Battery keeps dying... - Page 2

alantf · 06-07-2012, 03:58 PM

The only way to go now is TEST. It's no good guessing.

Put your meter across the battery at around 4000 to 5000 rev/min, then let us know what voltage you get, so we can go to the next step in the flow chart. :2tup:

Road_Clam · 06-07-2012, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieHardBigRaw

Hey everyone, I replaced the battery and it ran for a few days fine. I went to leave for work this morning and it wouldn't turn over. I am thinking maybe starter or alternator or whatever the motorcycle equivalent is? prob not starter since it starter after a brand new battery was put in it. so I am thinking alternator?

Well, the most expensive but complete method of guessing is to replace both the stator and the regulator, then you will be good to go...

I am also now experiencing battery issues, even though I also had a faulty regulator. I'm pretty sure the previous owner of my bike, just kept driving and charging the battery. My battery looks almost brand new, but it won't hold a correct charge.

DieHardBigRaw · 06-07-2012, 06:39 PM

I dont have a Voltometer or an RPM Gauge so I am probably going to have to pay the shop $80+ plus going without my bike for a week or longer, just to tell me whats wrong with it.... Thanks for all the advice guys, I really appreciate the input!

mrlmd1 · 06-07-2012, 09:10 PM

Did you bother to fully charge up the new battery before you used it for the first time? If not, that's why it's dead and won't hold a charge. The battery now has to be tested with a load tester after charging it again to see if it has failed.
What do you mean it wouldn't turn over? Does the starter run, does it click, or is there nothing, no sound?
Do you have lights when you turn the key to ON?
Is the RUN switch on?
Are you pulling in the clutch when you try and start the bike?
Like I asked you before, are you turning off the bike with the key in the PARK position instead of OFF, and thereby leaving on the rear lights and draining the battery?
Buying a voltmeter (and you can get a decent one at Harbor Freight for $3.99) is the first thing you have to do. It will help you and us diagnose what is wrong. It's a lot cheaper than $80/hr bringing it into the shop for them to tell you what you are doing wrong. There is probably nothing wrong with the bike.

DieHardBigRaw · 06-07-2012, 09:22 PM

I charged the battery before putting it in the bike. When I turn the key from OFF to ON my lights all light up like normal. When I press the starter button I hear a sound like the fuel pump is kicking on (?) but all the lights go dim. I plugged jumper cables from my truck battery (truck wasnt on) to my bike battery. Within 10 seconds the bike turned over. This seems to let me know that something was bringing the battery down from a full charge, which means there is something wrong with the charging system. But I am not 100% sure. I will look and see if I can get a Voltmeter locally pretty cheap. How do I gauge the RPMS though? I dont have an RPM Guage on my bike? Thanks

DieHardBigRaw · 06-07-2012, 09:24 PM

Oh, and am I just hooking it up to the battery? (The voltmeter that is?) Thanks

DieHardBigRaw · 06-07-2012, 09:27 PM

I have one of these voltmeters, would that work? Thanks! http://www.walmart.com/ip/Calterm-1100- ... r/19899681

DieHardBigRaw · 06-07-2012, 09:37 PM

I just realized that the Run button was mentioned, is that the RED KILL SWITCH? If so then I always flip that back down after I use it to turn the bike off, then turn the key to OFF and I then flip the red button back to its original position so its ready to start the next day. Is that what my problem is? If so I feel like a big IDIOT.

dentheman · 06-07-2012, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieHardBigRaw

I just realized that the Run button was mentioned, is that the RED KILL SWITCH? If so then I always flip that back down after I use it to turn the bike off, then turn the key to OFF and I then flip the red button back to its original position so its ready to start the next day. Is that what my problem is? If so I feel like a big IDIOT.

Yes, the red kill switch. If that's what you are doing, it is not the problem. But why do that when you can just turn off the ignition key? In fact, my owners manual recommends NOT using the kill switch (Honda Shadow) so as not to inadvertantly leave the ignition on and drain the battery through the lights.

I know others have mentioned not leaving the key in PARK, but make sure by walking around behind the bike to be sure the taillight is off.
If all that doesn't help, I would take it to the shop. (I know others here do a lot of their own work, but I would rather spend some $ to have a pro do the work rather than screw up someting I know little about.)

mrlmd1 · 06-08-2012, 01:06 AM

It sounds like your battery is discharged, Charge it up again, bring it back to the store you bought it from and have them do a load test on it. and that will be free. That is the only way to see if the battery is any good.
You may have gotten a bad battery altho that is unlikely, but maybe it wasn't fully charged when you started using it.

That thing from Walmart is not a multitester, it is a continuity tester. You need something that will measure voltage, and that is a multitester - if you don't know what it looks like or can't find it, ask a salesman.
You just connect the pos wire to the pos battery terminal, neg to neg , make sure the scale is set right, and read the voltage. A fully charged battery should read 12.6-12.8V. The instructions for using the thing are in the package, and you really can get a decent one for less than $10 at an auto parts store or Walmart, Lowes, etc.
You do not have to know the exact rpm - anything above a fast idle, less than midrange rpm, should put out sufficient charging voltage, and with the meter connected to the battery, that should read 13.2-14V depending on the state of the battery if everything is working.
Get that voltage measuring multitester and have the battery checked before you bring it into a shop. And also make sure your battery connections are both clean and tight.
You can diagnose this, it's not really nuclear physics or quantum mechanics (or rocket science).
FYI, the charging system on this bike puts out very little juice at idle. You cannot charge the battery with the bike sitting in the driveway idling for 15-20 min.. You will use up more juice starting it than you will replace into the battery doing that, besides the bike overheating from lack of cooling air flow around the engine - not a good idea prolong idling.

