2006 Venture electrical problem

[Sylvester]

My buddy's RSV runs fine and all is good...most of the time. It will sit one day or several, but there will be a dead battery when he goes to start it. He is on his fourth battery since they will never re-charge. He called me and said it was dead again. Two weeks ago we checked every fuse for power drain and all was well with that at the time. I am thinking that the switch may be the problem and is coming on for some reason. It could set a week and start again fine or be dead overnight. :think:

 

Any opinions?

 

[darthandy]

Battery won't recharge? That sounds as if it is being overcharged and getting fried. I'm no expert, but usually if there is a small power drain, it might kill off the battery's charge but not wreck it - or at least not overnight. If it is heavily overcharged then that could damage it. As well, if it's not a sealed battery, it could produce enough hydrogen to cause a bit of a blast.

 

I would hook up a volt meter and check out what voltage is being generated when the bike is running and test at different R.P.M.'s. A voltage drain when shut off would also show up.

 

I'm sure the real electrical experts will be along shortly to help you, but this kind of baseline info would be helpful.

 

Andy

[Guest]

Pull the plug on the regulator/rectifier and look into the plug holes and see if there are any burn marks. Sometimes the outer plug pins, usually the red one will fry itself and can cause the problem that you describe. An easy check is to run a DMM across the battery with the bike running, while a buddy jiggles the R/R plug and see if the reading changes. If it does then thats the problem. Electrical issues can be a real PIA. Clean, tight connections are a must. There can be any number of things going on to cause this. Have the batteries in question ever been load tested?

[Sylvester]

Battery won't recharge? That sounds as if it is being overcharged and getting fried. I'm no expert, but usually if there is a small power drain, it might kill off the battery's charge but not wreck it - or at least not overnight. If it is heavily overcharged then that could damage it. As well, if it's not a sealed battery, it could produce enough hydrogen to cause a bit of a blast.

 

I would hook up a volt meter and check out what voltage is being generated when the bike is running and test at different R.P.M.'s. A voltage drain when shut off would also show up.

 

I'm sure the real electrical experts will be along shortly to help you, but this kind of baseline info would be helpful.

 

Andy

 

We did this two weeks ago and had 12 volts at the battery and with the bike running it was north of 13.5 and went up when reving the engine.

 

All this is normal for this machine. The problem with not being able to recharge the battery is not with the bike (I think) since it is not running when the problem occurrs. There may be an acceleration of charge just before he shuts it down, but I cannot check that out, obviously.

 

 

[Sylvester]

Pull the plug on the regulator/rectifier and look into the plug holes and see if there are any burn marks. Sometimes the outer plug pins, usually the red one will fry itself and can cause the problem that you describe. An easy check is to run a DMM across the battery with the bike running, while a buddy jiggles the R/R plug and see if the reading changes. If it does then thats the problem. Electrical issues can be a real PIA. Clean, tight connections are a must. There can be any number of things going on to cause this. Have the batteries in question ever been load tested?

 

Thanks, Ruffy, that may be our next procedure. Since the batteries in question will not take a charge, then I don't know how you would load test them.

 

[Riderinthesnow]

Check the rectifier plug. I went through two rectifiers bebore I realized the problem was with the plug. Altough it looked good, if was burned on the inside. I cut the plug right off and soldered the wires directly to the rectifier pins, and insulated the whole works with automotive goop. Charging problem fixed!

[Sylvester]

Check the rectifier plug. I went through two rectifiers bebore I realized the problem was with the plug. Altough it looked good, if was burned on the inside. I cut the plug right off and soldered the wires directly to the rectifier pins, and insulated the whole works with automotive goop. Charging problem fixed!

 

I will do that with my buddy tomorrow.

 

Thanks,

 

[bkuhr]

Ohm out the 3 stator white wires to each other (a-b, b-c, c-a)

about .4 ohms is good, anything less is bad(.0-.3)

Use a quality digital meter, and first short the leads. subtract any lead resistance displayed from above stots ohm tests.

[MikeWa]

First 2008=warranty. Have it checked by your dealer and get the problem on record. Do you have a cd changer? If so unplug it. They will sometimes cause an intermittent parasitic drain on the battery. Other components in the audio system can cause this as well.

 

Run a parasitic draw test. Current flow with everything off should be less than 50 miliamp (.050 amp). A reading over about 90 miliamp can run the battery down in a few days. Over 1 amp and the battery can go dead in a couple of hours.

