Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Fluctuating Voltage Readings at the Battery

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #16
    Originally posted by Nash1100 View Post
    What location on the frame is the best spot for the ground wire? When I verify if my meter is good or bad, I will definitely do your suggestions. As you can guess, I’m not electrically knowledgeable. I’m learning the hard way though. Sharing your knowledge and experience is greatly appreciated.
    anywhere within reach of the groundwire that has a solid connection to the frame..ie:"
    but for any place you want to ground to, Check the path from that place to the battery negative post....With the bike NOT running..."
    etc...

    I disconnected the input and output connectors to the SH775. Still had voltage fluctuating readings on the battery with the engine running. Going to borrow a multimeter and test again tomorrow to eliminate faulty multimeter readings. On the bright side the bike starts up quickly like it never has before.
    If the meter and probes are ok,
    Any intermittent "load" will cause variation. You can see this yourself easily with the key on and the bike not running. Turn on a turn signal or brake light. Battery voltage will change as the light blinks.
    You can pull the fuses from lights, turn signals, and brake light and still run the bike. This will allow you to cross them off the list. Intermittent shorts are fairly unlikely and will blow fuses if they are really bad but it helps to get all the "unikely" stuff off the list however remote.

    However, if the bike is not running smoothly when running on battery alone, check the connections to the "Igniter", particularly to the ground. Also, chafe or connections to the ignition sensors.
    Last edited by Gorminrider; 01-26-2021, 11:07 AM.

    Comment


      #17
      Originally posted by Nash1100 View Post
      What location on the frame is the best spot for the ground wire? .........
      There should be a black wire with a white stripe with a ring lug on the end located under one of the starter solenoid mounting screws. There is also usually a similar wire with a ring lug located on one of the the battery box mounting bolts. They are the standard frame ground points.

      Use the search function to look for "Single Point Ground" posts by a former member here Posplayr. He advised to collect all the frame ground wires at one point, such as the solenoid mounting screw. The ground wire of the R/R would also be located there, and an additional ground wire from battery -ve terminal to that single point ground (SPG). Leave the thick ground wire between battery -ve and engine case as it is.

      I am not clued up on electricals, but according to Posplayr (an electrical engineer) the SPG setup minimises return current flows, which is good for the health of your bike's electrical system.
      1981 GS850G "Blue Magic" (Bike Of The Month April 2009)

      1981 GS1000G "Leo" (Bike Of The Month August 2023)

      Comment


        #18
        Bought terminal nuts and installed one on a plug. Couldn’t get the spark plug boot on the terminal nut. Guess the plug wires weren’t meant for terminal nuts. Also learned that the major auto parts store don’t loan multimeters...but they are more than willing to sell a cheap Chinese one for 30 bucks.

        Comment


          #19
          Going to borrow a multimeter from a friend to verify mine. Then follow all of your instructions for checking the fuses and ground wires. Will investigate the SPG further. I’ve read many posts on this site about an SPG but couldn’t find a post that instructs/ suggests where to locate the SPG. I’m not going to give up, I enjoy working on the bike but I love riding it.

          Comment


            #20
            Just pick a spot on the frame that you can bolt multiple ring terminals too. Run them all to there & a big one back to the battery....
            1980 GS1000G - Sold
            1978 GS1000E - Finished!
            1980 GS550E - Fixed & given to a friend
            1983 GS750ES Special - Sold
            2009 KLR 650 - Sold - gone to TX!
            1982 GS1100G - Rebuilt and finished. - Sold
            2009 TE610 - Dual Sporting around dreaming of Dakar.....

            www.parasiticsanalytics.com

            TWINPOT BRAKE UPGRADE LINKY: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...e-on-78-Skunk/

            Comment


              #21
              Salty_monk, you had an 82 GS1100G. Where on the frame did you locate the SPG on that bike?

              Comment


                #22
                The left side plate from memory. Somewhere down by the fusebox / ignitor. On my 1000 I use one of the now redundant airbox mounting tabs.
                1980 GS1000G - Sold
                1978 GS1000E - Finished!
                1980 GS550E - Fixed & given to a friend
                1983 GS750ES Special - Sold
                2009 KLR 650 - Sold - gone to TX!
                1982 GS1100G - Rebuilt and finished. - Sold
                2009 TE610 - Dual Sporting around dreaming of Dakar.....

                www.parasiticsanalytics.com

                TWINPOT BRAKE UPGRADE LINKY: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...e-on-78-Skunk/

                Comment


                  #23
                  I use one of the mounting posts for the starter relay.
                  97 R1100R
                  Previous
                  80 GS850G, 79 Z400B, 85 R100RT, 80 Z650D, 76 CB200

                  Comment


                    #24
                    Many thanks to all have responded to my post by sharing your experience and thoughts. The borrowed multimeter confirmed your suspension that the fluctuating voltages were a result of a bad multimeter, Klein MM100.

                    I followed all of your recommendations for checking and cleaning ground connections and adding a single point ground SPG to the frame. Located the SPG at upper bolt of the engine plate on the left side of the bike. Have new ground wires going to the (-) battery, SH775, and the bolt of the fuse box where a harness ground was also attached. Left the ground wire from the (-) battery to the back of the crankcase as suggested. The harness is also grounded at the factory location to the battery box.

                    Rode the bike tonight. All the quick check voltages are within the ranges listed in the Stator Pages. Thanks again.

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Ain't that a relief???? Congrats.
                      1983 GS1100E, 1983 CB1100F, 1991 GSX1100G, 1996 Kaw. ZL600 Eliminator, 1999 Bandit 1200S, 2005 Bandit 1200S, 2000 Kaw. ZRX 1100

                      Comment


                        #26
                        Congrats!
                        1980 GS1000G - Sold
                        1978 GS1000E - Finished!
                        1980 GS550E - Fixed & given to a friend
                        1983 GS750ES Special - Sold
                        2009 KLR 650 - Sold - gone to TX!
                        1982 GS1100G - Rebuilt and finished. - Sold
                        2009 TE610 - Dual Sporting around dreaming of Dakar.....

                        www.parasiticsanalytics.com

                        TWINPOT BRAKE UPGRADE LINKY: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...e-on-78-Skunk/

                        Comment


                          #27
                          It's always nice to get the pieces of a puzzle in the right position. I had a MOSFET fail in a Polaris regulator I was using on an 1100 and it did about the same thing. Congrats!
                          1981 GS1100E
                          1982 GS1100E



                          "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." Aristotle

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X