Electric character

[vstevens]

Been maybe 3 times that I turned the key to start the bike maybe a bit too quick.  My V7 goes "dark", won't start, no power to anything... Like a dead battery. After maybe a two minute wait, turn the key and it starts up line nothing happened. This is supposed to happen... Yes?

[oldbike54]

 Well , I am certainly not an expert regarding modern small blocks , but to answer your question



                                                                          NO NO NO NO NO NO NO 

 What type of battery ?

[Penderic]

Sounds like the battery would fail a proper "load test".

[Sasquatch Jim]

  It's totally wasted.  Just send the bike to me and I will dispose of it for free.

[tris]

If your V7 is like my "new to me"  05 Breva it needs a moment to wake its brain up before starting - the clocks do their physical jerks and the dash lights all light up

May be if you press the start button too quick it gets confused 

[vstevens]

thanks for the replies.  just started the bike Sunday morning.  I let the needles sweep across the clock faces and return to rest.  Started up easy.  later today i'll try to start it before the needles complete their sweep and see what happens.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Before you replace the battery remove the leads and give the posts a good scrape and apply some Vaseline.
This will ensure you always have a good connection.

Measuring the battery Voltage while cranking is a good load test.

[yogidozer]

Before you replace the battery remove the leads and give the posts a good scrape and apply some Vaseline.
This will ensure you always have a good connection.

Measuring the battery Voltage while cranking is a good load test.

Good advice, check the easy, inexpensive, and most likely things first

[jackson]

thanks for the replies.  just started the bike Sunday morning.  I let the needles sweep across the clock faces and return to rest.  Started up easy.  later today i'll try to start it before the needles complete their sweep and see what happens.

You should always do it this way.  Let the needles sweep and return to rest; wait another couple of seconds and then start the bike.  If you don't do this with most modern bikes, the electronics can easily get discombobulated.

[ajwood]

I don't have to wait to start my '15 V7S . As a matter of fact, I can hold down the starter button, turn the key and it sequence-starts itself every time.
If I had the above problem, I'd check battery connections.
If it had at first lit the panel, then went dark on crank, the battery voltage would have been next.

[vstevens]

Before you replace the battery remove the leads and give the posts a good scrape and apply some Vaseline.
This will ensure you always have a good connection.

Measuring the battery Voltage while cranking is a good load test.

This weekend, I'll check voltage and connections.  Couple questions:

What role does the Vaseline play in creating a connection? 

What sort of voltage meter to get?  Must be intuitive and easy to read and use, not too many bells and whistles and not too pricey. 

What values/ voltages am I looking for? 

Should I check battery not running, bike running, or both?

Do I hook up the meter directly to the battery or somewhere else?

That's a lot, but I have lots of questions and am willing to learn how to best take care of my V7... a fantastical bike.

 

[oldbike54]

This weekend, I'll check voltage and connections.  Couple questions:

What role does the Vaseline play in creating a connection?  Protects from corrosion

What sort of voltage meter to get?  Must be intuitive and easy to read and use, not too many bells and whistles and not too pricey.  Anymore I like those inexpensive digital meters

What values/ voltages am I looking for?  13.5 +- at the battery Voltage will drop when load testing to about 12 volts .

Should I check battery not running, bike running, or both? Check it running for charging , starter engaged for load testing .

Do I hook up the meter directly to the battery or somewhere else?

That's a lot, but I have lots of questions and am willing to learn how to best take care of my V7... a fantastical bike.

 

  Dusty

[Kev m]

What role does the Vaseline play in creating a connection? 

What sort of voltage meter to get?  Must be intuitive and easy to read and use, not too many bells and whistles and not too pricey. 

What values/ voltages am I looking for? 

Should I check battery not running, bike running, or both?

Do I hook up the meter directly to the battery or somewhere else?

Vaseline doesn't make electrical connections, but it seals the connection that is made by the terminals and helps prevent atmospheric corrosion from developing between the two which will degrade the connection over time as it forms.

Any cheap little pocket meter is fine. RadioShack used to sell a great little cheap DVOM that could slide in a shirt pocket.

Check battery voltage first bike OFF - a 12-volt DC automotive/cycle battery should have about 2.something volts per cell, and since they are 6 cell batteries that means you wind up with at least 12.6-12.7 volts at rest. If it's much lower (like anything < 12) you need to charge it and load test it (take it to an autoparts chain store, they'll usually be able to load test it for free if you've just charged it before you take it).

