Clock reset - Electrical issue?

New to the forum (and my VFR) so please forgive any oversights in etiquette or previous posts. I've only got a couple 100 miles on my bike and just noticed the other day that the clock reset. I'm a mechanical boob so I know nothing when it comes to how these things run. Is this cause for concern?

I can deal with a clock that's wrong but is there something electrical that I should check out?

 

If your clock reset, I would suggest that you lost power from your battery at some point. Did you disconnect the power source at all? Or did your battery die or become extremely low?

 

Welcome, clock will reset every time you lose power. Press and hold RESET and SELECT buttons for more that 2 seconds. Then use RESET to advance clock to correct time. Then just turn off ignition.

 

The clock reseting may be a sign of a failing R/R, stator or associated wiring.

 

...or just a bad battery.

 

I have not disconnected power or noticed any signs of losing power or a weak battery other than the clock. Everything else seems to be just fine.

 

Alright then. Maybe you should be looking to see if there is a loose connection or loose ground to your instrument cluster. A loose ground or loose power there could act the same as a dead battery, albeit temporary.

With the bike running, stick your hand down the open area of the head set and wiggle the harness around a bit and see if you can get it to re-set again. Doenslt cost anything.

 

I am with Mr sleep, my did that several time switch new battery and it stop
Other time new stator have to put in place......Hope just your old battery

 

Congratulations on the 2007 VFR with only 3000 miles. That is a great find.
But if it has the original battery then Mr Sleep is right on. It needs to be replaced!

 

On my 5th gen it happened every time I started the engine.
The FI light would also glow and blink with blinkers.
It turned out to be the notorious bad grounding block on the wiring loom.
I cut it off and soldered all ground wires together to a new 4mm earth lead to the negative terminal on the battery and frame.
Problem fixed.
Not sure if 6th gen has same issue.

 

My clock resets all the time but it's due to having an EVO2 battery and it being winter. Every time I start the bike cold I got a reset clock and trip meter, I basically don't have a clock in winter.

 

http://vfrworld.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/24050/title/euro-switch/cat/506

Makes me glad I have velcro clock on mine. I am with the doodes aboove ^. Its a voltage issue...

 

Happens to mine if I haven't ridden in 3weeks or so, a CTek charger a couple of years ago was the cure, you can either leave on and it'll trickle charge battery only when required or as I do put on the night before a planned ride. It'll also test and if required descale the battery.

 

I also had an issue in the "Cold". I was @ Blood Mountain, (Vogel State Park) GA in Nov 2013 and my bike wasn't cooperating at all. Finally had to jump it off of my truck to get it running.

Back in Floriduh & no more issues/ same battery even when it sits for a couple of weeks

Ride Red!

 

Hi and a belated welcome:welcome: to the MadHouse from the snow covered French Alps (sorry I was off skiing and missed you dropping by :smow.

When you get a chance it is a good idea to update your forum profile using the "My Profile" tab at the top of the page to include details of your VFR year/model spec, and a rough location - state/city is fine, that way the information will appear alongside all your posts and if you need help with a problem people will know if you live nearby and may be willing to swing-by and offer help and advice in exchange for some beer tokens .

:focus:Anyway a few thoughts on the clock reset issue. You say its your first VFR and you have only covered a few miles so you really don't have any bench-line to gauge what is normal yet. If the bike is in good health even if the bike is stored out of use the battery should keep the clock right for months - so I suspect you may have something that needs fettling.

Its sensible to check the basics - check battery terminals are secure. If you have access to any servicing documentation with your bike - see if the previous owner replaced the battery - if its still the original then its living on borrowed time. If the bike starts and runs fine, but the clock resets, then it could be just a loose multi-plug connection to the dashboard which needs to be fully seated.

If however when you start the bike it sounds like the starter is slow/struggling then you probably need to review the health of the charging system - as it is a known weakness on VFR's - and this extensive thread tells you all you will ever need to know about the common problems and how to check the charging system. OK its for a 5th gen but the same checks apply to a 6th Gen.

http://vfrworld.com/forums/showthread.php/39277-How-to-fix-common-regulator-Stator-failures

Basically all 4 elements of the charging system (battery, loom, stator and regulator/rectifier) need to be in good health and a fault in one can cause damage to one or more of the others. Sadly clocks resetting is a common warning sign of electrical problems.

Take care




SkiMad

 

UPDATE: I was actually able to duplicate the problem. Which doesn't mean a THING to me but maybe it'll tell you guys something. I got home from work on Friday. Pulled up to the garage and shut the engine off so I could go open the garage door via the keypad. When I came back to the bike to start it back up, it was hesitant/sluggish to start but finally turned over and then I saw the clock had reset. What do ya think? Battery?

 

Yes it definitely sounds like the battery is drained BUT you need to find out why. If you are really exceptionally lucky it could be just the battery has reached the end of its life and is no longer holding its charge, and all that is needed is a replacement.

However I rather suspect your VFR is the latest in hundreds of VFRs reported here to encounter charging system problems. In your situation I would buy or borrow a multi-meter and do the electrical system checks see post #9 in this thread

http://vfrworld.com/forums/showthread.php/39277-How-to-fix-common-regulator-Stator-failures

If you need help interpreting the results just post up again. Most often the battery seems to be the victim of faults in the charging system rather than the cause - and chances are your stator and/or Regulator/Rectifier is faulty.




SkiMad

 

Definitely not charging completely or something is using more power than stator puts out, how long did you ride since you charged manually? Check wiring and connectors from stator and R/R. Look for signs of excessive heat (high resistance on contacts). It is a long shot, but the previous owner might have tried higher wattage headlights (80/100 watt) which will drain battery over a couple of days (I know first hand). Hard to get to lamps without taking all the fairings off, so look for other problems first. When you tried to start, voltage dropped enough to reset digital clock. Get one of the maintenance chargers until you find problem. My first indication was the Power Commander started to mess up the fuel injection and run rough as the battery died.

 

Okay Allyance - have to plead ignorance on pretty much everything you and said. I will have to ask my friend (BMW motorcycle mechanic) to look into it. But have to ask about the "manually charging" part of your post. I've NEVER manually charged any of my bikes. Not that I am a seasoned veteran or anything. Far from it. I've had 3 bikes but none of them for any serious length of time.

Is manually charging something you're supposed to do routinely? If so, what's the purpose?

 

If you have a HarborFreight nearby, or any good auto store, pick-up a trickle charger. New ones have solid state regulation to "maintain" your battery. They are not made to charge a dead battery, but will help recover from daily rides until you locate problem.

Connections: There are many threads about electrical problems on VFRs (and probably other bikes too). The multi pin connectors used on bikes are prone to get wet and dirty. The little pins inside can corrode or form a dielectric (insulating) layer, reducing the ability to make good contact. It is not just that they don't conduct, the corrosion has resistance. When there is resistance, there is heat. (Your toaster use resistive wire inside).
Here is the schematic of the charging system. Check the wiring, pull apart the connectors, if there is corrosion or just white coating on contacts, use a mild solution of CLR or white vinegar to dissolve corrosion, rinse and dry. Use an emory board to rough up and clean flat pins.
View attachment 25630
(Double click on diagram to read).

After you have done that, and there is no heat damage, or corrosion, time to find some one with a meter that can help you diagnose stator and rectifier/regulator assembly.

Do you ride a low RPM? Alternator (stator) is rated at 5K rpm, could be a combination of low rpm & corrosion.

I doubt previous owner put in hi wattage lights, but if all else fails, that could be the problem.