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Message started by serowbot on 10/30/07 at 16:45:53

Title: Battery puzzle
Post by serowbot on 10/30/07 at 16:45:53

Riddle me this....
I started her up to go the viddie store, and she seemed just a little hesitant to turn over, then did the same thing coming home. So I pulled the battery and checked the water level...it was good. Checked voltage...10 volts.
O.K. new battery time.
Rode 10 miles to my buddies house, checked voltage 13.5 volts...Hmmmm?...maybe it just ran low and now it's O.K.
Took the long way home, made a couple thrift shop stops, maybe 20 miles, check the voltage at home, 17 volts!!!
After sitting about 30 minutes it's down to 16.5 volts.
Is that normal? Or am I in trouble?
Could it be that my bike is a fire-breathing electro-monster machine?

Title: Re: Battery puzzle
Post by islandwahine on 10/30/07 at 17:25:35

These things don't explode do they??

Title: Re: Battery puzzle
Post by verslagen1 on 10/30/07 at 17:53:48

Been knocked down lately?

The slude in the bottom can short out the cell and cause temparary loss in voltage.

Don't know about the high volts though. :o

Title: Re: Battery puzzle
Post by serowbot on 10/30/07 at 18:19:22

islandwahine wrote:

These things don't explode do they??

Boy, I hope not!...Not too crazy 'bout the location if it doe's!
"Hoist by my own petard!"

Nope, no downs..verslagen1

Title: Re: Battery puzzle
Post by Paladin on 10/30/07 at 18:28:09

serowbot wrote:

.... Checked voltage...10 volts.
...long way home, made a couple thrift shop stops, maybe 20 miles, check the voltage at home, 17 volts!!!
After sitting about 30 minutes it's down to 16.5 volts.
Is that normal? Or am I in trouble?

Low volts either the alternator isn't putting out or the regulator is stopping it. High volts the alternator is putting out but the regulator isn't stopping it -- over charging the battery, causing acid to boil away, etc.. If this was a car I'd be replacing the regulator -- NOW! And the battery as it has definitely been toastered.

islandwahine wrote:

These things don't explode do they??

Overcharged lead acid batteries have been known to do so, or so I've heard. Not something I've check out myself. Yet.

Title: Re: Battery puzzle
Post by serowbot on 10/31/07 at 00:15:57

Talked to an electric tech buddy of mine and he said similar to you, Paladin, about the regulator but,...because I still measure 17 volt without the bike even running, he thinks my multimeter has gone wacky. He says a 12 volt battery won't hold 17 volt even if it got it thru a bad regulator.
I'll recheck tomorrow,...hope he's right, cause the meter is way cheaper and easier to replace.
I'll feel a bit stupid though...

Title: Re: Battery puzzle
Post by constrapolator on 10/31/07 at 01:12:31

**scratches head**

I vote that your friend is right! If your bike wasn't running and there isn't any other power sources on the bike, I don't see any way that a 6 cell battery could produce 17V.

If your multimeter isn't buggy, I'll eat my boots!

Title: Re: Battery puzzle
Post by serowbot on 10/31/07 at 12:33:40

Bingo!...Constrapolator, your boots are safe.

Fancy digital multimeter reads 17 volts,..two old fashioned analog meters read 12.4 and 12.5 volts.
Tested the digital meter on a 9 volt battery,...read 12.7 volts.

86'ed it, filed it, sh*t canned it, dug a hole and buried it, %#$#@%$! piece of $%###@%! RIP digital multimeter.

I'm better now...thanks,