Charging Frustrations! Need advice Please

[JackBoots]

A month ago my battery died. Once I push started it, the bike still ran fine with plenty of headlight. I rode it home 40 miles!!

When I made it home I checked the battery. It was 11 something volts and from 2001. Probably time to replace it.

I bought a Yuasa from Batteries Plus. Part number Y something or other-15. They filled it, sealed it, and gave it to me charged.

It fits perfectly and has been in the bike for at least 600 miles.

 

The 1st sign of trouble was the charge light randomly flickering. It was very random. It might take 100 miles for it to happen and only last for a minute usually going away once I rev it up a bit. In the 600 miles it probably happened 6 times. I had seen this once before with the old battery and I didn't have any problems for thousand of miles so I figured it was just a fluke. This time it kept coming back so I checked a few things. I cleaned all the cables I could find coming off the regulator, checked the 30 amp fuse and cables to it, and cleaned up the ground wire to the regulator. Yesterday I measured the charge off the battery with the bike off,and with the bike running. It seemed to be charging perfectly so I decided, "oh well" Guzzi fluke no worries.

 

Well that was a mistake. Today I went to a motorcycle night event and when leaving the bike barely started. No low charge light or anything!! I stopped on top of a hill on the way home and stopped the bike to try and restart it. It wouldn't start. I had to roll start it down the hill. I rode it home 7 miles. I have to say that the headlight was very strong even with high beam. I would guess that if the charging circuit were bad, the charging light would come on correct?? Could I just have a bad battery?? even though it's brand new? I would have thought that I would have lost my headlight on the way home.

 

I didn't peel back the plastic cover on the yellow cable connectors at the regulator to see if they were corroded but from what I could see they looked good and I put some electrical contact grease on the male side. Should I peel back the cover and check them?

 

Can anyone help??!! I freakin love this bike but these electrical gremlins are a pain in the butt and I am getting very frustrated.

 

At the moment the bike won't start so I can't take any voltage readings. I have the battery on charge to see what happens and then maybe I can take some readings.

[Greg Field]

Consider the possibility that it's the starter that has "shit the bed."

[JackBoots]

Consider the possibility that it's the starter that has "shit the bed."

 

It tried to crank but just wouldn't turn fast enough. After riding home the 7 miles, the battery was under 12 volts when I measured it with bike off.

 

I kind of doubt the starter motor but will keep it in mind

[Richard]

If the regulator/rectifier has gone, you may not get a charge warning light....

[Guest frankdugo]

it's worth takeing the starter off to clean &check, little time compared to what you have put in already.mine had built up rust ---causing a battery drain.

[Bbennett]

I had same problems for a while - bike would not charge consistently but ran fine after push start . I got very good at push starting, I can do it in like 10 feet on level ground now.

 

I tried many fixes.

 

And... thanks to another thread on this fine forum I finally checked the two yellow wires from alternator to the regulator and they needed to be cleaned up and re-attached. Since then - no problem. It sounds like you have checked this but since my symptoms were so similar to yours I thought I would mention it.

 

Good luck

 

Bob

[JackBoots]

I had same problems for a while - bike would not charge consistently but ran fine after push start . I got very good at push starting, I can do it in like 10 feet on level ground now.

 

I tried many fixes.

 

And... thanks to another thread on this fine forum I finally checked the two yellow wires from alternator to the regulator and they needed to be cleaned up and re-attached. Since then - no problem. It sounds like you have checked this but since my symptoms were so similar to yours I thought I would mention it.

 

Good luck

 

Bob

 

Bob, I just took the bike apart again and double checked those wires. I peeled back the black plastic on the female side a bit and visually inspected. One looked maybe a little bigger than it should and I wonder if it was a loose connection. Maybe I'm dreaming but I know those wires have been mentioned here a few times. I tightened them up, cleaned again and reattached.

 

While there I measured the AC off the alternator and all was good. The voltage off the regulator is also all good. The only other clue I can offer here is that I was sitting in traffic for at least 30 minutes before this happened.

 

I really hope it is those yellow cables. I'm going to take the bike to work tomorrow and see what happens.

 

Thanks

[docc]

You've looked at your Regulator Fuse ??

 

Also, simply check your battery voltage with a good digital meter.

 

Post what you find, yes?

[JackBoots]

You've looked at your Regulator Fuse ??

