vivalvidabohemia

[vivalavidabohemia]

Hello,

I am having some issues with my motorbike Honda hornet 600cc (2003). 

The battery goes flat after around a couple of weeks (while using it almost daily, so my understanding is that it should be recharging). 

I have already changed the battery as well as the regulator/rectifier. Both good quality items. But the battery still keeps going flat after a couple of weeks.

Unsure on what to try next. Please, what do you think it would be the next logical thing to try in order to get the motorbike sorted out?

I have a tester and some basic maintenance skills.

 

[Stu]

Hi @vivalavidabohemia welcome to the forum 

 

Does the bike have an alarm fitted? 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Disconnect the earth lead then put your tester between the earth lead and the frame. Set the tester to measure current flow.  At most there should be a few milliamps. Anything significant and you've got a current leaking. In which case pull the fuses one at a time until the flow stops. The leak will be in whatever circuits that fuse feeds.

[Stu]

18 minutes ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

Disconnect the earth lead then put your tester between the earth lead and the frame. Set the tester to measure current flow.  At most there should be a few milliamps. Anything significant and you've got a current leaking. In which case pull the fuses one at a time until the flow stops. The leak will be in whatever circuits that fuse feeds.

 

don't you mean between the earth lead and the battery negative terminal? 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

35 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

don't you mean between the earth lead and the battery negative terminal? 

Doesn't matter whether it's between the battery terminal and the earth lead or the earth lead and the frame, it just depends where is easier to disconnect. On many bikes it can be easier to get access by unbolting the earth lead at the frame and bridging there as battery compartments can be a bit tight. 

[Stu]

Just now, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

Doesn't matter whether it's between the battery terminal and the earth lead or the earth lead and the frame, it just depends where is easier to disconnect. On many bikes it can be easier to get access by unbolting the earth lead at the frame and bridging there as battery compartments can be a bit tight. 

 

but if you take the earth lead off the battery then go to the frame with the multimeter you haven't earthed it  

 

Something needs to go to the battery to complete the circuit  

[vivalavidabohemia]

2 hours ago, Stu said:

Hi @vivalavidabohemia welcome to the forum 

 

Does the bike have an alarm fitted? 

Actually it has the HISS (immobilizer) system. Do you think it may have something to do?

 

[vivalavidabohemia]

12 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

but if you take the earth lead off the battery then go to the frame with the multimeter you haven't earthed it  

 

Something needs to go to the battery to complete the circuit  

 

1 hour ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

Disconnect the earth lead then put your tester between the earth lead and the frame. Set the tester to measure current flow.  At most there should be a few milliamps. Anything significant and you've got a current leaking. In which case pull the fuses one at a time until the flow stops. The leak will be in whatever circuits that fuse feeds.

Thanks for your comments. I will give it a go tomorrow  

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

20 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

but if you take the earth lead off the battery then go to the frame with the multimeter you haven't earthed it  

 

Something needs to go to the battery to complete the circuit  

You don't take the earth lead off the battery. You unbolt the earth lead at the frame leaving the battery connection intact. So you bridge the end of the earth lead to the frame. It's just often easier for access. 

 

You effectively isolate the battery from the frame then remake the connection via the multimeter. So any current flowing will register on the multimeter. 

[Stu]

20 minutes ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

You don't take the earth lead off the battery. You unbolt the earth lead at the frame leaving the battery connection intact. So you bridge the end of the earth lead to the frame. It's just often easier for access. 

 

You effectively isolate the battery from the frame then remake the connection via the multimeter. So any current flowing will register on the multimeter. 

 

Yes I know how to do it and how you meant to do it but your first post just said disconnect the earth lead and if anyone tells me to do that I would just take it off the battery  

 

Just trying to make it clearer for the poster  

 

37 minutes ago, vivalavidabohemia said:

Actually it has the HISS (immobilizer) system. Do you think it may have something to do?

 

 

The HISS shouldn't drain the battery that quick unless there is something wrong with it 

 

What sort of riding are you doing? lots of short runs? 

 

Have you also checked to make sure its charging correctly 

[V650]

Start with the basics 

Set your meter to Volts DC

Start the bike up 

Probe the battery  Red to +  and Black to - and give the bike a little rev prob about 3000 rpm and see what voltage you are getting 

You should be seeing about 14- 15V 

If you are not getting an adequate supply to the battery and you say you have changed rectifier then I would be looking at the stator output

 

But check the volts at the battery with the engine running and about 3000 RPM as a first  

[vivalavidabohemia]

23 hours ago, Stu said:

 

Yes I know how to do it and how you meant to do it but your first post just said disconnect the earth lead and if anyone tells me to do that I would just take it off the battery  

 

Just trying to make it clearer for the poster  

 

 

The HISS shouldn't drain the battery that quick unless there is something wrong with it 

 

What sort of riding are you doing? lots of short runs? 

 

Have you also checked to make sure its charging correctly 

I connected the tester on the battery with the engine off and the key not connected and it was giving me 13.16v. I turned the key to the ignition position, but without starting the engine and the lecture was 12.58v. I started the engine and the lecture was around 13.8v (or a bit more if I increased the revolutions).

 

I also kept the tester in the positive of the battery and put the negative of the tester in different locations of the motorbike. In a couple of locations the lecture was the same as when I connected the tester on both the positive and negative of the battery (13.22v that time), but in some other locations the voltage was fluctuating quite badly.

