Member Contributer 2FAST4U Posted March 8, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 8, 2011 Over the past couple months I've sometimes had to jump start my 6th gen. VFR to get it started. This was understandable when it was really cold but it hit 46 degrees today. My bike should have started today but it didn't (although it would have had I jumped it.) I installed a new battery in June 2007 (so it's almost four years old.) I'm OK with having to get a new one; however, I'd like to get my current battery checked out. I don't have the tools to check it myself and I'd rather not get it checked out by someone that sells them. What are my options? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Go to a auto parts store and watch them test it(and you will see the results).... If you aren't a woman, I dought that they will try to rip you off. Ask them to check the volts and the batt's load..... and act like you know what's up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 as far as i know, most auto parts places will do it for free Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Jmmymc750 Posted March 9, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 9, 2011 Harbor freight has a load tester for about $25. It's like a cross between a battery tester and a toaster...you hook it up, and it tells you the voltage, then flip a switch and it puts a load on the battery. After the initial dip, the voltage should level out as it simulates cranking (it has little wires that heat up, like a toaster). It will tell you very clearly whether your battery is good or not. I paid about 50 bucks for mine in the early nineties (had a 90VFR with voltage problems...) and still have it. If you are near Louisiana, you are welcome to use mine. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squamishvfr Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Do it yourself if you have a meter. Open circuit Voltage should be around 12-12.5 after a good run or charge from a battery tender. while cranking It shouldn't fall below 9.6V IMO it shouldn't get anywhere near 9.6v. Disable your ignition so the bike cranks but doesn't start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmythecop Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 if you buy a battery tester- Do not push test while it is connected and the motor is running. but like said above...a 10 dollar voltage meter will do the trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer DougFromIndy Posted March 9, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 9, 2011 4 years old , its gone, buy a new one. Or take it to an autoparts store where they will not test it, you will just get a stupid look from a kid. Or they will charge it on a giant rapid charger where it will be cooked so if its not bad now it will be. The thing is tiny, tiny, tiny...lucky it even cranks on day one. Think about it...A giant car battery usually fails around 4 years time, what can you expect from mouse-size? its dead....you killed Kenny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyZ Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Time for a new one I am lucky to get 3 years out of one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 While we are on this subject, I'd like say that even if you just bought a new battery doesn't mean it's ready to go, in most cases you will still need to bring it to a full charge with a trickle-charger that has and automatic shut-off. This goes for cars or bikes, the vehicle charging system is not meant to bring a battery to full charge, and it won't.... Buy a trickle charger.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 as far as i know, most auto parts places will do it for free FYI battery needs to be fully charged for complete testing, if you charge the battery fully , then turn on you headlights for 3 minutes. Then try to start the motor, if you cant dont waste time having the battery tested , its crap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted March 14, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 14, 2011 Assuming you have a proper charger, i.e., a Battery Tender or Optimate, a simple test is just to fully charge it and then check the voltage a few hours later. If it's 12.8v or above, it's good; if less, it's bad. (The actual Honda spec is 13.0-13.2v is fully charged; below 12.3 is discharged.) If you don't have a proper charger, get one, as a sure-fire way to kill a battery is to charge it too fast or too long. Ciao, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Assuming you have a proper charger, i.e., a Battery Tender or Optimate, a simple test is just to fully charge it and then check the voltage a few hours later. If it's 12.8v or above, it's good; if less, it's bad. (The actual Honda spec is 13.0-13.2v is fully charged; below 12.3 is discharged.) If you don't have a proper charger, get one, as a sure-fire way to kill a battery is to charge it too fast or too long. Ciao, A (bad) battery reading 12,8 volt or 13 volt will not pass my test . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer pres589 Posted March 24, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 24, 2011 I was using my 6th gen this evening after work running errands and after the first stop the bike seemed a little hesitant to start. 2nd start and I wondered if it would, slow cranking, but it did and I took it straight home. Turned the bike off, back on and it wouldn't turn over past maybe one revolution. Last fall I replaced the stator with a Rick's Stator, connectors and wires looked fine and things were great. I put maybe 1000 miles on the new stator and a battery I bought at the same time. 2004, wiring recall performed already. I tried Spud's check of the battery, charging it for 1/2 an hour with a normal charger (no trickle available, input amperage on charger gauge was under 1/2 an amp) then turning the headlights on for just over 3 minutes. Flip the kill switch to run, hit the starter button, boom. Fast cranking, starts right up. Using a digital MM, I check the voltage at the battery after just starting the bike, and it's acting oddly; the voltage climbs from 12.7x to 12.8, 12.9, 13.0 at about 10mV/sec. It will eventually go to about 14.2V and then hang there. Not RPM dependent, revving and held at 6k rpm and it's still at 14.2 