Overcharged but won't turn starter?????

Damn bike!
'82 Maxim 750 J
I tinkered with the suspension this morning, then it started fine - from cold, hadn't been started for a few days except a 1 minute run to hear if exhaust was blowing, then jumped on and did around 8/9 miles, stopped to tweek shox - with engine running and twin spots on, did another 2.5 miles to home, stalled it at the back door tried to re-start and the battery was dead!
The starter solenoid was rattling away with not enough power to turn the engine, Put a tester across the battery terminals and it read 18 to 19 volts and climbing.
Tried to start it 30 mins later and the engine turned over but not enough power to start.
Any thoughts anyone?

 

You might have two problems to Investigate.

1. Overcharging. The Voltage should not ever exceed +14.8
The system is supposes to Max at 14.2 -to- 14.5

2. Starter.

The Starter may need Maintenance. The Commutator end may be Fouled with Carbon Dust from the Brushes.
You may Need New Brushes.
You may have to overhaul the Starter.

Do an archive search: Chinese Puzzle

 

Hey did you ever get a new battery? or are you still messing with that old one you had mentioned in your previous post.

If your battery is junk your wasting your time even talking about it.
The charging system is not designed to work with a battery that has shorted cells or will not hold a charge. You may actually damage the system if you continue to run with a bad battery.

So My advice is to:

Start with fresh battery.
Check your alternator brushes (10mm wear limit)
Check and clean the surfaces the brushes ride on.
Check the connector to the voltage regulator and make sure its not melted.
Report Voltage readings Idle, and 2000 rpms

On these bikes the charging system is so critical for proper ignition operation. Remember the plugs will foul and your spark will be weak and the bike will not start properly.

If you want to post pictures. go to photo bucket and resize to fit the format here.

Hope that helps
MN

 

Battery is 4 weeks old, waiting for rain to stop (hopefully this week!) to check outputs/connections etc.

 

Ok if the battery is 4 weeks old you need to have it tested. Trickle charge it and take it to a shop that can "Load" test it to make sure its within specs.
In our new world of global economy alot of the stuff we buy comes from China and I have learned not to trust anything even if its new.

So lets start from square one here and lets see if the battery makes the load test first.

Once we know the battery is good then you need to check those altermnator brushes out and see where they are at.

If they check out and every thing inside there is clean. Then remove your tank and check the wires that come up to the voltage regulator and see if the three wire connector is in good shape or is it melted.

When you get to that point then you'll need a good digital multimeter to make some accurate measurements. If you don't have one maybe you could borrow one from someone.

You are reporting that you are seeing 18-19 volts. I would double check that with a digital multi meter. That alone will ruin a new battery in short order. You may have a regulator problem if it is charging too much.
Let us know what you find.

MN

 

your starter solenoid might have wet the bed
cross the two big terminals with a screwdriver, see what happens
key OFF, in neutral

 

OK fellas, and girls...
Update:
I left a battery conditioner connected overnight, 45 mins after disconecting it the batterry voltage was showing 22v.
I stripped the starter, all shiny and clean in there with 6-7mm of brushes showing, cleaned connections anyway and stuffed it back in.
I then stripped the alternator, all shiny and clean also with about 18-20mm of brushes showing, then started to strip starter solenoid and accidently snapped the two fine wires going into the coil :roll: non-repairable!
Found another which is suitable = working OK.
Checked voltage at the three pin connector from the alternator and showing an average 6.20v at each white wire.
Went for a short run and whilst going down the hill in second saw that the temporary voltmeter which I fitted was reading 15v plus at the battery terminals! (it only reads upto 15v), the same at 25 mph upwards!
Dead reg/rec I think?
continued on five minute trip turned off and showing 13v,after an hours rest then another 5 min trip I turn off and she started OK and the batt was showing 13v.

 

you left a battery tender on overnight and checked batt voltage after 45 minutes showing 22v.


the battery is junk. no if's and's or butt's. probably boiled all the acid out and cooked the cells to the point they are shorting out.

batteries are supposed to take a charge that will absorb through all the cells top to bottom. yours is taking the charge but it's not being absorbed. it's all sitting at the top THUS accumulating to 22v.

change the battery, THEN see how the rest of your electrical works. IF YOUR STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. in order to do accurate testing you have to have working parts. a battery reading 22v does no good for checking anything else out.

 

The 22v was after a 10 mile run, it then dropped to normal - I'm going for the reg/rectifier... the battery is now stabilised at 13.2v, good or bad there shouldn' be a charge of 15+ volts.
I've already got a new battery waiting to go on, but I ain't frying that too!
I'm trying to find which other reg/recs from other models will do the job.

 

I have never heard of a 12 volt battery producing more than 13 volts.
As far as I now the only way to have more than 13 volts is to have an active charger attached.
Are you sure your volt meter is accurate?

 

The Voltage Regulator is one of the most common components across the years and models.

You'll probably find a used one with no trouble.

Before you hook-up the New Regulator ... INSPECT the Quik-Connect Plug into the Harness from the Regulator.

Look for the Big Red Wire to be Seated in the Connector where it belongs.
Often, when the Reg goes bad ... the RED Wire loosens from Overheating and Pulls-out of the Connector where it is supposed to be captured.

 

Found the number, searched it on ebay... XJ900, 600, 650/turbo, 700, Xs400, FZ600, FJ600... there's loads!!!

 

The battery is toast, get a new one asap. Do NOT try to save it or charge it further. I have never heard of a battery generating more than 4 volts greater than it's rated voltage.
While the bottom line is correct, I must take issue with some of your statement Snowwy,

I would agree with that.

Not sure how you got that reasoning since the charge occurs chemically (called conversion) across the face of the surface area of the grids that is exposed to the acid bath. Sulfidation will limit the active surface area and this tends to occur toward the bottom of the cell and work it's way up commensurately with the severity of the sulfidation (thanks gravity). The only absorption that takes place is when the acid is first introduced to the cell.

True but the correct word is stored. And the battery is storing too much

This is the quote that I cannot agree with. When the plates sulfide, they loose effective surface area ergo they cannot give off more voltage. It will only provide less voltage potential. This indicates that there is a serious defect in the battery.

I doubt seriously that charging this battery is going to accomplish anything other than wasting electrons and making an opportunity to blow up a battery. I would strongly recommend against this action.

On this I will agree, 12 volt parts don't like to be over-voltaged. It lets out the magic smoke and the parts don't work right anymore.

 

Thanks for that, new battery in shed and I'm waiting to aquire a replacement reg/rec before I go further,

 

+1 mdee, maybe a second meter is on order
shorted cells can't make higher voltage, not possible, shorted cells = less cells = less volts
sulfated cells make the same voltage, just less capacity (a/hr's)
changing and charging, two different words but close
i seriously doubt a 12 volt battery can read 22 volts, check the meter

 

That was two different test meters one digital, one analogue... we live and learn :wink:
I have another digital one I could try tomorrow too, but today the battery is still stabilised at 13.3v.

 

Be interesting to know what the voltage is with the bike running at 3Krpm.

I'd think if the charging system was really running up to 22V every bulb (and maybe the TCI) would have checked out in short order.

 

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Responding to a Post with speculation or inaccurate information may cause a situation that the Questioner is in ---> BEFORE ---> You Posted what you thought he should do ... to be made WORSE.

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We don't need two people guessing.

If you are going to Post something that is going to need to be un-explained.
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Preface the Post with with some remark that will let the Member know your guessing, ,too.

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"In My Opinion and no other living persons"
"Once Upon A Time"

 

isn't what you said basically the same thing i just said? only i said it in plainer engish. and my reasoning comes from delco sales reps i beleive it was.