Battery or drain?

C

CaptainAwesome

Member
Visit site
TLDR: Was only Battery


Recently bought a 2007 FZ1. Had a 2006 so I am familiar with them.

Thinking it's a bad battery but not sure if I have a drain. I appear to have written a small book about it, but it's every clue I have.


Started up fine, no issues, started it about a dozen times since I bought it.


Leaving work it acts very drained. Turns over, doesn't start. No clicking yet, but eventually once I try one too many times. Slow turning.

Put a jump pack on it, starts within half a second. Ride it 20+ minutes in stop and go traffic, no issues. Park it, turn it off, turn it back on again, starts within 2-3 seconds, consistent to all the other times.

I did not leave the jump pack on more than maybe 20 seconds because i didnt want to charge the battery, I wanted to see if it would die on the ride back (had the rotor go out on my other FZ1, with a new battery it died on the freeway within 10 minutes). However the jump pack read 12.7v and went to 12.8v once it was running.

So the charging system is working.

----------
Reason I'm also questioning a drain:

1)Riding in the rain maybe got to something

2) PO cut and rewired the front stock turn signals, which worked till I swapped in different bulbs and one started on fire.
*I should note at this point I removed the bulbs in the turn signals, and detached the one that caught fire completely. But even if it got water in the empty connection I don't see how that would be enough to drain the battery like that, especially with the key turned off.

2b)Also a PO added an air horn, it's directly wired to the battery, but it appears they are supposed to be. Need to trace the wires to see if it has a fuse in. Doubting it.

2c) Wired in an LED tail light. Haven't traced all the wires yet, could be OK. But it's top of my list after the turn signals.



I ride in the rain, but leave it parked under a cover. Normally a cover for it, this was the first time I took it to work and it was uncovered but with an awning over it. About 45 degrees every time I've started it. Figure without the cover and the awning bring open around it the bike may have gotten more cold than normal, but still like 45 today.

Also, bike sat for 2 weeks after I road it due to snow. Started right up.


Previous 2006 sat out in the rain when I was at work, Temps at 35 even. No problems starting.



So, battery? Or maybe connection/drain too?
 
Last edited:
Get a new battery . I leave mine on a Battery Tender whenever I'm not riding it ,which is a good idea too.
Nothing worse then coming out and no start!
 
After looking at it some more; Battery is a Might Max, on that alone I bought a new battery.

Needed a jump this morning, jumper read 13.7v before turning itself off.

Don't think it's the charging unit, and don't see how removing those bulbs could have any effect to this level.

There is one more difference I can think of, and that's starting early in the morning. Yesterday was the first time it wasn't around noon. After sitting a little colder it might have been enough to do it in, ran it 20 minutes Yesterday, 15 this morning. Later today I'll try for a longer ride so I can properly charge it.


I replaced the rotor with the newer style, did it on my last bike too. But if the charging system is an issue it should die when riding, not just need a jump to start. That makes me think I just don't have enough CCA
 
  1. Invest $7 in a Harbor Freight digital multimeter (if you do not already have one.)
  2. Disconnect the battery ground wire(s). (no key in the switch)
  3. Set the multimeter to the 5 amp setting and connect the black lead to the COMmon jack and the red to the Ohms ma jack.
  4. Simultaneously touch the red lead to the battery ground and the black lead to the ground wire.
The meter should read ~.002 amps or less (the draw of the gauge cluster clock).

Remove the main fuse (RED cube) on top of the battery.

The meter reading should drop to '0'.

Reconnect the wires and change the RED lead on the meter to voltage and move the control switch to ~20 volts.

The battery should read 12.8 volts or more. If not, charge the battery to spec: <1.5 amps x 15 hrs.

Re-measure. If not greater than 12.8 volts, you may have a dead cell. Warranty time.

Start the bike and bring the rev's above 5,000. Voltage across the battery +/- should be above 14.

Did the PO swap out the headlight bulbs with higher output LEDs?

Are there grip warmers?

What are your typical riding habits? Many short rides?

It has been my experience that standard flooded and AGM type batteries have a practical 3-year lifespan in the GENII. I just purchased a LiPO to see if that fares any better over 2-3 month storage periods. I also remove the main fuse during storage to eliminate any parasitic draw.

If any of the above tests indicate a high parasitic draw, you will need to go through an elimination process (one x one disconnecting wire loom leads) to find what is causing the draw. The Service Manual has dozens of pages outlining what can be the culprit.

Good luck!
 
