timmythecop Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I guess there is nothing to do but chase the problem, BUT....anybody encountered this before: Bike was used sparingly during the ice/snow. Started her up yesterday with no problems and rode to work. Tonight, started her up, rode to work without a care in the world. Stopped for a large black coffee near work, started right up and rode to the station parking lot. Was making a U turn in the parking lot and everything went black. Now nothing (I know, I know, at least I got to where I was going) All fuses are good. The R/R connector is not burnt, and the actual R/R was not hot to the touch right after. Battery connections are good. The display says 1:00, just like when your battery goes dead, but when you switch on the key, the display goes blank. Now hopefully I just screwed my battery by not having it on a tender and it sitting in below zero temps out in the shed for a coupla months. (very very harsh winter here this year)I would suspect the battery more but I wasnt getting slow starts or any of that. I realize one cannot diagnose any electrical problem without a good, tested battery, but these symtops are wierd, so I was asking if anyone has encounter this before. I dont have a multimeter at work, so time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MBrane Posted March 12, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 12, 2014 Looks like a bad connection somewhere. I know somewhere is not that helpful, but that's the best diagnosis I can give over the internet. Check all the ususal suspects including that starter relay that's a PITA to get to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrurknee Posted March 12, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 12, 2014 Timmy, My last battery failure went with a very similar scenario. Rode over to a small town 24 miles away. Stopped by the Pharmacy. Picked up Rx for the missus. Left there and stopped at the local Walmart. Left there and headed home. No symptoms of any impending trouble. Decided to grab a loaf of bread or something from the local grocery store before I got to my house. Came out of the store and bike does nothing. No fuelpump noise, no crank no chatter. NADA. Got a ride to the house where I pulled the battery from TNB2, returned and installed. Problem solved. Don't remember the time of year but I wasn't using a battery tender (although I had one). Some batteries just die quicker than others, I guess. Ernie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MBrane Posted March 12, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 12, 2014 Yeah sudden battery death is a possibility, but they usually give you a bit of warning before they die completely. Easy enough to check with a meter. I don't leave home without one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tightwad Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 I had a yuasa battery just die like that on me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmythecop Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 I had a yuasa battery just die like that on me Um.....I think this one WAS a Yuasa... and now I have had time to ponder, the battery (although no clear signs were noticed) has to be the number 1 suspect. consider: 1 Very, Very cold winter with bike in shed with no heat 2 Battery tender not attached 3 sudden use 4 a second REALLY cold snap 5 more use and failure right after starting (ride from store to work was prolly 30 seconds) Looks like I am coming to work tomorrow with either a battery or at least a meter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer MBrane Posted March 12, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 12, 2014 I had a yuasa battery just die like that on me Um.....I think this one WAS a Yuasa... Those are Italian aren't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted March 12, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 12, 2014 and everything went black. How can this be a calamity???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmythecop Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 It is just my ususal "Pre TMac" electrical issue. Happens very year. Fellow TMac attendees will be happy to hear that the chain and spockets are doing just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFRBert Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Most people get a blackout after drinking whisky, not after driving a bike. I suspect the battery wanted to retire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burkov Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Hi mate, it is the battery. If you want to be sure, you have to test the voltage drop with load. Measure the voltage before you turn the key, than measure it with ignition on and while pressing the starter key. If yo see less than 9 volts there is dead shorted cell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer YoshiHNS Posted March 12, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 12, 2014 If the bike was running and the battery died, wouldn't the power from the alternator keep it running? I know on the 6th gen, if the battery goes, you're dead. Wasn't sure if that was true for all bikes or not. I think that on the 4th gen I could ride on a bad battery so long as I managed a bump start or jumped it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burkov Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 If you have a short circuit in any of the battery cells, this will make the battery sort of consumer to the electrical system. This way, the stator wont be able to keep up, and the bike will eventually die. I have seen this on lots of cars, on my first bike, and last on a friends ymaha fazer with a brand new battery, only a few miles old. The bike was in winter storage, and was fired evry once in a month for 30 mins. Last week, the bike had almost no power, i jump started it, and it ran fine for 30 min on a centerstand. Than the fan come on, an the bike died in a few mins. No power after that. I messured the RR, the stator, and the batery. The batery was showing 11,6 volts, but if pressed the starter button it dropped to 2,6 volts. New battery was ordered and the bike is fine for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeper Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 My battery died the same way two years ago at Tmac. I got a really great picture with Leon and a new battery. That's my bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VFR4Lee Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 I've had 2 batteries die w/o warning while stopped for gas, years apart, different bikes. Stuff happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer 007 Posted March 13, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 13, 2014 It is just my ususal "Pre TMac" electrical issue. Happens very year. Fellow TMac attendees will be happy to hear that the chain and spockets are doing just fine. Did you re-apply the usual rust color to the chain? I know it is hard to keep that balanced Switchblade had a similar dead battery issue. I experienced a similar dead battery issue with my 4th gen. Just died after about 30 minutes in the saddle, most of it on the highway. Took my R/R with it, darn Honda electronics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Burns Posted March 13, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 13, 2014 did you check all the wiring?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmythecop Posted March 13, 2014 Author Share Posted March 13, 2014 I know where all of those go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted March 14, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 14, 2014 You can complement that with some Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer YoshiHNS Posted March 14, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 14, 2014 All that wiring wouldn't have an effect on the battery giving up the ghost. If it was constantly draining the battery, then that's a different problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer vfrAustin Posted March 15, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 15, 2014 Verdict? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmythecop Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 I finally got back to this following a snowstorm and some truck shopping. turned key and all electrics were electrified, but no amps left to spin the starter. I went to my local shop and with my secret discount, picked up a Featherweight Li-Ion Poly Battery for the price of a good acid-lead core battery. All I have read and heard about these is good, so we will see. It does not need a special charger and really is a featherweight. It came with little plastic blocks that snap on the bottom of the battery to allow it to not sink into the battery box. I will slap in in there tonight or tommorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted March 21, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 21, 2014 How much $ ^^^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer y2kvfr Posted March 21, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted March 21, 2014 Timmy, for the love of God, take the time to get access the stupid orange ground plug and check it out. It is buried under electrical tape near the RR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmythecop Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 The wiring for my R/R is sorted. Installed a VFRNess last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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