1994 VT1100, charging/battery issues?

[Dunesgirl]

As some of you know, I installed some Walmart fog lights on my bike. I wasn't able to really ride my bike before installation so I'm not sure if my problem is the fogs just drawing too much current or if I have an underlying issue.

Here's the situation. I run my fog lights at night. The first time it happened I was letting my bike warm up in the parking lot before heading home from work (about 3am, and it was about 40 degrees if not just under). When it's this cold I usually let it idle with the choke on for about five minutes, about enough time for me to get my gear on. My fogs were off the entire time until I got on the bike to go, flip the switch, no issues at all. It wasn't until I shifted into first and let out the clutch that the bike just lurched forward and died. At first I thought it was my fault; too much clutch, not enough throttle. Okay, try starting the bike again, the starter doesn't turn fast enough to start the bike. All lights are working and are bright, but the battery just doesn't seem to have enough juice to turn the starter quickly enough. I had to call for a jump start to get it home.

I left it on the battery tender for a while. Before this happened it seemed as if the battery was turning slower than it should anyway, so I thought maybe the battery needed a good charge.

Rode it that weekend with no problems, albeit I wasn't using my fogs at all (wasn't riding at night). Starter turned great, much faster than it was before the incident so I thought the problem was solved. I rode it to work a couple of times the following week until the weather started acting up again. I used my fog lights both nights without issues (keep in mind my commute is only about seven miles one way). That friday night, a couple of friends and I decided to go cruising main street just for kicks. We were out for about 45 minutes when we were stopped at a red light. Light turns green, I let out the clutch, bike lurches forward and dies (like it did the first time). There isn't enough juice in the battery for any of my lights to work, much less to start the bike. I duck walk the bike off to a side street and up on the sidewalk to a nearby bar, and my friends and I go get one of their vehicles to come and jump start the bike and get it home.

So... are my Wally World fog lights drawing too much current to actually deplete the battery as the bike is running, or is my bike not charging like it should? I see other people on here using the same or similar fog lights as me (and many others using other forms of auxiliary light), so it's hard for me to picture the fog lights being the problem. They are 55watt lights though; still, I see some others using the same setup without reported issues.

I want to know how to test my charging system to make sure it's charging properly. Back before I used my fog lights for the first time on the streets, the starter seemed to turn slower than it should have been. It did this on several rides, both with a cold and a warm engine. It seemed to have just enough juice to barely turn the engine over successfully. After the first incident (once I charged the battery), it started like a champ, even after the few rides home from work with the fog lights on. The bike should be able to charge the battery while riding, right? Even if starting with a somewhat depleted battery, the battery would be charged fully after a good ride?

Any other thoughts? I was going to add more/different lighting accessories, but I can't until I know what the root cause of this problem is. Oh, and the battery was brand new in February, AGM maintenance-free battery.

[Endy]

I can't help a whole lot with the testing but I do have a few thoughts. For one, I would check the battery out thoroughly even though it's new. New batteries can still be bad.

Another thing, is it possible to temporarily disconnect your fog lights? If they are disconnected and not drawing any power at all, that should be able to narrow down whether or not they are causing a problem.

I'll leave the rest to the guys that know a heck of a lot more about it than I do.

[elfnyc]

should be 3 yellow wires
connector is under the seat -near the front left near battery inside the clear or frosted looking wire cover bundle thingy
check for burn marks
fried wires
fix the cheap honda plug with a heay duty one
see if the plug is hot or very hot to touch

could be the stator ?




you should read between 13.5 and 14 Volts DC across your battery at approx. 3000 rpm.
With only 12 Volts you definately have a no charge condition.

12.6 V with the engine off

[bullzeyet]

Agree with "elfnyc" for a place to start (pun??). But battery or it's connections are suspect as well. Maybe even checking the "starter button" for oxidation. Remember that the headlight goes thru there.

Are the fog lights 25, 35 or 55 or higher wattage??????? Better check as the lower the wattage the better for your charging system.

Both these items are my choice for the problem.

