| Author |
Message |
    
Thanatos
| | Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 07:48 pm: | 
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My battery keeps going dead. I have bought a new one and it still does the same. Load tested both and both tested good. Checked the AC and it is at 50V. Cheeked the stator harness and had an OL on both sockets. Then ohmed the two sockets and registered at .5. Output when running is only battery voltage. It runs perfect as long as the battery is charged. However the battery will not stay charged. ANy ides? |
Pressureangle
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 01:00 pm: |
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You're totally not clear.
You have an '01 X1?
Test the alternator by the service manual (you have one, right?) Ohms between pins, no circuit from pins to engine case, etc.
Be certain that the voltage regulator has a good ground to the frame. Verify that you have no open wires from the regulator to the battery/circuit breakers.
Replace regulator as necessary.  |
Thanatos
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 07:08 pm: |
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2001 X1
Yes I have a manual.
ohms between pins are .5
checked for bare and broken wires. None found.
Regulator tests to be good by using a test light, as the service manual says. |
Pressureangle
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 09:15 pm: |
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Do you have open circuit between pins and engine case, verifying that the stator is not shorted? I've seen the magnets chop up the stator and still test good; have a look in the primary case oil for bits. I don't have a service manual, so tell me the procedure for using a test light for the regulator? If you get past the alternator/regulator, individually test the circuit breakers-I don't remember when they stopped using one in the charging system. |
Thanatos
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 09:32 pm: |
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To test the stator I inserted a electrode into the stator harness pin and put the other electrode to a good ground. It showed and open line. This was the result for both pins. This is also the result that the service manual says is good.
For the regulator it says to take a test light and connect it to a good ground. Then touch each one of the pins and if the light turns on then the regulator is bad. No lights came on.
I changed the primary oil and no form of debris was found.
I have not found any circuit breakers in my system. At least not in the charging system circuit. |
Pressureangle
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 10:07 pm: |
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Let's get some background. Under what circumstances does the battery go dead? While riding, after how many miles, or in the garage, no start? Despite the manual, remove the regulator from the frame and use the test light between the regulator case and the frame. You should have no current with the key on and the engine off.
I've assumed that the drain is the charging system-it may not be.
With everything in place and the key off, remove the battery negative cable and test light between post and cable. You should have no current. If you do, start disconnecting things-regulator, starter positive, etc until the current goes away. I've seen many cases of pinched wires in the handlebar switches-loosen them and check for pinched or worn insulation.
I recently installed a new battery in my MotoGuzzi-the new one was bad right from the shelf, but not bad enough not to start or test bad. It took me a month to decide to put out for a new battery as a test. |
Pale_rider
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 11:29 am: |
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When I had the same situation all was bad with the charging system. Both of the pieces had to be replaced and they werent surprised at it either. I am not an electrical guru but your symptoms are exactly what I had experienced. Hope that helps a bit.
Pale |
Thanatos
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 09:57 pm: |
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The battery goes dead after riding for about 100 miles. In about 2 weeks. I can park it and not ride it for one week and the battery is still fully charged. When I ride it I can check the voltage of the battery and it gets lower and lower every time I ride it. I will try the test that you described and get back with you. It may be a few days though, since I am very busy right now. Thank you and I will let you know. |
Thanatos
| | Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 10:12 pm: |
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Ok I ran the test and I have no current between the negative cable and the battery, I also do not have any current between the regulator and the frame. When i start it and get the engine running, I still show only battery voltage while running. If the battery voltage is at 10.2 then it remains at 10.2 while running and after a little while will drop to 10.1 then 10 and so on until it goes dead then the engine will stop. |
Pressureangle
| | Posted on Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 07:46 am: |
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Hmm. I smell a bad battery. You should have ~12.7 volts on a fully charged battery. The particular voltage that you show, if 10.2 is what you see when 'fully charged', is right at what most batteries hold with a bad cell, since each cell is ~2.2 volts. I know it's new, but I've seen batteries with dead cells, sulphation, and reversed polarity right off the shelf. Batteries are very strange creatures; I've had batteries which were perfectly serviceable with a bad cell, and I've had them fail instantly and flat the battery to zero in less than a minute. Bottom line is, if your battery won't charge up and hold something over 12 volts, it's bad. Even if your charging system is fine, a bad battery may not replenish as fast as the bike uses. If your battery will hold ~12.7 volts from a bench charger, have it load tested. If it passes a load test, then you'll have to look to the regulator/alternator. I did see one or two sportsters in which the alternator magnets came loose but stayed intact in the rotor; it wouldn't charge well but didn't have any signs of disintigration.
Keep us posted.
(Message edited by pressureangle on June 17, 2006) |
Thanatos
| | Posted on Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 08:06 pm: |
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Charged the battery to 12.9. Then load tested it and it passed. It only dropped to 12.1. I am suspecting the same and I am pretty sure that it is the stator that is bad. I will probably replace both the stator and regulator, since every time I need parts it takes a week to get them in. I will let you know what I find though. |
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