| nighthawk 550 electrical problem [message #448860] |
Sat, 24 September 2005 12:33 |
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R. Pierce Butler Wrote:
> jlpridge jlpridge.1vtzvz [at] news.motorbikebanter.com wrote in
> news:jlpridge.1vtzvz [at] news.motorbikebanter.com:
> -
>
> R. Pierce Butler Wrote:-
> jlpridge jlpridge.1vt2k1 [at] news.motorbikebanter.com wrote in
> news:jlpridge.1vt2k1 [at] news.motorbikebanter.com:
> -
>
> R. Pierce Butler Wrote:-
> jlpridge jlpridge.1vqr7w [at] news.motorbikebanter.com wrote in
> news:jlpridge.1vqr7w [at] news.motorbikebanter.com:
> -
>
> I recently (last week) purchased this motorcycle. IT runs well with a
> fully charged battery. However after I ride it for awhile and then
> park
> overnight it does not seem to want to run well at all. In fact the
> battery dies and the bike will not even start. I do not leave the
> key
> on or in it overnight. When I jump start it the bike starts up and as
> soon as I disconnect the jumper cables it dies. I do not want to
> start
> blindly replacing stuff. Please help. I do like this bike.
>
> -
>
> Something is draining the battery or the battery is bad. I have seen
> batteries discharge themselves. Charge them up and they pass the
> current
> draw test (barely). Let them sit and they are dead in 8 hours. To
> test
> for this, charge the battery and leave it disconnected from the bike
> and
> the charger overnight. Connect it to the bike in the morning. If
> the
> bike
> starts OK then the battery is probably good.
>
> If something is draining the battery, then you have to track it down.
> It
> could be a bad rectifier/regulator, switch or ????.
>
> pierce-
>
> The battery is brand new as of monday, so now I am going to start
> testing stuff. I will get a multimeter today to start on it.
>
> -
>
> While the possibility is quite remote, the new battery could be bad.
> As
> long as you hve the time, you mght as do the test just to be sure.
>
> You could hook up a tail light bulb in between the disconneted
> battery
> terminal and the battery lead. If it glows, then something is
> drawing
> current. Then you can start unplugging things to isolate the fault.
>
> pierce-
>
> It appears that the only time there is a drain on the battery is when
> the key is turned on (running or not). I am charging the battery now
> and will check in the morning to see if the voltage goes up once I
> start it up. If it does not go up but stays the same or drops does
> this
> indicate an alternator problem or could it also be the rectifier?
>
> -
>
> Did you rev it up to say 3000 RPM to make sure the charging system is
> not
> working?
>
> Assuming the charging system is not working, troubleshooting it is
> academic. Krusty would be your best resource for help. I don't have
> the
> service manual or the wiring diagram handy for that bike.
>
> pierce
Thanks Pierce. I have charged the battery overnight and will check it
this morning. From all that I ahve read so far I think it is the
Rectifier. I wish I knew how to test it.
--
jlpridge
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| Re: nighthawk 550 electrical problem [message #448861 ] |
Sat, 24 September 2005 18:07 |
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jlpridge wrote:
> From all that I ahve read so far I think it is the
> Rectifier. I wish I knew how to test it.
Maybe you're not clear on the concept of the rectifier regulator unit.
There are two parts. The rectifier and the *voltage* regulator. They
are both in the same unit.
You test the voltage regulator operation by doing the "charging voltage
test".
You test the rectifier by doing the "diode test".
Charging voltage test:
With a fully charged battery installed, start the engine. The
headlights must be on to load the alternator. Hook a voltmeter across
the battery with the voltmeter on a 15 to 20 volt DC scale. As you rev
up the engine, the
voltage should rise from 12 volts to about 15 to 16 volts. Then the
voltage should drop off sharply. Roll off the throttle and roll it back
on and the voltage should rise and sharply fall each time you do this.
The charging voltage test will prove that the voltage regulating
circuit works.
The diode test: This works best with an analog ohmmeter, as some
digital meters won't read a diode correctly. With the ohmmeter on the
R X 1 scale, check from each AC pin in the alternator input connector
on the voltage regulator to the DC positive output pin. You should be
able to tell the AC input connector from the DC output connector
because it's probably impossible to hook the AC input conector to the
DC output connector, the connectors should be "keyed" differently. To
check the first three diodes, touch the black lead's probe to the AC
input pin and the red lead to the DC output pin. If you don't get a
reading, check with the black lead from the AC input pin to the DC
output pin. You must get the SAME reading from each AC input pin to
the DC output pin. It might be around 15 ohms, but I can't say for
sure because the battery in an ohmmeter biases the diodes and causes
different readings depending on the ohmmeter. If you don't get a
reading, that probably indicates a blown out diode. Now, reverse the
leads and check the other three diodes. Whatever lead gave you
continuity from the AC input pin to the DC output pin is the wrong
lead, so reverse the leads and check from the AC input pin to the DC
negative ground pin. Again, you must get the same low reading from
each AC input pin to the DC negative output. You should NOT get a
reading in both directions, that indicates a shorted diode. You SHOULD
get the SAME reading through all six diodes, going first from the AC
input to the DC output to check the first three diodes, then reversing
the leads and checking from the AC input to the DC negative side.
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