Hi all
I installed some Rizoma turn signals a while ago. All went fine. The bike had been still for a while as I was away and to start it I needed to jump start it. Again all seemed fine. This time when I try and start it, the bike is completely dead. Ok so I try to jump start it again. Starts fine but as soon as I disconnect the jump - the bike dies.
I connect the battery to a charger and the charger tells me it is fully charged ????
I try disconnecting all the indicators in case I stuffed something - same thing.
Any ideas? Is it worth trying to charge the batter overnight - just in case?
Thanks in advance
Jimmy
PS Beware I am probably the least mechanical/electrical person on this board !
Fully charged means fully charged, but it does not mean the battery has enough power to start the bike. If your battery is not maintenance free, first check the water level. Then, if you have a volt meter, charge battery and check open cell voltage (voltage across battery posts). If you have a conventional battery you should read at least 12.6 volts, sealed 13.4 volts for an AGM (maintenance free) battery. If you get these readings, you have not proven your battery is good yet. You need to get that battery to a shop and have it load tested. You should also check that your charging system is working. With the bike running at about 3K RPM you should have 13.5 to 14.5 volts, if not, there in more info here:
http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/library/diagnosis/fault-finding-guide.php (http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/library/diagnosis/fault-finding-guide.php)
Quote from: howie on October 18, 2009, 09:15:19 PM
Fully charged means fully charged, but it does not mean the battery has enough power to start the bike. If your battery is not maintenance free, first check the water level. Then, if you have a volt meter, charge battery and check open cell voltage (voltage across battery posts). If you have a conventional battery you should read at least 12.6 volts, sealed 13.4 volts for an AGM (maintenance free) battery. If you get these readings, you have not proven your battery is good yet. You need to get that battery to a shop and have it load tested. You should also check that your charging system is working. With the bike running at about 3K RPM you should have 13.5 to 14.5 volts, if not, there in more info here:
http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/library/diagnosis/fault-finding-guide.php (http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/library/diagnosis/fault-finding-guide.php)
Thanks Howie - just dropped it off to the shop - Seems ok but is dropping voltage. Will have a better diagnosis in the morning [thumbsup]
I've seen similar things when the battery cable connections are loose or have corrosion on them. In these cases, the contact is enough to provide the voltage, but the connection is not good enough to transfer the needed amperage for turning the engine over. I usually see this with cars, not bikes, though. Also check for loose connections where the negative cable connects to the frame and the cable connections at the starter solenoid and the starter. In one case (with my Harley), the negative battery cable connector had corrosion on the copper strands going into the connector at the frame that caused this problem.
Quote from: Desmo Demon on October 19, 2009, 04:59:52 AM
I've seen similar things when the battery cable connections are loose or have corrosion on them. In these cases, the contact is enough to provide the voltage, but the connection is not good enough to transfer the needed amperage for turning the engine over. I usually see this with cars, not bikes, though. Also check for loose connections where the negative cable connects to the frame and the cable connections at the starter solenoid and the starter. In one case (with my Harley), the negative battery cable connector had corrosion on the copper strands going into the connector at the frame that caused this problem.
Quite true!
Had the battery load checked by the experts - not good. New battery time. Thanks for the info everyone.
jas
If you want the new battery to last, maybe even resurrect the one you have, invest in a yuasa smart-shot or similar.