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Low Crank Voltage

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Old May 3, 2018 | 10:44 AM
  #1  
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Default Low Crank Voltage

Hey guys and gals. Brand new to the forum.
So I had a battery die, charged it, died again. So I started to trace the charging system with a meter. Got 35v ac from the strator/rotor at idol (check), and got bad diode reading from the r/r. I tested voltage from the tender once the bike was running to see the volts. It was 12.5 v which means it was purely reading the battery and that the battery wasn't getting any juice. I replaced the battery with a Motobatt and the r/r with a Twin Power.

Now the bike charges, the battery sits at 12.65 and climbs to ~14.1 volts running. All good there!

The only thing now... when I start the bike volts drop low (~7) and it s chugs on. If I let it sit for a couple seconds, turn it off and turn it right back on, volts only drop to 10.5 and it cracks instantly.

What else could this be?

BTW the grounds seems good throughout. I could always investigate more.
 
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Old May 3, 2018 | 11:37 AM
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Welcome to the forum.
It might not have any bearing on your post but it might help to say what bike you're having the issues with.
 
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Old May 3, 2018 | 03:40 PM
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2010 Nightster. If the Bike sits for more then 10 min its back to the low voltage chugging crank.
 

Last edited by djvillar; May 3, 2018 at 03:41 PM.
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Old May 3, 2018 | 09:35 PM
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What year bike and battery? Battery should be around 12.7 when not running .

Connections tight? Battery should not drop 10 something just from sitting for a little bit. Should take few months.
 
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Old May 3, 2018 | 10:33 PM
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Bike:
  • 2010 1200cc Nightster
Battery: New (~13v sitting - just checked)
  • MotoBatt MBYZ16HD
  • AH 16.5
  • CCA 240
Regulator: New (14 v constant)
  • Twin Power 498255
Installed the battery and r/r yesterday. The strat and rotar tested good, now the r/r is putting out 14v steady, the battery is holding high 12v sitting and the system is steady at 14v while riding. I tighten everything at the battery and just used some dielectric grease on the terminals... maybe that will help...
 
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Old May 4, 2018 | 10:22 AM
  #6  
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Loose connection
Poor switch or relay contacts
Solenoid contacts
 
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Old May 4, 2018 | 10:30 AM
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Check the starter to battery cable for resistance. It looks like you have too much resistance on the cable from corrosion between the cable and the crimped-on end, acid sulfarization inside the cable, or brittleness on the cable. Replacing the cable with a lower gauge (thicker) cable should help.
 
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Old May 5, 2018 | 12:15 AM
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I'll check that out tomorrow first thing. Thx
 
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Old May 5, 2018 | 01:18 PM
  #9  
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  • 1- Battery Terminals - The positive terminals are all rusted. I didn't check yet as to whether the rust stops at the terminal or has gone down to the wire.
  • 2- Power from Battery. The boot isn't completely on... got to check for rust there.
  • 3- I'm guessing this is another power line... am I right?
  • 4- Primary Cover Ground - corroded as hell. Need to trace it to see where it goes. Could/Would this effect the starter turning over?
  • 5- ? Is this the signal from the switch?
Is the starter grounded via a cable or through the body of the starter to the engine/frame?




 
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Old May 5, 2018 | 01:33 PM
  #10  
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Any rust or corrosion is gonna suck up energy in the form of heat..........clean/replace any corroded wires......if you cant clean it all, replace it all,
BOTH ground and hot wires!!
 
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