Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: kballowe on April 20, 2020, 11:29:55 AM
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Less than 2-month-old V9 Bobber.
YUASA YTX14-BS 200 CCA. Battery static charge 12.7V and 13.1V riding.
Battery shows full charge and good load test on two different test sets.
Bike stored in walkout basement with ambient air temperature of 65 degrees.
Problem: Bike sorta turns over, then click click click click.
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I recently owned a V9 Roamer and if it was left for a week or ten days, it would do the same thing. It worked OK with a 100 percent charge, nothing less.
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I'm thinking that it needs a hotter battery. This same size is available in 220 and in 240 CCA.
What do you think ?
(https://i.ibb.co/Lx7cSK2/YTX14-BS.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Lx7cSK2)
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I had an issue with my V7III and the dealer disconnected and reconnected all the battery wire connections, as well as checked the entire system, and it has been good ever since. I do keep it on a maintainer when not riding it.
Shouldn't it be closer to 14 volts when riding?
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The battery should have plenty to turn it over. I would check all battery connections, especially the negative to frame first. Make sure the negative cable frame connection is free from paint and snug.
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Oh, so I got it started (with the assistance of a 4amp charger) and put 45 miles on it.
Let it set 20 minutes, and then tested it again.
It showed full charge, 12.7 volts, good load test.
So, charging system appears to be keeping up.
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I just went through this with our V7III AND my V7 Stone.
I figured the Stone battery was 6 years old and for some part of the first almost 3 years it was overcharging. So it didn't owe me anything.
The V7III battery is only a little over a year old, well, since WE bought it as a new leftover last winter. But I have no idea if it was charged and put into service properly.
Both of mine were on a rotating 5A tender for parts of the winter, but a few weeks ago they BOTH went. Chugga Chugga Chugga ... click ehhh click ehhhh click ehhh. I tried charging the V7III for two more days but it did it again.
I said screw it and bought a couple of BIG CRANKS.... as recommended by Charlie Mul. Instantly went Chugga VROOOOM put put put put put put put put put put put like I like.
It is a 220 CCA bat
https://www.batterymart.com/p-Big-Crank-ETX14-Battery.html
EDIT - I'm not saying not to check connections and all that, it's never a bad idea. But I've heard of more than a couple late-model Guzzi Yuasa's going udders skyward.
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For better/longer battery life...…. One should charge their motorcycle batteries with a 2 amp charger or less....preferably 1.5 amps. The Kid
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For better/longer battery life...…. One should charge their motorcycle batteries with a 2 amp charger or less....preferably 1.5 amps. The Kid
How do you do that while riding?
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Less than 2-month-old V9 Bobber.
YUASA YTX14-BS 200 CCA. Battery static charge 12.7V and 13.1V riding.
Battery shows full charge and good load test on two different test sets.
Bike stored in walkout basement with ambient air temperature of 65 degrees.
Problem: Bike sorta turns over, then click click click click.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I recently owned a V9 Roamer and if it was left for a week or ten days, it would do the same thing. It worked OK with a 100 percent charge, nothing less.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I'm thinking that it needs a hotter battery. This same size is available in 220 and in 240 CCA.
What do you think ?
(https://i.ibb.co/Lx7cSK2/YTX14-BS.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Lx7cSK2)
I have a 20 AH battery in my Griso on the recommendation of Pete Roper.
Perhaps this one wasn't put into service properly.
To be sure its the battery take your multimeter and jab the leads into the terminals (not the lugs)
Its should hold at least 9 Volts while cranking, anything less and it's probably time for a new one.
If its 9V or over and not cranking must be a bad connection.
I don't think this is a Startus Interrupts issue but I've been wrong before.
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I think it's better than a red triangle.
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Yes, Sir !
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So, maybe the original battery is enough - and this particular battery is simply a bit wonky. Maybe it's something else. Went over all of the wiring and grounds and such and have the same issue.
So, ordered the YTX14H-BS battery yesterday. 240 cold cranking amps .vs the 200 CCA of the original.