 

I understand that this means that a leak is most likely? Is there any risk to any of the components of the motorbike? would it be prudent to disconnect the battery when the motorbike is not in use?

 

Usually are short rides 20-30 minutes, on the weekends I do rides of around 1h - 1.5h.

 

[Stu]

13.16v? is that after standing all night? 

 

Not coming straight off a ride or off a charger? 

 

As that is too high you should be seeing 12.6 ish 

[vivalavidabohemia]

24 minutes ago, V650 said:

Start with the basics 

Set your meter to Volts DC

Start the bike up 

Probe the battery  Red to +  and Black to - and give the bike a little rev prob about 3000 rpm and see what voltage you are getting 

You should be seeing about 14- 15V 

If you are not getting an adequate supply to the battery and you say you have changed rectifier then I would be looking at the stator output

 

But check the volts at the battery with the engine running and about 3000 RPM as a first  

Hi,

Before starting the engine the battery was giving 13.22v, with the engine at 3.000rpm it was giving me 13.6-13.7v.

It is an AGM battery. Do you think it may be an issue?

[vivalavidabohemia]

8 minutes ago, Stu said:

13.16v? is that after standing all night? 

 

Not coming straight off a ride or off a charger? 

 

As that is too high you should be seeing 12.6 ish 

Hi,

I charged the battery up yesterday. Today I went for a 40 minutes ride a couple of hours before checking the battery.

[Stu]

Its best to let the battery sit for a few hours before checking the voltage  

[keith1200rs]

44 minutes ago, Stu said:

13.16v? is that after standing all night? 

 

Not coming straight off a ride or off a charger? 

 

As that is too high you should be seeing 12.6 ish 

13V plus doesn't sound high. My bike is currently at 13.1V and hasn't been ridden for 6 days.

[Stu]

6 minutes ago, keith1200rs said:

13V plus doesn't sound high. My bike is currently at 13.1V and hasn't been ridden for 6 days.

 

I have never seen a static battery voltage that high its always been around 12.6 

 

 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

A motorcycle battery is really 6 batteries connected in series. Nominal voltage charged is 2.1v per cell. So your average reading will be around 12.6v.

 

For reference Yusua say an AGM battery at 100% charge will read slightly higher so between 12.8 to 13.0v, but batteries are very rarely at 100% charge unless they have been on a trickle charger. So it's more usual for them to sit around 75-80% charge and read  between 12.5 -  12.8v.

 

Your tests don't identify a leak. That's not how you check. But it's a good idea to try disconnecting the battery when the bike isn't in use. It the battery holds its charge that suggests a leak when it's connected.

 

 

 

[vivalavidabohemia]

22 minutes ago, Mississippi Bullfrog said:

A motorcycle battery is really 6 batteries connected in series. Nominal voltage charged is 2.1v per cell. So your average reading will be around 12.6v.

 

For reference Yusua say an AGM battery at 100% charge will read slightly higher so between 12.8 to 13.0v, but batteries are very rarely at 100% charge unless they have been on a trickle charger. So it's more usual for them to sit around 75-80% charge and read  between 12.5 -  12.8v.

 

Your tests don't identify a leak. That's not how you check. But it's a good idea to try disconnecting the battery when the bike isn't in use. It the battery holds its charge that suggests a leak when it's connected.

 

 

 

I will repeat the test this time using the  earth lead as commented above.

 

It is going to take me a few days though (as I am busy with work).

[keith1200rs]

12 hours ago, Stu said:

 

I have never seen a static battery voltage that high its always been around 12.6 

 

 

Depends on the battery type and manufacturer. AGM batteries can be well over 13V when fully charged.

[Stu]

4 hours ago, keith1200rs said:

Depends on the battery type and manufacturer. AGM batteries can be well over 13V when fully charged.

 

As I say I have never seen it that high on a battery 

 

I have had a fair few AGM batteries too! Yuasa and Motobatt etc 

 

The only time I have seen a battery that high is either on charge or when just taken off charge and its settling down 

[vivalavidabohemia]

Just to let you know, the battery is doing great now. Thanks a lot for your help

 

[vivalavidabohemia]

Unfortunately now my old motorbike is giving me a new challenge, I think that more complicated than the previous one...

 

Right now the dashboard does not show the revolutions, speed or temperature with the engine on. I belief that it not of the lights of the dashboard works indeed (neutral green light either). The indicators do not work either, which worries me.

 

I tend to belief that it is related to the Honda HISS safety system. When this started the HISS was still working (flashing every few seconds), while none of the other lights and indicators was doing anything. Right now, when the engine if off the HISS does not flash (before it used to). But the HISS flashes when I put the key in the ignition position. None of the other lights or indicators do anything when the key is in the ignition position or then the engine is on.

 

What I have done is to disconed the battery, in the hope that it kind of reset the HISS. Not sure how long I should wait, as I understand that the HISS should have any sort of internal battery or power source.

 

Not too worried about the dashboard, but actually worried about the indicators.

 

Any advice will be more than welcome. 

[billy sugger]

Hiss indication can be turned on or off via the button that controls the digital clock, on my cbf its the right hand button, push it down for about 3 seconds, it should flash once and will then flash as normal with ignition off. 

As for your lights have you checked the fuses