Slow battery drain.
01-29-2008, 07:31 AM
#1
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Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 30
Slow battery drain.
Thought you guys could help me out. Got a 98 superhawk and I've been had a slow drain on my system and thought you guys could help with where to look.
When I bought it she was a little hard starting then after about a week after work it wouldn't start at all. The lights would come on, but it was just a slow thumping.
Bought a new battery and it started right up. So long as I drove it every couple of days it was fine. However if it sat for a week it wouldn't start and I'd have to toss the charger on it.
??? Any idea's where to start ???
Thanks
When I bought it she was a little hard starting then after about a week after work it wouldn't start at all. The lights would come on, but it was just a slow thumping.
Bought a new battery and it started right up. So long as I drove it every couple of days it was fine. However if it sat for a week it wouldn't start and I'd have to toss the charger on it.
??? Any idea's where to start ???
Thanks
01-29-2008, 08:03 AM
#2
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,132
Has the RR (voltage regulator) been replaced with a "finned" unit (or converted to a GSXR/R1 unit) yet?
I have not heard of them causing slow drains, but they do fail in several different ways, so even if that isn't the issue, I'd get a newer "finned" unit.
The ones for the CBR F2-F4 (but not F4i) work as drop in replacements, just make sure they are finned as the older ones of those had the same problems.
I have not heard of them causing slow drains, but they do fail in several different ways, so even if that isn't the issue, I'd get a newer "finned" unit.
The ones for the CBR F2-F4 (but not F4i) work as drop in replacements, just make sure they are finned as the older ones of those had the same problems.
01-29-2008, 08:57 AM
#4
Senior Member
SuperBike
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 1,572
I wouldn't think it would be a relay... can you leave the bike alone and the RR unplugged for a while to see if it still drains the battery? Would help to narrow it down... the diode going bad (the rectifier in the regulator/rectifier or RR) could cause the problem. With all the known issues with the older non finned ones you really should replace the RR with the newer finned version or mod for the GSXR/R1 units.
quote=California69gs;146002]It does NOT have the finned unit.
A co-worker thought it could be fused or corroded relays?[/quote]
quote=California69gs;146002]It does NOT have the finned unit.
A co-worker thought it could be fused or corroded relays?[/quote]
Last edited by RickB; 01-29-2008 at 04:09 PM.
01-29-2008, 09:37 AM
#5
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MotoGP
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,132
Here are examples of the one you do want:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA...em120214330521
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Regul...em220196281581
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA...em150210180089
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volta...3286.m20.l1116
Here is one that you do NOT want:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RECTI...em230215880032
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA...em120214330521
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Regul...em220196281581
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA...em150210180089
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volta...3286.m20.l1116
Here is one that you do NOT want:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/RECTI...em230215880032
Last edited by lazn; 01-29-2008 at 09:40 AM.
01-29-2008, 08:17 PM
#8
Administrator
World Champion
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Fulton, MO
Posts: 105,287
Oh yeah! The original topic! Take a multimeter, put it on the battery and start pulling fuses. When the battery voltage rises slightly then that's the circuit that has the short. Start tracing wires and connectors from there.
01-31-2008, 05:11 AM
#9
Member
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 30
I don't have any extra's on the bike, such as an alarm that would be draining the battery.
The voltmeter and pulling fuses sounds like something easy enough to do.
My co-worker also said I could just through on a battery cut-off switch to stop the drain when I'm not driving. But I don't know squat about electrical work.
The voltmeter and pulling fuses sounds like something easy enough to do.
My co-worker also said I could just through on a battery cut-off switch to stop the drain when I'm not driving. But I don't know squat about electrical work.
02-06-2008, 01:19 PM
#10
Member
Squid
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Missouri City, Texas
Posts: 95
My bike did the same thing before I got her "fixed". First I replaced the R/R with one from an R1. It still would drain during a long ride or the start right after a long ride. I went to take the side cover off to inspect the magneto? or alternator (honeycomb looking thing on the L side) It was kind of gummed up, so I cleaned her up, cleaned out the void space and put her back in. Voila! Bike battery started charging like a normal one should!
Do the voltmeter check on the battery terminals before starting it, with the lights on, at idle, and at a constant 5k RPM. If you see like how I saw mine, with only a slow drain on the output, that could be the culprit. I know the actually voltage readings have been posted somewhere, but this is a quick check at no matter where your battery starts out at. Good Luck!
Do the voltmeter check on the battery terminals before starting it, with the lights on, at idle, and at a constant 5k RPM. If you see like how I saw mine, with only a slow drain on the output, that could be the culprit. I know the actually voltage readings have been posted somewhere, but this is a quick check at no matter where your battery starts out at. Good Luck!
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