Battery bad or stator going out?

[odl777]

Well i used my battery for a few weekes getting an old bike to run. I got the bike running and rode it for awhile and the battery rubbed on the tire and messed up the outside a bit. Well long story short i put the battery back on my 1979 gs 750 and put 400 miles on it and now all of a sudden my electirc starter doesnt work and my head light is dim and sometimes doesnt even work when not running. The bike will kick start easy and the head light will work too after i ride a bit. (maybe not the stator). Also i have only had the battery for 2 years but have never charged it during the winter or anything. Thanks

[Steve]

The only way to tell for sure will be to break out your voltmeter. :shock:

With the engine running above 3,000 rpm, you should see close to 14 volts (DC) or more across the battery terminals. If not, check the AC voltage at the stator leads. Disconnect them from the rectifier/regulator (r/r), run the engine at 5,000 rpm and check the voltage. Check between leads 1&2, then 2&3, then 1&3. Should have over 75 volts AC on all three pairs. If the AC is good, but the DC is low, you might have a bad battery. Use jumper cables to connect your car battery (with the car NOT running) and do the DC test again. If votage is still low, you probably need to replace the r/r. If voltage has come back up a bit, replace your battery. May as well splurge and get a sealed battery. Not much more money, LOTS of benefits.


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[txironhead]

Two years? What kind of battery is it, I want one!

[odl777]

Two years is that a long time? It was a cheapy too only spent about 40 bones

[txironhead]

Do a search on batteries here and you'll typically find that unless you fork out the dough and get a gel cell, average life expectancy is between six months to a year and a half. There are exceptions, and having your charging system running peak helps. My bro-in-law actually bought a lawn tractor battery at Wal-Mart, fit perfectly in his Moto Guzzi, and lasted three years. It was stronger than the factory recommended one, too. I'm still trying to find one that will fit a '93 Intruder VS800.