Electrical Problem

[Questions]

Hello Everyone,
I got a question for a while i was getting a dead battery sign (2008 RS ) so i thought it would not hold a charge at all 2 days then dead so i bought a new battery thinking the battery was shot. to find out i still had the problem sometimes i could go a week and its fine sometimes the next day it wouldn't start. this went on for 6-7 months so i put a battery trickler (little JR.) and this seems to help out.
Yesterday the bike wouldn't start and it was on the trickler for weeks. no dash light no nothing so i hooked up the battery charger and when i turned the key the dash lights lite up but the batterry logo flashes and say HIGH VOLTS then it goes into the dps and vss errors turn the key off and back on and i only get the HIGH VOLT alarm till i try to start the bike... i switch the relay 2 with the other one with no help i was going to buy a Voltage Reg. and try that i tested the battery and it says it was fully charged. i asked Mr. Lamoster and he must be busy. i thought this would be a quick answer from him seeing he is the GURU of spyders.. (wish i had all that info in my brain ... ) any how any help would be most appreciated..

Thanks In Advance

~Lizzard

[WackyDan]

Have you checked the actual terminals of the battery to make sure that there is no corrosion and that the terminals are tight?

Do you have a voltmeter or know someone that does? Your battery, when fully charged should show about 12.6 volts without the bike running and key off - No load. This isn't a good indicator of battery health as even a battery down on capacity can show 12.6. However, if it is showing 12 volts or under after sitting on the trickle charger for that long, the battery is probably bad or again, your connections at the battery are messed up.

Also, with the voltmeter, with the bike running (if you can get her started) the battery should show 13.4 to 13.6 with no other electrical add on turned on. This will indicate if your magneto is providing charge.

I might add... anytime a battery goes flat, it is bad for the battery... and more so if you jump start that same battery. Tends to warp the plates and affect battery capacity and lifespan.

So... Do those basic troubleshooting steps and get back to us. I'm sure others will chime in on stuff I missed or perhaps a different opinion and those are always welcome.

[Questions]

Have you checked the actual terminals of the battery to make sure that there is no corrosion and that the terminals are tight?

Do you have a voltmeter or know someone that does? Your battery, when fully charged should show about 12.6 volts without the bike running and key off - No load. This isn't a good indicator of battery health as even a battery down on capacity can show 12.6. However, if it is showing 12 volts or under after sitting on the trickle charger for that long, the battery is probably bad or again, your connections at the battery are messed up.

Also, with the voltmeter, with the bike running (if you can get her started) the battery should show 13.4 to 13.6 with no other electrical add on turned on. This will indicate if your magneto is providing charge.

I might add... anytime a battery goes flat, it is bad for the battery... and more so if you jump start that same battery. Tends to warp the plates and affect battery capacity and lifespan.

So... Do those basic troubleshooting steps and get back to us. I'm sure others will chime in on stuff I missed or perhaps a different opinion and those are always welcome.

would this show HIGH VOLTS read out on my display?

[Phil]

Lizard-

First, Lamonster is nursing a seriously hurt body, so he may very well be slow to respond. 100% totally justifiable.

To the problem-- good question. To be 100% sure, we'd need to understand what conditions trigger that message, but a safe guess is that the regulator has a problem. As Wacky Dan said- test the battery voltage with the engine stopped and expect to see 11-13 volts. Then with the engine runng, measure it again and expect 13-14.7 volts.

Check connections-----
Battery
All grounds going to the frame
Connections to the regulator

It's possible that an external battery charger could have gone wonky and damaged the regulator.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[bill pitman]

Fully charged battery, bike off - should be approx. 12.6 vdc
A running Spyder(4000rpm) should read 13.0 to 14.8vdc.
Says" if voltage is above spec. replace voltage regulator/rectifier"
"HIGH BATT VOLT" WILL BE DISPLAYED IF VOLTAGE OUTPUT IS MORE THAN 16VDC.

