Strange Low Voltage Problem
#1
07-27-2016, 09:09 AM
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Strange Low Voltage Problem
I have an '06 Softail Heritage (FLSTi) with about 35,000 miles. Three times on two recent long-distance trips, the battery light and check engine lights came on briefly. When I check the trouble code it is P0562 which is "Battery Voltage Low Carb" or "Battery Voltage Low EFI".
The lights came on in two different situations. The first two times, it was after an hour of hard riding in twisty mountain roads in VA or WV. I came out of the twisties into a long straight downhill stretch and needed to slow down for a minute to wait on my wife who was a bit behind me. I downshifted to 3rd gear and used the engine braking to slow me. This, of course, led to an increase in engine rpm. The battery and check engine light came on. I cleared the troublecodes and this occurred again a couple days later in a similar situation. The third time this happened it was after an hour plus of riding on the interstate at 75 mph. I came to my exit ramp, slowed down, downshifted to 3rd and used engine braking to continue slowing me. The battery and check engine lights came on but went out about 10 seconds later. I checked the code and it was P0562 again. I cleared the code and it has not come back in normal city driving.
I checked the battery terminal connections and they are clean and very tight. I took the battery to a local bike shop where it was load tested and found to be good.
Could anyone offer advice on what to check next? What could be wrong? Could this be a regulator/rectifier problem? Could this be a rotor/stator alternator type problem? I have the standard service manual but not the electrical troubleshooting manual and consider myself to be pretty handy. I do all my own maintenance and years ago even internally wired the bars myself and put on braided stainless lines/cables - just to indicate my reasonable level of proficiency.
Your thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.
G'day,
Vinish
The lights came on in two different situations. The first two times, it was after an hour of hard riding in twisty mountain roads in VA or WV. I came out of the twisties into a long straight downhill stretch and needed to slow down for a minute to wait on my wife who was a bit behind me. I downshifted to 3rd gear and used the engine braking to slow me. This, of course, led to an increase in engine rpm. The battery and check engine light came on. I cleared the troublecodes and this occurred again a couple days later in a similar situation. The third time this happened it was after an hour plus of riding on the interstate at 75 mph. I came to my exit ramp, slowed down, downshifted to 3rd and used engine braking to continue slowing me. The battery and check engine lights came on but went out about 10 seconds later. I checked the code and it was P0562 again. I cleared the code and it has not come back in normal city driving.
I checked the battery terminal connections and they are clean and very tight. I took the battery to a local bike shop where it was load tested and found to be good.
Could anyone offer advice on what to check next? What could be wrong? Could this be a regulator/rectifier problem? Could this be a rotor/stator alternator type problem? I have the standard service manual but not the electrical troubleshooting manual and consider myself to be pretty handy. I do all my own maintenance and years ago even internally wired the bars myself and put on braided stainless lines/cables - just to indicate my reasonable level of proficiency.
Your thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.
G'day,
Vinish
#2
07-27-2016, 02:38 PM
I have an '06 Softail Heritage (FLSTi) with about 35,000 miles. Three times on two recent long-distance trips, the battery light and check engine lights came on briefly. When I check the trouble code it is P0562 which is "Battery Voltage Low Carb" or "Battery Voltage Low EFI".
The lights came on in two different situations. The first two times, it was after an hour of hard riding in twisty mountain roads in VA or WV. I came out of the twisties into a long straight downhill stretch and needed to slow down for a minute to wait on my wife who was a bit behind me. I downshifted to 3rd gear and used the engine braking to slow me. This, of course, led to an increase in engine rpm. The battery and check engine light came on. I cleared the troublecodes and this occurred again a couple days later in a similar situation. The third time this happened it was after an hour plus of riding on the interstate at 75 mph. I came to my exit ramp, slowed down, downshifted to 3rd and used engine braking to continue slowing me. The battery and check engine lights came on but went out about 10 seconds later. I checked the code and it was P0562 again. I cleared the code and it has not come back in normal city driving.
I checked the battery terminal connections and they are clean and very tight. I took the battery to a local bike shop where it was load tested and found to be good.
Could anyone offer advice on what to check next? What could be wrong? Could this be a regulator/rectifier problem? Could this be a rotor/stator alternator type problem? I have the standard service manual but not the electrical troubleshooting manual and consider myself to be pretty handy. I do all my own maintenance and years ago even internally wired the bars myself and put on braided stainless lines/cables - just to indicate my reasonable level of proficiency.
Your thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.
G'day,
Vinish
The lights came on in two different situations. The first two times, it was after an hour of hard riding in twisty mountain roads in VA or WV. I came out of the twisties into a long straight downhill stretch and needed to slow down for a minute to wait on my wife who was a bit behind me. I downshifted to 3rd gear and used the engine braking to slow me. This, of course, led to an increase in engine rpm. The battery and check engine light came on. I cleared the troublecodes and this occurred again a couple days later in a similar situation. The third time this happened it was after an hour plus of riding on the interstate at 75 mph. I came to my exit ramp, slowed down, downshifted to 3rd and used engine braking to continue slowing me. The battery and check engine lights came on but went out about 10 seconds later. I checked the code and it was P0562 again. I cleared the code and it has not come back in normal city driving.
I checked the battery terminal connections and they are clean and very tight. I took the battery to a local bike shop where it was load tested and found to be good.
Could anyone offer advice on what to check next? What could be wrong? Could this be a regulator/rectifier problem? Could this be a rotor/stator alternator type problem? I have the standard service manual but not the electrical troubleshooting manual and consider myself to be pretty handy. I do all my own maintenance and years ago even internally wired the bars myself and put on braided stainless lines/cables - just to indicate my reasonable level of proficiency.
Your thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.
G'day,
Vinish
Intermittent low voltage...suspect the voltage regulator is failing or has a thermal problem. Seems to only happen after hard riding, when everything is hot.
I'd check the stator too, but stator problems don't tend to be intermittent.
#3
07-27-2016, 03:53 PM
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#4
07-28-2016, 06:38 AM
Yes those steps will diagnose a charging problem...but if your voltage regulator fails intermittently you may not see the problem in your testing.
#5
07-28-2016, 07:25 AM
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