I've got a good, charged battery that is drained in a matter of days if left connected in my '02 VFR800. I assume it's an electrical fault on the bike that is causing the battery to drain. Any thoughts or ideas about what to do (save for taking the bike in for service)? Thanks.
without further symptoms, such as do you ride it a few days then have to put it on a charger or your gauges acting funny, I would guess it is the ole regulator/rectifier issue. It could also be you just have a bad battery. I would replace it first or at least have it checked before moving on to the R/R.
i would typically ride it every second day or so for a couple of weeks and then park it for a week. when i would try to start it after the week of no use there would be no power left at all. not even for the gauges. subsequently i'd charge the battery, return it to the bike and voila, it works. you may be right on the rr issue. i've seen some more posts about this and it looks similar.
Unhook the ground wire from the battery. Leave the hot hooked up. Then hook up a 12v test light. One end to the ground wire, the other to the ground post on the battery. If you have a drain the light will come on, might only glow if a small drain. Then pull one fuse at a time until the light goes out. When it goes out, you've found the drain! If no fuses put out the light, unplug the R/R. Then the stater, and so on. When the light goes out, that's the drain. If the light never comes on you don't have a drain (bad battery). Do all of this with the key OFF. Don't try to start, or you'll blow the bulb in your test light. This is a quick and easy test to find a battery drain. Let me know if this helps. I use it a lot, it will save you a ton of time and money.
Eddie, this is real good useful information. In fact I made 2 copies of your post...one to go inside my shop manual and the other one to go under the seat, into my owner's manual for long trips. Thanks. You da man :third:
Glad to help where I can. I heard that trick on a talk radio show and have used it countless times. Use the test light to close the circuit in the ground side. By putting the light between the ground post and the ground wire, it'll light up if there is a pull on the battery. If you have a chance the radio show is "Car Talk" with Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers. It is on Public Radio usually on Sat mornings at 10:00. Check with your local Public Radio Station as to when it's on. Also, on the web at "cartalk.com". Those guys are a hoot. I learn a lot from those two, as well as get a good laugh. They have saved me hundreds of dollars and hours.
Charge your battery on a trickle charger off the bike overnight. Install, check voltage when idling and at 5000 rpm. If anything less than 13, more than likely the rectifier is dead. Previous owner of my bike had an aftermarket rectifier on it, but it was defective. A factory Honda part took care of the issue along with additional hot/ground wires directly to the battery.
thanks everyone, i'll give this a shot and see what i come up with. it should not be the battery as it is brand new!
eddie, i finally got around to checking this battery problem like you suggested. i got a multimeter and followed your instructions. i first tested the circuit with all fuses in place and the ground unhooked. 11.92V. then i pulled fuses one by one and checked voltage. 11.92V every time. then i came to the fuse for the clock. pulled it and checked the voltage. it was decreasing. i then hooked up the battery up, turned the key to ON, and pulled the clock fuse. the clock kept running. it seems to be short circuiting somewhere and i guess it's draining the battery. i don't know what my next step should be? i think i'll have to take it to the shop. anyone got any ideas? thank you.
