My amps/volts are too low to start sometimes?

[2006FJR]

First of all I would like to start off by saying I am not very technical when it comes to farkling and my FJR; but I am trying to learn. I have a new battery on my bike that is only a few months old and I am running many things to a Bluesea Fusebook. When I turn ignition on after riding the bike for many miles and turn it off it has a hard time finding enought power to turn over again? I can see the amps on my voltmeter dip way down right when I turn on the ignition and I am not sure why or where to start looking? Is there a way to set a delay for everything to power up after the bike is started? To make matters harder for me to understand the bike operates between 13.8 and 14 when I am riding. I just wanted to brainstorm.... :huh:

 

[Brodie]

Yes there is a way to delay the extra load until after the engine starts. Put a relay between the battery and your BlueSeas fuse block. Tap off the headlight relay circuit ( or heated grip circuit ) to trigger the new relay. That way your fuse block will not be electrically live until the headlights turn on - after your engine fires up.

Hope this helps.

Brodie

 

[Fred W]

...or you could always just remember to turn all of your stuff off before you kill the ignition.

 

[Dr. Rich]

Check your ground wire and the point of attachment to the bike. Many a dragging starter was caused by a poor ground or insufficient ground cable. Also check to see that the wire that you used to get back to the fuse block was sufficient in size to carry the load. Do you feel any heat in either wire?

 

[2006FJR]

...or you could always just remember to turn all of your stuff off before you kill the ignition.

I always have all of my items turned off when I shut down the bike and even if I did not they are all set up to not have power until the ignition is on. Something is really sucking up all of the power when I turn the ignition key on? It was at 12.2 and barely turned over on the second try at 12.4 or so... Then it justs right up to 13.8 once the bike is idling.

 

[2006FJR]

Check your ground wire and the point of attachment to the bike. Many a dragging starter was caused by a poor ground or insufficient ground cable. Also check to see that the wire that you used to get back to the fuse block was sufficient in size to carry the load. Do you feel any heat in either wire?

I will be doing my 16000 mile service the first week of April and I will be installing the Zumo 660 at the same time so I will look at it then. I put in a few hundred miles this morning and it got worse each time we stopped for a beer at a different bar. I am pretty sure 10 gague wire was used to the BlueSea but I will check again and make sure it is not hot. Something is zapping all of my power and I hope it will be something like an insufficient ground cable so it can be easily fixed.

 

[2006FJR]

Yes there is a way to delay the extra load until after the engine starts. Put a relay between the battery and your BlueSeas fuse block. Tap off the headlight relay circuit ( or heated grip circuit ) to trigger the new relay. That way your fuse block will not be electrically live until the headlights turn on - after your engine fires up.
Hope this helps.

Brodie

This really seems promissing Brodie, thanks! :clapping:

 

[Brodie]

My bike - 2006 AE

Standing Voltage - Key Off... 12.9 volts

Key On... 12.2 volts

Brake light on... 12.1 volts

Lowest reading - 3 starts... 9.8 volts

starter turns over very well - Milpitas (San Jose) in the garage temp in the upper 50's
engine running @ 1500 rpm - cold... 13.0 volts

rev up a couple of times... 13.3 volts.

Typical run voltage at highway speeds - warm... 13.9 - 14.0 volts.

This is with my Datel wired up directly to both battery terminals - no switch just a fuse link.

Original Battery.

I'm with Dr. Rich, check your ground connections, check your wire connectors.

Brodie

 

[2006FJR]

My bike - 2006 AE
Standing Voltage - Key Off... 12.9 volts

Key On... 12.2 volts

Brake light on... 12.1 volts

Lowest reading - 3 starts... 9.8 volts

starter turns over very well - Milpitas (San Jose) in the garage temp in the upper 50's
engine running @ 1500 rpm - cold... 13.0 volts

rev up a couple of times... 13.3 volts.

Typical run voltage at highway speeds - warm... 13.9 - 14.0 volts.

This is with my Datel wired up directly to both battery terminals - no switch just a fuse link.

