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Base Voltage Question


Zero Knievel

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With the power switched to ON, but not started, what should the base voltage be on a good battery?

 

How far should it drop during the starting cycle (when the drain is heaviest)?

 

As a precaution, I will take the battery in for load testing, but it tested fine last time (last year?).

 

I'm getting 12.5v but it will start to drop fast, and I've seen it drop as low as 9v during startup.  Keep in mind, I have at least one HID bulb drawing power as soon as the bike is turned on, so that might be the cause.  Pulling the fuse for the headlights, I get 12.5v with a drop to about 10v during startup.  I'm pretty sure I replaced the battery prior to 2012...I have to search for the receipt...Big Crank ETX12.

Edited by Aunt Sylvia
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Conventional wisdom says 12.8v (read directly from battery at rest--w/no vampire drain). However, it's not unusual to see 12.7v; anything lower and I'd suspect the battery is on the decline, especially if it's more than three years old. HID ballast takes a considerable bite of available/stored voltage upon starting, so a sudden drop of 3v may not be that unusual. I put my XX HIDs on a separate (illuminated) switch so I don't have the headlight(s) tax the battery during engine starting--it really does make a difference. A drop to 10v during starting might not necessarily indicate a problem, especially if the bike's been sitting for a while, but I'd be inclined to consider replacing that battery sooner rather than later. You should see 13.0v+ running at 1500-2000rpm; if you see 15.0v+ you have a problem. If you're going to get it load tested, you may as well have the rest of the charging system tested as well, a periodic precaution that may save you some grief down the road. 

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Since it tested fine last year it's good to go.  I can assure you that it'll be completely reliable until it's not.  You should avoid testing the battery and charging system if at all possible.

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1 hour ago, ironmike said:

I put my XX HIDs on a separate (illuminated) switch so I don't have the headlight(s) tax the battery during engine starting--it really does make a difference.

 

I may make that a winter project.  At the very least, it would allow you to cut a big power killer if you were dealing with a failing battery/system.

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On May 19, 2016 at 7:56 AM, ironmike said:

 I put my XX HIDs on a separate (illuminated) switch so I don't have the headlight(s) tax the battery during engine starting--it really does make a difference.

The headlight turns off while cranking unless you've changed the way it's powered.

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56 minutes ago, superhawk996 said:

The headlight turns off while cranking unless you've changed the way it's powered.

 

Turn the key on, the HID starter fires off high voltage to light the bulb.

Press the engine starter button and the headlight turns off momentarily until button is released and then the HID Starter fires a second high voltage surge to relight the headlight.

Two high voltage bursts each time the bike is started unless you have the ability to turn the headlight on and off separate from the ignition key as Mike does.

 

I have the Euro right hand switch pod with factory on/off headlight control. They have now become almost extinct and get a big price to receive anymore!

I brought some back from Europe every year when I attended the BlackBird bash. Jaws would save them up for me through the year and I then sold them all here in the States since they are plug and play.

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In early HID threads, people would push the starter button and then turn on the key.

This was thought to extend the life of the HID by only causing it to cycle once per start.

 

Of course, this means that a FI bike is turning over before the ecu has completed its power up diagnostic, and before there is full fuel pressure.

 

HID kits have dropped in price over the years.  I paid around $200.00 for a pair 10 years ago, and still have one kit in reserve.

I mounted low beam only.

 

I purchased a xentec bi-Xeon for the SV a few months ago for less than $30.00 delivered.

 

We do have to watch the set on the SV.  They start when the key comes on, but sometimes fail to restart after the engine is started.

I just have Kirsten conditioned to switch to high beams, then back to low once started.  So far, it works every time.

Note: the XX does not turn off the low beam bulb when high beam is on, so the high beam start trick won't work for it..

 

HID are so cheap, and so much more visible today.  I will afford to run them on my bikes to help be seen.

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7 hours ago, redxxrdr said:

Note: the XX does not turn off the low beam bulb when high beam is on, so the high beam start trick won't work for it..

I'd never noticed that.  On other bikes I would often get the switch to stay in between to have both beams, never felt I needed to on the bird and now I know why.

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Mike,

I know that I set my idle up some years ago to keep a little more charge.

Work sucks this week, but I will try to capture some measurements this weekend.

I was going to get a baseline before installing a series regulator anyway.

ill do static battery voltage,( 1.5 year old battery),aftermarket stator, OEM R/r.  Voltage at idle/ rpm, and maybe at 5k.

Im not sure when I will get the sh847 installed for comparison.

Let me know if you think of any other measurement that you need.

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