GN250 overcharging?

[twistemotion]

My GN250 seems to have the battery run down over a few days without use, and even with use, over the course of an hour or two, it gets weaker and weaker, having problems starting (engine turns over slowly). When the battery is fully charged with a battery charger, the engine turns over quickly and it starts very easily. I've checked the charging current, and it's sitting between 16.2 and 16.8 volts measured at the battery terminals from idle up to about 3000rpm. This is way too high isn't it? I would expect something like 14.2V. Could it be the regulator/rectifier that's given up? I guess the battery is toast as well due to not holding its charge when not used? Thanks everyone.

[xwhatsit]

It does sound like the reg/rec has kicked the bucket. I forget which order they happen in (having thrown away my battery a long time ago -- dastardly untrustworthy things), but with the battery and regufier, one dying often causes the other to die a little while later.

[stevewederell]

Sounds exactly like what happened to mine too. I refilled the poor wee battery cos it kept getting cooked then she wouldn't go. :mad:

I managed to get one for (apparently) cost which was about $180, rather than the ~250 for brand new SGP. That was only cos the store I went to charged me for NOT finding the fault.:girlfight:

Good luck with it. I don't know how much mechanical skill you have, but I had about none and managed to replace the little bugger so unless you find somewhere that won't charge you, try and do it yourself.

If you need a pdf of the manual I can sort you out with that too.:2thumbsup


Cheers
Steve

[CookMySock]

Don't spend anything today. Post in this thread and they might be able to help you out.

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=81172

Steve

[Squiggles]

Might have me a good spare somewhere in my growing collection of parts, pm me if you want me to have a dig

[slimjim]

yup real easy for a battery to drop a cell. won't matter what charge goes in it.. it won't hold a charge for long... battery first..

[BASS-TREBLE]

Mine was doing the opposite but it was the regulator/rectifier

MotoGB in Mount Maunganui sold me a new one for $205 inc GST

Just incase you're gonna get one

[twistemotion]

Thanks for all the replies. I had the battery tested on Saturday. It's buggered, so am getting a new one this week, and will see what the charging rate is then. Hopefully it was just the battery.

[twistemotion]

Thanks for all the replies. I had the battery tested on Saturday. It's buggered, so am getting a new one this week, and will see what the charging rate is then. Hopefully it was just the battery.

OK, so finally received the new battery today, charged it and checked the voltage again, and it was still around 16.8V. Then I checked against the car's battery and that also read 16.8V. :crazy: I then changed the 9V battery of the multimeter itself, and everything measured correctly again :Oops:
After this I tested the charging rate of the bike and it is correct around 14.4 V. So, I'll know in a day or so if the battery was really faulty. It's hard when your testing equipment is giving the wrong readings...