Serious Problem...HELP!!!

[Brianb]

Got a problem that is driving me insane and Im hoping either this has happened to someone else and they know how or someone knows the solution. So I was riding my 83 1200 venture and I noticed the volt meter was reading lower than normal. I figured it was because it was getting colder and just kept driving it. Well next time I tried to start it, the turn over was much slower, but it still started. Guage still low. Stopped for gas and bike would not start, not enough power so I push started it and drove it straight home where unfortunately it has sat for a while now. WHen I first brought it home it would still half way attempt to start, just slowly, then it wouldnt do that, then the cluster just went dark. I tried hooking up my battery tender to it to see if that would fix it but it wouldn't even register. I took to battery to autozone to get them to charge it and have not tried that yet. Does this sound like a battery problem or something else. Let me know what you think. Thanks:fingers-crossed-emo

[DragonRider]

dHow old is the battery and were the water levels up to the mark on the battery? Batteries can sometimes just go out slowly or all at once, its happened to me several times.

Got a problem that is driving me insane and Im hoping either this has happened to someone else and they know how or someone knows the solution. So I was riding my 83 1200 venture and I noticed the volt meter was reading lower than normal. I figured it was because it was getting colder and just kept driving it. Well next time I tried to start it, the turn over was much slower, but it still started. Guage still low. Stopped for gas and bike would not start, not enough power so I push started it and drove it straight home where unfortunately it has sat for a while now. WHen I first brought it home it would still half way attempt to start, just slowly, then it wouldnt do that, then the cluster just went dark. I tried hooking up my battery tender to it to see if that would fix it but it wouldn't even register. I took to battery to autozone to get them to charge it and have not tried that yet. Does this sound like a battery problem or something else. Let me know what you think. Thanks:fingers-crossed-emo

[bongobobny]

Yah! That's what I think too! Pull the battery, charge it up, and then take it to Auto Zone or somewhere else and have it load tested. If the battery is bad, spend a little more and replace it with an AGM battery. A couple of the Auto parts stores have them, or contact member Skydoc17 as he is a distributor for DEKA. The second problem could be the stator or the connector for the stator. Get back to us if the battery checks out OK and we will give you further instructions...

[barend]

And then there's the regulator/rectifier. Get in on the next group buy that's going on.

[Pam]

Had the same thing hapening on my 83 a few years ago, I would to carry a 1 amp charger with a couple of wires coming from under the false tank, Rode to work and plugged her in to charge the battery and rode her home like this until the new battery came in, With her running and the battery charged just stick a multi meter on the battery posts and see what you get. This will tell you if it is the battery or in the charging system. There will me more info coming cause there is lots of knowledge on this site.

[MiCarl]

About the worst thing you can do to a battery is let it sit discharged. So, regardless of the initial problem you're probably going to need a battery.

 

Once you have a known good battery (either a new one or the old one confirmed good) fully charge it with at most a 2 amp charger.

 

Install the battery and attach a volt meter between the (+) and (-). Start the motorcycle and rev it up to 3,000 RPM. If your meter reads below 14V you've got a problem.

 

First thing to check is the alternator plug. It's a white plug behind the left side cover above the transmission with 3 wires going to it. All the wires are either white or yellow. Make sure the plug is clean and in good condition.

 

When you get that far report back and we'll guide you from there.

[Venturous Randy]

I suspect you are due a new stator. But, make sure you check the other things already noted first.

RandyA

[GaryZ]

Simple way to test a battery/charging system;

 

1) Measure the voltage of the battery without the engine running: 12.5V = good

2) Measure the voltage of the battery with the engine running above 1500 rpm: 13.5 to 14.5V = good

3) Measure the voltage 'drop' when the starter is cranking: Above 9.5V = good

 

On modern vehicles there is a dash voltmeter that makes these tests easy. A good charging system will register in the 'green' when the engine is running and a red mark generally shows the good level for the battery when the engine is not running.

 

My 2 cents . . .

Your description suggests that your charging system quit and you ran the battery down.

[Brianb]

Thanks for all the replies and advice, unfortunately I am busy with work until sunday, I will try these all then and see what I come up with, Hoping it is just battery:fingers-crossed-emo

[elgordo68]

Anytime I hear the term "Battery Tender" I cringe! Batteries are not designed to be constantly charged 24 hrs a day for weeks on end. I work for a company that sells batteries and they love battery tenders because they harm the battery beyond repair. You are better to remove a fully charged battery for the winter than using a 2 amp charging system cause even at 2 amps it only takes a few hours to completely charge a small battery. The rest is boiling the battery over... I just bought a 86 Venture and got $400 off the price because it wouldn't start even tho the tender was hooked up for the last 2 years. Different battery and it starts everytime.

