something draining the battery. Powerless

[gallardo]

Hi everyone,

Just wonder if anyone may have an idea. Love the bike to pieces when is running but when it's not and it's not run for a few days, fails to start, and therefore I hate the bitch! Bought my M900 2000 off Ray @ Rossocorse and just picked it up again from the garage last Saturday. Ray reckons that it's just temperamental, and it's always been like that and he had to hard start it, but this is b*****s and must be a reason for it.
When riding it this morning just cut off and was difficult to start it up again. Turn the lights off and managed to start it. Bough a battery charger off RC but only good if I am at home (still a pain though). So powerful when is running and powerless till it kicks off. Unreliable though and wouldn't want to be riding it like this. Anyone's had a similar problem or know what it may be causing it? She may just want to be taken and left in Spain, which I am considering..

Gracias amigos!

[Nickj]

Cut out when riding but the lights stayed on, wouldn't start with lights on but would with lights off.
The cutting out means you lost either fuel or more likely sparks, both of which could easily be electrical problems. The fact the lights were OK, I'll assume nice and bright but dimming spectacularly when you try to crank the engine over points a bit towards not enough volts available.
Whats the 'normal' battery voltage? and what happens to this when the engines running and charging?

I'd be checking the wiring to the igntion system and all the earth points and connectors

[gallardo]

Hi Nick,

thanks for your reply. Shows 12Volt when charging. Haven't tried with the engine running. Just got out of Rossocorse, so all wiring it's been checked. They reckoned the alarm could be causing it? But don't want to be without it. Two nicked bikes already. That's London for us..

[Nickj]

It ought to be well above 12.5V to start with, closer to 13 if the battery is in good shape and well charged. If you have one at 12V then it is well knackered

An alarm shouldn't be pulling more than a few milli amps, it's basically not doing anything even when armed.
So somethings not right:
Battery might be buggered
Regulator rectifier sick
alarm not installed properly or wrong type.

[neilbaldry]

i'd reccomend getting a voltmeter and checking everything!

[desmo]

Check the battery voltage with engine off, should be 12.5 / 13 volts.
Now check with engine running & rev it, battery voltage should be between 12.5 / 14.5 volts depending on the state of the battery.

Any less than 12.5 volts with engine off = suspect battery
Any less than 12.5 / 14.5 volts when running = not charging

Next, disconnect the battery pos lead & connect a amp meter in series between the disconnected pos lead & the battery pos terminal (bike not running) amps should be zero.
If it is drawing amps pull out 1 fuse at a time to find out what circuit is causing the drain on the battery.

[gallardo]

Battery is brand new, so should be ok. Ok, thanks, will give it a go over the weekend and let you know..