Electrical starting problem

Hello, I'm new to this forum and i bring with me abit of a puzzle to think about.

I ride a yr 2000 SV650.
Over the last couple of weeks, i have been starting to have problems with the bike not starting. It does not like to start first thing in the morning and somtimes when I come out of work.
These are the times that the bike would be coldest.
I have been able to jump/ bump start it and once it is started, i can turn the ignition off and on again and it will start no trouble.

I originally thought that there must be somthing draining the battery when the bike is switched off, but i have just checked it with a multi meter and there is no current when the ignition is off.

The voltage accross the battery is approx 12.8 when ignition is off, 12.3 when ignition is on (with lights on) and when running on idle, it is around about the 14V mark. When i first fired up this morning, the voltage kept going up when i reved the engine (18V at 4000rpm, then i got scared and turned it off). I have just done about 2 miles on it, at a steady 30mph, checked the voltage again and it seems to be settled at around 14V at idle and when reved it would not go over 14.8.

My thought was that it would be the reg/rec, but this was new within the last 12 months, so would be surprised if it has gone again so quick. The battery is only 2 weeks old aswell.

Does anyone have any other ideas of that this could be?
Is there anything else I need to check?

I'm willing to try things for myself rather than go to the garage, but I dont know enough about the electrics on bikes to know what the problem is.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Alex.

18v at 4k rpm is too high, and is probably frying your battery as a result.

the reg rec may be the cause of it as the regulated voltage output should be between 13 and 15v iirc. not sure why it would read 18v one minute and then drop back when you checked later, but someone with more idea will probably be able to tell you.

have a search on the forum for electrical/battery/reg rec problems as it is a common topic. there will be instructions in other threads about what to check in the electrics as if you've got the voltmeter out you may aswell check there are not any other problems lurking.

re the cold morning starts - it can be a problem, my 99 didn't like starting on a cold day but that was on the old battery, i got a new one (YTZ 14 something or other) which has a bit more poke in it.

Hi, I realise 18V is too high, thats what i'm worried about.
I have done a search and could not really find anything that specifically related to problems like this.

The starting problem is not due to cold weather, more the fact the bike has been left over night. I was out feeling hot in shorts n tee this morning when i tried it and it didnt start then.

Thanks, Alex.

Are you sure it was 18V? Not trying to be cheeky, just double checking... It is strange for semiconductors to work one minute then not the next...

[TSM]

if you are getting 18V then the reg/reg needs changing, double check as Philbo said but if confirmed then its probably fried your battery too and you will need another one of thoes, under £100 all in to sort it yourself

hi everyone
this sounds exactly like the problems ive had over the last couple of years.
2 x new gel battreys
2 x reg/rec

2 winters an a lot of swearing, this is the solution i came up with.

replace original reg/rec with other type which uses a sense wire. (i used a second reg/rec from a 4 wheeler kawasakie not sure what model it was a 400cc) the only thing that will limit your choice is the space you have to work with. the sense wire senses the voltage and regultes the voltage.

second thing you have to do is forget about the battery been brand new this dosnt me anything if the CCSR (not sure if its the correct termnologey but it stands for cold crank start rate)
for the SV650 it should be 175amps the batterys i kept getting which were aparently compatable with the sv650 was only 90amps nearly half the rate which is needed. this ****ed me off as after spending £80 for each battery and £60 for each reg/rec the solution was simple.

so a year later and my bike is chargeing on idel with lights off at 14v with lights on 14.5v and at 5000rpm with lights off 14.2v with lights on 15v.

i did all the test i could an this is the solution, change the reg/rec (dosnt matter what make size as long as the sense wire is there for you to connect)
repace the battery i reconmend it been 175amp CCSR the one i ordered was Yuasa YT12A-BS 175 CCA (cold crank amp)

[TSM]

Originally Posted by thedon1000

repace the battery i reconmend it been 175amp CCSR the one i ordered was Yuasa YT12A-BS 175 CCA (cold crank amp)

naa what you want is a YTZ14S battery as its the same size as a YT12A but more powerfull, about 230CCA, its more expensive though

Ok, so the bike now has a new battery and a new reg/rec.
The voltage is not going over approx 14.2V which i believe is fine, but i'm still having a problem starting the bike.
Its like i have a flat battery.

I'll check the current this evening to see whats happening there.

Is there anything else i should be checking at the same time?

Thanks,

Alex.

[Biker Biggles]

Have you charged up the new battery?Whatever they tell you new batteries work much better for a proper initial charge.

Yes, i put it on a trickle charge over night before putting it in the bike.