Thanks, I will give that all a check when I get the chance. Appreciate the detailed instructions.

No grip warmers, only LEDs are the tail lights that I know of, but I will check the head lights. They don't seem overly bright, just normal.

Just bought this FZ a few weeks ago, then it snowed for 2 weeks, so only about 130 miles on it yet.

Typically riding is 15 minutes twice a day, or 15 and an hour if I take the long way back. 3 hours on Saturday giving it the beans.
 
Last edited:
Satan666 said:
The meter should read ~.002 amps or less (the draw of the gauge cluster clock).
Click to expand...
.02mA
Satan666 said:
Remove the main fuse (RED cube) on top of the battery.

The meter reading should drop to '0'.
Click to expand...
0.00

Satan666 said:
Reconnect the wires and change the RED lead on the meter to voltage and move the control switch to ~20 volts.

The battery should read 12.8 volts or more. If not, charge the battery to spec: <1.5 amps x 15 hrs.
Click to expand...

12.2v accoring to the jumper, 7.6v according to the mulitmeter
Satan666 said:
Re-measure. If not greater than 12.8 volts, you may have a dead cell. Warranty time.
Click to expand...

Left to do, still at work
Satan666 said:
Start the bike and bring the rev's above 5,000. Voltage across the battery +/- should be above 14.
Click to expand...
9.21v, 8 something at lower rpm. Jumper was working towards 13.8 after a couple seconds before turning off. The mulimeter isn't mine and the volts kept cycling different options the whole time unlike my personal one.

And I had the wrong brand earlier. It's a WPS with a black top. Doesn't look new.


I did change out the rotor, but took pictures, all went back in correctly. Road it for 30 miles afterwards, turned it off 3 times, started right back up.

Also spent 20 minutes yesterday in stop and go traffic, when the rotor went out on my last bike it died when I had to pull in the clutch and the rpms dropped. No such issue, other than needing a jump I don't notice anything off.

It seems sudden, I didn't notice any real hesitation to start before yesterday, even at 5:30am it started normally. Just didn't when I went to leave. And now needs a jump if it sits.

If it was the regulator/rectifier there shouldn't be an increase in volts when it starts running or higher RPM, but there appears to be. Would it charge at all if it was bad enough to drain a battery?
Also yesterday after riding home for 20 minutes I turned it off and was able to restart it normally, so it should be charging just not keeping the charge, yes?


Am I correct in assuming it's not my charging system or a parasite drain, just a bad battery?
 
Last edited:
Captian, with the following measurement did you have the meter set on VDC?



Satan666 said:
Reconnect the wires and change the RED lead on the meter to voltage and move the control switch to ~20 volts.

The battery should read 12.8 volts or more. If not, charge the battery to spec: <1.5 amps x 15 hrs.
Click to expand...

12.2v accoring to the jumper, 7.6v according to the mulitmeter

Satan666 said:
Re-measure. If not greater than 12.8 volts, you may have a dead cell. Warranty time.
Click to expand...
 
Dealer is replacing the battery today.

Thanks for your help in eliminating other possible issues as well, didn't think they were a problem but now I have proof they are not.

Wouldn't have thought twice if I hadn't just done the rotor 50 miles ago or found backwards wiring lol.

Thanks again.
 
jimco said:
Captian, with the following measurement did you have the meter set on VDC?





12.2v accoring to the jumper, 7.6v according to the mulitmeter
Click to expand...
Possible, I was unfamiliar with that unit and had a time crunch. Saw a V and went for it, lol

It kept cycling 3 different units of measure, two were 0.00 and 0.000 then a number like 9.21.

Possibly it or me was defective.
 
Immediate difference. What was a 3-4 seconds start time (when it worked) now just a half second.

The other issues should be ruled out.

Battery they gave me is a "motosport GTZ14S"

I had ordered a Yuasa in my haste, which is probably a better battery if I was shopping, but this other one might delay that bill for a couple years.
 
Satan666 said:
Re-check the voltage across the new battery at 5,000 RPM. If it is not above 14 volts, there may be issues with your new alternator or voltage regulator.
Click to expand...
Not to hijack this thread too much, but mine has never been that high on my Gen 1. It's about 13.6. What should I look for?
Been that way since I bought it in 2016. It hasn't changed and otherwise runs fine and my last AGM battery lasted 5 years.
Honestly I quit worrying about it years ago because otherwise it works great, but it does seem a bit low.

(Thinking back I believe I did preemptively change the voltage regulator, but it made no difference.)

(Maybe I should start a new thread.)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top