Odyssey PC545 Battery conditioning

[LowRyter]

OK,  Now I have another question.  I took the Sport out yesterday for a robust ride, maybe 80 miles and a couple of hours.  When I put the bike on the charger it was actually down a few fractions of a volt and took an hour or so to get back 13.5+ V.   

I would expect that alternator should have charged it up, or least kept the charge.  Does this mean I have a weak regulator or alternator?  

 

 

BTW- The bike was shifting really well.  It's amazing what a new battery charger can do.

[Chuck]

Quote

BTW- The bike was shifting really well.  It's amazing what a new battery charger can do.

[swooshdave]

13 minutes ago, LowRyter said:

OK,  Now I have another question.  I took the Sport out yesterday for a robust ride, maybe 80 miles and a couple of hours.  When I put the bike on the charger it was actually down a few fractions of a volt and took an hour or so to get back 13.5+ V.   

I would expect that alternator should have charged it up, or least kept the charge.  Does this mean I have a weak regulator or alternator?  

 

 

BTW- The bike was shifting really well.  It's amazing what a new battery charger can do.

We know the regulators can go bad. What condition is yours?

[LowRyter]

The regulator was recently replaced.  I think it has the Ducati charging system.  

To my original question, the battery should be fully charged after I ride it?  

[LowRyter]

https://www.euromotoelectrics.com/product-p/edlguz-voltrect.htm

It wasn't purchased here, but if it is the same unit purchased elsewhere, well I see this:

USE OF ODYSSEY BATTERY ( DRY CELL DESIGN) AND LITHIUM IRON BATTERY NOT RECOMMENDED OR SUPPORTED FOR WARRANTY

Now what?

 

 

[Chuck]

If it were me, I'd just ignore it.

[docc]

1 hour ago, LowRyter said:

https://www.euromotoelectrics.com/product-p/edlguz-voltrect.htm

It wasn't purchased here, but if it is the same unit purchased elsewhere, well I see this:

USE OF ODYSSEY BATTERY ( DRY CELL DESIGN) AND LITHIUM IRON BATTERY NOT RECOMMENDED OR SUPPORTED FOR WARRANTY

Now what?

 

 

Yeah, man, that is an excellent question. This is the regulator I use (OEM type). I replaced my first two at about 30,000 miles/ 50.000 km. Number two got a robust ground strap to the timing chest. I bought number three about a year after I changed the melty, charred  30 amp charging fuse to the Tyco circuit breaker and switched to High Current OMRON relays and for years after adopting this, admittedly meticulous, conditioning regimen.

Not only has the replacement regulator been in the spares pile two years/ 10,000 miles beyond expecting to change it, my OdysseyPC545s are lasting longer.

The regulator case ground is critical. Making sure your 30 amp charging fuse is not melting/ charring is, as well (while the "fix" for that is a bit more involved). My hypothesis that routinely conditioning the Odyssey to spec may relieve stress on the rather nefarious charging system/regulator seems to be paying off for me.

[Full disclosure, I also have groomed and treated my entire wiring harness including the Battery Terminals and Ignition Switch with Caig DeOxit®,  built terminal junctions to reduce the terminal stack on the battery, and installed LED headlight/taillight/rear signals. I still think that the ground strap, 30 amp fuse solution, and the routine battery conditioning have made the major difference.]

Asking our weedy regulator/rectifier to bring an Odyssey up from below 12.65 volts is liking your stripper girlfriend to shovel snow in her work clothes. She'll do it, but she an;t gonna be happy . . .

 

[LowRyter]

Docc. I check that 30 amp fuse periodically.  Typically because the bike won't start. Sometimes it's that nutty kill switch that's just not intuitive.  

Anyway, my initial question, do I have a charging issue if my battery isn't fully charged after a ride?

If so, do I likely have a regulator issue or perhaps an alternator issue?  (Or a regulator ground issue?)  For sure it's not over charging.  

[docc]

50 minutes ago, LowRyter said:

Docc. I check that 30 amp fuse periodically.  Typically because the bike won't start. Sometimes it's that nutty kill switch that's just not intuitive.  

Anyway, my initial question, do I have a charging issue if my battery isn't fully charged after a ride?

If so, do I likely have a regulator issue or perhaps an alternator issue?  (Or a regulator ground issue?)  For sure it's not over charging.  

More good questions, buddy.

So, use a quality voltmeter and check "the voltage sequence" listed in the  > √ Answered < post. Charging at "some rpm" should be 13.8-14.2.

Is your regulator grounded to the timing chest/engine? Is your main ground to the back of the gearbox squared away as well as the battery terminal cleaned and treated?

 

[LowRyter]

Let me check all that.

[docc]

Okay, ouch, I forgot to list that I disconnect the regulator when charging externally. I know that practice has been called into question, but it is in the literature and I can do it by pulling my circuit breaker switch.  Otherwise, you must pull the fuse when using a charger. That just concerns me that the flinky fuse connectors will loosen, heat up, and fail. 

The Tyco 30 amp circuit breaker has been one of the most quality mods I have done to my Sport. None of my 30 amp charging fuse modifications worked out, not even the "MAXI" fuse.

[LowRyter]

Perhaps my fuse is intact because of low current from the regulator?  If it was charging when I rode the bike, the fuse would fry?

[swooshdave]

Here's the reading on the Odyssey on the Norton, as I mentioned I don't get it on the charger. So apparently this battery use to be used on one of my dad's BMWs and was switched out when it wouldn't reliably turn the starter. With the Norton that's not important because I stand on one of the starting devices...

I keep the Guzzi on the charger all the time. So I pull the charger off and tested the voltage too.

Normally I leave the charger on the 1amp setting. I'm sure this voltage reading is going to send @docc into a battery fueled rage.

So now I put the Norton battery (12.90v) on the 6amp mode and charge it up and see what happens.

Not sure what I'm going to do with the Guzzi battery as it obviously starts just fine.

Now I am using the cheapest multimeter (free) possible so I don't know the accuracy of the reading.

Let's see what happens...

[swooshdave]

Norton battery after taking it off the charger overnight at 6amp.

 

Guzzi after being off the charger overnight. 13.37 down to 12.91. Seems like quite the drop to me. I need to chase down where the drain is coming from. Ideas? The only aftermarket apparatus is the heated grips so that would be my first suspect.

[docc]

I really think that is normal. Monitor how long it takes them to drop to 12.65v then discharge/charge.

Never allow the charge voltage to exceed 15.0 volts.