Varying charge results

[Davez29]

Hi, last week I done some short rides on the bike, eventually at a friends the bike refused to start, a flat battery seemed the problem (within minutes of stopping). luckily I got it started via a mates battery and the battery seemed to charge but I did use the optimate to be sure. Now My first thoughts were the reg/rec so having a new spare I bunged it on and I also replaced my front bulbs from 50w to the standard 35w, to see if this helped as my lights are permanently on. Everything seemed fine. Now just yesterday between leaving work (30 miles) and a couple of short hops the same again within minutes of stopping. I cant take my bike to bits at the moment due to work but did do a quick charge test and at 3000rpm it is around 14.4v but I did notice this went down and up as the revs went up, I cant remember exact but it was in the 13v range. I have also done a leak test as shown in Haynes, all well.

So what do you think it clould be? Stator? Pulse coil? what else?

The battery holds charge at 13.2 overnight after using lights as normal, pulling my lights and riding normally the battery rests at 13.4 all night.

[amorti]

Sounds like you need to clean the starter motor brushes out to me?

What does it do when it won't start? Are the lights still bright? Does it click? Does it turn over at all? Got to give us more info to get an answer

It can also be that a battery has a bad cell. In this case the vaults can be there, but it won't have the guts for the starter.

Depending on what way it's not starting, your solenoid could be failing.

All these things can be intermittent at first, usually showing up when there is warmth there, which can also be caused by high resistance which is an increasing spiral.

[dunkenb]

Have you tested the out put and resistance on the alternator??

[Davez29]

Hi All ohms and volts to the alternater seem fine and within spec, reg/rec test seems ok.. Varta battery seems to charge fine but for whatever reason it dies a death very quickly without warning, if I dont use an optimate it will do this within 3 days, wether Im riding or not. I do have some new parts to install (alt, reg/rec and pulse coil) but cant get the time at the mo. Just been to the lakes and it done this twice, jumping from a mates bike it starts right away and charged as normal. The battery seems fine and holds charge off the bike. I just dont know.

[Davez29]

Just to let those know, who have been following this popular thread

I changed my Stator and all is well. Thats without installing the new pulse coil and RR, got to find more time. Its very strange it was the stator as all tests seemed ok. The part in question still looked brand new and looked a superior part than the new one I just put in, strange are the ways of electrickery..