:bike-037:
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If it comes without the electrolyte added after filling leave it overnight before charging it.
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I had the same thing happen to me with my Bobber. After numerous phone call to Moto Guzzi customer service they told me that there was a re map code for the ECU that would solve the problem. When I brought my Bobber to Hamlin’s for service he re mapped it. After re mapping I didn’t have the problem. As a matter of fact the bike ran even better. But when I’m not riding I keep it on a charger. My own opinion is that the red flashing light that flashes for three days after a ride draws current. Plus I believe that the immobilizer also draws current running down the battery.
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If it comes without the electrolyte added after filling leave it overnight before charging it.
Filled it at 6pm and put the charger on it this morning at 6am. :clock:
The charger showed a full charge, but after ten minutes, it's charging at approx one amp
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Filled it at 6pm and put the charger on it this morning at 6am. :clock:
The charger showed a full charge, but after ten minutes, it's charging at approx one amp
Should be good to go now then, I'm not sure what the waiting does apart from letting any air bubbles rise to the top. Yuasa say to leave the battery 1 - 2 hours but waiting longer can't hurt.
Actually I think it may have been Pete Roper that said overnight, he must do a lot more batteries than most.
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I assumed the waiting was for air bubbles and/or electrolyte absorbtion, but I can't say.
When I did the Duc battery last year I simply followed the instructions so I only let it sit a couple of hours but I left it in the charger overnight.
I don't know what the charge and float logic are on the tenders but I felt it was better not to load it too soon.
The Big Cranks I installed in the V7s last month came activated, but I still put them each on a tender for a day or so before starting either bike. Can't see why they would hurt.
Most of it is probably much ado anyway.
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I bought a new Interstate battery for my Cali , the instructions recommend after adding acid to the battery wait at least 6 hours (the more the better) doing this will fully allow the glass mat to absorb the acid , before charging
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Filled it at 6pm and put the charger on it this morning at 6am. :clock:
The charger showed a full charge, but after ten minutes, it's charging at approx one amp
What did you have to remove to pull the battery? As my bike is form the same lot as yours this may be in my future. I dont know if the batteries came charged on not. Kind of one of the things that goes with buying a left over model. Its a new machine but its been sitting a long time.Not a bid deal and an easy fix.
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What did you have to remove to pull the battery?
Three hex fasteners to remove right side cover.
Facing battery, look at top, center - in toward frame. There's a plastic retainer with two phillips screws. Remove the retainer and the battery and case slides right out.
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Three hex fasteners to remove right side cover.
Facing battery, look at top, center - in toward frame. There's a plastic retainer with two phillips screws. Remove the retainer and the battery and case slides right out.
Thank you Sir!
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So, ordered the YTX14H-BS battery yesterday. 240 cold cranking amps .vs the 200 CCA of the original.
:bike-037:
UPDATE:
Two months later. No issues.
Also, engine cranks much faster.
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UPDATE:
Two months later. No issues.
Also, engine cranks much faster.Bu
Thanks for the update. I am still getting by with the OEM battery in my "Enzo Special" Bobber with 23K miles on. But when the time comes I know what I will do. :thumb:
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The battery on my one year old 2017 13,000km V7 quit a week ago, after a 20 mile spin on the motorway it would not restart the bike but started easily with a push.
Stopped again and it wouldn't restart by pushing or a boost. After sitting for an hour it reluctantly started so I made a beeline for the dealer about 3 miles away for them to sort out.
Oh, did I mention it caught on fire? Flames coming out from under both mufflers just before I got to the dealer, major discolouration of both mufflers.
When I say one year old it came out of the crate in April 2019 The pre delivery certificate says V7 III Special Azzurro MY17, is that the date of manufacture May 2017?
