07 990 ADV battery issues

[tramp]

hi buggles,
ACF 50 is great foe corroded electric circuit boards so a KTM should be okay leaves a film behind and stick longer than wd40, unless someone has a better idea.

before sealing make sure all the water/humidity has gone , I use the wifes hairdrier when she aint watching.

[Lutin]

Lutin, is that test just a matter of putting one lead on one connector, and one on the other. Do I have to try to start the engine, or does that work without the engine running...

JB

A bit of background first. The starter solenoid is really only a very big relay. There is a coil that closes a pair of contacts. Because the starting current is so high, the contacts are very large and there is also a very big spring that is used to separate the contacts once the coil is de-energised. So, this means that you need a fairly large coil to close the contacts in the first place. Okay, still with me?

When you hear the "click" this is the coil closing the contacts, and shows that the coil is good. What we need to find out is whether the contacts are also good, ie that there is negligible resistance when they are closed.

Here's a picture of a Honda starter solenoid (courtesy of Wemoto) -



The connections that you want to measure across are the large connections (one copper coloured, the other silver) in the right hand picture. The cables to these connections will be fastened by fairly large screws or bolts. Here's how the starter solenoid looks in the circuit diagram -


The high current connections are the one from the battery and to the starter motor. As can be seen the current passes from the battery through the contact (shown open in the diagram) to the starter motor. The return path is through "earth" ie the frame of the bike. What you want to do is to disconnect the lead to the starter motor. You will need to leave the connection to the battery as we need the rest of the electrics working.

What you want to do is to connect your multimeter across these two large connections (set to measure resistance). Hopefully you can connect using croc-clips rather than having to hold them in place. This is because the contacts will not close until the starter button is pressed. You should hear the "click" and, if everything is well, a very low resistance across the contacts. If this is the case, then all well and good.

If, however, you get no reading or a high resistance across the contacts then it is new solenoid time.

I hope that this helps and is clear enough for you to follow. Sorry, but I don't know the KTM, so these are rather generic instructions.

[Buggles]

Ok,

So I've taken the big black connector on top of the solenoid apart, it's totally clean. No dirt, no corrosion.

I've also tried to take the connector from the rectifier (R/H/S of bike when standing in front), the one with the three yellow/green wires coming from it, apart for cleaning. However, I can't get the blades out. The connector is fairly dirty, but the blades don't look corroded. Can't say for the female part of the connector, as that won't come apart either, and I can't look inside them.

Will try the resistance across the solenoid too. However, last week it started fine (with the battery fresh off the charger), so logic (well, my logic at least) would dictate that that's all fine.

So it seems the battery would be at fault, maybe after 3 years of service, the past winter was just too much for it.

I'll take the battery down to the neighbourhood kwik-fit and see if they can test. Otherwise, it's on the bus to CPC batteries for a proper check (and possible replacement).

To be continued (soon I hope).

JB

[digitalcaptive]

While the Katoom is having an off day do you still have old reliable triumph to rely on?

[Chad]

While the Katoom is having an off day do you still have old reliable triumph to rely on?

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeasy tiger

[digitalcaptive]

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeasy tiger

We gonna see you in Wales this year mate

[Chad]

We gonna see you in Wales this year mate

not stayingbut will be down for one of my famous day visits

[Buggles]

While the Katoom is having an off day do you still have old reliable triumph to rely on?

I would, but since I haven't ridden her for months, the battery is also dead...

And I don't want to ride her with the salt still on the roads, took me hours to get her all shiny for the sale...

I'll be riding her down to Amsterdam soon though, as I'll be selling the bike there...

Looking forward to that ride!

JB

[doglegdon]

My lass has had a battery problem recently, though in the heat we have here throughout the year, it's not really a surprise. Original battery is a maintenance free Yuasa YTZ14S, less than 2 years old. It can hold voltage, but not amperage. It's sad, but not unexpected as I say. Here, we just bite the bullet and shell out again.
Looked at the prices you guys pay in Europe, we're about the same, so don't feel hard done by.
Have done same as a few have suggested here (and on KTM-UK forum), white relay, (full of dust, mud etc) and the black block completely clean. It happens, am currently saving up to get a new battery, a new rear Pirrelli Scorpian and a KTM mechanic to come down to where I live for the second service!!!

[Buggles]

New battery came in today... So hopefully she'll run again in the next few days...

Just in time for the trailer to the Netherlands before we move her into a shiny garage somewhere in Belgium...

JB