Higher than "normal" voltage is not a good thing for the Spyder electrical components.

Best of luck, let us know.


Bill

[NancysToy]

I agree about the external charger going wacko...or being a 24 volt charger. I have seen them do that and ruin batteries before. I would suspect your voltage regulator/rectifier, but you said your Spyder wouldn't start. This is a very difficult problem to troubleshoot and diagnose...especially via the Internet. You may need professional help, I'm afraid. First you have to address the battery voltage and external charging problem, then the starting issue. A voltmeter is a good place to start...preferably at the charger.

[Questions]

I agree about the external charger going wacko...or being a 24 volt charger. I have seen them do that and ruin batteries before. I would suspect your voltage regulator/rectifier, but you said your Spyder wouldn't start. This is a very difficult problem to troubleshoot and diagnose...especially via the Internet. You may need professional help, I'm afraid. First you have to address the battery voltage and external charging problem, then the starting issue. A voltmeter is a good place to start...preferably at the charger.

thanks for all the help...yes as soon as i turn the key it say HIGH VOLTS on the Battery... would the regulator stop the bike from turning over or starting?
Again thanks for all the help

[Questions]

Lizard-

First, Lamonster is nursing a seriously hurt body, so he may very well be slow to respond. 100% totally justifiable.

To the problem-- good question. To be 100% sure, we'd need to understand what conditions trigger that message, but a safe guess is that the regulator has a problem. As Wacky Dan said- test the battery voltage with the engine stopped and expect to see 11-13 volts. Then with the engine runng, measure it again and expect 13-14.7 volts.

Check connections-----
Battery
All grounds going to the frame
Connections to the regulator

It's possible that an external battery charger could have gone wonky and damaged the regulator.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

i used a little jr trickler but in the past i have used a battery charger i will check all conections again but i would think it would turn over or if the regulator is bad it wont turn over?

[NancysToy]

thanks for all the help...yes as soon as i turn the key it say HIGH VOLTS on the Battery... would the regulator stop the bike from turning over or starting?
Again thanks for all the help

Not directly. I suspect you have other problems, which the high voltage may have caused when it fried some things.

[Phil]

Not directly. I suspect you have other problems, which the high voltage may have caused when it fried some things.

Agreed.


Phil, Tyler TX- from my iPad3.5 using Tapatalk HD

[NancysToy]

i used a little jr trickler but in the past i have used a battery charger i will check all conections again but i would think it would turn over or if the regulator is bad it wont turn over?

The use of a high amperage charger (> 2 amps) can destroy a motorcycle battery quickly. It "boils" the lead right out of the plates or mats, can cause severe sulfation, can oveheat, and can swell or even break the case of an AGM or gel battery. Not a good idea...no matter what caused your problem.

[Bob Denman]

So the wrong battery charger can literally be, "too much of a good thing"?

[Bootie]

The use of a high amperage charger (> 2 amps) can destroy a motorcycle battery quickly. It "boils" the lead right out of the plates or mats, can cause severe sulfation, can oveheat, and can swell or even break the case of an AGM or gel battery. Not a good idea...no matter what caused your problem.

I agree with Scotty. Don't use a high-amperage charger. The thing that confuses me is how you can get a "High Voltage" reading. The Lead-Acid battery is only capable of producing 12 Volts or less. Since it produces power via a chemical reaction (like all batteries) there is no way of getting more than 12 Volts. The charger/voltage regulator produces about 14 Volts, enough to make sure the the battery charges. To get a "High Voltage" reading must mean that something got fried, probably the voltage regulator.

[NancysToy]

I agree with Scotty. Don't use a high-amperage charger. The thing that confuses me is how you can get a "High Voltage" reading. The Lead-Acid battery is only capable of producing 12 Volts or less. Since it produces power via a chemical reaction (like all batteries) there is no way of getting more than 12 Volts. The charger/voltage regulator produces about 14 Volts, enough to make sure the the battery charges. To get a "High Voltage" reading must mean that something got fried, probably the voltage regulator.