There is another Italian document "Check List Imballo Veicolo" dated 12 GIU 2017 it says Equipment to be included Battery, Mirrors and something Terghetta "CCC" (solo version Cina)"
Against the battery for dealer to check, I quote, "Battery level and charge (at least 10 hours of controlled current charge)" has been checked
What was the status of the battery after 2 years in the crate, who knows. but it doesn't say that it was installed by the dealer so I assume it was in the crate all that time.
What do you think my chances of getting another battery under the 2 year warranty I asked them to sort out the charging under warranty and explain the flames from under the mufflers.
I assume the fire was caused by unburnt fuel in the catalytic converters but I can't figure out why 6" flames were coming out mid way along the mufflers, is there some thing flammable under the trim?
The battery has always seemed weak, I must have push started the bike at least 20 times but I put that down to running heated gear however this latest episode was without any additional load so I can't explain it away.
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I have always heard that batteries are considered consumables and never warrantied, but we can always hope.
Now this fire business, what the hell???
Sarah
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I have been told, have not confirmed but it makes sense that leaving the computer chipped key in a sitting bike will help drain the battery. Just a thought.
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Look at my post back in April. IMHO there is more to this than just old weak batteries.
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Just reading through the thread again
So you upgraded from YTX14 BS (200 CCA) to YTX14H BS (240 CCA)
Same case size but 40 more amps :thumb:
I wonder if the same battery would fit in the V7 III
Never mind I see the Yuasa site recommends it for the V7 III
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Expect to hear from the dealer soon, Roy?
Sarah
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Expect to hear from the dealer soon, Roy?
Sarah
I'm not holding my breathe Sarah, haven't heard a peep and its a week tomorrow.
I have a feeling they may have a staffing problem, I heard they lost one of their best mechanics the other day.
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I hate that you've been hung up for a week. How concerned are you about the flames? Just a matter of unburnt fuel? I wish we'd heard more comment on that. I hope I am wrong, but I don't expect the dealership to do a thing for you battery-wise.
Sarah
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I have always heard that batteries are considered consumables and never warrantied, but we can always hope.
Now this fire business, what the hell???
Sarah
My Royal Enfield dealer replaced my Himalayan's 2 month old battery under warranty with a better brand battery. A two year old leftover bike should have gotten a new fresh battery when sold. Some dealers really make me shake my head.
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In the US batteries are often warrantied for a certain time frame but it depends on the OEM. Aftermarket batteries are often prorated and percentage of life left credited toward a replacement.
That said I don't think I ever recall personally pursuing one and didn't bother when Jenn's V7III battery failed recently.
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For car batteries we have Canadian Tire, they have no problem honouring their warranty, they give you a percentage .
If you put the receipt underneath the battery when you install it you find it when you take the old one in for replacement.
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Might want to look at Battery Mart YTZ14S-BS $$66.00 230cca
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Going through the same crap with my III. Came home from a trip with oxford heated grips on and the green light saying not enough juice flashing. I checked and. Batt was at 12.7 but max charge at 4000 was 13.0-13.1 not enough. Fully charged battery and stArted several times. Still only 13 volts at 4000. Tried to remove regulator and wire connections are buried and can't be gotten to with tank removed like the 2015. Looks like the only way is to heat gun the plastic cover in the front and bend it down to get to the conndctors. I ordered a new regulator from Cadre but it's taking time. After fiddling to get the wire connections out it now is charging 14.1. Mosfit didn't show one but said if i send a pic the might be able to match it. It has 7 wires. I should have done this.
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Hmmm this is beginning to sound like an RE forum -- battery and charging problems plus get a voltmeter. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Vagrant -- two years ago at GTM you said overcharging regulators weren't an issue for V7 IIIs so what happened with your undercharging? The wire connection fiddling is concerning. Water intrusion issues? Undersized wiring issues? And could you provide some details on your Mosfit conversation (did you mean Roadstercycle Mosfet?). Are you going to get his LED battery monitor? As an oldster I'm going to need those heated grips and heated vest on my V7 III.
PS that sucks on the regulator cover but thanks for the heads-up.
