Fully charged and in peak condition, each cell has a voltage across itâs terminals of 2.1v. If the battery begins to hold and then steadily drops in voltage, there is a problem. During a normal ride, a motorcycle provides about 13, 14, or 15 amps while idling only provides less than 1 amp. Use a battery tender â Ideally, you want to keep your motorcycle battery at 100% all the time. By your bike just sitting there idling, you’re probably putting in less than one amp. The main function of a motorcycle battery is to get the motorcycle started. amzn_assoc_placement="adunit0";amzn_assoc_search_bar="true";amzn_assoc_tracking_id="happywrench-20";amzn_assoc_search_bar_position="bottom";amzn_assoc_ad_mode="search";amzn_assoc_ad_type="smart";amzn_assoc_marketplace="amazon";amzn_assoc_region="US";amzn_assoc_title="Shop Related Products";amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase="motorcycle battery";amzn_assoc_default_category="All";amzn_assoc_linkid="eb9b23c213b2a78013f0801eb326cc09";amzn_assoc_rows="1"; Most motorcycles require a 12 volt battery. The actual number of the voltage is not terribly important. With a little TLC, you can extend the life of your motorcycle battery. Motorbike batteries are made up from a combination of such cells connected in series to give the required voltage. How can I tell if a flat car battery is charging when hooked up to a trickle charger? First, measure the battery voltage with the ignition switch off (i.e. no load). However, itâs important to note that normal riding may not be enough to fully charge the battery ⦠The alternator is fitted with a regulator that charges the battery while you ride. Anon A. What you are looking for is ⦠The job of the Stator is to convert mechanical energy from the engine back into electricity. When I first started riding motorcycles, I would always look at the battery first if any of my bikes had trouble starting. This is done by either keeping it in a neutral gear and twisting the throttle to 3,000-4,000 RPM or adjusting the air/fuel screw on the carburetor so it has a higher idle. Itâs either a goner or it has been deep cycled, and a battery can only be deep-cycled a limited number of times before it is indeed dead. The World's Happiest DIY Motorcycle Repair Blog, Motorcycle Wiring – 10 Pieces of Advice for Your Next Project, The Perfect Hurricane Motorcycle Part 6: Portable Solar Panels, Motorcycle Wiring Simplified – The Basic Diagram, How To Identify The Mikuni Carburetor In Your Motorcycle, Metzeler ME 888 Vs. Michelin Commander II: Which Tire Is …, A Quick Guide To Motorcycle Chicken Strips. When running at a normal slow cruising engine RPM, the voltage across the battery terminals should stay over 14.3 volts even with full load, like lights, heater blower, and everything else, running. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies, link to Why Do Motorcycle Tires Cup? If you have any comments, questions or have other ideas, please reach out via the Contact Page. Check out the HappyWrench Motorcycle Repair Link Database. Slow to turn over the bike? If so could be a bad voltage regulator--if so may be overcharging battery Check voltage readings at battery should be around 14.2 with car running -- if much higher than this voltage regulator is bad. HappyWrench.com over the course of the past 2.5 years has grown to 4.5k+ visitors a month and is a top ranked Google site for DIY motorcycle repair (click here to see more). In moderation, revving a motorcycle engine isn’t bad. when the bike is being ridden), the voltage level being put back into the motorcycle battery increases to around 13.5 to 14.5 volts and it's the extra power being produced when the bike is being ridden that charges the battery. If your battery is charging perfectly but your motorcycle still seems to keep killing the battery. Didn’t find what you needed in this particular post? Through the system of the stator, the battery is recharged so it can start the battery again in the future. This is designed to have an output of about 15 volts. If your tires start to wear and/or cup, the safety of your motorcycle is compromised. That is such a small amount that if you let your motorcycle idle for 10-15 minutes, you’re really not charging your battery all that much. This is the proper voltage that will allow the battery to recharge properly. It is actually the alternator’s job to charge the battery. Not starting? 1) It is more than “4-ish” years old. They can be expensive, so it makes sense that a rider will do everything they can to prolong the life of the battery on their bike. Video-Is your Harley-Davidson or other brand motorcycle seem to be cranking over slowly when starting? If you’re searching the query about whether or not a motorcycle charges the battery during an idle, you may have run into issues during idling. Next, start the bike and run the engine at about 2000 rpm and measure the battery voltage again. Myths About Engine Coolant and When to Replace It. Cannon Entities LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 2. Start the engine and check the voltage while doing so. Batteries have a finite life, so try to keep track of when your last battery was installed (check for date stamp on battery). The battery really has no essential function while the bike is on. 0. Help diagnosing start up/battery drain problem. My battery is 2 years old, and I usually keep it on a battery tender. Motorcycle