Battery Drainage

[Dozer]

Hey guys, how goes it?

Not long passed, and got myself a Bandit 600 to celebrate.

It's been fine up until now, however... it has now decided to eat batteries. It ran the battery down first off, and I jump started it off my car (i got it checked by Breaking Point, and Shirlaws, no damage done, novice mistake) and it ran fine for a day or two, I figured I'd left the parking light on.

However.

Next day, dead again! New battery bought, and charged, and it lasted a few days before dying again!
It's been in at Shirlaws twice, and had another new battery. Still she dies! They can't find what's draining it, and I might just cry!

Any ideas anyone? I was gonna lob it to Jim Hays or Breaking Point, but I don't know enough about them, and dunno about puttin it into Ecosse.

Cheers cheers!

The Dozer

[al]

Your regulator rectifier or alternator are probably goosed. If you have access to a multimeter then test the voltage across the battery when the bike is running and see if it changes when you rev the bike.

[Dozer]

Yep, took the bike to Breaking Point, and they put the meter across and it went up as you revved the bike.

[al]

Yep, took the bike to Breaking Point, and they put the meter across and it went up as you revved the bike.

You don't happen to know the voltages? If it was above 12 then your alternator is probably ok. The Reg/Rect should cap the voltage before it gets to 15v. If the voltage goes higher than then when you rev the bike then you could be cooking the battery which will decrease its ability to hold a charge.

Big Kneed Al (master of the emergency stop & "stand up" comedian).

[flippineck]

have you got an immobiliser or alarm fitted to the bike?

If you want to pop out this weekend we can do some checks on the electrics

[Dozer]

You don't happen to know the voltages?

No...

have you got an immobiliser or alarm fitted to the bike?

Nope, nothin like that. Probably should, but nope. I'll have the bike back for the weekend, so could do. Where would that be?

[Snoop]

I'd go with Big Kneed Al (master of the emergency stop & "stand up" comedian) on the high voltage, that could be a winner,

and I have a Multimeter if needed,

And Flippineck is your man, get the bick along to him, He'll sort you out

[Dozer]

Yeah, if i'd known over 15 = bad, I'd have had a look at the voltage when it was checked. Ah well, you live and learn...

Would imagine they'd have seen it go too high at Breaking Point and said something when they checked it.

Flippineck is your man

Good to know, I'll have to get him to have a look!

Seems to be who you know in Aberdeen with cars and bikes and, well, everything! Not enough independant garages kickin around!

[flippineck]

Dozer,

Decided to take a couple of pics anyway since I had the camera home.

Thermal meter of a headlight.

Lights Off



Lights On



Wiring inside Headlight



Whiter means hotter.

[Dozer]

Wow, that's pretty cool! Looks like I might have to ask you to have a look anyway I'm afraid, got it back from the shop the other day. Should be ok, but I've not used it since Friday (I got knocked off and hurt my shoulder ) and she's dead again! Needles don't even go round the dials! oil light is rediculously dim. Nae guid.

[Dozer]

I'm not being stupid, am I, the bike should sit for much longer than three days without dying, shouldn't it? Even in this weather, and outside?

[al]

I would suspect that it isn't getting charged when the bike is running. My TT did that until I diagnosed a burnt out alternator.

Big Kneed Al (master of the emergency stop & "stand up" comedian).

[meepmeep]

It's been in at Shirlaws twice, and had another new battery. Still she dies! They can't find what's draining it, and I might just cry!

Go Craig

Big Kneed Al (master of the emergency stop & "stand up" comedian) will keep you right if you wanna have a go at fixing it yourself.

[Dozer]

To be fair, the staff have been fine, Craig's a good loon! Just seems to be a persistant problem!

Alex was gonna have a look at it for me a week or two ago, but I never got the chance. D'oh! The battery is charging fine apparently. Unfortunately I'm no mechanic/sparky to check, too thick!

Ach well, it'll be worth it when she's fixed, it's amazing how you miss it, isn't it?

[baldy]

Alex is away for the next 3 weeks on hols but im sure he'd have a look when he returns

[Dozer]

How inconsiderate of him!

After getting knocked off on Friday, I'm gonna take the bike down to Jim Hay's to get it checked over, will maybe ask him to have a look-ee at the same time. She's nae goin back to Shirlaws.

[meepmeep]

I'm gonna take the bike down to Jim Hay's to get it checked over.

Aberdeen Chopper

[Dozer]

Not a good place to go? It's convenient because I'm workin in town just now

[meepmeep]

Not a good place to go? It's convenient because I'm workin in town just now

Everybody has their own personal experiences of local workshops. I would not recommend this place personally due to a serious fault when i got a bike back.

[Dozer]

Fair enough, my other option is possibly Ecosse, they were excellent when i pitched up unannounced with a hu-age nail in my tyre! Will see what like when I get the battery charged again!

[meepmeep]

Best thing to do is ask about dozer, then go to the place with the least bad feedback

[Dozer]

hehe, yeah, tried readin some of the things in "Cheapest , Best Service etc.. ", but like you said, everyone has good and bad experiences everywhere I guess. You pays your money, you makes your choice.

[al]

If you want to rule out a faulty battery then charge it iPoop and leave it disconnected four or five days then connect to the bike and try starting it up. If the bike starts then the battery should be ok.

Charge it up again and then leave it connected to the bike for a few days without starting the bike up. If it struggles to start then you have a problem wither the wiring on your bike that is draining the battery while it is off.

If the bike starts no problem then there is a broblem with the charging system on the bike.

Big Kneed Al (master of the emergency stop & "stand up" comedian).

[CBRXX]

If you have a multimeter disconnect one of the terminals from the battery and switch the meter to read A or mA with the bike switched off put the meter between the disconnected battery and the battery terminal if you are getting any current at all theres a fault (short) in the wiring and the bikes draining the battery while stood.
with the bike running the voltage accross the batter terminals (now reconnected of course) should read between 12.5 and 14.4V a little higher than this may be okay at full revs but if it keeps climing when being revved you regulator has gone the way of the pear and needs replacing you will also be cooking good batteries and will probably need a new one of these when you replace the regulator.
Could also just be a poor Earth somewhere resulting in the bike not charging check the regulator, if it has a metal base this should have a good earth and has caused me problems in the past. or check for continuity from the negative terminal to the engine again using the multimeter

By the way you can buy a perfectly serviceable multimeter from Autoparts for somewhere between £18-25, best of luck

[Dozer]

If you want to rule out a faulty battery then charge it iPoop and leave it disconnected four or five days then connect to the bike and try starting it up. If the bike starts then the battery should be ok.

Charge it up again and then leave it connected to the bike for a few days without starting the bike up. If it struggles to start then you have a problem wither the wiring on your bike that is draining the battery while it is off.

I had a charged battery sitting for about two/three weeks at Autosave, the bike having drained it previously. I just lobbed it in just now and she started first time. Will grab a multimeter and see what it's got to say for its self.