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I picked up my V7III today, the service manager said a backfire had blown the throttle body connections apart, no wonder it was running weirdly. He said they will backfire with a low battery
I told him I wanted a larger capacity battery Yuasa YTX14H-BS 240 CCA, to my surprise he agreed.
The flames coming out of the middle of the mufflers was some sort of cloth sandwiched between the muffler and the trim, I will take the trim off and try to get a picture.
He had no explanation for the battery going flat in the first place, neither do I but I ordered a Voltmeter so at least I will be able to keep an eye on it in the future instead of the sudden surprise when it won't re-start.
I must say I was pleased with the way the Service Manager at International Motorsports treated me, he went to great lengths to talk to Piaggio on my behalf.
It sure is nice to have my baby back home.
The next day I pulled the trim of the catalytic converter to see what was burning up
(https://i.ibb.co/RpZkDv2/DSCN0251.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pvGBL02)
It seems it was the aluminium foil that was burning, the crinkled part has no body left.
It might have been the glue used to stick the foil in place.
(https://i.ibb.co/VMvr2Cq/DSCN0253.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gtDHzWR)
Thank goodness it didn't end up like this poor Racer at my tire shop.
(https://i.ibb.co/JRF7pqB/DSCN0255.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0jVM9KD)
Yes, Sir !
So, maybe the original battery is enough - and this particular battery is simply a bit wonky. Maybe it's something else. Went over all of the wiring and grounds and such and have the same issue.
So, ordered the YTX14H-BS battery yesterday. 240 cold cranking amps .vs the 200 CCA of the original.
:bike-037:
Thanks for the recommendation, why wouldn't you go for this battery for a V9 or V7?
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Good!! Thank you for the follow up. I am happy to have been wrong about the battery, and relieved to hear the flames were nothing serious. That must have been a humdinger backfire.
Sarah
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Sarah, there are thousands of owners of V7s out there who have never had problems with their batteries. I have never seen a schematic for a V9 so I just have to assume they are similar to the V7.
So why are the posters on this thread having problems, KBallowe, Kev M and Vagrant are all knowledgable guys and I like to think I know a thing or two about batteries and electrics.
So what is the difference between us and the rest of the owners, might it be just in the way the battery was put into service?
I know my bike sat for over two years in a crate, the guy who put it in service over here checked a box that said it was charged for 10 hours but really I take that with a grain of salt, he's probably doing half a dozen other bikes at the same time. For sure Luigi never bothered before it went in the crate although I imagine in the factory the batteries are all commissioned before even getting near the bike.
I'm sure some shops take more care than others when commissioning a battery.
The battery in my bike has always seemed weak, leave the heated gear on for 5 minutes without the engine running and for sure I was looking at a push start. Without a Voltmeter it was always a surprise when it went click, click click
I don't pretend to be an expert on AGM batteries but something tells me giving them a good initial charge builds up some stamina instead of just a surface charge, the instructions that came with the replacement battery called for 1.4 Amps for 5 - 10 hours, a battery tender will not do that it was reading well over 14 Volts after 3 so what is all that extra energy doing if not saturating the plates. I'm sure if you just throw a new battery in and ride away its not too late to condition it properly at some other date, perhaps even a decent long ride will do that for you.
So now as of tomorrow I have a brand new battery, I can't blame anyone else for the way it was put in service.
The YTX14H-BS battery also has a couple of extra plates, that additional cranking capacity can't hurt.
The Yuasa batteries are made in USA, I like that over made in China.
I will be installing a Voltmeter as soon as it arrives.
The charging circuit of the V7 looks fairly simple, I haven't pulled mine apart yet but I will do.
http://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzi007/schematics/2013_V7_Series.gif
Excuse my following rant about battery terminals.
Don't forget to scrape and apply Vaseline to your new battery posts, It helps prevent Lead oxide and other nasty corrosion.
I always jamb a small piece of foam rubber under the terminal nuts, it makes it easier to get the bolt started especially if you have several wires to connect.
