My scooter battery keeps cooking!

[2000mc]

Originally Posted by spazfishy

The new battery is measured at 12.76 volts, at idle it is 13.85 volts, at rpm it is 12.76 volts.

That's not normal. The voltage at idle is higher than I would expect, but wouldn't indicate a problem on its own to me. Normally voltage revved up a bit will be greater than voltage at idle, but it looks like you're charging system quits on you. If it were mine I would have it get out a manual to further test the generator/ stator/ rectifier/ regulator... whatever it's got in its charging system

[spazfishy]

Originally Posted by 3dplane

You are right I did not mention that it does not matter which post you disconnect and it does not matter what lead you put where!
All it is going to do is display the current flow as negative if it is backwards. It will be the same amount as forward.

As far as hookup,you are making a connection between your disconnected battery post and the disconnected battery cable with your meter leads.
One lead touches the 'naked' batt post,the other lead touches the disconnected battery cable.
You are inserting the meter inline essentially reconnecting the battery through the the meter!

Your meter: move the red lead over to the hole that says 10 A.
Set the dial to the 10 A setting to start with.
If the lowest reading that it can display here is 0.1 A, that would be 100 mA (milli Amps) and if that is what you read,(too much draw) then you need to switch to read down to milli amps.

I don't know your meter but it looks like you would put the red lead back to the whole where it is on your picture and change the dial to be in the milli amps range say 200m setting in the DCA section surrounded by a green line.
On my fluke it auto ranges so it can display from 1mA to 10 A without having to touch anything.

BTW it seems your scooter only charging at idle! Not good!
Is the headlight on when it is running?

Great reply, thanks. I think I know exactly what to do now. I will check the headlight and report more back after further testing this weekend.

[jjackstone]

Don't overlook a possible bad starter. That's where you might see a battery drain when the engine is off. I've repaired three different cars in which the starter was going bad and would create a parasitic load on the battery. Didn't have the boiling away problem, but eventually the battery would become weak enough from to many low discharges that the car would no longer start.
JJ

[spazfishy]

Originally Posted by 3dplane

You are right I did not mention that it does not matter which post you disconnect and it does not matter what lead you put where!
All it is going to do is display the current flow as negative if it is backwards. It will be the same amount as forward.

As far as hookup,you are making a connection between your disconnected battery post and the disconnected battery cable with your meter leads.
One lead touches the 'naked' batt post,the other lead touches the disconnected battery cable.
You are inserting the meter inline essentially reconnecting the battery through the the meter!

Your meter: move the red lead over to the hole that says 10 A.
Set the dial to the 10 A setting to start with.
If the lowest reading that it can display here is 0.1 A, that would be 100 mA (milli Amps) and if that is what you read,(too much draw) then you need to switch to read down to milli amps.

I don't know your meter but it looks like you would put the red lead back to the whole where it is on your picture and change the dial to be in the milli amps range say 200m setting in the DCA section surrounded by a green line.
On my fluke it auto ranges so it can display from 1mA to 10 A without having to touch anything.

BTW it seems your scooter only charging at idle! Not good!
Is the headlight on when it is running?

Wanted to tell you the reading I am getting in the 10A position on my VOM is on connection 0.09 then reduces to a constant 0.01. I will test the 200m thing next but wanted to mention this. Is this high? Any clue?

[spazfishy]

Okay, in 200m position the reading is -05.5. Do you suggest then I disconnect everything in an attempt to find one that gets the -05.5 to go lower? Thank you

[3dplane]

My problem is that meter! What the heck is 05.5? Lol! I doubt it would display .5 milliamps but who knows.

The 200m range should mean that it would display milliamps from 0 to 200 so I would expect a round number there.

It's trying to display either 5.5 amps or 5.5mA.

What's it say in the 10A range? (with the red lead in the 10A connector)

Honestly I just don't trust that that thing but let's give it a chance!

[spazfishy]

Originally Posted by 3dplane

My problem is that meter! What the heck is 05.5? Lol! I doubt it would display .5 milliamps but who knows.

The 200m range should mean that it would display milliamps from 0 to 200 so I would expect a round number there.

It's trying to display either 5.5 amps or 5.5mA.

What's it say in the 10A range? (with the red lead in the 10A connector)

Honestly I just don't trust that that thing but let's give it a chance!

Hey guys, have not done further testing in a few days. I will grab another meter and try to get more testing done tomorrow.