Bike battery dies. Is it my VR?

[Stack]

Hi everyone, went on a ride had a few stops along the way. On the last stop bike would not start battery was dead. Like it was not charging. Had to jump it to start. But even then it had a hard time starting. I am assuming it must be my VR. Not to sure how to approach this. Don’t want to spend money on something I don’t need. Already replaced the battery. So it’s not the battery. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Mr. Wright]

It could be several things. What battery did you put in it? Just because it's new doesn't mean it's good. Next to the battery there should be a circuit breaker. On the side of the cb, there is a little reset button. Push it to see if it popped. Check battery voltage before you start the bike. Should be mid 13's. With the bike running it should be low 14's.
If your not getting 14 volts with it running, put your volt meter on AC, pull the plug for the voltage regulator, at the front of the primary. That should read 21-24 volts AC.

 

[Stack]

I will try this I will let you know what I find

 

[Sven]

With just a volt meter set at 20v and leads across the battery posts:
1. Battery charged up to ideal 12.8v and holding, I can start the bike and watch the battery drop to say 10v and come back to 12v.

2. Spike means; past 14v or the VR cannot regulate an ideal 14 volt charge to the battery, but 16v finds the shortest path directly to the battery, boils the acid, you can smell sulfur, and see the battery body case expand in a bulge.

3. Loss means; a 'total loss' at the battery, where the stator no longer puts out AC.

12v = Stator out when bike is running.
14v = Charging loop says all jobbers are within spec.
16v = VR no longer can regulate and you see the stator pushing AC to the battery via smell-O-gram.

 

[Mikeinjersey]

Hi everyone, went on a ride had a few stops along the way. On the last stop bike would not start battery was dead. Like it was not charging. Had to jump it to start. But even then it had a hard time starting. I am assuming it must be my VR. Not to sure how to approach this. Don’t want to spend money on something I don’t need. Already replaced the battery. So it’s not the battery. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Stack welcome from NJ,
This guide may not be specific for your BD but it should help you troubleshoot your system. Say hello on the introduction Forum when you get a chance.
FYI on Big Dogs 12.8 v or better is crucial all bets are off if it's lower. Symptoms can get crazy if you don't have it.

 

[Stack]

Well I put a meter to my battery before I started it read 13v I have the battery on a tender. Started the bike and idle it read 12.3v rev the gas thinking it should spike in voltage. And it didn’t it just say at 12.3v

 

[Stack]

Hi everyone, went on a ride had a few stops along the way. On the last stop bike would not start battery was dead. Like it was not charging. Had to jump it to start. But even then it had a hard time starting. I am assuming it must be my VR. Not to sure how to approach this. Don’t want to spend money on something I don’t need. Already replaced the battery. So it’s not the battery. Any help would be appreciated.

With just a volt meter set at 20v and leads across the battery posts:
1. Battery charged up to ideal 12.8v and holding, I can start the bike and watch the battery drop to say 10v and come back to 12v.

2. Spike means; past 14v or the VR cannot regulate an ideal 14 volt charge to the battery, but 16v finds the shortest path directly to the battery, boils the acid, you can smell sulfur, and see the battery body case expand in a bulge.

3. Loss means; a 'total loss' at the battery, where the stator no longer puts out AC.

12v = Stator out when bike is running.
14v = Charging loop says all jobbers are within spec.
16v = VR no longer can regulate and you see the stator pushing AC to the battery via smell-O-gram.

stared the bike. Meter said 12v is it the stator?

 

[Sven]

Yes.

 

[Mr. Wright]

With the bike running, pull the plug on the front of the primary for the VR. Should read 21- 24 volts AC.

 

[Mikeinjersey]

stared the bike. Meter said 12v is it the stator?

After checking the for the AC voltage Mr. Wright refers to make sure your Circuit Breaker didn't pop. If it did press the reset button and confirm continuity through the CB. Retest the bike again. If the breaker won't reset you will need to replace it. If it was popped and able to be reset look for an over-voltage from the VR and replace it if reading is over 14.5 vdc.
If the CB was good and the stator reads good check that the VR has good ground it can get pretty dirty down there. Remove, clean and reinstall the VR you might get lucky especially if it doesn't smell like it's fried.

 

[Stack]

After checking the for the AC voltage Mr. Wright refers to make sure your Circuit Breaker didn't pop. If it did press the reset button and confirm continuity through the CB. Retest the bike again. If the breaker won't reset you will need to replace it. If it was popped and able to be reset look for an over-voltage from the VR and replace it if reading is over 14.5 vdc.
If the CB was good and the stator reads good check that the VR has good ground it can get pretty dirty down there. Remove, clean and reinstall the VR you might get lucky especially if it doesn't smell like it's fried.

I could not find a reset button. Do I need to take the battery out to get to it?