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Hmmm this is beginning to sound like an RE forum -- battery and charging problems plus get a voltmeter. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Vagrant -- two years ago at GTM you said overcharging regulators weren't an issue for V7 IIIs so what happened with your undercharging? The wire connection fiddling is concerning. Water intrusion issues? Undersized wiring issues? And could you provide some details on your Mosfit conversation (did you mean Roadstercycle Mosfet?). Are you going to get his LED battery monitor? As an oldster I'm going to need those heated grips and heated vest on my V7 III.
PS that sucks on the regulator cover but thanks for the heads-up.
The 2015 V7 was a horrible overcharge 17+ volts. The 2017 is way under charge. Sometimes. I suspect cheap chinese parts! Did not upgrade but should have. Still waiting on Guzzi new one. Dumb move. I will have a volt meter on it now.
My batt still tests good so will wait right now.
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Yes we shouldn't assume Guzzi use the best parts but surely there must be some quality control.
Where will you attach the Volt meter, Im kind of leaning towards hooking it onto the city light (43), there it will be on a switched circuit and it should also show the Voltage while the bike is cranking.
Another spot would be to tie it to the GPS ready outlet (11) that also is switched and quite direct to the battery, I'm not sure where that's hiding though.
Both these points might be effected a little by the load of the headlight when the bike starts but they are easy to access without having to cut into the loom.
http://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzi007/schematics/2013_V7_Series.gif
I'm not sure why my charging failed back in reply no 21 but one way or another I will prevent a re-occurance
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I have a couple of cigarette lighter units for temporary use.
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After charging the battery at 1.4 Amps for 6 hours the Voltage across it was 16.8 Volts, it quickly dropped down below 14 once removed from power supply;
Obviously this current is fairly important, they go to the trouble of printing it right on the battery. A battery tender would not be able to meet those conditions.
After several hours running around doing errands its dropped back to 12.7.
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After charging the battery at 1.4 Volts for 6 hours the Voltage across it was 16.8 Volts, it quickly dropped down below 14 once removed from power supply;
Obviously this current is fairly important, they go to the trouble of printing it right on the battery. A battery tender would not be able to meet those conditions.
After several hours running around doing errands its dropped back to 12.7.
1.4 Volts? Current?
Did you mean Amps?
FYI, my "current" (see what I did there?) battery tender is a 5 amp unit.
https://www.batterytender.com/Battery-TenderR-5A-Power-Tender-Series-High-Efficiency
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Yes of course its Amps, I fixed that :thumb:
I probably rode about 50 km yesterday and taking Voltage readings whenever I stopped its fairly obvious its just running on the battery (not charging)
I'm running an LED headlight so it's not sucking the battery down as fast as the OEM bulb would, there must be an intermittent fault somewhere which is probably effecting multiple bikes.
According to the shop they tested the charging circuit, I didn't talk to the mechanic, just the manager so I'm not sure how they did that.
I tried to find where the connections (1) are so I could start testing but the wires at the regulator disappear somewhere, hidden by the ABS, has anyone spotted these or changed out the regulator?
http://www.thisoldtractor.com/guzzi007/schematics/2013_V7_Series.gif
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see my post #33 above. the only way I can see to get to the connection is to heat the plastic cover on the top front of the frame with a heat gun. bend it down to get to the connector. can't reach it from the tank top side but did pull on them a bit and it started charging again.
I'm still waiting for the part. let us know what you find.
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https://www.batterytender.com/Battery-TenderR-5A-Power-Tender-Series-High-Efficiency
Haha THIS ITEM IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE DUE TO COUNTRY RESTRICTIONS. they must thing its too high tech for us Canucks lol
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see my post #33 above. the only way I can see to get to the connection is to heat the plastic cover on the top front of the frame with a heat gun. bend it down to get to the connector. can't reach it from the tank top side but did pull on them a bit and it started charging again.
I'm still waiting for the part. let us know what you find.
I did read that but I wasn't sure what plastic cover you were referring to, will try to spot it today, obviously we need to get at the connections.
from your pulling on the wires must be a loose connection in there that needs to be sorted.
