Not starting and relay (maybe) chattering - where shall I start

[Gary in NJ]

What Trepetti said - EXCEPT - don't use the multimeter that you have been using because it is obviously out of calibration. When it was showing 13.4VDC, you were actually below 12.4VDC and likely below 12.0.

 

[Stringbean781]

So the next challenge is to determine if the bad battery is the symptom or the problem. I never replace a battery without also checking the charging system. It saves you the trouble of putting in a new battery then having the same problem a few days later.

With the bike running, check that your charging system is putting out over 13v at idle and in the vicinity of 14-14.5 volts with the engine running above 2000 rpm. These numbers are approximate, just need to make sure that the charging system is able to provide a high enough output to keep the battery topped up.

That makes sense! Would I check it at the Battery terminals then or somewhere in the stator wiring loop?

 

[Stringbean781]

What Trepetti said - EXCEPT - don't use the multimeter that you have been using because it is obviously out of calibration. When it was showing 13.4VDC, you were actually below 12.4VDC and likely below 12.0.

okay, I will check that. Possible it was 12.4 and I misread it or something. I have a second multimeter so I can compare.

 

[Gary in NJ]

That makes sense! Would I check it at the Battery terminals then or somewhere in the stator wiring loop?

At the terminals. If you have a battery tender port, you can use that for easier access.

 

[trepetti]

That makes sense! Would I check it at the Battery terminals then or somewhere in the stator wiring loop?

If you have a battery tender connection you can check there, otherwise the battery is the best place to check. It can be tough to get to, you will need to have the tank elevated while the engine is running or you can attach wires to the terminals and test with the tank down.

Either way, Gary makes really good point. There is reason to doubt the accuracy of the meter you used to test the battery, so do whatever you need to do to get an accurate reading.

 

[Stringbean781]

I took it out for a ride last night and it went splendid for the first half. I arrived at a park after an hour of riding. I shut it down and sat for probably 20mins. When I went to crank, it had a lack of power. The light was flickering, the starter was attempting but no luck. I ended up push starting it and got it running. It was sputtering on and off though, with a loss of electronics. The dash would shut down and come back on. I attempted to get it back home asap. I keep RPMs up and it stayed alive at a stop sign. On the road, it continued to turn on and off quickly and would worsen at higher RPMs. If I keep it around 2000-3000 it would almost stop sputtering. After passing many traffic lights, I, unfortunately, got one that turned red. The bike died and I pushed it to the side. I attempted push starting it. 2 fellow bikers stopped to help and attempted to jump it. It started at first, but then continued the sputtering and seemed to die more easily. I gave in after 30 mins and called a toe truck(we also double check battery terminals to make sure they were well connected). I am going to get the battery load tested tonight. My concern is that it isn't the battery, because if it was able to start wouldn't the stator be able to keep it alive? Adding on to that, wouldn't higher rpm's help as well? I may need to make a new thread for this!

 

[trepetti]

On 8/27 you mentioned you were going to test the charging voltage. What results did you get? You are right to add the charging system to the list of suspects.

My thoughts, based on your previous postings, is that the the battery is not my top choice. If you started it normally before your ride, then the battery had enough voltage and current to get going. Once it's running, it needs to be constantly topped up by the charging system. It appears to me that this part is not happening.

Get a handle on those charging system voltages so we can all move this issue forward.

 

[Gary in NJ]

A bike with EFI will not start with a dead battery with a push start because there isn't enough current to run the ECU or fuel pump.

You'll need to do some diagnostic work here. From what I can determine from this thread is that you have a new battery, but it doesn't charge.

Did you check the battery terminals to ensure that they are 1) free of any corrosion and 2) tight?
Did you check the output of the charging system by placing an accurate multimeter on the terminals? At idle you should see around 13.0 to 13.2VDC, and at 5000 rpm you should see over 14VDC. If you see that type of voltage, then the problem is your battery or the cables (likely a bad or damaged ground cable).
If you do not see the voltage(s) noted above, report back and we can explain the next steps.

 

[Stringbean781]

Okay, thank you! The battery is 1 year old.

Yes, the terminals are clean and tight. There was some corrosion previously(posts from last week) on the negative terminal, but it has been completely cleaned off.
I didn't check the output of the charge system. I figured once I got it running, the battery was just low.
If I hookup a different battery, I should be able to check charge system. To do this, I put a multimeter on the terminals(as in battery terminals?) while its running?

I will do this and get back to you guys!! Thanks for being patient with me!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Hook up your meter at the battery terminals directly. The tank can be lifted and supported W/O removing it. Start the bike and check at the terminals if it's charging..

It should be over 13 volts idling and up to 14 volts at 5K



Here's a video of mine, just charged, with a soon to be replaced battery. Yours should be similar:

https://flic.kr/p/LDtUch

.

 

[Gary in NJ]

If I hookup a different battery, I should be able to check charge system. To do this, I put a multimeter on the terminals(as in battery terminals?) while its running?

You don't need a different battery, you just need to charge the one you already have. It should hold a static charge of 12.6VDC, but right off the charger it will probably show closer to 13VDC.

 

[Stringbean781]

Okay, so I got my trickle charger in yesterday and charge the battery over night. I just hooked it back up. It start fine. The voltage was 12.9 before start. After start it jumped to 13.6. Slowly started to climb to 13.9 as it warmed up. I revved it to 5000 rpm and the voltage dropped to 13.5 ish. Then went back up after rpms dropped. I was in a garage because its raining so I stopped the test after a 5 mins so I don't inhale too many fumes.

 

[Gary in NJ]

Sounds about right for a cold start. Recheck the voltage after the bike is warmed up and after a 15-20 ride.

The fact that the voltage increased to 13.9 is an indication that the system is working. What we need to know now is how does it look when warm. For example, if after a ride you are showing a charging output of 12.6 VDC, then we know something isn’t working when it gets hot. When a R/R is failing they are known to shut down when warm.

 

[trepetti]

Sounds about right for a cold start. Recheck the voltage after the bike is warmed up and after a 15-20 ride.

The fact that the voltage increased to 13.9 is an indication that the system is working. What we need to know now is how does it look when warm. For example, if after a ride you are showing a charging output of 12.6 VDC, then we know something isn’t working when it gets hot. When a R/R is failing they are known to shut down when warm.

FYI I am going through the same issue right now. Battery is fine, voltage drop when starting is ok and once started, at idle charging voltage is about 14v. When I rev the engine to 5k rpm the voltage drops to about 13.5v. I understand this is a classic RR issue.

I am waiting for my new Shindengen FH020AA to arrive.