Your motorcycle battery should last the life of your bike, but if you don’t maintain it properly, that won’t be the case.
If your battery begins to die after sitting unused for several days, you may be experiencing a parasitic draw from something in your electrical system.
I got a new battery from the market. It worked absolutely fine in the beginning but as soon as I used it for quite some time, it started draining.
After trying some fixes, I reached a conclusion and now my battery is working absolutely fine.
You can prevent this type of drain by applying new dielectric grease to your connections and using amp clamps on your wires to seal out any unnecessary current flow.
For more information, read this step-by-step guide on how to fix motorcycle battery draining overnight so you can get back on the road with confidence.
The Issue
Fixing motorcycle battery draining overnight is easy! There are a few things you can check for to ensure your bike isn’t losing juice during a night off.
Most likely, if you’re suffering from poor battery life, one of these items will be an issue.
First, take a look at your thermostat and make sure it’s not set too high. Excessive heat will naturally drain your battery and should be adjusted to its lowest setting possible in order to prevent further loss.
Next, check on your electrical system for any loose or damaged connections between wiring and connectors.
Check Fuses
Although your headlights may have fuses in them, you might have a fuse box closer to where your battery is connected.
This will allow you to quickly test whether any of your fuses are blown and possibly replace them if necessary.
Most fuse boxes can be found near the positive (red) cable connects to your motorcycle battery.
If you suspect a blown fuse is causing your problem۔ Replace it with one that matches its amperage (in amps) and voltage rating. It is indicated on both sides of each fuse in its housing.
Of course, to prevent damaging other parts of your motorcycle while replacing a blown fuse, make sure all electrical systems are turned off before beginning work.
Check Cables and Terminals
Your motorcycle battery is always live, even when your bike’s turned off. That means that if you have a loose cable connection or corroded terminal, some of your energy is flowing out.
Fix any electrical problems that could be draining your bike’s battery overnight by tightening terminals and checking for damaged wires.
Corroded terminals are very common on older bikes, so check yours often. You can also purchase non-corrosive terminal protectors that help keep corrosion at bay.
Check Alternator
If your alternator is working, you shouldn’t have a problem with battery drainage. If your headlights are dim and other electronics aren’t working correctly, then you may have a bad alternator.
However, it’s also possible that your battery or cables need to be checked to ensure they aren’t defective. The best way to start is by testing your battery first thing in the morning.
If it tests good then try checking your voltage on each cable while holding them both. Make sure you hold them next to each other while it’s running.
Then if you see 15-20 volts of difference between them (and they were good before), then you should replace them right away as they are probably shorting out or corroded.
Do Voltage Checks
Your motorcycle’s battery is its heart. Like all hearts, if it is not working correctly, your bike can’t run.
The first thing you should do when you get a motorcycle is perform a basic voltage check to make sure everything is running correctly.
If you get a low voltage reading (under 10 volts), your battery needs to be replaced or there is an issue with your charging system (or both).
Also read: Fix Brand New Motorcycle Battery Dead
Conclusion
There are many reasons your motorcycle battery might be draining. But in every case, it’s best to find a permanent solution as soon as possible.
After you’ve checked out all of your wirings, make sure that everything is clean and dry.
Then if you found out if you have any mechanical issues with your bike, try charging up your battery for a day or two. Then take it for a spin.
If your bike starts up just fine after sitting for a while—even overnight. You know that there’s nothing wrong with your battery.
If it still isn’t working after a few days of charging, time to replace that bad boy.
