Voltage reading question

[easy-rogere]

I have a new battery on bike it reads 12.8 volts disconnected. With red positive connected and the black wire off post a volt meter reads 12.8 when connected to neg post and to the disconnected black lead neg wire.

 

I have several opinions on whats going on with the reading.

 

1. dead short (open connection somewhere on bike electrical) is causing the the reading.

2. "floating ground" problem is causing the problem.

 

When hooked up and motor running the voltage to battery is reading 13.4 which is a little low and that plus a radio that goes off and on while riding. I had the crurize control on and when radio went out cruize was working fine. Bike set overnight twice and fired right up the next mornings so what ever is going on did not kill the battery over night.

 

Any ideas on what is causing the reading and the low voltage charge?

 

Thanks

Roger

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Ok...bear with me here...I'm not a mind reader.

 

What is actually happening? Is the bike refusing to start? Going thru batteries?

 

In other words, what caused you to start doing checks?

 

13.4 volts is a good reading when idling.

 

 

 

 

 

[Brake Pad]

bring the rpm's to 3000, have someone read the volts, should put out about 13.4-ish. if not check the Rectifier

[easy-rogere]

I bought the bike and the guy told me he had problems with radio going out and he put in new stator, new R/R and battery. I got on bike and rode it 300 miles and about 125 into that the radio started comming and going like a weak station break but was not station.

Spent night in motel got up next morning and started the bike no problem rode it 300 miles with radio still acting up but cruize did fine. After night in Garage took it over to a friend who tested the battery was a little down but came back up to 12.8 disconnected.

At idle charged around 12.5 at higher rpm got up to 13.4.

 

Checked Stator OK, but the voltage from the neg post to the neg. ground connection reads 12.8 when battery is disconnected and of course bike is stopped with key out of bike.

 

I know it could be a radio problem but friend says the 12.8 at the neg connection is not right thus he thinks short somewhere in system. We have everything apart except the tank and doing testing. Another Friend said he thinks it is more likely a ground problem and not a positive short issue.

 

Hope this is clearer.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I'm going to assume were talking about a late model RSV...

 

Your voltage readings seem to be in the normal range.

 

It's not unusual to have a small voltage reading across the open circuit as you describe...since the radio and odometer is trying to maintain memory....a high impedance digital meter will read that potential.

 

Use a 12V incandesent test light instead. It should NOT glow when placed across the open circuit, with the bike ignition OFF. If it does, there IS something pulling current when the bike is off.

 

BUT: I dont think that is the problem anyway. Cruise works fine, bike starts OK...but radio is intermittent. I suspect the radio is having issues...not the entire bike. It could simply be a heat problem...or a loose connector...possibly in the fairing.

 

When it acts up, turn the radio completely off for 15 minutes or so, while you continue riding, and then turn it back on, and see if it resumes working correctly or not.

 

There are lots of other guys on here that may have ideas...I hope they chime in for this one.

 

 

 

[Marcarl]

Instead of checking for voltage from the post to the cable, check for amperage, that can tell you if you have a major draw.

Like tx2sturgies said, you most likely have a radio issue. Check the buttons on the radio, take that apart and clean them and see what happens.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I checked the OP's profile - listed as a 1992 Venture

 

Can a moderator move this to 1st Gen section?

 

 

 

 

See what I got for 'assuming'?

[djh3]

On a jump start guess I would still go with the radio being the issue. Maybe the ground for it.

[Huggy]

I'm saying that there an issue with the radio since that is the only thing that is acting up. Everything else sounds like it is operating normally from what I'm reading and if you had a short of any kind you would be having more then radio problems.

 

[utadventure]

Without knowing exactly where you're attaching the leads when testing, I would guess you don't have a major electrical issue, just an issue with the radio.

 

I would suspect a couple of things on the 1st Gen with the radio.

 

1 - power - the old glass type fuses on this bikes have an issue where the holder (not the fuse) can lose it's connection and cause the power to cut in and out. The holders have been known to actually break off. Upgrade the fuse holder if you can.

 

2 - radio connector - this is a likely culprit to your issue. The radio sits down into a connector. As the 1st gens get older the plastic the receiving connector is mounted on can start to flex or sag. This can cause the connection to not be complete and to disconnect, especially while riding down the road or over bumps. You can look into shimming the connector up a little bit and see if the issues go away.

 

Good Luck!!

 

Dave

[Condor]

So far everyone's quoting 13.4vdc when charging over 2000 rpm, and one even says 3000. You should be getting a 14.2-3vdc reading over 2000, and . If not it sounds like the stator to me???.... IMHO. The 12.8 at rest is OK, so the batt sound like it's good. Also the amp test will determine what kind of load you're getting, but if the batt isn't getting killed over night, as it's already been suggested, it's just a maintenence draw.

[easy-rogere]

the 1992 was my old bike I now have a 1999 and that is why I posted in the 2nd generation site.

 

The radio will not turn off nor the CB as I tried to do that which of course to me suggust a radio problem again.

 

I will do an amp test. I agree with Condor that the voltage is low and that is why we started all this when the radio acted like it had a mind of its own like being vol off and became very loud all by itself and would not answer to controls.

 

The guy I bought the bike from said he put in a new high output 80 amp stator and that was tested at three white wires by the battery and seems to be ok. It has a new R/R as well. The idea of a short or bad ground was the next investigation and that is ongoing.

 

I do appreciate all the help and ideas, You guys are great on this list. My bad for posting on the second gen. list without stating it was a 1999 but assumed lol that by posting on that list was enough to inform of the nature of the bike but I should of said the year sorry about that.

 

Thanks Again I will post if we find the Ghost.

Roger

[Yammer Dan]

I checked the OP's profile - listed as a 1992 Venture

 

Can a moderator move this to 1st Gen section?

 

 

WHY?? You don't like us??

 

 

Time to pull audio system and clean connections. Everything else is fine. Might check into some new friends :rotfl:Just kidding!! Let us Know if cleaning connections cures radio. I think rest is ok if it starts and goes without battery failing.