SuzukiSavage.com - Flat Battery while running

Carl

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Flat Battery while running
06/05/07 at 00:21:25

Help, Whilst running on the Highway the bike died on me, When I checked I found the battery was flat.
Bike is a 1993 Savage, Battery is new, as I recently got the bike after it had been left sitting outside for a year.
following has been done after bike was trailered home.
Jump started from car battery, Engine runs normal
Checked Charging system and Remade the connections from the rectifier (The plug was corroded) Checked the alternator as per Clymers manual, output Good (Over 100 volts on each leg) Checked charging and am getting 13.7 to 14 volts at revs.
Bike Battery is charging as I am now at work and will refit and test tonight. I am thing of fitting a voltage gauge as a temporary measure to see if anything shows up at highway speeds.
Any suggestions / Advise welcome.
By the way I am a Biker from way back who recently got back into it when I got the savage at a good price.
Hoping to hear
Regards
Carl

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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Flat Battery while running Reply #1 - 06/05/07 at 05:51:16 How flat was the battery?
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Carl YaBB Newbies Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 20 Larnaca, Cyprus Gender:	Re: Flat Battery while running Reply #2 - 06/05/07 at 09:23:29 Battery was too flat even to Click the Solenoid, Even the Neutral light was dim. Carl
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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Flat Battery while running Reply #3 - 06/05/07 at 10:02:12 That's pretty flat, but I was curious about voltage value. Since you checked the alternator output, how was the rectifier output (DC) to the battery? Also, check the battery connections at the battery (+/-) and the at the starter relay and the engine ground. Make sure they are clean and tight.
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Max_Morley Serious Thumper Offline LT650 Luxury Touring & sidecar rig Posts: 1490 Moses Lake. WA Gender:	Re: Flat Battery while running Reply #4 - 06/05/07 at 10:08:13 If you are seeing 13.7 -14 V running, it is working. You need key off/engine off voltage (should be close to 12.6 with a Digital meter, less with an old analog style) plus 1 -2 V to recharge the battery along with providing current for igntion and lights. Max
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Rockin_John

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Re: Flat Battery while running
Reply #5 - 06/05/07 at 10:10:49

Double check all battery connections, and have the battery tested. Pray it isn't the charging system. I learned that installing a new magneto/charging coil isn't a lot of fun:

What you see there is the easy part. The PITA is having to pull the new wiring up between the battery box and the air box. Even using the old wires to pull a 'fish' wire didn't help.

What you can't really see in the picture, is that the bike is up on a nice motorcycle jack.

If your battery and connections all check out, there is a simple ohm meter test for the charging coil described in the Clymer manual. It just involves unplugging a connector in the wiring harness and checking the resistance of the charging coil. If you need help with further diagnostics, just yell, and someone will help you figure it out.

Addendum: Continue to pray it isn't the charging system, I just priced the magneto pickup/charging coil (all one assembly) at Ron Ayer's and they go for the Princely sum of $241 + shipping! I lucked onto mine on eBay for $35 Wink

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Savage_Greg

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Re: Flat Battery while running
Reply #6 - 06/05/07 at 10:12:22

Max_Morley wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:06:

If you are seeing 13.7 -14 V running, it is working. You need key off/engine off voltage (should be close to 12.6 with a Digital meter, less with an old analog style) plus 1 -2 V to recharge the battery along with providing current for igntion and lights. Max

Yep. I got a 500 in the garage that reads barely 12.1 VDC. Luckily the starter doesn't need as much as the Savage to turn over...it starts, barely.

...it's the owner's problem Tongue

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Carl YaBB Newbies Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 20 Larnaca, Cyprus Gender:	Re: Flat Battery while running Reply #7 - 06/05/07 at 10:15:21 Battery showed 10.6 Volts with Everything off, Dropping to 6 -7 Volts ignition on then 1.6 Volts when I put the Headlight on Carl
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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Flat Battery while running Reply #8 - 06/05/07 at 10:24:20 Carl wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:06: Battery showed 10.6 Volts with Everything off, Dropping to 6 -7 Volts ignition on then 1.6 Volts when I put the Headlight on Carl I'm guessing there's a dead cell. If you look at the battery is there one cell that looks different than the other 5? It isn't as dark as the others?
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Max_Morley

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Re: Flat Battery while running
Reply #9 - 06/05/07 at 10:25:10

Carl, numbers in you last post are pre battery charge or post ? If post, battery is toast and time to get a new one and quit fighting it. If pre rechecked after charge. Key off, engine off= no load should be 12.6 V with DVOM. Key on engine off 12.4 or so with a good battery. Cranking should not go below 10.V on good battery and warm day/engine. Voltage will be some less at 30 deg and much less at 0. Max

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Max at Thumper Acres. '96 Savage bagger, '03 Savage w/Cozy sidecar for wifeni.

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Carl

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Re: Flat Battery while running
Reply #10 - 06/05/07 at 11:36:26

OK, Have just Completed Checking the Bike and the Battery is Dead,
Battery Showed Good on Charge and Hydrometer showed Full Charged,
Fitted to Bike, Ignition on Neutral Light OK, Headlight on
Immediately Dimmed and no power to crank.
Removed Battery & Jumped off my booster Battery,
Engine started Immediately, Headlight Bright.
Put Multimeter across Battery Terminals and am
showing 14.1 Volts at Revs.
So it seems that my Battery Died (Only a few months old).
In order to Confirm Charging system is Ok I intend to fit a voltage gauge to check the charging when the bike is running at highway speeds to Confirm I am not Cooking the Battery.
Regards
Carl.

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tuxedo Senior Member Offline medium pimpin. Posts: 275 Hot Springs, AR Gender:	Re: Flat Battery while running Reply #11 - 06/05/07 at 12:16:29 negative to positive short somewhere on the bike? That'll kill a battery real quick and in a hurry.
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Rockin_John Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Posts: 1562 +36° 10' , -95° 48' Gender:	Re: Flat Battery while running Reply #12 - 06/05/07 at 18:46:49 Ayup, I'm leaning with the "dead cell(s)" and battery. Too bad it cost $30-$60 and 10-15 minutes to replace, but it is much better than most of the alternative problems.
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tuxedo

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Re: Flat Battery while running
Reply #13 - 06/05/07 at 18:53:56

have that battery tested.

I killed the battery in my Audi because I put the rear seat back in incorrectly. If you have a short, it worked it's way short on the highway and killed the battery. When you put a fully charged battery in and turn the key, the short is powered and dims the headlight.

If the battery doesn't hold a load at Autozone, you're right. If you're wrong, you spend 60 bux and still have a short.

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I like persons better than principles, and I like persons with no principles better than anything else in the world.

86 Savage

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Carl

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Re: Flat Battery while running
Reply #14 - 06/05/07 at 22:58:22

Hi
Battery is Going for Test / Replacement Today.
As for Short Circuit Killing the Battery, Why does
Everything work OK on another Battery but not the
Bikes Battery.
In order to Confirm All OK with the Bike, (I have Checked
all Wiring and Connections as far as Possible without
Stripping the Wiring out of the Bike) I will fit a Voltage gauge, as if there is an intermittant Short Circuit the
Voltage should Drop when the wires Short Appears.
Regards
Carl

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