it though. I've Only run down to reserve once or twice and never push it. Maybe you have no reserve?

[akpasta]

I didn't run the reserve till the bike was flat outta gas, but definitely ran it on reserve a few trips around town, probably about 10 miles. Strange thing is, now that I've looked into it, my reserve is plugged! Dunno what happened there. No clue how I ran out of gas, switched to reserve, and got started back up again with the tube from the right side of the tank (reserve, right?) plugged up and not going where it's supposed to.

[jleewebb]

If I'm not mistaken, in reserve position gas flows to petcock bowl from both the crossover tube on right and the base of the petcock on the left side...