400ex electrical problems

[dabrowat]

So basically, when I have the quad hooked up to a battery charger(it shows 0) but the battery is definatly not charged. Anyways the lights work when hooked up to the charger. When I unplug the charger, the lights turn off. When i try to turn the quad, all the starter does is click. Can anyone tell me what the problem is?? Should I start with a new battery?

[honda400ex2003]

you could take it in and get it tested then see if it is bad or not. they can test the cells in the battery for power you may have a couple good and 1 bad and it is just not enough to get it to start but will click. if it is bad at least you can buy one after you test it and start there. any auto parts store should be able to test it but they may charge you if it is not bad. steve

[tri5ron]

after a 12 to 24 hour trikle charge, (1 or 2 amp hour charge rate), test the battery voltage. anything below 12.2 will be considered low.

I'm guessing here,...
but I'll bet that you were trying to charge your battery at a much higher charge rate, (higher amperage), and maybe een for too long of time, and ended up toasting your battery.

but if you Did do a slow chage rate, and your battery DOES check out good, then about the only thing left is bad connections.

[honda400ex2003]

tri is the electrical master. http://bestsmileys.com/bowing/1.gif steve

[dabrowat]

i have a very old 12v charger. Its not a trickle charger. I tried starting it with the charger connected to the battery. Like you guys said, im guessing the battery is dead? It was time to replace it anyways.

[dabrowat]

And im just hoping the starter isnt dead. Im mean it does click, only when the charger is hooked up. With out it, the starter doesnt even turn.

[tri5ron]

Originally posted by honda400ex2003
tri is the electrical master. http://bestsmileys.com/bowing/1.gif steve
Haha, ...hardly a master, just a graduate from the School of Hard Knocks. (Hell, I may even be the valedictorian) :devil: :blah:

SHOOT,.. I can blow-up, fry-out, short-circut, explode, zap, grenade, snap, crush, break, melt, glow, or shatter ANYTHING ! (and that's without even trying to do it), yeah, I can be about the most expensive "do-it yourselfer" you've ever seen! LOL!

dabrowat,
sounds like your battery most likely has a cell shorted out. replace it, and buy a low amp battery charger while your at it.
(Even a cheapy one from harbor freight tools), as long as it will go down to a 5 amp, or 2 amp charge rate.

The most common mistake people make when charging batteries is to try and charge them too fast, and at too high an amperage.
Yes you can hit it with 10 or 15 amps,...
BUT ONLY FOR 15 MINUTES or so. any longer than that, and you chance warping the plates, and shorting out a cell or two.

even if you DONT warp a plate, you are drastically reducing the lifespan of the battery.

Wet cell batteries, in offroad vehicles, already have a tough enough life, just from the constant and excessive vibration.
Then to get zapped in the garage with more juice than they can reasonably handle, is a ticket to the junk pile.

[bulloxerfan]

Unhook the battery from you atv that will help I know I left my key on a few months ago and tryed to charge my battery and kept getting a bad cell alarm on my battery charger after I unhooked it from the atv worked great worth a try.