Battery Maintenance. That excess amperage goes to power other things such as the lights, spark plugs, and other electrical components. That said, we are not going to stop there. Step 5. Click here to learn more about what happens when you rev a motorcycle engine. Technically, the battery is getting a charge while the motorcycle is idling. Motorcycle battery - correct voltage running and stopped? Christopher was born in a small-town NY and, over the years, owned a couple dozen different motorcycles, ranging from cruiser to enduro, Japanese to American. He started HappyWrench in 2017 as he wanted to share his passion for motorcycles with other people. In 1999 I was riding a rented Harley that diedabout four hours after leaving the rental office. When the lights are on the battery seems to lose charge even when the engine is running. Revving the engine will provide additional amperage to the battery than just a simple idle, but not as much as it would during a normal ride. What Voltage Should A Motorcycle Battery Read When Running Uncategorized February 7, 2019 0 masuzi How to test a motorcycle battery revzilla should i replace my motorcycle battery how to test a motorcycle battery revzilla motorcycle battery voltages and what If your battery is getting old and starting to have issues, you'll probably wonder if it has any affect on your motorcycle's performance. The car battery will not fry your motorcycle battery. Place the voltmeter leads to the battery terminals. They are only called this to distinguish between other types of batteries. Motorcycle Battery maintenance tips. Most motorcycles have something called a stator. With that being said, many may wonder if it’s good for a motorcycle to rev it like this. Similarly, you may just be starting up your bike to brush off some dust and not really need to take it anywhere. Replace the voltage regulator if the reading is higher or lower than the 13.5 to 14.5 volt range to prevent insufficient or excessive charging. Continue riding your motorcycle for 15 to 30 minutes to recharge the battery. (The procedure for measuring the battery voltage was previously described in the multimeter section.) 3) You have discharged your motorcycle battery completely several times. If the battery was dead before, it’ll go back down to whatever low voltage it had before getting started. More specifically, the carburetor may have a vacuum leak which means there’s too much air in the air-to-fuel ratio the carburetor is giving the engine. With charger unhooked voltage reads 13.85. 2. If the voltage instantly drops to 0 volts, that is also a problem. One common misconception people believe is that a 12-volt battery is actually a 12-volt battery. Understanding this concept may seem a bit complicated, but if you keep reading I can explain exactly what happens with the battery during an idle and what you can do to optimize the power your motorcycle provides. We call this the open cell. While that is true when the bike is running, it’ll go back down to 12.6 -ish when you turn it off. Shift your motorcycle into neutral. Revving it is just making the engine do what it’s already doing, just a little faster. A sad fact in a motorcycle’s life is that motorcycle battery issues are generally only addressed when it is too late (i.e. If the voltage drops below 9.5 volts while starting the engine, it means that one of the battery cells is ⦠If it reads below those values then your battery is not keeping a full charge. This sort of “test” really requires “knowing” your bike. If you take a digital reader and connect it to the battery while its running it’ll say something along the lines of 13, 14, or 15 volts. 2) You have been regularly letting your bike sit for long periods without running it (a motorcycle battery will lose about 1% of its charge per day when not run). The word revving is short for revolutions per minute that’s happening inside the engine. A motorcycle electrical system is created to keep a good battery topped off but is not designed to charge a dead battery. Car batteries have far more capacity than motorcycle batteries. If you are guilty of not riding, take your motorcycle out for a long ride, including a nice stretch at highway speed. If you take a digital reader and connect it to the battery while its running itâll say something along the lines of 13, 14, or 15 volts. However, there are some signs a battery is dying and needs some attention. If a battery reads 12 volts at rest, it is almost fully depleted. If you look at a trickle charger, most of them have a 2 amp setting or a 6 amp quick charge setting which is what your motorcycle needs at the very least to obtain a constructive charge. It only takes a tiny bit of maintenance once a month or so to keep it running well. The carburetor may also have a fuel leak which leads to the engine starved from the right amount of fuel it needs to run efficiently. Avoid jump-starting a motorcycle with a car. While it is necessary to have one car running when trying to jump-start another car, motorbike batteries donât require the same amount of energy, so the car should be left off for the duration of this process. ... Actually, if a batteryâs resting voltage is only 12.0 to 12.1 it means only 20 to 25% of its useful energy remains. In order to start a motorcycle, you need at least 12.2 volts, or a ⦠It is a one-stop shop for all your DIY motorcycle repair information needs. It turned out to