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+--- Thread: Mikey's '97 VFR (/showthread.php?tid=4328)
- Mike - 10-15-2007
A battery tender isn't going to help the fact that the bike isn't charging the battery.
- Apoc - 10-15-2007
Maybe I'm wrong, but isn't 20 minutes not enough to charge it?
Also, aren't stators known to be flakey on Viffers?
- Ginger - 10-15-2007
Have you actually verified that it's not charging the battery, or are you just basing that assumption on the fact that 20 minutes of riding every once in a while won't give it a good enough charge to start it another once in a while later?
Bike batteries are really small. Bike charging systems are pretty weak. Put those 2 together and your small amount of riding time doesn't exactly add up to a bike that's going to start whenever you want it to. That, and since traditional batteries permenantly lose substantial capacity once they've been fully discharged, and the bike battery is small, you could very well actually be in a situation where you're letting it sit too long between short uses.
You should also be aware that a burnt out battery can damage the stator and R/R. If the R/R is toast, it may have been because you were charging a bad battery with it.
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Start looking.
And if you don't want to burn out more electrical components then put a batter tender on it when you let it sit.
- JohnC - 10-15-2007
FWIW, the last fix I had to make for my VFR was to raise the idle speed slightly. Otherwise, it was draining the battery whenever the clutch was pulled in.
- Mike - 10-15-2007
John, I might do that. It died once while I was just sitting around and after it was warm.
Andrew, I replaced the battery and R/R maybe 1000 miles ago. When I was riding, I had no charge problems.
If 20 minutes of riding isn't enough to get a battery back in to shape, that's my answer.
- Ginger - 10-15-2007
How do you know you're charging the battery fine when you're riding it? Are you monitoring that battery with a volt meter? Have you checked that the RR diodes are functioning correctly and only letting through DC current?
Mikey knows best. That's why his bike won't start.
- .RJ - 10-15-2007
Replace the battery AND put it on a tender if you're not going to ride it often, or not ride it for very long.
20 minutes around town, if a good portion of it is at lower revs and idle, isnt going to do much to charge the battery.
- Evan - 10-15-2007
Mike Wrote:John, I might do that. It died once while I was just sitting around and after it was warm.
Andrew, I replaced the battery and R/R maybe 1000 miles ago. When I was riding, I had no charge problems.
If 20 minutes of riding isn't enough to get a battery back in to shape, that's my answer.
mileage doesnt mean anything with batteries. if you are letting a lead-acid battery drain to nothing several times, its toast.
- Mike - 10-15-2007
asteele2 Wrote:How do you know you're charging the battery fine when you're riding it? Are you monitoring that battery with a volt meter? Have you checked that the RR diodes are functioning correctly and only letting through DC current?
I don't, but I would assume a brand-new, updated R/R wouldn't go bad just sitting around.
- .RJ - 10-15-2007
Mike Wrote:I don't, but I would assume a brand-new, updated R/R wouldn't go bad just sitting around.
You're also ass-u-me-ing the battery is taking (and holding) the charge as well.
- Mike - 10-15-2007
.RJ Wrote:Mike Wrote:I don't, but I would assume a brand-new, updated R/R wouldn't go bad just sitting around.
You're also ass-u-me-ing the battery is taking (and holding) the charge as well.
Because as I said, it WAS working fine and has only drained once. Assumptions suck, I know this, but the idea of replacing more electrical shit on this damned bike sucks more... I just don't want to think it's a possibility
- .RJ - 10-15-2007
Mike Wrote:the idea of replacing more electrical shit on this damned bike sucks more... I just don't want to think it's a possibility
Then keep it on a tender if you're not going to ride it often.
- Evan - 10-15-2007
pull out a multimeter and check how many volts the battery is putting out
- BLINGMW - 10-15-2007
.RJ Wrote:20 minutes around town, if a good portion of it is at lower revs and idle, isnt going to do much to charge the battery.
Just feel like chiming in... I took my battery down to almost completely dead, had to push start it, after leaving the parking light on the other day, and the 15-20 min ride home charged it up just fine, enough to start like normal a few days later. :dunno:
so... er... I'm actually agreeing with Mike then? :vomit:
- Ginger - 10-15-2007
I guess it's not working for Mikey
My point, though, was that taking poor care of the battery will damage the rest of the charging system on VFRs. It has for many owners, left them scratching their heads, wondering why the battery isn't charging after R/R replacement. Only at that point, the battery was damaged from either receiving AC current or too great voltage from the previously bad R/R. So they replace the battery, but the now bad battery has damaged the new R/R. Occasionally the stator chimes in, too.
But don't believe me. I didn't learn the hard way or anything.
I destroyed a $110 Odyssey battery in less than one day once. It was a bright red paper weight.
- Mike - 10-15-2007
Nono, I've done that. Brand new RR and battery on the same day! Then the bike ran/started great for months until it met the rear end of an MR2. Then it sat, was started occasionally, and ridden occasionally. If the battery is dead for good from just sitting, I'm gonna be angry.
- .RJ - 10-15-2007
Mike Wrote:was started occasionally... and ridden occasionally.. battery is dead
2 + 2 = 4
- Ginger - 10-15-2007
So, um, then go WAY back to the Battery Tender.
Are you just going to buy one already?
- Apoc - 10-15-2007
You can borrow mine if you want to see if you can save the battery.
- Mike - 10-16-2007
asteele2 Wrote:So, um, then go WAY back to the Battery Tender.
Are you just going to buy one already?
i am, no worries... i just want to complain a bit more.