Electrical/Charging issue
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Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Tallahassee
Electrical/Charging issue
I have a 2006 Street Bob with less than 7k miles. At my 5k service I replaced the battery. About 18 months later (a month ago) the engine check light and battery light came on at the same time. Brought it in and the dealer replaced the voltage regulator. Now sometimes when I start it I get a clicking sound from the starter (as if the battery were dead) though it has so far always started after a couple of tries. After a trickle charge and let to rest for a few hours the voltage is 12.55v. At idle it is 14.2v. The battery is only 18 months old and has about 2k miles on it. Is the battery bad, perhaps because of the faulty regulator? Or could it be the stator or some other part?
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Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Tallahassee
Thanks Jeff - Here some battery readings I just took:
At rest overnight - 12.49v
Key on - 11.9v
Key off after turning it on - 12.0v gradually increasing to 12.4v
During starting - 9.6v
Engine running - 14.25v
At rest overnight - 12.49v
Key on - 11.9v
Key off after turning it on - 12.0v gradually increasing to 12.4v
During starting - 9.6v
Engine running - 14.25v
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Joined: Jan 2007
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From: along the shore of Mishigami
According to my service manual on my 02 and the owners manual on my other bikes the full (100%) charge is 12.8 volts. The voltage regulator needs to grounded, maybe the dealer did this. Also did the dealer do a diagnostic on your charging system? Another real easy way to tell if your stator cooked itself is to remove your derby cover and do the sniff test, burn't smell is bad. Otherwise you'll have to do the electrical test in the DIY forum.
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 583
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From: australia
mate on those stated figures your battery is stuffed , key 0n 12.80 roughly, engine running 14.25 yep about right, charging system all good, ive seen batterys show good volts but fail a drop test
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Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Tallahassee
According to my service manual on my 02 and the owners manual on my other bikes the full (100%) charge is 12.8 volts. The voltage regulator needs to grounded, maybe the dealer did this. Also did the dealer do a diagnostic on your charging system? Another real easy way to tell if your stator cooked itself is to remove your derby cover and do the sniff test, burn't smell is bad. Otherwise you'll have to do the electrical test in the DIY forum.
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Joined: Oct 2012
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From: Tallahassee
mate on those stated figures your battery is stuffed , key 0n 12.80 roughly, engine running 14.25 yep about right, charging system all good, ive seen batterys show good volts but fail a drop test
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Road Master
Joined: Jan 2010
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From: Millsboro Delaware
It sounds like the charging system is working fine if you are getting 14+ volts while the bike is running. Charge the battery up over night and take it to an auto parts store and have it load tested. You most likely have a bad battery and the load test will tell you for sure.
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Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Texas
Your voltage readings are good except the cold cranking volts could be a little higher...a starter that is drawing too much current during the start cycle will cause this same scenario...
If you have a quality battery, it should be able to deliver after only 18 months old unless you are not riding it enough to keep things charged and working smoothly...putting it on a trickle charge for months on end and then riding a few hours is not the best scenario.
If you have a quality battery, it should be able to deliver after only 18 months old unless you are not riding it enough to keep things charged and working smoothly...putting it on a trickle charge for months on end and then riding a few hours is not the best scenario.