be a loose connection from the stator back to the battery so the motorcycle was running on battery spark. Batteries can really only handle this a couple times before being unable to take a full charge again. The battery is a 12.6 volt battery. During an idle, the stator is outputting a small amount of excess amperage that will provide that little charge to the battery, but not enough to do a full complete charge. If this system was in a restored 1966 GT coupe, I would probably change the regulator to reduce maximum alternator voltage. If you intend on doing this for longer periods of time or doing it several times in one day, be sure to give the motorcycle a good few revs while it’s stationary so you can ensure that battery gets the charge it needs. Moderation is key, so occasional revs to give that battery a boost should suffice. A good battery should not drop below 9.6 volts over 10 seconds or so. So if you didn’t have much of a problem getting your motorcycle started, you’ll know the battery is okay. For more information as to why a motorcycle struggles idling or sputters, see my other article by clicking here. We think of motorcycle batteries as being 12V, but they actually hold more and more is required to start the bike. A good battery should read between 12.4 to 12.6 volts, 12.6v being optimal. Gases from car batteries. Say you are stuck in stop-and-go traffic, you’ll still be using the throttle several times to move the bike forward those few feet. There are some basic principles about the battery that are easy to follow, but other parts can be a bit more complicated. A lot of riders are aware that the battery is charged while the motorcycle is running, but some wonder if idling provides the same charge. 4) If you go to start your engine and it “struggles” more than usual, it is possible your battery is not holding a sufficient charge (hovering too low in the acceptable range). Lately I have been having cranking issues. I’m currently working as a mechanical engineer and I’ve been able to restore over a dozen rides. As long as you get those several minutes in of a good run on the motorcycle, you shouldn’t have to worry about how much idling you’re doing. Is your battery giving you issues? For example, a fully charged battery at rest should be between 12.6 and 12.75 volts. What my article should tell you is if the bike is generating power and the battery is holding power. The battery becomes fully charged when the motorcycle is full-on running. Posted in automobile Tagged 12 volts , voltage A constant reading of 13.5 to 14.5 volts should be present. To say that motorcycle batteries are finicky is an understatement. Battery: This is a huge part of your charging system. What is the voltage of a âdeadâ 12-volt battery is different from what is the maximum charging voltage of a 12-volt batteryâ11.9 and 13.2 are numbers you want to watch out for in the future. On almost every motorcycle you will find a battery, used for providing power for starting the bike and for buffering an amount of electric energy. A low or failing battery can cause crazy readings during your testing. The full range of the battery is from just over 14 volts (when being charged by the bike running at high RPMs) down to 10.5 volts (under heavy load, for example, when the lights are on and the bike is being started). (positive to positive and negative to negative). The relationship between your motorcycle battery and engine functions much in the same way as a car battery. Then, measure the voltage from tab to tab, just like before. 5) Use a multi-meter and test your battery’s voltage range. With ignition on and engine not started it measures 12.85 dropping rapidly to 12.70 within 15 seconds. link to Does The Battery Affect Motorcycle Performance. The full range of the battery is from just over 14 volts (when being charged by the bike running at high RPMs) down to 10.5 volts (under heavy load, for example, when the lights are on and the bike is being started). When turning the key to start, all lights turn off and engine won't start. What Every Rider Should Know. Lastly, the carburetor could potentially have a timing issue which means the air/fuel screw needs to be adjusted. This blog is where I report everything I’ve learned about motorcycles and what I continue to learn. Your motorcycle functions either off of a 6-volt (early 60s-70s) or a 12-volt system. The good news is that all you really need is a few minutes of a good run on the motorcycle for the battery to get the full amperage it needs to recharge for the next start up. While the starter is spinning, observe the voltage. AGM batteries may have slightly higher voltage readings after a full charge. Knowing how the battery is charged is important. The voltage, when the engine is running, should be in the range of 13.5-14.7 volts. Once the motorcycle is started, the stator (or alternator) takes over and powers the electrical components on the motorcycle. The battery is a 12.6 volt battery. Why Do Motorcycle Tires Cup? If a battery reads 12 volts at rest, it is almost fully depleted. Does The Battery Affect Motorcycle Performance? The starter should be running at normal speed. We know that idling does charge the battery, but not to the amount it fully needs in order to completely recharge the battery. The primary battery voltage is dictated by the chemistry of the lead acid cell. 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