The voltage regulator/rectifier only affects the magneto charging circuit. It doesn't regulate battery output. If the Spyder won't start, it is not in the picture. My guess is that high voltage charging damaged the electronics, but it would take some methodical troubleshooting to track the problem or problems down. It is possible that the code is stuck in the computer, and will not clear until the Spyder is rebooted or the magneto kicks in, I don't know. Reading battery voltage with a voltmeter would tell the story there. If the battery reads right and the display shows a fault, there is something electronic going on.

[Lamonster]

Hello Everyone,
I got a question for a while i was getting a dead battery sign (2008 RS ) so i thought it would not hold a charge at all 2 days then dead so i bought a new battery thinking the battery was shot. to find out i still had the problem sometimes i could go a week and its fine sometimes the next day it wouldn't start. this went on for 6-7 months so i put a battery trickler (little JR.) and this seems to help out.
Yesterday the bike wouldn't start and it was on the trickler for weeks. no dash light no nothing so i hooked up the battery charger and when i turned the key the dash lights lite up but the batterry logo flashes and say HIGH VOLTS then it goes into the dps and vss errors turn the key off and back on and i only get the HIGH VOLT alarm till i try to start the bike... i switch the relay 2 with the other one with no help i was going to buy a Voltage Reg. and try that i tested the battery and it says it was fully charged. i asked Mr. Lamoster and he must be busy. i thought this would be a quick answer from him seeing he is the GURU of spyders.. (wish i had all that info in my brain ... ) any how any help would be most appreciated..

Thanks In Advance

~Lizzard

I am busy and laidup but when you PM me with so many questions like you did there's no way I'm going to try any type out an answer like that. My number is in my sig and you could call or you can take it to your dealer and have them put it on buds and see what's going on. Any answer I would give you is just going to be a guess.

[Longlines]

so i hooked up the battery charger and when i turned the key the dash lights lite up but the batterry logo flashes and say HIGH VOLTS then it goes into the dps and vss errors turn the key off and back on and i only get the HIGH VOLT alarm

when you had the HIGH VOLTS alarm was the battery charger connected? That would give you a false high volts alarm.

[johnwinslow]

most important clean and tighten all grounds and terminals that are on or connected to your battery, that's first. then hook up a 12 volt light of any sort to your battery with ignition key off. the lamp should light, then take the negative lead of your lamp set up and touch it to any bare metal on your spyder frame the lamp should light just as bright if it does, your ground is good from battery to frame. if it is dim or off, you have a grounding problem.

that said now check all the connections on the positive side hook the negative lead of your lamp to the battery follow buy touching the positive lead to each component of your positive(red wire) battery, jumping post terminals and such.

now if you had an RT the only thing you have to do to check all this is a voltmeter on the 12 volt outlet in your trunk
if you use a meter it is a no-load test and will sometimes give you a good reading through a intermittent contact

[Questions]

most important clean and tighten all grounds and terminals that are on or connected to your battery, that's first. then hook up a 12 volt light of any sort to your battery with ignition key off. the lamp should light, then take the negative lead of your lamp set up and touch it to any bare metal on your spyder frame the lamp should light just as bright if it does, your ground is good from battery to frame. if it is dim or off, you have a grounding problem.

that said now check all the connections on the positive side hook the negative lead of your lamp to the battery follow buy touching the positive lead to each component of your positive(red wire) battery, jumping post terminals and such.

now if you had an RT the only thing you have to do to check all this is a voltmeter on the 12 volt outlet in your trunk
if you use a meter it is a no-load test and will sometimes give you a good reading through a intermittent contact

I want to thank you and everyone for the help.... this is what i found i tested the battery and it had no cranking amps took the regulator out and had that tested and it was no good either relaced both and everything seems to be doing the right thing...and the charging system seems to be working no more HIGH VOLTS..so thanks again..have a GREAT DAY!