PMA Troubles ...

[Evilclone13]

I went on my first "real" ride last weekend and about 40 miles into it, the bike died. It was a dead battery.

I got a new battery and just made it home with the battery at 10 volts. I started poking around and I found the 20 amp fuse that is in the hot wire coming from the reg/rec was blown. I replaced that, and then checked my wiring. Sure enough, the wires from factory connection from the reg/rec (green and red wires) to the ground/battery had fallen out of the main connector. I soldered the wires to the factory spade connectors, and then reinstalled everything.

Thinking that I had solved my problem, I went for another ride. By the time I got home, my lights were diming and the battery was down to 8 volts?!?!

Today I got a chance to take another look at what's going on, with the reg/rec connection unhooked from the fuse link to the battery, and with the bike at 3000rpm, I'm only getting 3.1 volts out of the system.

Has something shorted with the reg/rec with the wires coming out? and what kind of voltage should I be seeing out of this unit, 13 - 14 volts?

I'm sure you guys will have more questions, I'll be on stand by until then.

Thanks!

 

[ANLAF]

Evilclone13, your first ride on a bike that is old (they all are) you will have to expect some teething troubles - I couldn't believe my first ride when I got home an engine bolt had dropped out with the vibration.

Think of it as a pre-flight check -2 check all your connections that might have worked loose, or might work loose - it's your bike make it safe and secure.

Start with that, and get the multimeter to check all circuits.

And don't charge your battery with a car charger!

Anlaf

 

[Evilclone13]

I've done, or thought I did a pretty good check around the bike before the ride. I did see your post about the car battery charger problem, and promtly went out and bought the correct charger!

I'm now trying to figure out why the charging system isn't doing it's job?!?!

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated ...

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Sounds like the rec/reg went out during the loose wiring episode...

 

[Evilclone13]

Is there a way to check voltage coming from the PMA, before the reg/rec? Just to make sure that it is working properly?

BTW, this is what I found after the ride ... wires literally just fell out of the connector!

Also, who produces the PMA kits that Mike's XS sells?

 

[Evilclone13]

The big mystery has been solved! I had a loose power wire in the fuse box junction. Fixed the connection, tested the voltage off the PMA, 13.7 volts! I went on a 125 mile ride, came back home with the battery at 12.6 volts!

I feel much better now knowing the charging system gremlin was something simple!

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

... check all your connections that might have worked loose, or might work loose ...

ANLAF wins this one!

 

[XSLeo]

Well done on fixing your problem. When ever on a new system if some of the wiring falls apart, checking all the wiring is the next step.
You did the right thing and fixed it. Good job.
Leo

 

[ANLAF]

Brilliant, Evilclone13 - good to here yo got out for a decent ride.

Anlaf