Battery discharging with engine running

[JBF43]

My 06 Venture has had a fuel supply problem ever since I purchased it new. I replaced the fuel pump this past week, ( 3rd pump in 9 years) and rode the bike to work. It's 13 miles each way to work. Bike ran fine. Coming home, it was raining slightly. The bike was still running good fuel wise, but I did notice when pulling up behind a car at an intersection that the headlight was "strobing" for lack of a better word. I noticed the turn signal was flashing very rapidly, in time with the headlight strobing. Made my turn and continued on. The next thing I notice is the radio is not playing and the display is flashing off and on. Tried to turn the radio off as it acted like it was shorting out. Could not get it to turn off for about 1 minute. Finally it went off. 1/2 mile from home at a stop light the engine started to falter and died. When I tried to start it all I got was tick tick tick; the battery was too dead to start it. Towed it home and checked out the wiring. Thought possibly rain had gotten into the fairing and was grounding something out. Didn't find anything going to ground. Charged the battery and it holds a charge with no load on it. Used a jump box at first to start the engine. Voltage on jump box read 13 volts at start up. Turned the box off and the voltage dropped to 12.5, then with the engine running the voltage was dropping steadily as the engine ran. Engine ran about 2 minutes and was down to 10.6 volts when I turned it off. The battery is about 4 years old. I am wondering if I knocked something loose during the fuel pump replacement. Have also been reading posts on batteries, stators and regulator/ rectifiers. I'm lost at this point. Any advice and help will be greatly appreciated.

[Du-Rron]

Replace the 4 year old battery then get back to us.

[Flyinfool]

Step 1 is very rarely to replace something.

I'm cheap and hate to just throw money at a problem.

 

Here is the charging test procedure broken down to layman's terms.

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?81297-Testing-for-a-Battery-not-Charging

[Marcarl]

A bad battery can cook the stator. 4 years on a battery and it's showing signs, time to replace before it gets expensive. This is not saying that you may not have other problems, but to get a proper read you'll need a known good battery.

[djh3]

First 2 things we tell our auto tech students on electrical issues. FIRST-check ALL connections. Power and grounds. Then for any starting/charging system issues you need a fully charged battery. If your bike battery is old, maybe you can use a car battery and run bike and see if it charges correctly before running out and throwing $100 at a battery. 4yr is pretty good on a bike battery unless it is a gel.

[GeorgeS]

Question: Is the old battery, a Wet type? ie: can you take the covers off and Add Distilled water ?? Next question, if it is that type, Have

you ever checked the Fluid level in the battery ?? Do you have a battery charger, if so, have you ever Charged the battery ??

 

Suggestion: Replace the Battery with an AGM Type, Dry cell. ( I know they cost more, but they are worth it ! Even Harley is using them now )

 

As it was raining as you said, on these bikes, the Ignition Unit, Is located Under the Radiator. Water, gets thrown up from the front wheel, ONTO the Main Electrical Plug, of the Regulator Unit. I would suggest you remove the bolts that hold the Regulator in place, then Remove the Electrical Plug, and Inspect for Water Getting Into that Plug. Clean the Contacts, with Electrical Contact Cleaner, Dry everything with Compressd air, Re- Install the plug, and SEAL IT UP WITH SELASTIC SEALANT !!!

 

Of course, you might also have a charging problem !!! After installing a new battery, check the charging voltage with digital voltmeter, with engine running, and you should see, between 13.6 to 14.2 volts, with engine running.

 

Engine OFF, Key ON, Lights on, you should see about 12.1 to 12.4 with your NEW, GOOD, AGM type battery Installed.

 

Another point, You May not have any problem, except, LOOSE BOLTS ON YOUR BATTEY CONNECTIONS !! Many of us have been caught by that one !!

 

Also, check ALL your fuse's

 

Also, you might, be developing the VERY COMMON, problem on these bikes, of the Failed ON/OFF Contacts, in the Main Ignition Switch.

The contacts, burn up, due to High Current flow. There is a Modification, listed, in the Maintenance Section of this Web Site. This amounts to Adding

a RELAY, to ByPass the Current flow, from the ON/ Off contacts of the Ignition switch. BE SURE to READ thru that Modification !!!

MOST of the folks on this web site have done that mod, to our 2nd Gen Ventures !!

Edited December 7, 2015 by GeorgeS

[JBF43]

Update. Got a new battery and installed. Voltage readings at the battery are now at 13.7 to 14 with the engine running. Believe the battery was giving warning signs of going bad. Thankfully it was close to home when it happened. Will watch for other signs of charging system failure just in case. Thanks to all for your help.

Edited December 12, 2015 by JBF43

[Larry1963]

[JBF43]

Problem came back. Left the bike sitting the day after getting the new battery. Was going to ride it to work Thursday. Started it and let it run here in the yard. Monitored the battery voltage as it ran and the voltage dropped off slowly and steadily. Checked the regulator and stator per Flyinfool's checklist. In the diode test setting on the meter, everything tested just the opposite of what the list says. Got readings where I should not have and no readings where there should be some.

On the stator test. testing wires to ground, nothing seems to be grounding out. Run test shows 56 volts on each leg when going across the pairs. I am ASSUMING this means my stator is working correctly. AM I right or wrong? (Enter your answer here please.)

In talking this problem over with my son, he informs me that his friends bike had the exact same problem, ( not sure what kind of bike) and it was the rectifier/ regulator on his. Before I could say more I was informed that a new regulator was on it's way and would be here between the 15th to 18th. Guess I will replace that and see what happens? Can anyone think of something that can happen if I put a good regulator on it and there is something wrong with the stator? Like maybe a bad stator will cook a new regulator? Just guessing at this point. Thanks for any and all help.

[Flyinfool]

Unfortunately there is no easy test for the regulator without expensive test gear.

 

If you are putting 56 or more volts AC into the RR you should be getting 14Volts DC (+/-0.5V) at the battery terminals.

[JBF43]

Got the new R/R in the mail today and installed it. Now putting out 14.75 volts, even at idle. Took it for a short ride and seems to be ok now. Will try riding to work tomorrow and see what happens. Keep your fingers crossed. If it works then Merry Christmas to me.

[rougeray]

Just curious is it a new OEM R/R? If not is it the same physical size as the I assume OEM that you removed? The reason I ask is i purchased an aftermarket R/R and it was smaller than the OEM. Stator was my problem so I'm using the original OEM R/R. If you think changing the R/R was a bear be glad you didn't have do replace the stator!