Parasitic Drain, 2014 Rocket III Touring - Mystery: Multimeter shows zero draw with the key out

Chullera

2014 Rocket III Touring
Joined
May 13, 2020
Messages
17
Location
Boston
Ride
2014 Triumph Rocket III Touring
It is the strangest thing... if I leave the Rocket parked for 1 week, the battery is completely dead. I upgraded to a much larger lithium EarthX battery, now it takes 2 weeks before the battery dead, dead, stone dead. Spent hours with my multimeter... this bike shows 0 (zero) draw with the battery off. Does this thing have a secret circuit that switches itself back on after you turn your back?
 
top of your battery clean? How about humidity where bike is stored? What current range setting were you measuring and is current fuse in your multimeter good?

If yes, low, mA, and yes - I got nothing
 
Curious as to how you measure the current draw with your multimeter? Not meaning to offend but have seen lots of guys get it wrong.
 
So, am using a standard AC / DC multimeter. ranging from 20 amps all the way down to milliamps. Terminals are clean. I have changed multiple batteries on this thing trying to solve the problem but the issue remains. Currently a 630 CCA EarthX, which my battery tester assesses at 570CCA. Charging system also tests perfectly fine Voltage 13v+ With the key off and the - terminal disconnected I bridge negative terminal to the black cable with the multi-meter to see if there is a draw. Nothing, not on any of the four AMP to milliamp settings. The only accessory I have is a Kuryakyn USB outlet. That also draws 0. (To make sure my multi-meter is working, I plug in my iphone to the USB port to test my multimeter, and yes, with an iphone plugged in I show a draw from the battery) Furthermore, when I turn the key, of course there is the normal current and that is also shown on the multimeter. When I turn the key off, again, draw goes down to absolutely 0. Yet, a normal lead acid battery is stone stone dead after a week, the EarthX battery lasts 2 weeks. Do these bikes have some phantom circuit that switches itself on after you turn your back? Love the bike but this issue is a killer.
 
The memory for the clock,etc draws some.Try removing fuses one at a time to isolate the draw to a specific circuit and test from there.
The problem is, there is no draw at all with they key off.
 
Hello Chullera and welcome from Virginia.

Being a smart-aleck, I would say ride your bike each day and problem solved. But I know that is not helpful. I have a 2014 R3T with 72K miles on it now and have gone through 5 batteries. I tossed the lithium battery as it is useless below 40F and I ride as cold as 0F; as long as the bike starts. This is my current battery over the last two winters. I did not even put the trickle on once this last winter and the bike sits outside; I have no garage. YTX20HL-BS AGM Maintenance Free Battery

This is not to tell you that your current battery is bad at all. You still have the battery drain as I do. My experience is the similar to yours though not as short lived of a charge. I could let it sit for 2 weeks and be okay before. With the current battery, it has sat up to 3 weeks and still started when I return from a work trip.
Because your batteries area completely dead, the other electrical issues I have had are not the same. I upgraded my starter to one form Toyota which helps tremendously in the cold periods. I doubled my negative cable which also helps significantly.

I suggest you do get a trickle charger for the periods you do not ride the bike. You will need one specific to the lithium though as regular chargers may cause a fire with lithium batteries.

Now, please go to our 'introduce yourself' thread as tell us more about yourself and your past bikes. It's good to have another member.
 
top of your battery clean? How about humidity where bike is stored? What current range setting were you measuring and is current fuse in your multimeter good?

If yes, low, mA, and yes - I got nothing
Indeed, top of the battery is clean. Multimeter is working fine - tested it on the UBS outlet to see how much my iphone draws... spot on. Set to mA. It is like something switches back on after the bike is switched off.
 
I keep my Roadster hooked to a battery tender jr every time I park the bike at home. Even when I'm going to ride it the next day. I was having the same issues as you so I fixed that problem real quick. Got it so I don't have to lift the seat or anything... just park bike and hook it up.
 
Long shot but i had this happen to my touring and it was the ems relay, with key off and left side cover off exposing the three relays put your finger on the ems relay ( middle relay) and turn key on and you should feel it click (effectively engaging or turning on) now turn key back off (no need to start) once key is off in about 30 to 45 seconds you should feel the ems relay click, (effectively turning off or disengage) mine would not turn off or disengage and battry would die over several days. Worth a try simple test
 
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