 

[Mr. Wright]

Someone that still has their circuit breaker on their bike, getting a picture. All the ones I have in my shop have been converted to over to the fuse

 

[HMAN]

 

[Mikeinjersey]

I could not find a reset button. Do I need to take the battery out to get to it?

What bike do you have? Someone on this site may know exactly where it is. It's a Circuit Breaker with a reset button on it's underside. This Pic is from an 07 K9 it's located on the left side of the bike under the skirt.
I'm not positive but I think some of the earlier bikes came without a Circuit Breaker or a Fuse. Follow the wires on the + side of your battery back to there source and you will find it.

 

[Stack]

With the bike running, pull the plug on the front of the primary for the VR. Should read 21- 24 volts AC.

I found the button did not seem push out. I push it in but seem like it was not out. I checked the stator one I ground to motor and the to one from the plug it said 21 check the other read 26.

 

[Sven]

... one from the plug it said 21 check the other read 26.

See if this makes sense. I have one long wire. I wrap it around a bunch of cores, and both wire ends were that test that came out of the engine case. I have a 32a rated stator. A magnetic sweep from North to South is [for argument sake] 16 up one wire is North, and 16v up the other wire when it sweeps past South and makes AC in a constant 16-16-16-16-16 to the VR.

See if this makes sense. Isn't ohm's law all about a mathematical calculation = Balance/Equal? So with your 21 and 26 mathematically added and divided by N&S = 23.5 i.e., 23.5-23.5-23.5 up the wires is the balance, correct? Where the ideal side is 24 is the sweep of 24-24-24-24, says ohm. Make sense?

So if a spec reads 'between 21-24a [for arg sak] then within spec reads a balance of wire 22 and wire 22 is still within spec, whereas 20-20 is now out of spec, and 26 is out of the 24 spec capped at this resistance. Stator is out of balance = Replace.

12v = stator
14v = stator/ reg/batt is no problem found.
16v = VR can't process E i.e, send 1.3v [ideal #] to ground, but the full 16v to the battery.

Did battery take a charge and have the push [volts] to turn over the motor = Yes.
Did the VR read out at the battery holding/showing 12v = Yes.
Did the stator show equal values out each wire end = NO.
Did you see how you can kill two birds determining who has the feathers and who flies the ohm?

 

[Stack]

See if this makes sense. I have one long wire. I wrap it around a bunch of cores, and both wire ends were that test that came out of the engine case. I have a 32a rated stator. A magnetic sweep from North to South is [for argument sake] 16 up one wire is North, and 16v up the other wire when it sweeps past South and makes AC in a constant 16-16-16-16-16 to the VR.

See if this makes sense. Isn't ohm's law all about a mathematical calculation = Balance/Equal? So with your 21 and 26 mathematically added and divided by N&S = 23.5 i.e., 23.5-23.5-23.5 up the wires is the balance, correct? Where the ideal side is 24 is the sweep of 24-24-24-24, says ohm. Make sense?

So if a spec reads 'between 21-24a [for arg sak] then within spec reads a balance of wire 22 and wire 22 is still within spec, whereas 20-20 is now out of spec, and 26 is out of the 24 spec capped at this resistance. Stator is out of balance = Replace.

12v = stator
14v = stator/ reg/batt is no problem found.
16v = VR can't process E i.e, send 1.3v [ideal #] to ground, but the full 16v to the battery.

Did battery take a charge and have the push [volts] to turn over the motor = Yes.
Did the VR read out at the battery holding/showing 12v = Yes.
Did the stator show equal values out each wire end = NO.
Did you see how you can kill two birds determining who has the feathers and who flies the ohm?

Lol. So in Lehman terms it’s the stator? VR is okay?

 

[Sven]

Yes, sounds like it's the stator is not equal in output so it's bad for sure. The VR is okay because it showed it can calc 12v at the meter, not spike anything over that. So stator only is the replacement piece. Rotor should be fine. Only your volt meter knows for sure across the battery posts once all back together.

 

[Stack]

Yes, sounds like it's the stator is not equal in output so it's bad for sure. The VR is okay because it showed it can calc 12v at the meter, not spike anything over that. So stator only is the replacement piece. Rotor should be fine. Only your volt meter knows for sure across the battery posts once all back together.

Thanks. You guys recommend where to get one? A good quality one. I am not big on putting junk parts on my bike.

 

[Th3InfamousI]

The only problem with just a stator is if it's the original you can't get a replacement. Company doesn't exist and the stator and rotor combo have to be a match set otherwise it won't work.

To save having to go back in there I would replace both and not have to touch it again for 10+ years. I would also just put in a new VR since it's right there and if you don't know when or if it's ever been replaced it's only an extra $50 to buy a full kit rather than pay a little more to piece it together down the road later, save time now and piece of mind.

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