What's wrong with my bike? Battery is going dead

[shimmyz]

Ok guys it's been a long time since of posted but I need your help. I'll try to make this as detailed as possible.

Last fall I installed HIDs and parked my bike for the winter. My bike sat until about 6 weeks ago. I replaced the battery then. Rode it to get inspected and parked it. 10 days ago I rode to work in the morning(about 11 miles). About 3/4 of the way there my high beam started to flicker very fast. I turn them off and used lows the rest of the way to work. At lunch I try to start my bike and it wont. It tries to turn but not enough juice to start.

I charged the battery at 2 amps until the charger said full (around 4 hrs charge time). Rode home, Rode to work the next day, rode yesterday for 40 minutes. All with no problems. I always ride with high beams unless i'm around other cars at night.

Today I Turn my key on getting ready to start my bike. Highs come on and are flickering. I turn them off and start the bike. I ride 25 miles (with high beams on) and stop for gas. After pumping gas the bike wont start. There was just enough battery to do maybe half a turn.

I coast start the bike, abort my trip and head for home. I ride the 25 miles back home with low beams only.

As soon as I got home I shut the bike off and restarted it 4 times with no problems. Which makes me think its my high beam is causing the problem.

I charged my battery until full again. After being off the charger for an hour the battery read 12.98 volts on my meter.

I installed the battery into the bike. Connected my meter to the + and- on the battery and here are the voltages I got. The first number is volts with low beam only. The Second number is volts with the high beam on.

With bike off- 12.98 volts
Key on, bike not running - 12.38    12.21
Idle 1100 RPMs -           12.60    12.30
2500 RPMs -                12.95    12.48
5000 RPMs -                13.01    12.49
After 5 minutes of testing run time(bike shut off) - 12.75 volts

I would appreciate any help. I have no idea if these numbers are normal. Im not much of a mechanic but would like to fix this problem myself.
Thanks in advance. My bike is a 2005.

 

[DropBusa]

What year is the bike?
1.might have killed the ballast if you need the delay.
2.might have a short wire somewhere that finds a ground when its heated (sag)

those are my guesses.

 

[shimmyz]

It's a 2005

 

[MC MUSTANG]

The battery that you bought my have been not fully charged, initially. Also, motorcycle batteries are not built to discharge and recharge fully, you might need a new battery. You notice tht in your numbers, the battey was strongest at 5K; the charging system on the busa doesn't realy kick in until around 4500 rpms, so on short rides, where you are in higher gear (lower RPMs) yo may not be gving the scoot enough time to charge back up)... not sure if any of this helps... Batteries plus gives a warranty with thier batteries... if it dies early, just take it back...

 

[shimmyz]

Thanks for your help. I never did charge the battery before putting it in the bike. The box said I didn't need to. I wish I would have now.

Is there anything else I should try or check before buying a new battery?

 

[drfbusa]

Shawn, Im having a similar issue with my scooter. I wanted to give you a call this WE IOT ride over and have you take a look see, but I cant even get it started now!

My bike has 21K miles. I hope its just a battery thing, but I remember getting a new one. THe bike was new to me 12 mo ago!

Thanks
Dominick

 

[ks-waterbug]

One of two things I believe...
1. Bad battery, won't hold a charge.
2. You've got a short or an accessory somewhere which is draining the battery! Kind of like leaving your headlights on in a car when its not running... The high is flickering because the battery is to low to support the energy requirements of the light... Need to test for whats drawing your system down when nothing is on...

 

[shimmyz]

The accessories i have that would draw power are the HIDs and an undertail.I don't think they are drawing power when the bike is off. My battery voltage is holding steady overnight with the bike not running.

My bike seems to work normal when im just using low beam. When using high beam the battery is going dead. What/how do I check to verify its my high beam causing the problems? Or is my charging system not working right?

My bike only has 1400 miles.

 

[ks-waterbug]

Of concern are the numbers you provided... Those seem pretty low, I believe they should be in the range of 13-14 VDC. You mentioned the bike only having 1400 miles and its an 05! This would also lead me to suspect your battery. MC batteries depend on being recycled through the charging process and an inactive battery will soon become a dead battery.

 

[ks-waterbug]

I think Shawn had this one nailed from the onset....