Original Battery.

I'm with Dr. Rich, check your ground connections, check your wire connectors.

Brodie

My Datel is wired the same way as yours and gets almost the exact same readings you get so that is leading me back to the ground connection. I will be having it looked at this week, thanks.

 

[madmike2]

If the bike is hot when you shut it off and the fan is running when you cycle the key on, that is enough amperage/voltage draw to cause hard starting.

 

[Lowcountry Joe]

It could be your battery is NOT getting enough charge to overcome the total electrical load you are presenting...OR the starter is not getting enough voltage and current to crank...Possibly not enough current flow due to a failing ignition switch contact...but not likely...but possible. Check all the grounds and make sure their are CLEAN and TIGHT. Dirty and tight is no good. When you say this happens after you ride a while it makes me think that the ignition switch's "problem child" contact is heating-up and causing issues. I hope you find the answer to the problem and post it when you do.

 

[Brodie]

If the problem is a slow cranking starter motor then I suggest you look at the thick battery leads.

There is one black one from the negative terminal to an engine mount bolt. There is another one (red) from the battery positive terminal to the starter solenoid, and from the starter solenoid to the starter. Make sure these are in good shape. It wouldn't hurt to detach, clean up and reattach the terminals. You want to make sure there is no corrosion on the mating surfaces. Use a pencil eraser to brighten up the metal. Give the terminals a smear of dielectric grease before screwing them down - that will keep them fresh for a long time.

The enemy is resistance.


The starter is the hungriest user of power by far on the bike. That's why the heavy cables.

Let us know how it looks.

Brodie

 

[2006FJR]

If the problem is a slow cranking starter motor then I suggest you look at the thick battery leads.
There is one black one from the negative terminal to an engine mount bolt. There is another one (red) from the battery positive terminal to the starter solenoid, and from the starter solenoid to the starter. Make sure these are in good shape. It wouldn't hurt to detach, clean up and reattach the terminals. You want to make sure there is no corrosion on the mating surfaces. Use a pencil eraser to brighten up the metal. Give the terminals a smear of dielectric grease before screwing them down - that will keep them fresh for a long time.

The enemy is resistance.


The starter is the hungriest user of power by far on the bike. That's why the heavy cables.

Let us know how it looks.

Brodie

You guys are really awesome and I will let you know once we find it. I will post back and update you on what it was and how it was fixed.

 

[Fred W]

Actually, now that we know that your actual voltages aren't low, this is starting to sound a real lot like the same problem as this thread which turns out to be the battery in several cases, even though the voltages look good and it would start OK when cold... Just because the battery is newer doesn't mean it can't be the problem.

PS - It can't be a symptom of a bad ignition switch so long as you see the voltage dip when you thumb the starter button, or hear a click. The main current for the starter motor doesn't go through the switch, it goes through the solenoid. Only the "trigger" signal to the solenoid passes through the switch.

 

[Capt. Bob]

I can see the amps voltage on my voltmeter dip way down right when I turn on the ignition

Quick fix.

Good luck on sorting it out.

 

[Motomaniac]

Do you know if the battery was fully charged prior to installing on the bike? That could be a big part of the problem if it wasn't.

Good luck.

 

[2006FJR]

Do you know if the battery was fully charged prior to installing on the bike? That could be a big part of the problem if it wasn't.Good luck.

Yes I had to wait an hour while it was setting up. The battery was fully charged prior to installing on the bike.

 

[Fred W]

Do you know if the battery was fully charged prior to installing on the bike? That could be a big part of the problem if it wasn't.Good luck.

Yes I had to wait an hour while it was setting up. The battery was fully charged prior to installing on the bike.

You never said, what kind of battery is it?

 

[2006FJR]

Do you know if the battery was fully charged prior to installing on the bike? That could be a big part of the problem if it wasn't.Good luck.

Yes I had to wait an hour while it was setting up. The battery was fully charged prior to installing on the bike.

You never said, what kind of battery is it?

It is a Yuasa Battery Model: YT14B-BS