 

Anyways... if the bike is running it should show a charge on the volt meter of 12.5 - 13.5 volts if the battery is shot because it can never catch up... but if the volts are dropping off it could be a bad stator or your battery is storing a "surface charge". If you are getting it tested, all ways put the battery under load 2 times and go by the second. The first one can give you a false positive and most of you know from high school... a false positive can be HORRIBLE!!!!

[MiCarl]

Anytime I hear the term "Battery Tender" I cringe! Batteries are not designed to be constantly charged 24 hrs a day for weeks on end. I work for a company that sells batteries and they love battery tenders because they harm the battery beyond repair. You are better to remove a fully charged battery for the winter than using a 2 amp charging system cause even at 2 amps it only takes a few hours to completely charge a small battery.

 

That sure contradicts my own experience. My 15 year old lawn tractor is only on its second battery. I've never owned a boat or motorcycle long enough that I needed to replace a battery. Everything I have that gets stored is on a maintainer or float charger. They stop charging when the battery is fully charged. While I've never owned a Battery Tender brand charger, they are also supposed to automatically switch to float mode when the battery is fully charged.

 

I agree a conventional charger will ruin a battery if left on. A standard 2 amp charger will push 2 amps into the battery whether it's charged or not, eventually cooking all the electrolyte out.

 

Of course I do check the electrolyte level in all my conventional batteries at least twice a year.

 

I believe most lead acid batteries die young because they've either stood around discharged or the electrolyte level wasn't maintained.

Edited January 18, 2012 by MiCarl

[hdroyer]

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[jasonm.]

GaryZ has the best place to start. If any of the tests are not good. You either have a bad battery, stator, or reg/rect. Do you have a factory manual? Also check all connections at the battery. Note: the multi-connectors usually do NOT go bad unless the bike is stored outside. Always start with the simplest thing. That does not mean channge parts. But all major electrical parts can be checked before replacement.

[Brianb]

Anytime I hear the term "Battery Tender" I cringe! Batteries are not designed to be constantly charged 24 hrs a day for weeks on end. I work for a company that sells batteries and they love battery tenders because they harm the battery beyond repair. You are better to remove a fully charged battery for the winter than using a 2 amp charging system cause even at 2 amps it only takes a few hours to completely charge a small battery. The rest is boiling the battery over... I just bought a 86 Venture and got $400 off the price because it wouldn't start even tho the tender was hooked up for the last 2 years. Different battery and it starts everytime.

 

I have a battery tender on it, but it is almost never plugged in, when I saw the battery died when I tried to start it I plugged it in, probably for the first time since I got it. I appreciate the help though.

[Brianb]

Sorry everybody, I know it has been a while since I have been on, I have been really busy, got a lot on my plate at the moment, at this point I am half way tempted to just take it somewhere to get them to check it out, or if someone lives in the hampton roads area of va and is willing to help it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for all the replies.

[dozer520]

hey guys, i just joined the site as i bought an 83 venture royale last nite. it was in storage and he said he started it every month but i have a list of issues to sort out. i'm tempted to return the bike but i do love it and it is really comfortable.

 

i'm dealing with the same starting problem. it appears that the charging system is working according to the volt meter on the dash but i'll look into it more and go through the steps described. seller said he bought a new battery in june so i thought i strange that its not holding the charge, but he didn't ride it much at all and has been in storage so maybe it killed the battery somehow. i charged the battery last nite and it seemed that helped. the bike started when it was cold, but after a short ride and the engine was warm it really stuggles to turn the starter, doesn't have enough to make it crank. i bump started it, got it home and after it cooled it did manage to start on its own with the battery but barely.

 

not trying to hijack thread but i think we have have similar problems. so any help is appreciated, thanks

[Yammer Dan]

hey guys, i just joined the site as i bought an 83 venture royale last nite. it was in storage and he said he started it every month but i have a list of issues to sort out. i'm tempted to return the bike but i do love it and it is really comfortable.

 

i'm dealing with the same starting problem. it appears that the charging system is working according to the volt meter on the dash but i'll look into it more and go through the steps described. seller said he bought a new battery in june so i thought i strange that its not holding the charge, but he didn't ride it much at all and has been in storage so maybe it killed the battery somehow. i charged the battery last nite and it seemed that helped. the bike started when it was cold, but after a short ride and the engine was warm it really stuggles to turn the starter, doesn't have enough to make it crank. i bump started it, got it home and after it cooled it did manage to start on its own with the battery but barely.

 

not trying to hijack thread but i think we have have similar problems. so any help is appreciated, thanks

 

 

Several answers here

 

Battery?

Cables?

Charging system?

 

A new AGM battery from Skydoc will cure slow starts.