 

[shimmyz]

I took the battery to NAPA and they tested it. He said it was fine. The battery is rated at 175CCA and the machine said it was 335CCA. Does that sound right?

 

[drfbusa]

I just got a new battery the old one had only 59CCA. Im going to see what happens in the next few months to see if I have the same issues, except this time IM going to disconnect the GPS power cord.

Ill be following this tread. I havent seen to many problems with charging systems on these bikes.

 

[MC MUSTANG]

Shawn, Im having a similar issue with my scooter.  I wanted to give you a call this WE IOT ride over and have you take a look see, but I cant even get it started now!  

My bike has 21K miles.  I hope its just a battery thing, but I remember getting a new one.  THe bike was new to me 12 mo ago!  

Thanks
Dominick

Dominick,
Let me know and I can swing by after work if you still don't have it sorted out.

PM sent

 

[shimmyz]

I just got a new battery the old one had only 59CCA.  Im going to see what happens in the next few months to see if I have the same issues, except this time IM going to disconnect the GPS power cord.  

Ill be following this tread.  I havent seen to many problems with charging systems on these bikes.

Do you have a meter? If so can you tell me how many volts your new battery is reading with the bike not running and the key off. Thanks

 

[shimmyz]

Ok, update. I used the online service manual. I tested the generator. It's putting out 85 volts AC. Coil resistance was good. I then moved on to the rectifier.

I'm not sure about these numbers i got. Using the table provided in the manual. My #'s seem ok except for all of the ones the manual says should be (Approx 1.5 volts). For all of these im getting overload on my meter. My meter also says overload when the leads are touching nothing. So its as if something might be fried in my rectifier.

But using the search I saw a post stating a brand new rectifier reads the same as what im getting.

Is the manual wrong maybe?

Do you guys think my rectifier is shot or am I doing something wrong?

 

[ks-waterbug]

Have you done the basics...? Checked all connections and cables for anything obvious? When you charged your battery did you let it set for a while before testing the voltage? Did you do a leak down test for a short? These are the places I would start before moving on to any other tests.

as to the rectifier the five pins should all be very close in numbers regardless of the reading (make sure and set your meter up to test diodes).... Let us know what you see

 

[shimmyz]

Have you done the basics...? Checked all connections and cables for anything obvious? When you charged your battery did you let it set for a while before testing the voltage? Did you do a leak down test for a short? These are the places I would start before moving on to any other tests.  

as to the rectifier the five pins should all be very close in numbers regardless of the reading (make sure and set your meter up to test diodes).... Let us know what you see

The cables all have clean connections and are tight. I don't know how to test them for a short when the bike is running.

The battery hasn't been charged sence monday evening. I just went out to check the voltage. It's reading 12.68 volts. Thats after being in the bike scence tuesday afternoon and starting the bike 5 or 6 times to do some tests. NAPA told me tuesday it had 335CCA. Im not sure how right that can be cause the battery is only rated at 175CCA.

I did a leak down test. It's well under what the manual allows. I only got .003mA. Out of curiosity I pulled fuses one by one to see where the draw was coming from. It's coming from something connected to the FUEL fuse. When the fuel fuse was pulled there was zero draw.

As for the rectifier. Yes, the meter is set to the diode setting. The manual calls for 6 readings to range from .4-.7 (mine range from .481-.514). Manual calls for one to range from .5-1.2 ( mine was .610). There are 13 that should read Approx 1.5 according to manual. For these I'm getting OL on my meter. I assume this means overload.

When the leads on my meter are not touching anything it says OL. If I touch leads together it reads 0.

From searching here and also on an R1 forum. I have read that some of these readings should act as if the meter isn't touch anything. I think they called it an infinite reading. If this is true my rectifier is good and the manual is wrong/misleading.

I really appreciate the help. I have never done anything like this before. I was just layed off this week and money is gonna be tight for awhile. I would really like to fix this myself to save some cash. Thanks again

 

[BIKE DUDE]

Why not just try the bike on low beams only for a few days and see if you can narrow down the problem that way? Just an idea? BTW one of my costumers had a meter that I was using to check the bulb in his test light and when the meter was in the diode or ohms scale and the leads weren't touching it read OL. I too thought it meant over load and that maybe he had a blown fuse in his meter but he said it just meant open circuit or it was an open loop,(not open loop on an ECU but like not a completed loop or circuit). Anyways, see if it's the high beam and then take it from there. Good luck!