Could you post a picture of the cover perhaps.
Update,
I think the best way to access the connectors is remove the tank then unbolt the front coil, the connectors are just stuffed into the space,
Cheers
Roy
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Good!! Thank you for the follow up. I am happy to have been wrong about the battery, and relieved to hear the flames were nothing serious. That must have been a humdinger backfire.
Sarah
The flames would have been serious if I hadn't scrounged a bottle of water from a passing car, I tried batting them out with my gloves but all I got was a nice burn blister.
Im not exactly sure what was burning the aluminium foil or the glue behind it, certainly something Piaggio should take notice of, perhaps I should have just taken a video of a total melt down for U-tube lol
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Haha THIS ITEM IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE DUE TO COUNTRY RESTRICTIONS. they must thing its too high tech for us Canucks lol
Ha ha, sorry I went back to bed.
I was replying to your comment that a battery tender couldn't have properly activated a new battery by showing you one that can. If you can smuggle it across the border lol.
Here are the specs:
* Input: 120VAC @ 60 Hz
* Output: 12 Volts DC @ 5 Amps
* 4-Step Fully Automatic Charging (Initialization, Bulk, Absorption, Float) Automatically switches to float / maintenance voltage after fully charging the battery.
* Perfect for all lead-acid, flooded or sealed maintenance free batteries (AGM and Gel Cell)
* Spark Proof
* Short Circuit Protected
* Reverse Polarity Protected
* Safety timer: 72 hrs
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(https://i.ibb.co/VNQYpks/thumbnail-IMG-0497.jpg) (https://ibb.co/VNQYpks)
(https://i.ibb.co/ryWCPcr/thumbnail-IMG-0496.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ryWCPcr)
it is a full length under the frame tubes cover. it looks to be held up with some tiny screws that for sure would get dropped into never-never land if removed.
I sure hope you experiment with it so I'm not the guinea pig.
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Here are my thoughts:
Battery: FLA/AGM that may have been improperly prepared (reduces performance and lifetime); may have sat unattended for months (affects lifetime); may have been overcharged, especially from a deep discharge (affects performance and lifetime). By performance, I mean both the ability to sustain a high discharge rate (eg, starting, long waits in traffic) and accept a high charge rate (eg, highway riding with only LED headlight load).
Regulator: narrow charging range based on incandescent headlight and MG-only accessory loads and inefficient semiconductors. An LED headlight would lead to overcharging (too small a load) and heated grips and vest would lead to undercharging (too large a load). The efficiency of the semiconductors affects overcharging (excess charging power cannot be dissipated by the regulator so it does into battery) and undercharging (charging power is dissipated as heat by regulator and doesn't reach the battery).
Connections: undersized; loose at factory; lack/weak weather protection; lack/weak mechanical locks.
Candidate mitigations:
Battery: replace with biggest that will fit, preferably one already prepared by the OEM (eg, MotoBatt) or Lithium. If motorcycle isn't ridden at least an hour every week then use appropriate high-end charger.
Regulator: replace with MOSFET semiconductor version.
Connections: get to know your motorcycle. :smiley: An end-to-end check of all connections in the charging and starting circuits for looseness both of the connector itself and the terminals within it. Then use some protective grease (many like Vaseline; I like Honda 08798-9001; silicone can be troublesome in the long-term).
Voltmeter: either an LED displaying tenths or a full scale dial gauge. If LED then leave permanently connected to the battery. I don't know enough to say for dial gauge.