Once the bike is running you should see something in the the 13-14 volt range depending on the engine speed and load on the bike.

Anything below 12 and the charging system isn't doing the task.

Anything above low 14's and you're risking overcharging (checking regulator connections and grounds).

Test right at the battery terminals.

CARP - Dusty beat me.

[oldbike54]

 Do I win a cookie Kev ?  Not a competition , just kinda tickled I actually knew something 

  Dusty

[Kev m]

Do I win a cookie Kev ?  Not a competition , just kinda tickled I actually knew something 

  Dusty

No cookie for you 

 

[vstevens]

No cookie for you 

 

Thanks KevM and Dusty.  Good instructions.  Cookies are on me.

[Kiwi_Roy]

As Kev M says the Vaseline seals the joint it's Oxygen that effects the battery terminals, the lead turns to lead oxide which just happens to be a perfect insulator. One application of Vaseline will protect the connection even after the battery has been in and out several times. If you don't have a tube of Vaseline handy any grease will do, just a bit messier.

To see the effect of lead oxide try just touching your meter leads on the battery post, likely you won't get a reading until you jab the probes through the oxide layer.

Even a $10 digital meter will be quite accurate, I usually buy one if it looks like it will take a bit of abuse, one with a 10 Amp scale can be handy

I think over 10 Volts while cranking is reasonable, what say you Kev?

[canuguzzi]

For a voltage meter try one of those battery tender plugs that have the voltage readout. If you have a battery tender connection wired to the battery, that makes checking super easy. If not, it is well worthwhile to get one.

[ajwood]

I suggest that until your bike is starting reliably, don't apply Vaseline yet. It can make things messy. First, burnish the battery terminals along with the lugs that screw onto them only if they're fuzzy dirty or visibly oxidized. As long as the lugs are torqued onto the terminals then you can move on.
The battery lugs should be checked for loose and corroded crimps, where wire connects to a lug. Are all strands of cable wire visibly intact or are some broken ?
If you encounter a loose cable to crimp connection, remove any plastic at the lug then solder them with rosin core solder only (no acid core plumbing solder ever). Use a small butane torch.
Try not to get any solder flowing onto the surface area where the lug makes contact with battery terminal (solder is so soft, torque needs re-do after 1st or 2nd ride).

If you're able to crank and start, check ignition switch. Is contact being made outside of detent but lost when key moved to On hold area? Has ignition switch or cable plug been water logged?

[threebrits]

Been maybe 3 times that I turned the key to start the bike maybe a bit too quick.  My V7 goes "dark", won't start, no power to anything... Like a dead battery. After maybe a two minute wait, turn the key and it starts up line nothing happened. This is supposed to happen... Yes?

Mine did this for a while.  Try this the next time you flip the key and get nothing.  Instead of turning if off, just nudge key back a bit (twist not pull).  See if you get a connection and the controls light up. 

Do this before you screw around with the battery, Vaseline or meters.

[vstevens]

Found an old multimeter in the bottom of a toolbox.  Replaced the AA battery in the thing and connected it to my V7 battery terminals.

Cold engine not running voltage reads 12.5 +\- .2 or so.

Warm engine running (only running a few minutes) voltage reads 15

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engine not running voltage reads 14 give or take .1

I took pictures and will post them later. 

Are these values OK or indicative of something else?

KevM - I'll check the voltage regulator next..  once I find it.

[ajwood]

Your readings appear to show normal battery voltage and normal rise voltage from charging .

If your starter had worked but slowed down to a stop that would have been a battery issue but to have your bike to go from completely dead to starting and running normally
in a short time span, the battery is less and less on the list of suspects.

I would go further down the line and check the ignition switch and fuse block the next time it plays dead.

[vstevens]

Hmmm.  Battery seems OK.  And the V7 ran like a charm for several hours yesterday.  I wonder if something under the seat could be involved.  The only tone the bike died while running was on a freeway with several dips and bumps.  Just a thought.

[jackson]

Hmmm.  Battery seems OK.  And the V7 ran like a charm for several hours yesterday.  I wonder if something under the seat could be involved.  The only tone the bike died while running was on a freeway with several dips and bumps.  Just a thought.

Check your sidestand cutoff switch.  If you have a center stand, put the bike on it,start the engine and put the bike in gear and slightly move the sidestand to see if it makes the engine sputter.  Past versions of the V7 (Breva and Classic) have been known to have this problem (it happened to my Breva 750).