Battery keeps going flat after a couple of miles.

[ebookworm]

Hi, I've very recently been experiencing my L1 dying out on me after say riding for 2 miles. So I've just brought a new battery and it still dies after a couple of miles of riding. So dead in fact I cant not even push start it! All the lights do come on although a bit dim, indicators flash very slowly and the sound of the horn seems to be OK.

When pressing the starter button all you can hear is the starter motor turning at a fast hi pitch. But when left over night the battery will recovery and the bike will start instantly but again will only last for a couple miles then I've got to push it the rest of the way!

So please dose anybody know why its doing this and how I might get this sorted out?

Kind regards

Chris

[cargo]

heres a can of worms if ever I saw one

here goes..............

A fully charged battery should last for maybe even more than 100 miles even if it is getting NO charge from the rectifier/regulator.

If your starter motor is turning but the engine is not turning over then the problem is with the little gears that are driven by the motor and turn the engine over.

The problem with you bike only going for 2 miles then stopping could be a fueling problem.

I think you've got perhaps 3 issues

Faulty charging system
Faulty starter gear mechinism
Fueling problem....

[ebookworm]

heres a can of worms if ever I saw one

here goes..............

A fully charged battery should last for maybe even more than 100 miles even if it is getting NO charge from the rectifier/regulator.

If your starter motor is turning but the engine is not turning over then the problem is with the little gears that are driven by the motor and turn the engine over.

The problem with you bike only going for 2 miles then stopping could be a fueling problem.

I think you've got perhaps 3 issues

Faulty charging system
Faulty starter gear mechinism
Fueling problem....

Thanks for the reply. I don't think it could be the fuelling because when the ZX stops for a while say a few hours it can start-up again with no problem ready for another 2 mile or so ride. Faulty starter gear mechanism, hmm. I did the other day before this problem started pressed and hold down the starter button for about 2 seconds while the bike was already started/running in neutral (I pressed it by mistake I don't know how I did that!) Could that have caused all this trouble? But I have to ask myself why is it when the ZX cools down for a bit it can start up again.

As I have two batteries I'm going to see if I can start the bike after its done its two or less miles with a old but working and charged battery. If it starts up then I know it must me the charging system sucking out the batteries energy. I should also add when the ZX is in its non-starting mode when you press the starter button, you can see the rev needle moving erratically, on the other hand when the ZX is in its operationally mode when the starter is pressed the engine runs after a about 1 second and a half and the rev clock needle does not move until the engine is running. My bet is going on the rectifier/regulator causing all this. I will report what happens on Saturday.

My ZX as a lot of my previous bikes which used an electric starter, all had difficultly starting straight up again when turned off when the machines were either warm or hot. Like the ZX6-R 2001, GSX-R 1000 2001 and the ZX12-R 2003. But I can not even push start it!!!

[RedexRobB]

If you can get the bike started, and you have a multimeter, you should see 14.5V (iirc) across the battery at 4K rpm. That will at least tell you if the charging circuit is working or not. You did fully charge the new battery before you put it in didnt you? The rev counter flyinh around is usually a good indication that the bettery is flat too. May be worth checking your earth points are clean.

[ebookworm]

If you can get the bike started, and you have a multimeter, you should see 14.5V (iirc) across the battery at 4K rpm. That will at least tell you if the charging circuit is working or not. You did fully charge the new battery before you put it in didnt you? The rev counter flyinh around is usually a good indication that the bettery is flat too. May be worth checking your earth points are clean.

Well here's the culprit. As you can see in the pictures the male pins 1 & 4 on the rectifier/regulator have burnt out! So I will of course replace the rectifier/regulator unit. But want about the female wiring? As you can see the wires have been burnt, but can I just can away the bad wires until I see good one's and then use them on a new rectifier/regulator or do I need a whole new wiring loom as well? Would it be safe to use the old one still.

When I changed the old battery for a new one the old one had a lot of white dust/crust around the negative/blue terminal and the terminal it self was a bit out of shape like it is twisted by heat.

What could have caused this to happen?

Kind regards

Chris

[RedexRobB]

Seen that a couple of times before. Unfortunately to replace the connector block u need a new bit of the loom. Id use a block connector to rewire it all n then seal that withn a small plastic electronics box like u can get from maplins.

As for ur old battery, I don't know.

[cargo]

I'd say your old battery is toast and maybe even the new one too

That kind of melting and burning is common seen it before just cut the burnt bit off and rewire it all...............consider replacing the rectfier/reg cheap enough to do.

I dont know what voltage the generator produces but changing that AC volatge to DC produces heat as a waste product.................that heat has got to go somewhere could be worth while finding a better way of disposing of that heat.

[ebookworm]

Thanks for your replies I'll do just that then. I'll see what I can find on eBay.

Chris

[Phat Boy ZXR]

Hi, I've very recently been experiencing my L1 dying out on me after say riding for 2 miles. So I've just brought a new battery and it still dies after a couple of miles of riding. So dead in fact I cant not even push start it! All the lights do come on although a bit dim, indicators flash very slowly and the sound of the horn seems to be OK.

When pressing the starter button all you can hear is the starter motor turning at a fast hi pitch. But when left over night the battery will recovery and the bike will start instantly but again will only last for a couple miles then I've got to push it the rest of the way!

So please dose anybody know why its doing this and how I might get this sorted out?

Kind regards

Chris

Faulty wires dodgey coils dirty plug connections earth wires and neutral wires, reugaltor/rectifer just a few things to check really that links directly to your battery or charges it also check that none of your fuses have gone