 

New cables will cure if battery is up as should be.

 

Take battery to Advance Auto and get load test check.

[dozer520]

thanks for the help... i'll get the battery tested as a starting point, i have one of those "smart" chargers, seems like something isn't right. one second its at 70% charge and seems to be stuck there, then all the sudden it reads 100% charged and yet it seems to crank pretty slow, not with authority, draws down to 8.4ish volts according to charger. granted its not as accurate as volt meter, i got one coming this evening to recheck it.

[Brianb]

OK, so I know I dropped off for a while, but I finally bought a new battery for the bike, started up ran great, drove it around probably an hour and half total yesterday. The volt meter did look like it was sitting lower than normal yesterday as I was riding. and today I went out to start it and it turned it over, but very slowly, not enough to start it, so I'm really considering getting a stator and rectifier and doing that. Any ideas on best place to get it?

[skydoc_17]

Hey Brian,

Have a look at the First Gen. HO Stator and R/R Upgrade Kit I offer in the Classifieds.

In the kit, you get the High Output Stator, The Solid State MOSFET Regulator/Rectifier,(NO diodes like the stock R/R) and ALL of the gaskets you need to do this project properly. I even have a kit for the Second Gens. Here's the link:

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3853&title=first-genhigh-output-stator-and-high-output-regulator-2frectifier-kit-21&cat=22

If anyone has questions, or you are a Second Gen. owner with a charging issue, please feel free to PM me.

Earl

[twigg]

Anytime I hear the term "Battery Tender" I cringe! Batteries are not designed to be constantly charged 24 hrs a day for weeks on end. I work for a company that sells batteries and they love battery tenders because they harm the battery beyond repair. You are better to remove a fully charged battery for the winter than using a 2 amp charging system cause even at 2 amps it only takes a few hours to completely charge a small battery. The rest is boiling the battery over... I just bought a 86 Venture and got $400 off the price because it wouldn't start even tho the tender was hooked up for the last 2 years. Different battery and it starts everytime.

 

Anyways... if the bike is running it should show a charge on the volt meter of 12.5 - 13.5 volts if the battery is shot because it can never catch up... but if the volts are dropping off it could be a bad stator or your battery is storing a "surface charge". If you are getting it tested, all ways put the battery under load 2 times and go by the second. The first one can give you a false positive and most of you know from high school... a false positive can be HORRIBLE!!!!

 

This is not what battery tenders do.

 

They monitor the discharge and apply a charge only when it drops below a threshold.

 

Actually, were it to be true that batteries couldn't take constant charging, then the stator would be damaging them all the time the bike is running, and that just doesn't happen.

 

On the other hand, leaving a lead/acid battery in a discharged state will ruin it very quickly.

[Flyinfool]

Before you start replacing anything, I would start by cleaning all of the connections.

This would include;

the 3 wire connector between the stator and RR

the connector coming out of the RR

the battery terminals

the other end of the ground wire.

 

Even if the connections LOOK clean, take them apart and clean them anyhow.

[Brianb]

Skydoc, I appreciate it, I have been lookin at that already, just trying to get the money together for it.

Flyin Fool, good point, I haven't looked at those yet, is there any threads on how to get to the stator, I haven't looked yet, and I don't want to just start tearin into the bike without some info.

Any help would be appreciated, but honestly, Ill probably just go ahead and replace it just to go ahead and get it over with now

[camos]

Before you start replacing anything, I would start by cleaning all of the connections.

This would include;

the 3 wire connector between the stator and RR

the connector coming out of the RR

the battery terminals

the other end of the ground wire.

 

Even if the connections LOOK clean, take them apart and clean them anyhow.

Do it first whether or not you intend on replacing components it will need to be done anyway or the new components may not work as well as they might... or at all. The charging system is after all a "system" and all parts of the system are equally important to it operating properly.

[saddlebum]

This is not what battery tenders do.

 

They monitor the discharge and apply a charge only when it drops below a threshold.

 

Actually, were it to be true that batteries couldn't take constant charging, then the stator would be damaging them all the time the bike is running, and that just doesn't happen.

 

On the other hand, leaving a lead/acid battery in a discharged state will ruin it very quickly.

 

:sign yeah that:My battery has been in the bike since 2007, does not get removed in winter, and has the Battery Tender going all winter long, and is still going strong. Trickle chargers on the other hand (not the same as a Battery tender but often refered to as one). may be a differrent story. If not watched they will boil a battery dry and ruin it. If I use a trickle charger to store a battery I use it with a wall timer and set the timer to turn on the charger for 1/2 every day and then turn the charger off.

 

With regards to a battery being charged all the time while in the bike don't forget there is also a regulator which turns the power off and on as required.