06-07-2012, 03:58 PM	#11
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,719	Re: Battery keeps dying... The only way to go now is TEST. It's no good guessing. Put your meter across the battery at around 4000 to 5000 rev/min, then let us know what voltage you get, so we can go to the next step in the flow chart. :2tup: __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

06-07-2012, 06:39 PM	#13
DieHardBigRaw Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Fort Campbell, KY Posts: 31	Re: Battery keeps dying... I dont have a Voltometer or an RPM Gauge so I am probably going to have to pay the shop $80+ plus going without my bike for a week or longer, just to tell me whats wrong with it.... Thanks for all the advice guys, I really appreciate the input! Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

06-07-2012, 09:10 PM	#14
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Battery keeps dying... Did you bother to fully charge up the new battery before you used it for the first time? If not, that's why it's dead and won't hold a charge. The battery now has to be tested with a load tester after charging it again to see if it has failed. What do you mean it wouldn't turn over? Does the starter run, does it click, or is there nothing, no sound? Do you have lights when you turn the key to ON? Is the RUN switch on? Are you pulling in the clutch when you try and start the bike? Like I asked you before, are you turning off the bike with the key in the PARK position instead of OFF, and thereby leaving on the rear lights and draining the battery? Buying a voltmeter (and you can get a decent one at Harbor Freight for $3.99) is the first thing you have to do. It will help you and us diagnose what is wrong. It's a lot cheaper than $80/hr bringing it into the shop for them to tell you what you are doing wrong. There is probably nothing wrong with the bike.
	0

06-07-2012, 09:22 PM	#15
DieHardBigRaw Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Fort Campbell, KY Posts: 31	Re: Battery keeps dying... I charged the battery before putting it in the bike. When I turn the key from OFF to ON my lights all light up like normal. When I press the starter button I hear a sound like the fuel pump is kicking on (?) but all the lights go dim. I plugged jumper cables from my truck battery (truck wasnt on) to my bike battery. Within 10 seconds the bike turned over. This seems to let me know that something was bringing the battery down from a full charge, which means there is something wrong with the charging system. But I am not 100% sure. I will look and see if I can get a Voltmeter locally pretty cheap. How do I gauge the RPMS though? I dont have an RPM Guage on my bike? Thanks Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

06-07-2012, 09:24 PM	#16
DieHardBigRaw Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Fort Campbell, KY Posts: 31	Re: Battery keeps dying... Oh, and am I just hooking it up to the battery? (The voltmeter that is?) Thanks
	0

06-07-2012, 09:27 PM	#17
DieHardBigRaw Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Fort Campbell, KY Posts: 31	Re: Battery keeps dying... I have one of these voltmeters, would that work? Thanks! http://www.walmart.com/ip/Calterm-1100- ... r/19899681
	0

06-07-2012, 09:37 PM	#18
DieHardBigRaw Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Fort Campbell, KY Posts: 31	Re: Battery keeps dying... I just realized that the Run button was mentioned, is that the RED KILL SWITCH? If so then I always flip that back down after I use it to turn the bike off, then turn the key to OFF and I then flip the red button back to its original position so its ready to start the next day. Is that what my problem is? If so I feel like a big IDIOT.
	0

06-08-2012, 01:06 AM	#20
mrlmd1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Crawfordville, Florida Posts: 2,853	Re: Battery keeps dying... It sounds like your battery is discharged, Charge it up again, bring it back to the store you bought it from and have them do a load test on it. and that will be free. That is the only way to see if the battery is any good. You may have gotten a bad battery altho that is unlikely, but maybe it wasn't fully charged when you started using it. That thing from Walmart is not a multitester, it is a continuity tester. You need something that will measure voltage, and that is a multitester - if you don't know what it looks like or can't find it, ask a salesman. You just connect the pos wire to the pos battery terminal, neg to neg , make sure the scale is set right, and read the voltage. A fully charged battery should read 12.6-12.8V. The instructions for using the thing are in the package, and you really can get a decent one for less than $10 at an auto parts store or Walmart, Lowes, etc. You do not have to know the exact rpm - anything above a fast idle, less than midrange rpm, should put out sufficient charging voltage, and with the meter connected to the battery, that should read 13.2-14V depending on the state of the battery if everything is working. Get that voltage measuring multitester and have the battery checked before you bring it into a shop. And also make sure your battery connections are both clean and tight. You can diagnose this, it's not really nuclear physics or quantum mechanics (or rocket science). FYI, the charging system on this bike puts out very little juice at idle. You cannot charge the battery with the bike sitting in the driveway idling for 15-20 min.. You will use up more juice starting it than you will replace into the battery doing that, besides the bike overheating from lack of cooling air flow around the engine - not a good idea prolong idling.
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