Mike

[Sylvester]

First 2008=warranty. Have it checked by your dealer and get the problem on record. Do you have a cd changer? If so unplug it. They will sometimes cause an intermittent parasitic drain on the battery. Other components in the audio system can cause this as well.

 

Run a parasitic draw test. Current flow with everything off should be less than 50 miliamp (.050 amp). A reading over about 90 miliamp can run the battery down in a few days. Over 1 amp and the battery can go dead in a couple of hours.

Mike

 

I will do like you say but it is a 2006 out of warranty bike.

 

[MikeWa]

I don't know where I got the 2008 from.

Mike

[Sylvester]

Ohm out the 3 stator white wires to each other (a-b, b-c, c-a)

about .4 ohms is good, anything less is bad(.0-.3)

Use a quality digital meter, and first short the leads. subtract any lead resistance displayed from above stots ohm tests.

 

We have checked the regulator/rectifier and all is well. Monday we are going to the stator. When you say short out the leads, I am assuming ground them. If not please explain.

 

[MikeWa]

No. I believe he is talking about connecting the meter leads together and taking a reading. That reading must be subtracted from your test results.

Mike

[Sylvester]

No. I believe he is talking about connecting the meter leads together and taking a reading. That reading must be subtracted from your test results.

Mike

 

OK makes sense.

 

[phertwo]

What MikeWA said. I don't think you should spend your time looking to close at the stator and the regulator rectifier yet as the bike is charging properly by the sounds of it. It sounds more like you have something draining your battery over time while the bike is off.

 

Remove the positive battery lead and connect it to the positive (red) lead of your multimeter in the ammeter setting. Then connect the negative (black lead to your battery. Do this while the bike is off (there would be too much current for most multimeters to handle unless if you have an actual ammeter with a higher amperage rating). See what your reading is, compare that to MikeWA's previous post.

 

It isolate each system you can find and unplug connectors for various items and see if this changes the reading. PITA I know, but its the best way to find the problem.

[Sylvester]

What MikeWA said. I don't think you should spend your time looking to close at the stator and the regulator rectifier yet as the bike is charging properly by the sounds of it. It sounds more like you have something draining your battery over time while the bike is off.

 

Remove the positive battery lead and connect it to the positive (red) lead of your multimeter in the ammeter setting. Then connect the negative (black lead to your battery. Do this while the bike is off (there would be too much current for most multimeters to handle unless if you have an actual ammeter with a higher amperage rating). See what your reading is, compare that to MikeWA's previous post.

 

It isolate each system you can find and unplug connectors for various items and see if this changes the reading. PITA I know, but its the best way to find the problem.

 

I understand what you are saying since I fried my amp portion of the multimeter today. I ordered a new one with ten amp fused connection. If the bike is off and no key on there should be only around .05 amp draining to run memory. I know that if I touch the positive to the battery there is a distinct arc. I will try as you say next Monday since my friend will be out of town this weekend. I told him to take the negative off the bike and leave it for the weekend rather than hooking up a tender to it. Granted he will loose radio stations but after four batteries he is used to it. By the way the last battery re-charged fine. It is the same battery I took out of my 02 RSMV after six years. It sat on a shelf for the last year and was still fully charged when I gave it to him. Love Yuassa.

 

[phertwo]

Good idea. If remove one of the battery leads and let it sit, your voltage should still remain at 12.6~12.9V fully charged. That proves that the drainage is in the bike's wiring and not a faulty battery.

 

A 10 amp ammeter will be fine for the bike-of test, but don't use it for the bike-on test. The bikes probably puts out 30 amps or so. If you want to check the stator, unplug the stator connector that is located between the fuel pump and the resevoir coolant tank that is under the seat, then connect your multimeter/AC voltmeter to check the 3 stator wires. Check 1&2, 2&3, 1&3 for AC voltage, they should all read the same, somewhere +20VAC.

 

But again, if you are getting +13.5V, the stator and regulator/rectifier are probably fine. You are probably looking for a short of some kind that is not tripping a fuse, possibly generating heat - look at connectors and wiring for scorching/burning. That drainage has to go somewhere.

[Sylvester]

I am thinking the connections and logic circuit for the trailer wiring. I wanted Steve to just disconnect that and see what the voltage did over the weekend. The only other after market draws were the wire for the electric vest and the wire for the battery tender. These are plainly visible and in good shape. BTW he would be a member here but he refuses to have a computer. Therefore he calls me to look up stuff for him. I love him and as a marine veteran from Viet Nam, I am proud to help him and call him my friend.

 

I want to thank everyone for their replies. This is the greatest site for information on these beasts and I appreciate each and every one of you.