 

Also, simply check your battery voltage with a good digital meter.

 

Post what you find, yes?

 

Yes I checked the regulator fuse and the cables attached to it. All look fine no signs of heat stress or corrosion.

 

I measured off the alternator last night and it was 15-20AC increasing up to 85Vac or so as rpms increased

 

Across the battery measures 12.4 v DC and gradually increases up to 14.2DC as the rpms increase.

 

I tightened up and cleaned the yellow cables again. One female connector may have been a bit opened up and loose, it's hard to say for sure.

[JackBoots]

it's worth takeing the starter off to clean &check, little time compared to what you have put in already.mine had built up rust ---causing a battery drain.

 

How hard is it to get the starter off and what would I look for as far as cleaning? I've never done it.

[gstallons]

Unfortunately the starter does not affect alternator output.If you have FULLY charged the battery and it starts OK, then you will rule out the starter. I will look at noon at a wiring diagram on my 2003 sport and see if it gives any clue as to what to look for.

BTW,are there any alternator rebuilders in your area? If so they can test the voltage regulator and rule it out or the culprit.

Gene

[Dan M]

Yes I checked the regulator fuse and the cables attached to it. All look fine no signs of heat stress or corrosion.

 

I measured off the alternator last night and it was 15-20AC increasing up to 85Vac or so as rpms increased

 

Across the battery measures 12.4 v DC and gradually increases up to 14.2DC as the rpms increase.

 

I tightened up and cleaned the yellow cables again. One female connector may have been a bit opened up and loose, it's hard to say for sure.

 

A good indicator of what's going on will be cranking voltage. If you can't test the starter's amperage draw, see what battery voltage is while cranking. Assuming your battery is good and fully charged (12.5V) the voltage while cranking should not drop much below 10. If it is cranking slow and the voltage is drops very low (way below 10), the starter is drawing too many amps. If it is cranking slow and the voltage stays high (11ish) there is a bad connection in the cranking circuit and you are not getting enough power to the starter. The bad connection can be on either side + or -, at the battery or the starter or inbetween. These voltages are just examples, your result should be obvious.

Remember, this assumes your battery is good and can produce the necessary amperage.

 

edit: your dc voltage of 14.2 above idle is normal

[Guest frankdugo]

removeing the starter on the bike is not hard.disconnect ground batt,pretty cover ,two bolts -its out .then you can take other elec. connect off./once you open anything wrong is self-evident.as you say everything else is good bat.-reg.&charge.if it is not a charge problem,it's a discharge problem.takeing a look can not harm-want to clean the grundge&connections anyway

[JackBoots]

Thanks everyone. Really appreciated. Good ideas on how to check the starter.

 

SOme new things have developed. I took the bike to work today along with my volt meter. Everthing was good 17 miles to work and out on my lunch break.

 

I checked the voltage at the battery every time I stopped the bike at idle at high rev. All was good.

 

When I came home the charge light started coming on at idle. This is not unusual for this bike and in fact I think it has been historically the norm.

 

However this time, I hadn't seen it all day so it made me wonder. When I got home I measured across the battery. At idle maybe 12.2 volts. Revved up high it is only going to 12.8 or maybe 12.9.

 

All my previous checks brought the voltage up to 14.2 or so on high RPMS.

 

I took it out to bike night which is about a 30 mile round trip run. The charge light came on a few times while riding and then went out. I measured at the battery when I got home and I'm still low at 12.1 volts with about 12.8 when I rev it.

 

I'm starting to think maybe the problem is heat related and the regulator is the culprit.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks

[gstallons]

After looking at a 2003 non O2 sensor wiring diagram; the r-n (red/neutral?) wire goes to the stoplight switches. The az wire goes to the charge light. The r-ve wire goes 9through the fuse panel) to the battery + . The remaining 2 (yellow?) wires go to the alt. Test the integrity of the wire from the regulator with a test light and voltmeter.Use ana analog meter to induce a load on the circuit. If it shows ok,proceed with the connections to the alternator and to the charge bulb. I like the idea of using a maxi-fuse instead of the ATO fuse. After you get this working correctly you should modify it. I suspect the regulator if the wiring integrity is good.

You should call EuroMotoelectric for parts. He advertizes in the MGNOC newsletter. Google it if you are not a member. HTH!

gene