How can U test if the charging system's working?

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beuwiq

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As a follow up to the thread "Bike just Ceased" under FZ6 Technical section. My bike ceased & d battery's down. I'm charging it this night. I'm getting d battery 2moro. When I connect the battery back & possibly d bike starts, what's d easiest way I could use to know the charging system's working properly. If it were a car the battery light would signal on d dashboard.

Any suggestions???
:steve:
:confused:
 
FinalImpact

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A hand held Digital Multi Meter goes a long ways. . .

Simple things: a 12 volt battery is not 12 volts. It depends more on the temperature and state of charge. In short, a healthy battery should be >12.6 volts. So measure it when off, at idle and at 5000RPM.

Engine off: ~ >12.6 fully charged upwards of 12.99v
Engine idle: ~ 12.2 or higher or lower depending on load. Extra lights etc.
Engine >4000 RPM: > 13.4 volts

These are ball park figures and should give you an idea if its charging.
 
FinalImpact

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MrMogensen said:
Found this - for car battery though byt almost the same... :)


EDIT: Found this instead... Video: How to Check a Motorcycle Battery | eHow.com
Click to expand...


Take this one with a grain of salt: key on may drop to 10 or 11 volts? That's a BAD sign and this cat says its OK. During start if it drops to 9.6 means its due for replacement. Could mean other things too. Bad starter for example. Hmm. . . The first read along is better as this guy also states that during charging 14.4v is OK. WARNING if sustained, it will boil a battery dry and kill it.

IMO; stick with the text in the first link.
Diagnosing A Car Battery That Runs Down :thumbup:
 
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beuwiq

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MrMogensen said:
Found this - for car battery though byt almost the same... :)

Diagnosing A Car Battery That Runs Down


EDIT: Found this instead... Video: How to Check a Motorcycle Battery | eHow.com
EDIT #2: Scrool down to FINAL IMPACT's comments before you see this video...
Click to expand...

Thanx once again. I read through d article and tested the b battery. I actually supplied 13volts. But I noticed that the fuel pump doesn't HUMMM when I put the ignition on. So the bike kicks but doesn't still start.

Any suggestions???

Regards
 
TownsendsFJR1300

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beuwiq said:
Thanx once again. I read through d article and tested the b battery. I actually supplied 13volts. But I noticed that the fuel pump doesn't HUMMM when I put the ignition on. So the bike kicks but doesn't still start.

Any suggestions???

Regards
Click to expand...

Kill switch set in the run position? Bike in neutral?

If yes to both, with the key on, try jiggling the red kill switch on the right side of the handle bar. Its a known failure point, even thou it looks to be in the run position, it likely has a bad connection.

With the bad connection, the fuel pump WILL NOT WORK/prime.

The switch can be accessed after taking the right side housing apart, pull the switch and cleaning the contacts. Be gentle, the switch itself is not replaceable, you have to purchase the entire right side assembly for approx $100.00 or hot wire it (by pass the switch) should it be the problem.
 
FinalImpact

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TownsendsFJR1300 said:
Kill switch set in the run position? Bike in neutral?

If yes to both, with the key on, try jiggling the red kill switch on the right side of the handle bar. Its a known failure point, even thou it looks to be in the run position, it likely has a bad connection.

With the bad connection, the fuel pump WILL NOT WORK/prime.

The switch can be accessed after taking the right side housing apart, pull the switch and cleaning the contacts. Be gentle, the switch itself is not replaceable, you have to purchase the entire right side assembly for approx $100.00 or hot wire it (by pass the switch) should it be the problem.
Click to expand...


We need the drop in list as these two things have been said so many times. . . Perhaps save a canned response so you just copy and paste? But a bot could do that! lol

On another note: where is the switch to tell it its in Neutral? Is that the one in the back of the trans by the swing arm bolt? The reason I ask is if you tried it in Neutral? And or does the N light come on green when the key is on?
 
TownsendsFJR1300

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FinalImpact said:
We need the drop in list as these two things have been said so many times. . . Perhaps save a canned response so you just copy and paste? But a bot could do that! lol

On another note: where is the switch to tell it its in Neutral? Is that the one in the back of the trans by the swing arm bolt? The reason I ask is if you tried it in Neutral? And or does the N light come on green when the key is on?
Click to expand...

+1 on the above, the search function works really well, but , .....

Looking at the manual and my bike, it appears, yes, the neutral light switch screws into the back of the block (not the cylinder), at about the 10:00 position (when looking at the clutch cover), a couple of inches ahead of the CAT, about 2" inwards from the machined clutch cover surface. Its about the same level as one of the main gear shafts..
 
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