Bullzeyet

[PainterD]

The stock charging system on these bikes is just enough to keep them running, without adding any accessories. If the lights from Wally World are the 55w halogens, it's quite a bit of draw on an already poorly charged battery and will eventually give your problems, as you have already found out.
For one, it's not the stator that doesn't put out enough power, it's the voltage regulator that doesn't send enough power to the battery because of two things - How it's designed and the wires it uses to charge the battery and the thin wires in the harness between the regulator and the battery.
First check the three wire connector to make sure it's making good contact and not all corroded. If that's good, check the stator and the regulator. If the stator checks out OK, it's more than likely the regulator that has a burned diode inside.
I almost ordered a new stator, thinking it wasn't putting out enough power or it was bad, but after a little research, I found out it's the voltage regulator that is the problem. The stock voltage regulator sends power to the battery (just enough to keep the battery charged) and send the extra power to ground, which make sit run very hot and make the stator run hot also. Eventually the diodes in the regulator burn out and it quits working efficiently.
Now add some added accessories to the harness, and the regulator runs even hotter, and not send enough power to the battery, not to mention the wires get hot and brittle and cause even more problems over time.
By switching to a better regulator, and switching the wires from the regulator to the battery to 10 gauge wire, you will get more power to the battery and everything (stator, regulator and wires) will run much cooler and your battery will be happy to power more accessories without a problem.
I'm running my stock stator with the new regulator and I get plenty of extra power to the battery with everything on (driving lights, and stereo amplifier) with power to spare. My lights are brighter and my engine also runs better since I installed the new regulator and thicker wiring.

Here's the site that explains the new regulator I'm now using:
Roadstercycle

[Bro Eddie]

When I was having electrical problems I hooked a voltmeter to my battery and rode it to check the voltage while cruising. Had to eventually replace my R/R and replaced my stater at the same time. Don't remember what the draw is on my aux lights but I know it's more than what was on the bike to start with. My bike can push my electric gloves and my aux lights with no problems.

[notenuftime]

Dunesgirl, I just put the same lights on my 1998 1100 Spirit a few weeks ago and started having problems similar to yours'. I did what PainterD did and put a Reg/Rectifier on (from Roadstercycle). WOW, what a difference! Voltage at idle jumped to 14.2v, lights are much brighter and no starting problems! (I wired my driving lights into the low beam circuit so they are on all the time the low beams are on) Thanks PainterD for sharing! It is definitely worth checking the charging voltage. Good luck.

[DaveCarlson]

What PainterD said!! Perfect explanation and a great solution! Nice job you silver tounged devil!! Of course you are from Minnesota... enough said
Dave

[DuoDS]

+100 on the charging system upgrade. I put 55W driving lights on my lightbar and had nothing but trouble with keeping the battery charged. If I put it on the float charger every night, I did OK - as long as I didn't have to start/stop the bike too many times between charges. So, if I had too many erands to run, I couldn't take the bike. My 55W lights are on all the time BTW, high or low beam - if the bike is on, the extra lights are on.

The stock Shadow charging system is just not enough to handle accessories.

I installed this Mosfet Rect/Reg kit and now my lights are brighter than ever and I have not had my bikeon the float charger since. It still starts every morning with no thouble. WELL WORTH THE MONEY!!!

SHINDENGEN FH012AA MOSFET REGULATOR/RECTIFIER KIT | eBay

[Dunesgirl]

Thank you all for your input!

I guess I should have put more research into my fog light project. I was under the impression that the bike's charging system would handle it just fine. Apparently this is not the case, so I'll just stop using my fogs for now until I can afford one of the regulator kits mentioned (I have landscaping and some concrete going in so that's taking a good chunk of my cash).

To answer some specific questions (although I have the answer to my question), the three yellow wire mod I have not done due to the fact that I don't own a soldering iron. But I know someone who does, so it's just getting the time to ask and do the project. The connector does not look corroded or burnt, but I know it's just a matter of time.

I think the battery is fine. After leaving it on the tender overnight and then putting it away once it fully charged, I checked voltage almost a week later and it's sitting pretty at about 13v.

And FWIW, the fog lights are wired on their own circuit with an inline fuse, a relay to the ignition, and a separate switch. Basically I can't have them on unless my key is switched to on, and the independent switch gives me the flexibility to leave them off if desired (which apparently is a good thing for now lol). They are the 55w halogen lights.

When it comes to getting one of the above stated R/R kits, I assume a soldering iron is a must-have?