Curvy - flat battery.

hi guys i have a 99 curvey which seems to have a bit of a problem. If i ride with the lights on for a while then stop and turn the ignition off. Then go to start it again with the lights still on it wont start. And is as if the battery is dead

i have wired both the front lights so they both come on and have put 45/45w bulbs back in so dont know if its something i have done or if its the regulator or the battery
any help would be great thanks

[Sid Squid]

Just to clarify: If you don't stop the engine it is it OK and will carry on just fine, but if you stop it won't start again after you've paid for your petrol?
When you stop for 30 minutes or so will it then not start, or is the problem not apparent until a while longer?

If yes to the first one, then that would suggest the charging system is working correctly, but the battery is not holding charge, it is doubtful the battery is being drained by a current leak in such a short time, (if it were the leak would be sufficient to stop it running properly, or at all). Conclusion: Duff battery.

If the second, then how long is it until it won't start? An hour, two, overnight? An hour or two then it's likely the same as above, if overnight then the battery is still suspect, but the conclusion is not so clear.

Do you have or could you borrow a voltmeter or multimeter? If yes then final the diagnosis will be much easier.

[rictus01]

for a start check the usual rubbing loom points as this can be the cause of "weird" electrical issues.

Right are you saying if you ride with lights on, then stop, it won't start if the lights are left turned on?

does this mean if you turn the lights off it will start?

or that the battery is dead?

can you leave it and then start it normally or do you need to charge the battery?

both headlights on should be no problem for the bike to run normally, but I've no idea ( and you provide no details) on how you wired it up ( or why it wasn't wired for both already as most are).

is it and import or are you from foreign shores ?

more detail might get a better response as you explination is far from complete.

Cheers Mark.

thanks for the help so far. here we go with the full story.
when i got the bike from a breaker it had no battery on it so i was given one off the shelf just over a year ago.
the bike was a naked which i got for the high bars but soon found out that a naked front end and me being 19stone
did not go well at speed so i converted it to an s front end and wired in both lights.

now the prob
the last time it happend was when i was on a group ride on a roads i had started the bike with the side light on no problem then while riding turned my main lights on after a while we had to stop so pulled in and turned the ignition off after a few mins i went to start the bike and it was struggling to start as the battery was dying even when i turned the lights off i had to bump start it. but if i turn the lights off when i stop it does not have this problem.
i have also noticed that when waiting to turn with my indicator on my side light is going dull when the indicator comes on

hope this explains it a bit better
thanks

and the prob continues.....
i have had the volt meter on the bike and with the engine running and lights off i am getting over 12v going up to over 13v when i increase the revs with the lights on i am getting 11.8v ish which does not go up when i increase the revs. i dont know if this helps solve it but any help is very appreciated

I have exactly the same problems as you mate, have to bump start my bike most mornings as it turns over really slow. I have volt readings higher than yours but decreases with revs with lights!

only over 12v, thats sounds a bit low, you should be looking at atleast 13,2V.
+0,2V per cell, 6 cells makes min. charge voltage +1,2V(12V+1,2V=13,2V). With the lights on something is saping the charge voltage, you have an electrickity problem more then a battery problem it seems to me.

But on second thougth it is fall/autumn, and weak batteries that is ready to be changed out is very often good during summer, but when the temperature drops the weak ones starts to misbehave.

[embee]

Your voltages look significantly too low.
Check out this fault finder chart, it has all the info you need.
http://www.electrosport.com/technica...ng-diagram.pdf