KNOW THE RULES

[orangeokie]

I don't care how "new" you think your stock V11 is, there are two things you need to do right away:

 

1. Buy a Hawker Odyssey P545 battery to replace the stock Spark.

2. Order new relays from Dan Prunuske.

 

Don't ask why . . . just do it!

[richard100t]

Those two items are on my spring "to do" list. Unfortunately there not going to be any riding in my near term future. Damn freezing cold & snow!

[Ouiji Veck]

A..ha

I take it your all straightened out now?

(been worried about you)

[orangeokie]

A..ha

I take it your all straightened out now?

(been worried about you)

69695[/snapback]

 

She runs like a top with all the bells and whistles!

[dlaing]

You just like the Odyssey because it is Orange!

But you might want to get one of these Odyssey Optimisers

from here

http://www.batterymart.com/battery.mv?p=ACC-SX90-1

or from where I got it:

http://www.portablepower.com/items/batteri.../CH301/34S201S2

FWIW I put the order in at about 1am and it was on the fedex truck by 4pm

But I hope my one year old Hawker not starting my bike one day does not mean it is giving up already.

But on a cheerier note:

I second the fact that Pyro Dan is the Man!

My GEI has far outlasted its predecessors (about two years now) and I have tried to break it by driving at night with the low beam on and holding on the highbeam flasher.

[twhitaker]

You've found that trick too. I like the extra light given by using both the high and low beams. Even better since I replaced the bulb with a sealed beam.

 

Mebbe I should put the battery and charger on my Christmas list.

[al_roethlisberger]

Absolutely!!

 

Ever since changing the relays, I've not had any of the "relay associated problems" most have experienced.

 

CAVEAT: The only "relay issue" I have experienced after replacing the relays was that the sockets themselves had gotten loose and made poor contact with the relay spades. This seems to be from bad-luck or repeated relay removal. One can also push the relay receptacles down out of the block if not careful. So, when updating your releys to Bosch or GEI from Dan, be sure to check that the socket is tight, and they are seated well.

 

 

And yes, my MG sourced battery died in about a year, and I replaced it with the Odyssey. This battery is great. The bike sat for MONTHS at the dealer, and then after shipping to NC, and the bike still started. It also just generally starts better, and the electrics seem more stable

 

And also, I too really dig ORANGE

 

al

[callison]

My GEI has far outlasted its predecessors (about two years now) and I have tried to break it by driving at night with the low beam on and holding on the highbeam flasher.

69705[/snapback]

 

Just keep in mind that by keeping the passing switch on, you're doubling the current through that one pin in the instrument switch connector that supplies the high/low/passing switch. It may not be rated to carry that kind of current continuously since the intended use would normally be intermittent. The relay, as you say, is probably fine with the current load.

[mike wilson]

CAVEAT:  The only "relay issue" I have experienced after replacing the relays was that the sockets themselves had gotten loose and made poor contact with the relay spades.  This seems to be from bad-luck or repeated relay removal.  One can also push the relay receptacles down out of the block if not careful.  So, when updating your releys to Bosch or GEI from Dan, be sure to check that the socket is tight, and they are seated well.

69732[/snapback]

 

If you knacker the relay receptacles (the metal parts, not the housing), part number 245-1703 from seems to be a direct replacement. If you are looking elswhere, you need a Tyco Fastin-Faston crimp receptacle.

 

The tool to connect these to the wires is horrendously expensive. Which is why I use pliers.

 

mike

[txrider]

If you knacker the relay receptacles (the metal parts, not the housing), part number 245-1703 from seems to be a direct replacement.  If you are looking elswhere, you need a Tyco Fastin-Faston crimp receptacle.

 

The tool to connect these to the wires is horrendously expensive.  Which is why I use pliers.

 

mike

69737[/snapback]

 

The battery on my 2004 is beginning to fade a bit so I guess it's time. Thanks for the source info, dlaing, on the Odyssey PC545. That's the best price I've seen and I just ordered one.

Note on chargers- I've been using a Battery Tender+ for several years but reread an old MCN comparison on chargers. As a result I bought an Accumate 6/12 which supplies a bit more float voltage than the BT+ and in use it showed slightly more charge to the LM original battery.

[emason]

I have been charging my 2 Hawker Odyssey batteries with a Yuasa .900ma autocharger. Not sure if I should get the charger made specifically for those batteries.

 

The Hawker battery on my '00 V11 Sport started leaking from the top edge (it's installed upside down) after 4 years, so I put in a new PC545. The old one sat around for a while, until the battery in my SP died. Stuck it in there and it's still running fine at 5 1/2 years old.

 

The literature that came with the new battery said a trickle charger should be 1.25 amps. Sometimes I think that I should get the right charger for them, but the old one seems to be working fine.

[dlaing]

The relay, as you say, is probably fine with the current load.

69736[/snapback]

No, I suspect the load is a little heavy even for the GEI relay.

The Bosch relay could not handle it even with momentary flashes.

I expect with my abuse the GEI would eventually fail.

You are correct that about the increase in current. Maybe I should stop before my goose is cooked

Atleast no switches are in the path of the high current.

and it may be time to do that headlight relay conversion to take a load off the already heated and abused wires.

Sorry, Extreme GEI test over!

Thanks Carl!

[dlaing]

  As a result I bought an Accumate 6/12 which supplies a bit more float voltage than the BT+ and in use it showed slightly more charge to the LM original battery.

69742[/snapback]

The Accumate and Odyssey Optimiser appear to be the best two for Hawker Batteries.

There are some other chargers that they recommend, but lower amperage, not good for bringing to full charge once down.

[dlaing]

Here is what I wrote previously about the Hawker Charging:

I am not sure what the correct way to charge a Hawker is.

Hawker used to recommend Deltran, maker of Battery Tender, but then Deltran and Hawker stopped recommending each other.

Deltran said something about the Hawker battery not being suitable for power sports(motorcycles) because the required charging voltage is too high.

Hawker said the Deltran don't meet their specs anymore.

You can see a thread with quotes from both companies, here:

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4993&hl=

In any case the Hawker should not receive more than 15 Volts durring charging.

Most automotive chargers will exceed the 15Volts.

I know my 2Amp/6Amp automotive charger will exceed 15 V even when set to 2 Amps.

I suspect you would be OK if you sit their watching a Volt meter as it charges, but once it hits 15V you may only be partially charged.

But it seems to me that what would kill the battery is the Watts, not the Volts.

Hawker recommends the following chargers:

 

TecMate AccuMate Pro 12V-7A-S Motion Pro Inc. 650-594-9600

Xenotronix SX 90-1 12V, 6A Xenotronix 800-624-9366

Motocell™ 693601 12V, 3A Custom Chrome 800-729-3332

Battery Defender ACC-1206WB 12V, 3A BatteryMart.com 800-405-2121

 

I recommend the top two, as 3A may not be enough to restore a depleted battery.

Price is about $100

The Xenotronix comes with a quick connect cord that you leave attached to the battery...very convenient!

[Alex-Corsa]

Just keep in mind that by keeping the passing switch on, you're doubling the current through that one pin in the instrument switch connector that supplies the high/low/passing switch. It may not be rated to carry that kind of current continuously since the intended use would normally be intermittent. The relay, as you say, is probably fine with the current load.

 

Well Carl do you know if these relays do also fit on my Sporti? I'd like to have some spares since they're so recomended.(and how many should I need?)