 

[bkuhr]

No. I believe he is talking about connecting the meter leads together and taking a reading. That reading must be subtracted from your test results.

Mike

If taking readings expecting 10s-100s-1000s ohms, the lead resistance is insignificant, likely less then .1 ohm. However when looking for very low reading or perfect shorts/continuity, then the lead resistance must be taken into account. Some meters have a function to 'zero out' the meter and leads prior to preforming tests.

 

I had similar problem on my xj750. meter showed about 13.5v, but every few weeks bike would die at most inconvenient places, and not have enough power in battery to restart.

Ran thru all tests and replaced reg/rect, did not help. Installed 30a auto direct read amp gauge in line with battery and could watch my drain, even though I have 13.5v.

Retested stator. Originally figured .2ohm was 'close enough' to spec .4ohm. Guess not.

Replaced stator and cured problem. Only 1 winding of the 3 windings was lower than spec, The way I figure the 2 good winding were producing enough power to regulator to produce voltage, but the shorted winding was placing excessive load on the regulator, causing regulator to generate a net loss in power.

 

Keep in mind the xj750 uses a brush and slip ring alternator, different than our ventures, but work on same principle and pretty sure .4ohm spec is the same.

 

Also check each winding (white wire) to battery neg(frame ground)-should be ~(open-no reading even on highest scale)

[Sylvester]

The power drain on the battery is all going to the backup functions. Across the fuse leads it measures .0667A whereas my RSMV only measures .0244A. Obiously one of the backup items is over-drawing. Any ideas other than disconnect them one at a time?

 

[phertwo]

Well, I'd keep the meter on and start pulling fuses one by one. The fuse box in the front lower cowling and the fuse box in the side cover by the battery. You may be able to isolate which system is causing the higher current draw. If you can isolate which system it is and its not critical to running the bike ie. cruise control, leave the fuse out and let the bike sit for a few days. Test the voltage again after a few days to prove that that is the problem. From there I would grab your manual on that specific system/circuit and run through the troubleshooting to diagnose it.

 

Hopefully this helps a smidge.

[Flyinfool]

The power drain on the battery is all going to the backup functions. Across the fuse leads it measures .0667A whereas my RSMV only measures .0244A. Obiously one of the backup items is over-drawing. Any ideas other than disconnect them one at a time?

 

 

A draw of .0667A or .0244A is not going to pull a MC battery down over night. The bike battery should be able to sustain a .0677A load for almost 2 weeks and a .0244A load for a month.

You have something else going on if the battery is dying over night.

[Condor]

Read all the posts, and what I'm trying to figure out is why you can't recharge the batteries. Are you using a plug in smart charger, or are you trying to recharge them using the bike's stator??? It's very possible to show a voltage at the battery anodes while runing and still not get any amps. Looks like you stator checks out, so I'm inclined to believe it's the rectifier. While running to Cody last month I killed a Deka AGM. The voltage output was very high, but the battery wasn't getting any amps. It took 3 days to discharge it to 8.9vdc., and it did charge back up on a plug in charger. I also killed a wet cell that I bought to get me to Cody the next day while on a group ride. It read 10.8vdc when I checked it. The rectifier plug looked fine, so we replaced the rectifier with one of those group buy Indian's we had a few years ago. I'm now running the Deka again, and it's fine. The new wet cell is charged up and waiting in the wings. I think it's your rectifier. It is possible that it's actually bad with a good looking plug....

[frankd]

Seeing as you're not discharging the battery enough to worry about, it looks to me that you may have charging issues and the battery never gets re-charged. You said the battery voltage was " north of 13.5 and went up when reving the engine". The voltage should be way north of 13.5V. The 1st. Gen spec. is 14-15V @ 2,000RPM, and the 2nd gen. should be about the same (same type of battery--lead acid). This test needs to be done with a fully charged battery. If you're not getting to 14 volts, you've got a stator, stator to regulator plug, or regulator problem. Any of these can cause low charging voltage.

 

Another test that's not in the book, but is important is to check from one of the stator leads to ground with an ohmeter. It should read infinity. If you read a short, you have a grounded stator and that causes low charging voltage.

 

Frank D.

[Sylvester]

I appreciate all responses. The battery drain is .0677 from the positive lead to the positive terminal. From the terminal for the backup functions it is .0677. I have disconnected the audio fuse and there is 0.0000A across this. I have disconnected the CC fuse and there is 0.0000A across this. I will try more testing tomorrow, but as of now I can't find a source for the drain. Keep in mind that over the last five years there have been four batteries installed.

 

Thanks again,