 

[Zoinks!]

Ok, update. I used the online service manual.  I tested the generator. It's putting out 85 volts AC. Coil resistance was good. I then moved on to the rectifier.

I'm not sure about these numbers i got. Using the table provided in the manual. My #'s seem ok except for all of the ones the manual says should be (Approx 1.5 volts). For all of these im getting overload on my meter. My meter also says overload when the leads are touching nothing. So its as if something might be fried in my rectifier.

But using the search I saw a post stating a brand new rectifier reads the same as what im getting.

Is the manual wrong maybe?

Do you guys think my rectifier is shot or am I doing something wrong?

I'm assuming by "overload" you're talking about "OL" which actually means out of limit. If that's the case, you don't have your meeter set on voltage, it's set on ohms. You're meeter will always read "OL" with the leads not touching anything. If it's OL that means VERY high resistance. So high the meeter can't provide a number for it. If there's no circuit for the meeter to test than it's reading like there's extremely high resistance giving you the OL reading. If you're trying to read VDC you need to set the meeter on the V with the solid and sectioned lines beside it. The V with the squiggly line is AC. Now. . . As for your battery issue. . . 2 words. Battery tender. But first, I'd get a new battery. The one you have doesn't seem to be holding a charge very well. I can tell you this, the reason it started right after you shut the bike off is cause it had just been charged some by the ride you had just taken. Enough to start the bike a few times right after you shut it off. If you had let it sit, it probably wouldn't have started again. Get a new battery and get a battery tender. If you still have problems, then you'll have to look at your accesories. The HID isn't very likely. It draws less power than the stock headlight. I would however, check for excessive current draw on the high beam. It sounds like you have a bit of an issue with that.

 

[shimmyz]

Ok, update. I used the online service manual.  I tested the generator. It's putting out 85 volts AC. Coil resistance was good. I then moved on to the rectifier.

I'm not sure about these numbers i got. Using the table provided in the manual. My #'s seem ok except for all of the ones the manual says should be (Approx 1.5 volts). For all of these im getting overload on my meter. My meter also says overload when the leads are touching nothing. So its as if something might be fried in my rectifier.

But using the search I saw a post stating a brand new rectifier reads the same as what im getting.

Is the manual wrong maybe?

Do you guys think my rectifier is shot or am I doing something wrong?

I'm assuming by "overload" you're talking about "OL" which actually means out of limit.  If that's the case, you don't have your meeter set on voltage, it's set on ohms.  You're meeter will always read "OL" with the leads not touching anything.  If it's OL that means VERY high resistance.  So high the meeter can't provide a number for it.  If there's no circuit for the meeter to test than it's reading like there's extremely high resistance giving you the OL reading.  If you're trying to read VDC you need to set the meeter on the V with the solid and sectioned lines beside it.  The V with the squiggly line is AC.  Now. . . As for your battery issue. . . 2 words.  Battery tender.  But first, I'd get a new battery.  The one you have doesn't seem to be holding a charge very well.  I can tell you this, the reason it started right after you shut the bike off is cause it had just been charged some by the ride you had just taken.  Enough to start the bike a few times right after you shut it off.  If you had let it sit, it probably wouldn't have started again.  Get a new battery and get a battery tender.  If you still have problems, then you'll have to look at your accesories.  The HID isn't very likely.  It draws less power than the stock headlight.  I would however, check for excessive current draw on the high beam.  It sounds like you have a bit of an issue with that.

Yes my meter said OL. I just assumed it meant overload. I typed volts but I meant ohms (I think). The manual says to be in diode setting when checking the rectifier. I am new to all this stuff and my head is spinning trying to figure whats wrong and also trying to figure how to use a meter correctly the past few days.

Im beginning to think my electrical system is ok. It seems strange my battery would be bad when NAPA said it was good but I'm no expert either.

Do you think my battery voltage reading would raise with a new battery when the bike is running? According to the manual I should show between 13.4 - 15.1 volts at 5000RPMs with high beam on. I'm only getting 12.49volts at 5000RPMs with my current battery. Thanks