Looking for someone who knows batteries

[bccap]

3 weeks ago I purchased a new battery. Yesterday when I went start the bike the battery didn't have enough charge to start the bike. I took it out went to charge it and noticed the battery had no fluid in it. none, nada, zero. Went to where I purchased the battery and was told my charging system must have boiled everything away. So I have 2 questions. 1\ Is it possible to run the bike for 3 weeks with nothing in it ? and 2 Is it possible battery acid was put in and then not topped up with water ? I filled the battery with distilled water and charged it last night,and it appears to be fine 13.5 volts.
Thanx

[tkent02]

Your charging system is overcharging. Do the tests in the stator papers.

[richardbell556]

was it full when you fitted it in the first place? check charging voltage at 12vdc plus with volt meter/multi meter over battery

[OldVet66]

Doesn't matter, it is overcharging while you were riding, over 15v. Put distilled water in the battery, and it will start right up,, check the voltage at 5k.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Have a look:

Stator Papers IV - Fault finding chart for checking your GS's entire charging system

More On The Stator Papers

GS Charging System Health+Quick Test

Battery Charging

Cleaning Your Wiring Harness

Fusebox Cleanup

Stator Test

Stator Replacement

Regulator/Rectifier Replacement


That should just about cover it.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[bccap]

I realize that this could be a charging issue. The thing is I really do suspect I got a dry battery. Even bone dry it almost started the bike and showed 13.5 volts. And I mean dry ! I held it upside down and shook it. Nothing in there and looked like never had been. I have checked voltage with one of those meters with lights at various voltages. All I can get from that is it appears to be somewhere around 14 volts at high idle. It could be higher as that is the last light. Will go to C.T.and get a proper meter and perform stator test. By the way whats a stator ?

[OldVet66]

It takes a while to boil a battery dry. I doubt you started with a dry battery. If your meter only indicates to 14v it is really telling you nothing except you have voltage. It could be way over 14v and you would never know. Fill the battery properly with distilled water, and it will jump back to life especially if it is still showing signs of life now. Get a good meter reading with an accurate meter, then you can start figuring out what's going on. The three phase stator is coils of wire that the permenent magnets on a rotor induce a voltage into. Unregulated, it is capable of producing 80 or 90v depending on RPM. These bikes are famous for boiling out batteries and frying stators, so what you are experiencing is nothing new. It only gets worse if neglected.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

By the way whats a stator ?

Click on the links in my previous post. There are pictures and everything.



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Big T]

Post up some pictures of how fried the wiring is now

[bccap]

Thanx guys I am going to get a proper multi meter and perform the stator tests, which I have now read. Correct me if I am wrong, but it appears to me that if the tests show too high voltage this is a R\R issue ?

[Steve]

Correct me if I am wrong, but it appears to me that if the tests show too high voltage this is a R\R issue ?

Yes, it's most likely an R/R issue, but does not necessarily mean that it's bad.

Doing the tests, you may find that you have bad connections somewhere. In some cases, bad connections will lead to low output voltages, but in other cases, they can be high. Follow the guides, do the tests in an organized manner, you will soon know where your problem lies and whether you need to replace any parts.

To answer your question: the stator is the bunch of electrical windings that live inside the cover on the left end of the crank. Magnets that are part of the flywheel spin near them, making electricity. That electricity is what needs to be rectified (changed from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) ), then regulated to the 14 volts requred by the bike.

Shorter answer: the stator is part of your alternator.

.

[Matchless]

I cannot think that a battery can be charged until its bone dry. Inspect the casing for a possible crack, especially on the bottom.

[bccap]

Here are the results of my quick test. Looks like I have a problem.
Key off- 12.9 V
Key on for 10 seconds-12.4 V
At idle 1500 rpm 14.5-15.7 V
At 2500 rpm 17.4 V
At 5000 rpm 17.7-V
Key off 14.4 V

[OldVet66]

Bad regulator. It would be a good idea to go through the wiring harness and clean all the connectors and put them back together with dielectric grease while you are waiting for your new R/R to arrive. The only one I'm familiar with is the compufire, so someone will be along soon to recommend a good unit, not that the Compufire isn't excellent, but there are good R/R's out there for much less money. That much over voltage will certainly boil all the fluid out of your battery, and start working on the stator, so It's lucky you found the problem so soon. My factory unit had burnt connections at two of the stator leads and was still cooking the battery. Your battery is most likely fine. When I filled mine with water it cranked the motor right over like it was freshly charged. '78-'79 of my model had separate Rectifiers and Regulators. I believe they went to a combined R/R in '80. In either case you want good quality R/R.

[bccap]

Thanks for the input. In the stator papers they recommend Electrosport so was going to try that after I finish the diagnostics in Stator Papers 4. Why do you suspect something wrong with stator ? I thought that's what produced the electricity and I obviously have lots of that