It Let Me Down

I was sitting in traffic and watching the temperature rise so I switched the bike off. That was a mistake. I went to restart it and is just clicked. I was across the street from a CVS and so managed to get the bike pushed across major traffic without getting killed. I tried to bump it off about three times with no success. I took of my jacket, helmet and gloves, (it was freaking HOT!) and pushed the bike back up to the top of the rise to give it one more try. Success. I put the jacket under the cargo net and dawned my helmet and gloves and rode like the wind for home. I managed to make all the lights to keep the fan from coming on. I pulled into the drive way and let the bike idle as I opened the gate. The cooling fan came on and the bike died. I guess it didn’t have enough juice to run both.

Yes the battery was flat.

I put it on the charger and it came up to 12.81v. Upon starting the bike I get 13.18v at 5000rpm. I am guessing that's not good enough. Am I right?

 

At my VFR, about 14V at idle with lights off, 13,8V @ 3500 rpm with lights on.

Read here, http://www.zefox.net/~bob/mc/vfr/vfrfix.html

 

That's what I figure. My charging is crap.

 

Time for a MOSFET upgrade after verifying the stator is good.

 

MOS-FET is the best, anyway, mine has been great for several years, SH6890A.

And as thtanner says, check your stator. Also take a look at the connectors to the R/R and the main fuse.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-...ash=item3618aa2f8e:g:ZMYAAOSwq1JZH1Dl&vxp=mtr

 

Fixed it. I verified that the stator was good but the middle connector was burned and the wire had fallen out. I soldered the R/R in direct. Now I have over 14v at idle. It's HOT out in the shop.

 

Not charging you should be getting around 14.5v @ 5k revs.

 

Not with the OEM wiring, then it is 14,0 - 14,2V with lights off! Anyway, 14,5V (boost charge) over a period might kill your battery

 

Excellent

 

Drink lotsa water, try to stay cool, out in the shop.

 

After I got the VFR buttoned up my kid came over with his 2000 Firebird. We just got through pulling the AC compressor. You can't get it out but we did. It's still freaking HOT!

. . .and yes, water is the key.

 

Procedure for checking your charging. Lights on Main beam engine at 5 revs, reading should e between 14 and 14.5 volts.

 

I know, but with OEM wiring I guess you would never measure 14.5V. Maybe out of R/R, but not @battery.

http://www.zefox.net/~bob/mc/vfr/vfrfix.html

 

It is. I feel a lot better about riding it now.

 

Never mentioned the battery at all, just the charging. Max battery voltage you will see from a 12v battery is 13.2 volts. I.e. A fully charged battery across the terminals.

 

Then I agree Max battery voltage on a fully charged lead-acid battery is normally 12,78V @ 20' Celsius, with acid density 1,30