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battery dieing overnight!

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by carleb, Aug 21, 2015.

  1. carleb

    carleb New Member

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    I have a 1981 yamaha maxim 550.

    I have a new battery and just put on a new regulator. It used to die randomly or if i left the lights on for a few minutes after turning it off. Sometimes would charge up and sometimes not. Now ive put on the new regulator and it dies over night.... help!

    Things that have happen in the last while that could or could not help:
    Speedometer broke, odomoter still works
    moved regulator under seat? its touching metal.

    It just strange how its dieing overnight after I changes the regulator. It used to die randomly after riding it for awhile.

    It always bomb starts I know thats not good for it but it does.

    Please help thanks first bike and I'm so out of my element
     
  2. lostboy

    lostboy Well-Known Member

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    Charge the battery, leave it overnight but don't hook up the negative cable. If the battery dies it is a bad battery. Also check the water level in the battery.
     
  3. carleb

    carleb New Member

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    I have two new batteries its happening with both
     
  4. lostboy

    lostboy Well-Known Member

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    Now try this. Disconnect the positive cable hook up the alligator clip to the positive post then touch the probe to the positive cable. This is done with the bike off. If the light glows there is current draw somewhere. Oh yea welcome to the forum.
     
  5. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    You have a new battery.
    You have a new regulator.
    What we don't know is if the alternator is working correctly or not.
    The alternator cover is on the left side of the engine, behind the cylinders. Remove the cover (there is a bundle of wires that will come along with the cover) and inspect the alternator brushes and the rotor. The brushes have wear limit marks engraved into them. If the brushes are long enough then clean all toe carbon dust out of the alternator, polish the copper slip rings on the rotor with a hard art eraser, and button it back up. Start the engine and check the voltage at the battery terminals at idle, at 2,000 RPM, and again above 3,000 RPM. You should be seeing the voltage increase as RPMs increase; somewhere about 11 volts at idle, the voltage at 2,000 RPM and above should be at least 13.2 volts, but not much more than 14 volts.

    Your homework for the weekend is to read The Information Overload Hour.
    I have a feeling that there are other things on your machine that need to be tended to.
     
  6. MN-Maxims

    MN-Maxims St. Paul Minnesota

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    Checking the integrity of the charging system is the first thing.
    Maybe something in your harness is shorted and has a low power draw and running the battery down after several hours. Unhooking the battery would be the next step.
     
  7. Rooster53

    Rooster53 Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    Has the bike had any wiring modifications done by you or the previous owner, particularly the fuse box, regulator, ignition switch, or any add on devices?

    I would agree with the earlier statements that a parasitic drain exists on the battery causing it to discharge, and the test light suggestion is a good way to check.

    Also good suggestions to check the charging system after verifying no parasitic drain on the battery.
     

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