TaoTao Battery

[Coyote720]

HI Everyone.

Totally new to the Forum. Excited to be here. I am new to working on Motorcycles, but happy to get involved and learn everything I can.

I am riding a Brand new TBR7, I have been riding it for about 4 weeks.

I noticed recently that the electric start was getting weaker. I suspected that the battery was losing power. Last night it finally stopped having enough juice to crank the motor. I am going to get a trickle charger tonight, and recharge it.

A few questions, I have been looking and have not understood enough to research existing posts to find my answer, maybe I am not wording it right.

1. With Cars, while you are operating it, the alternator charges the battery.. is is the same with these Motorcyles? Should I expect that the battery is receiving a charge while the motor is running? Or is it different?

2. Should I be setting it up on trickle charge when I am not riding it? If so, that means I would need to pull the side panel off everytime. I am open to thoughts. I lack understanding on this issue.

Thank you in advance, and I am excited to get involved and share my experience with others as I learn as well.

Jason Coyote

[JerryHawk250]

The battery will charge will the bike is running just like an automobile. It could be a number of things. First thing to do is check with a multi meter that it is putting out voltage to the battery while running. Check the voltage on the battery while not running then check it while running. Voltage output should be higher while running.
Check connectors coming from the stator and voltage regulator have the pins pushed in all the way. I've had a couple on my Hawk that weren't set in all the way and would occasionally cut out.
Check all cables from the battery are tight and making good contact. Especially the ground.
There's always the possibility of a bad battery, voltage regulator or stator. But usually it turns out to be bad connections.

[wtknstm]

If you do buy a trickle charger, get one that has an SAE connecter. It is a polarized plug on the sharger, and you can buy a matching plug that has a short lead to two ring terminals which connect to the battery. No more having to pull the battery cover. I wiretied the plug to a frame member near the battery.

[Badluck]

Originally Posted by wtknstm

If you do buy a trickle charger, get one that has an SAE connecter. It is a polarized plug on the sharger, and you can buy a matching plug that has a short lead to two ring terminals which connect to the battery. No more having to pull the battery cover. I wiretied the plug to a frame member near the battery.

And there are a few USB outlets that use the same connection for under $20.

I got one that displays battery voltage with 3.1A outlets and it came with a mount to attach it to the handle bar.

[stewbrash]

Yes, the USB units are awesome! I wired it directly to the main (RED) wire by the headlight and found a ground in the same area. I read 12.3 to 12.5 volts on the battery when off, and when running, it shows from 13.2 at idle to over 14 at higher RPM's. Here is one from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PDFJ966...roduct_details
A bonus with this unit is it also gives you the temp, (In Celsius though) and it also has an on/off switch so you don't have to turn on the key to check the voltage.

Edit: the unit that I pasted from Amazon is not the one I ordered, but when I clicked on it from my orders it shows this one. (without the temp gauge) They must be out of the kind I received.

[Coyote720]

wow. thank you everyone. I will be applying thosev suggestions today.

I appreciate all of you.