V. I shut the bike off and pulled the negative battery cable and put my MM in series, set up for amperage reading, and I had variable readings, using around 0.01 amps. I saw a momentary spike to 0.02 amps, and a lot of time at 0.00. I know an analog meter would be better and will pick one up tomorrow, but what should I look for first? I think the battery is okay, I'm going to try starting it tomorrow morning before work to see what it does then. My guess is that I should head for the stator first and check it out for continuity with ground and check the ohms between connector pins and see how that checks out. Then visually check all connectors and wiring. What else? Is the slow climb in voltage at the battery normal? It doesn't seem normal to me, I'm wondering if the R/R is getting weak. Something else; I lost a low beam headlight bulb a couple days ago, right after washing the bike I had it out on the street and noticed one bulb was dead. Replaced with new OEM bulb and things are fine, but are they? The bike has 35,200 miles and this is the first bulb that has died. Perhaps I've got an intermittent overcharge situation? If shotgunning the main wiring harness for a VFRness is worth the effort I'm fine with that, I planned on doing one sometime in the near future anyway, but fixing this issue with a more controlled setup seems wise. Help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Check your wiring and connections for heat damage and contact, the starter solenoid remove and check connect condition , the big 3 yellow wire from stator, the rr red wire to the battery ect. ((((eventually go to about 14.2V and then hang there. Not RPM dependent, revving and held at 6k rpm and it's still at 14.2 V))))) with no heavy load on the bike sounds normal, Turn on high beams and you'll have to turn 5000 rpm to see that 14.2, but id rather see higher. But check that and ensure you can atleast get to 14.2 volt MY vfr out put is 14.7volt just above idle OEM components Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Ryanme17 Posted March 24, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 24, 2011 Flip the kill switch to run, hit the starter button, boom. Fast cranking, starts right up. Using a digital MM, I check the voltage at the battery after just starting the bike, and it's acting oddly; the voltage climbs from 12.7x to 12.8, 12.9, 13.0 at about 10mV/sec. It will eventually go to about 14.2V and then hang there. Not RPM dependent, revving and held at 6k rpm and it's still at 14.2 V. What's odd about that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Conedodger Posted March 24, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 24, 2011 4 years old , its gone, buy a new one. Or take it to an autoparts store where they will not test it, you will just get a stupid look from a kid. Or they will charge it on a giant rapid charger where it will be cooked so if its not bad now it will be. The thing is tiny, tiny, tiny...lucky it even cranks on day one. Think about it...A giant car battery usually fails around 4 years time, what can you expect from mouse-size? its dead....you killed Kenny. I must be very fortunate, car, lawn mower, and bike batteries last from 7-10 years for me. The battery in the car i drove to work today was purchased in April of 2003. The battery in my wife's car is going on 6 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer pres589 Posted March 24, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 24, 2011 Flip the kill switch to run, hit the starter button, boom. Fast cranking, starts right up. Using a digital MM, I check the voltage at the battery after just starting the bike, and it's acting oddly; the voltage climbs from 12.7x to 12.8, 12.9, 13.0 at about 10mV/sec. It will eventually go to about 14.2V and then hang there. Not RPM dependent, revving and held at 6k rpm and it's still at 14.2 V. What's odd about that? It has been a while since I played with this aspect of an automotive charging system but I thought the thing would read a more normal voltage, something north of 13.6VDC, at the battery terminals with the engine running and enough RPM to excite the alternator / R/R. The slow climb was not what I expected. I thought about checking this against my car to see how it reacts but I ran out of time last night. Maybe it's normal after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Ryanme17 Posted March 25, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 25, 2011 It has been a while since I played with this aspect of an automotive charging system but I thought the thing would read a more normal voltage, something north of 13.6VDC, at the battery terminals with the engine running and enough RPM to excite the alternator / R/R. The slow climb was not what I expected. I thought about checking this against my car to see how it reacts but I ran out of time last night. Maybe it's normal after all. Oh. I assumed you meant it went up to 14.2 after like a second. How much time are we talking here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer pres589 Posted March 25, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 25, 2011 Oh. I assumed you meant it went up to 14.2 after like a second. How much time are we talking here? From the start at something like 12.4VDC measured across the battery terminals just after having started the bike, the climb to 14.2 takes 15 to 20 seconds. If it were a couple seconds I wouldn't be mentioning it, that would seem normal to me, this does not seem normal. Busy weekend so not sure how much I'll get to play with the thing. I've been checking the battery voltage every 12 hours or so after my first post in this thread and it's dropped maybe 2 hundredths of a volt which I think is acceptable over a couple days of sitting connected to the electrical system on the bike without running it again. So I definitely think something in the charging system is not right with the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer JZH Posted March 25, 2011 Member Contributer Share Posted March 25, 2011 A (bad) battery reading 12,8 volt or 13 volt will not pass my test . Umm, okay... Have you had any batteries with a resting voltage of 12.8v-13v fail your test? Ciao, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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