Diagnose this electrical issue?

Started by stopintime, April 19, 2022, 11:07:21 AM

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stopintime

Last summer (~10,000 miles ago) I lost a battery. The days before produced uneven running. It's last day it refused to start and was replaced. Happy days the rest of the year. Seemed to be charging ok. Maybe a volt less than usual...

Charged this winter.

This year just a few miles so far. Started at 12.8V. Ten days with +/- 10 daily miles, relatively slow riding (low revs).

Today it started to cough. Then it would not start. Just solenoid clicks. 11.8V. Roll started easily in second gear, but slowly died 10 seconds later. 11.2V. Roll started again, but died after two seconds. Now, not even a click from the solenoid

Got it home. Took the battery inside. Expected it to be quite dead, but measures 11.75V.


I was planning to get it going with a charged/new battery/on a car battery and measure between the yellow wires. I've been told to look for 40-50 V alternating. If yes, the R/R is the suspect.

... just a little surprised that the last minutes of riding didn't empty the battery...

252,000 km/seventeen years - loving it

ducpainter

At 11.8 volts an AGM battery is considered dead. Your bike wouldn't run, so it couldn't lower the voltage further.
"Once you accept that a child on the autistic spectrum experiences the world in
 a completely different way than you, you will be open to understand how that
 perspective
    is even more amazing than yours."
    To realize the value of nine  months:
    Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
"Don't piss off old people The older we get, the less 'Life in Prison' is a deterrent."



stopintime

Quote from: ducpainter on April 19, 2022, 11:40:28 AM
At 11.8 volts an AGM battery is considered dead. Your bike wouldn't run, so it couldn't lower the voltage further.

It's been dead'er before and brought back to years of life. Just lucky?
252,000 km/seventeen years - loving it

koko64

#3
 Nate's right. The bike was only running off the battery with no help from the charging system. When the battery is fully charged up again check the voltage at the battery when the bike is running at 3000 rpm, then you'll know. A volt less is a lot (every Volt is precious).
2015 Scrambler 800

koko64

Quote from: stopintime on April 19, 2022, 11:52:17 AM
It's been dead'er before and brought back to years of life. Just lucky?

Good battery CPR [thumbsup] and probably a quality battery.
2015 Scrambler 800

ducpainter

Quote from: stopintime on April 19, 2022, 11:52:17 AM
It's been dead'er before and brought back to years of life. Just lucky?
Bike was likely charging then. Not sure how the battery would get below 12 VDC with a functioning charging system. :-\
"Once you accept that a child on the autistic spectrum experiences the world in
 a completely different way than you, you will be open to understand how that
 perspective
    is even more amazing than yours."
    To realize the value of nine  months:
    Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
"Don't piss off old people The older we get, the less 'Life in Prison' is a deterrent."



stopintime

Quote from: ducpainter on April 19, 2022, 12:12:25 PM
Bike was likely charging then. Not sure how the battery would get below 12 VDC with a functioning charging system. :-\

Oh - out in the cold with an activated alarm. The alarm will draw from the bike's battery to charge it's own back up battery.

I read Capo's charging system thread. He mentioned that city riding, at 3,000 revs, will eventually kill the battery.

I'll do the simple on-the-battery-terminals voltage check. 14 volts on ~4,000 revs?
252,000 km/seventeen years - loving it

ducpainter

Your bike should be charging at 3K. I've never had an issue, even with my old 2 phase system when running at 3K.

If it were me, I'd just test the stator between the yellow wires. It should climb to 70 vac pretty quickly. If it passes that test, and the maxi fuse is good, just replace the regulator.
"Once you accept that a child on the autistic spectrum experiences the world in
 a completely different way than you, you will be open to understand how that
 perspective
    is even more amazing than yours."
    To realize the value of nine  months:
    Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
"Don't piss off old people The older we get, the less 'Life in Prison' is a deterrent."



stopintime

Quote from: ducpainter on April 19, 2022, 12:39:29 PM
Your bike should be charging at 3K. I've never had an issue, even with my old 2 phase system when running at 3K.

If it were me, I'd just test the stator between the yellow wires. It should climb to 70 vac pretty quickly. If it passes that test, and the maxi fuse is good, just replace the regulator.

It HAS done 220,000 km  [cheeky]
252,000 km/seventeen years - loving it

ducpainter

"Once you accept that a child on the autistic spectrum experiences the world in
 a completely different way than you, you will be open to understand how that
 perspective
    is even more amazing than yours."
    To realize the value of nine  months:
    Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
"Don't piss off old people The older we get, the less 'Life in Prison' is a deterrent."



stopintime

For the yellow wires test, my meter has a V~ symbol. Is that it? With a choice of 200 and 600.... which do I select?
252,000 km/seventeen years - loving it

Howie

Select 200.  Before that, check the charging rate at the battery like koko said.  And the connection where the stator wires connect to the regulator.  Common failure, possibly cheap fix. 

stopintime

To check the connectors.... running bike, battery terminals before and after connector check/wiggle/fix? Or continuity across?
252,000 km/seventeen years - loving it

Howie

Sounds like it is bad enough that a visual inspection will show burning  Separate the connector and inspect.

stopintime

Quote from: howie on April 19, 2022, 09:58:04 PM
Sounds like it is bad enough that a visual inspection will show burning  Separate the connector and inspect.

No visual signs. The white connector has been replaced by three bullet connectors long ago.
252,000 km/seventeen years - loving it