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Mand
02-10-2005, 08:34 PM
I have a problem can anybody help?

I use my bike almost daily except for when I went away on my holidays. I didn't use it for nearly two weeks and didn't disconnect my battery, didn't think it was necessary. Anyway, I had trouble starting the bike. It was like the battery was weak. I rode off to work which is about 7 miles and I'm lucky if I get out of third gear, (traffic etc.). Not sure if this is relevant but thought I would mention it.

When I came out of work, my bike wouldn't start, I had to get a push start. It still didn't start but it turned over when I used the ignition. I got it home and put the optimate and it has been fine since.

Anyhow, I rode to Skeg (nearly 100 miles) thinking it may charge up the battery and got on it to go home, I had to get it push started again, it just pumped life into the bike and I started it again with the ignition.

Can anybody give me some advice? Do you think I need a new battery or do you think I may have some sort of electrical fault?

Cheers
Mand

Scotty
02-10-2005, 08:37 PM
put a multimeter over the battery terminals with the engine running to see if its getting charged, it should read over 13 volts if its charging with the engine running.

if this is the case then i guess the battery is just tired and needs replacing

otherwise its even worserer :eek:

Pugi
02-10-2005, 08:39 PM
Not sure...but it sounds like it's having problem charging the battery. I'd have a look at the cables between generator and battery.

Mand
02-10-2005, 08:45 PM
It's dead weird. I stopped mid way on the journey back from Skeg to home and it started up just fine.

Will do the multimeter thingy when I get home tomorrow night, as a matter of interest, why could it be worserer? Are we talking loads of ££££?

logyk
02-10-2005, 08:51 PM
Whip your battery off and get it tested ..........if it is more than two years old it may be on its way out .

Scotty
02-10-2005, 08:52 PM
oooh the horrable things that could break to make it as you say ££££

errm the 'classic' problem is the rectifier/regulator thing or specifically the wires going to it (yellow i think) apparently there only just up to the job, have a look at the connectors on the box o tricks (that does electric stuff) (errm under the head stock ?) they shouldn't be melted (suprisingly)

Scotty
02-10-2005, 08:54 PM
http://www.ducati-john.co.uk/ducati-points.htm

Mand
02-10-2005, 08:57 PM
Thanks all for your help.

Like you say, the battery may have had its day. It just seemed a bit strange how unpredictable it is. I just assumed it would be fine after a long run.

Mand (who has little knowledge of all things electrical).

Julie
02-10-2005, 09:09 PM
Do you still have that spare battery moo?

Mand
02-10-2005, 09:11 PM
Nope, it is the spare that is on the bike, it has been on the bike for about two years.

Just been talking to Al (he is not watching the box now!) about it and he is going to have a play around with it tomorrow.

Looks like I'm going to work on the doctor tomorrow. Yeee haaa!

crust
02-10-2005, 09:52 PM
If its a fillable battery with distilled water/acid in it

take it to a car workshop and ask if they have a deep cycling battery charger that can handle bike batteries.

Blokey up the road from me took a couple of old batteries of mine that I thought were knackered and completely revived them.

Only cost a few beers :cool:

:) Crust

Fred
02-10-2005, 10:05 PM
I've got a brand new battery never been used, although I've put the acid in it. Bought it for my M750 then sold the bike.
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/7003/dscn06609eq.th.jpg (http://img178.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscn06609eq.jpg)

Fred

claicerrig
03-10-2005, 12:49 AM
http://www.knightbatteries.com/home.cfm

Try this Guy Mand .He really knows his batteries :D


I had loads of problems on my S4 it killed 3 bateries in 2 yrs i put an oddessy one instead and it has bee trouble free since .it feels a hell of a lot more powerfull turning it over

The Kevlar Kid
03-10-2005, 10:46 AM
Check the battery terminals are correctly done up before you buy anything. If these are loose they can give the sort of intermittent problem your experiencing. You may find just by tightening them your probs are solved.

If that doesn't work, sounds like the battery has had it and is not holding charge properly. That's why it will still start after a short 20min coffee stop, but not a longer 4hour odd day out.

If it wasn't charging properly, you'd more than likely have had running problems on the way home, or it would have died completely.

stuartg
03-10-2005, 12:29 PM
Had a similar problem last week and needed to replace rectifier and battery, very expensive. Sounds like a battery fault though. My bike wa running fine for approx 20 miles with lights on as usual when it started to run rough. When I stopped and tried to start the bike the battery was dead so push started ok. Rode it home fine with lights off. Basically the rectifier had cooked the battery (battery was a cheapie). My only advice Mand would be if the battery needs replacing dont buy a cheap one. Get a Yuasa or similar. Good luck.

Mand
03-10-2005, 01:46 PM
Cheers everybody for your suggestions.

It has started up no problems for my trip to work and she is running fine.
Whether I manage to get home will be another story......

We are going to have a good look at it tonight and get it sorted.

Thanks again. :)

bod
03-10-2005, 08:18 PM
Sounds like battery, if left for a decent period the battery becomes sulphated(eg the plates inside the battery get smoothered by other stuff floating around in there and not electrolyte as it should be).

Sometimes a good run isn't enough ..either take battery off and give a GENTLE tap upside down for a while or another trick is give it a quick boost chage to remove debris from the plates.

OR buy a new battery!

Mand
03-10-2005, 08:25 PM
Sounds like battery, if left for a decent period the battery becomes sulphated(eg the plates inside the battery get smoothered by other stuff floating around in there and not electrolyte as it should be).

Sometimes a good run isn't enough ..either take battery off and give a GENTLE tap upside down for a while or another trick is give it a quick boost chage to remove debris from the plates.

OR buy a new battery!


It is so strange though because I use the bike most days, the longest it has stood was when I went on holiday a couple of weeks ago and then I only left it for about 10 days! Tsk!

The Kevlar Kid
06-10-2005, 02:58 PM
All sorted?????

Mand
06-10-2005, 03:04 PM
All sorted?????


Not yet, it will be sorted at the weekend. It has been a hectic week. Work unfortunately gets in the way of my social life.