Battery Reg/Rec Advice?

[zombie]

Hi

K5 SV wouldn't start. Jump started from car 3 times over a few months (with car running, before reading not to do that!). Lost charge over just a week. Battery about 3 years old.

I have bought a new Yuasa battery and will charge before putting in.

Should I be worried about the reg/rec having seen on here that could be a cause of battery discharging and could be damaged by a jump start? I don't really know what that is, what it looks like, nor how to replace it. There is nothing "blown" that I can see and no problems running, just the old battery doesn't hold charge. I hope that a new battery will probably solve it?

Thank you

[atassiedevil]

Test it out first. Check you've voltage across all 3 yellows at 500rpm, and make sure all your earths are good. If the reg/rec is shorted, or dead your battery won't last long in any case.

Look here.

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=165431&highlight=regulator+testing

[Sid Squid]

Charge the new battery and fit it, start engine and test voltage at battery terminals, at various engine speeds, if no lower than 13.5V and no higher than 14.7V, all is well and the problem was just an aged battery. This is a good rule-of-thumb test, but is not absolutely definitive, however, by your asking this question I take it you are not overly familiar with charging system diagnosis, and should further testing be needed it might best be left to someone more capable.
Of course plenty more detail can be given should you wish it.

[zombie]

Thank you

I carried out the test Sid explained at the battery and from 2000-5000 RPM the readings were around 14.5/14.6 so within the limits you said. Good news.

For my education if you will:

1. These results are checking that there is enough power to the battery to run the 12V with enough but not too much surplus to charge the battery. Correct?
2. There is likely no reg/rec problem because if there was there would be too little or to much power delivery and the reading would shown that. Correct?
3. Why does the reading change so much when idling, because the power delivery is not constant?
4. I took the old battery off. The Optimate said basically that it was in poor condition, but was ok once the Optimate has recovered/charged it. Is this to be expected? May it be the case that the old battery is showing "ok" now but will probably still not hold a charge so is good only as an emergency spare.

I now have a multimeter and optimate, both I guess worth having anyway.

Appreciate your time. Thanks

[maviczap]

Optimate are meant to be able to 'Recover' dead batteries, although mine didn't recover the previous dead battery.

[Sid Squid]

Optimate Chargers and the like are very capable, and I have been several times surprised at what they've managed, but if the battery is knackered it's knackered.

[Trev B]

Regarding battery,had one go at 2K+ miles and less than 18 months old,tried to revive it with optimiser,but alas it was gone,dealer said it could not be replaced under warranty, so £40 odd later all was fine,every thing tested fine,Just goes to show how fickle they can be!!!

[Geodude]

For a possible bit of help or future reference click the link in my sig and have a read through the guide. Its helped quite a few on here with charging gremlins.

[Trev B]

Thanks for that Geodude,very helpful!!!