Going in I knew the RE would need attention. I kinda hoped the Norge would need less but got used to it. I was expecting the Stone would need dealer service only but that appears to be a fantasy. Moto Guzzi "Making mechanics out of riders since 1921". :laugh:
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Before I got my MG I had a Harley 110". It would barely start in the morning when it was below 40*. I put a ThrottleX 500 amp battery in it. it was a lot better. When I traded the bike a short time later I took the ThrottleX out and put the original back in. I took the stock battery out of my Guzzi because the bike was more than 3 years old when I bought it, not a popular model. I didn't know if the battery had been replaced or not so I put a known battery in it. So I have way more power than what I need but it doesn't hurt. By the way what brand is the stock battery in MGs?
kk
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From my perspective, there are two regulator choices: the ESR New Model at GTM and the FH020AA at Roadster Cycle. My preference is GTM because it appears to be Form-Fit-Function replacement but is it MOSFET technology? The ESR is made by ElectroSport Industries in SoCal. I went to their website in search of MOSFET information. I went to their Technical Resources and here's what they said:
How to Diagnose Electrical System Issues on Motorcycles
Any well-working modern motorcycle charging system will produce a voltage over the battery terminals in between 13.5V DC and 14.5V DC, over the entire rev range. When you suspect a fault in the system, this [voltage] is the first thing to check on your bike.
When you find that there is a problem, keep in mind that the number 1 problem with any charging system are bad connections.
Suspect any connection in the entire system. It's advisable to take off all fairing parts, the fuel tank and seat, and just disconnect all connectors you can find. Do these one at a time, and spray them with a contact cleaner before fitting the connector again.
This is why Vagrant's finding
After fiddling to get the wire connections out it now is charging 14.1.
put me on Red Alert. The two regulator connectors (3-pin to alternator and 4-pin to battery) are Molex-style (ie, terminals exposed to weather). And the regulator is mounted in a weather-exposed location for cooling purposes. And those are high current terminals so any reduction in conductivity will result in a increase in resistance heating and a faulty battery voltage reading to the regulator.
From a sealed conductor perspective, the Roadster Cycle is the better choice albeit with additional installation effort. But if the GTM is a MOSFET direct replacement I will use it because I know how to weather-protect Molex-style connectors.
I'll ask ElectroSport if their regulators use MOSFETs. They probably do but want to confirm.
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Here are my findings to date:
WRT most battery and regulator problems, the most likely cause is reduced conductivity of the terminals in the "open" Molex-style weather-exposed connectors. Mitigation is separating the connectors, judiciously using a spray cleaner, and reconnecting them. It's good if you use a bit of Vaseline or dielectric grease to seal the backs of the connectors against water intrusion.
WRT to battery chemistry, your primary choices are FLA/AGM (flooded lead acid), SLA/AGM (sealed lead acid) and LFP (lithium ferrophosphate). Most FLAs are shipped dry requiring careful preparation before use for proper operation and long life. SLAs and LFPs are delivered ready for use although an overnight charge is best. FLAs and SLAs weigh about the same and much more than LFPs (when you receive an LFP package for the first time you will wonder if they shipped it empty). I won't go into the operational tradeoffs between FLAs, SLAs and LFPs because they are so controversial (as are Odyssey/Optima). But I will say if you stick with lead-acid, I recommend SLA for their ease of care (I'm a fan of MotoBatt).
However there are battery vs regulator tradeoffs which I wasn't aware of until discussions with ElectroSport. Summarizing them:
1. MOSFET regulators are a bit more efficient but should not be used with LFP batteries.
2. SCR regulators are a traditional proven solution for most applications and can be used with all battery chemistries.
The ESR New Model regulator at GTM appears to be an ElectroSport ESR530 which is SCR technology and I believe to a 90% likelihood is a direct replacement for the MG V7/V9 regulator. ElectroSport's website shows the ESR530 to be direct replacement for about last 20 years of MG 3-phase (3 alternator wires) regulators.
The ElectroSport ESR439 is MOSFET technology but the wire lengths and connector types don't quite seem to match the ESR530 so it's probably not a direct replacement for the MG regulator.
So there's a bit of a change to my plans. I'm going to use the ESR439 (I have the tools and skills to fabricate Molex-style connectors) with the MG battery (probably a FLA/AGM) that was properly prepared by Cadre. Of course connector cleaning and sealing. And now I have to find a new home for my Shorai LFX21A6-BS12. :smiley: