Re: [2cylinderhondas] Re: Looks like I've killed another battery. :

friend · Post by **friend** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:45 pm

The charging system is as good as it is maintained. Connections that have grown weak because of corrosion, grounds that have become lose both degrade the system. Even bulb sockets will cause your battery to drain. Start by getting a tube of dilectric grease (to seal connections after you clean them) and a small round wire brush along with some 0000 sand paper and set about cleaning all the connections in your wire harness, remove and attach everything. You will find corrosion everywhere you look. Don't say the Honda electrictrical system is bad until you have done your part.
Start with disconnecting the battery and put it on a charger, then work from the front back or back to front. Clean all of it. You will be amazed at the outcome. When you get to the brushes on the stator check to see if they are the right length and clean the contact surface with an eraser, yep it will make things a whole bunch better.
Bill

> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com [mailto:2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com] > On > Behalf Of > riceburner006 > Sent:
> Wednesday, March 28, 2007 4:30
> PM
> To:
> 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> Subject:
> [2cylinderhondas] Re: Looks like I've killed another battery.
> :o(
> --- In
> 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com
> ,
> "misterpoopoohead"
> wrote:
> Hey
> Kev! You could have a problem in the charging system,but I > realized years > ago,the 600 system will not keep up with the demand of > a lot of slow stop > &go driving,especially if you have a decent radio > and or halogen > headlights. Even with a perfect charging system if you > drive only short > hops,with many restarts,your starter drains the > battery,and if you don't > drive with the revs up ,like on the hi-way, > the alternator will not keep > up! It's rated about 35 amps,but unlike > typical cars,it's driven at > crankshaft speed. All normal cars have > alternators spinning at twice the > speed of the crank,so your charging > even at idle. I'm NOT saying the > battery will go dead,but I will > challenge anyone to check the battery > voltage after several small > trips when your bar-hopping or just driving > every day less than a > mile.Put a charger on it,and the ammeter will show > it needs charged > > Hi Gang,
> > Anyone else have issues
> with killing batteries in your 600?
> > I left the headlights on
> for less than an hour on Saurday while
> > eating breakfast and when I
> came out to start the car the battery
> was
> > flat dead. I had AAA
> fix me up in no time and it was fine the rest
> of
> > the day.
> > Then on Sunday I talked to my Dad on my cell phone (which > was > plugged > > into the lighter socket) for about an hour and it > drained the > battery > > so much that the car would almost turn over, > but I couldn't get it > > started. I am surprised that the cell phone > could drain the battery > > down this much!
> > I'm
> planning to put a clamp-on ammeter on the battery cable to see > if
> there is any current flow with everything shut off. I'll also check
> the voltage across the battery with my DMM while it's running to > see
> > if the alternator is running at a good voltage.
> > I am
> considering looking into converting the parking lights, brake > > lights, > and blinker lights to LED's to lower the load on the > charging
> system. Anyone else try that?
> > Does anyone know if there are
> any low power replacements for the
> > headlights? They are a huge drain
> on the charging system.
> > Miles, do you have any pearls of
> wisdom you can add? ;o)
> > kev

friend · Post by **friend** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:55 am

Kev;
Do a few things before messing with the voltage regulator.
Clean all the connections between the battery and engine/harness/fuse box.....
as for the regulator, look at the ground connections and ensure the ground wire is on a clean bolt to body including the washer. Clean the base of the voltage regulator where it connects to the body. Then unplug it and clean all the connecting points. Remember, there are three sections to your alternator, - Stator W/Brushes, Rectifyer and Voltage Regulator. This is not a single component. If it is still low, open the regulator and there is an adjustment on one of the coils.
Bill

> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com [mailto:2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com] > On > Behalf Of > Kevin Lister > Sent:
> Friday, March 30, 2007 9:03
> AM
> To:
> 2cylinderhondas@yahoogroups.com
> Subject:
> Re:
> [2cylinderhondas] Re: Looks like I've killed another battery.
> :o(
> Ha! LoL! ;o)
> I'm out of D cells at the moment, but I do have a
> hamster that mostly sleeps and runs in his little excersize wheel. I figure if > I replace the engine with him and hi wheel the net result will be more power.
> ;o)
> I put my DMM on the battery when the car is at idle and it reads > 11.74v. I was expecting 13.8v which is what I am accustomed to seeing on > automotive charging systems. The manual I have has a fair description on how > to adjust the gaps in the regulator. I'm planning to check the regulator and > the alternator this Saturday. I have a DMM and an Ammeter I can use for > testing. I've looked at the schematic carfeully and I'm even thinking of > replacing the anitquated regulator with a Solid-State circuit. That shouldn't > be too hard to design. I'll have to study the regulator in detail > first.
> I'll get the more indepth testing done tomorrow and then
> hopefully find the problem.
> kev
> Miles 600miles@peoplepc. com
> wrote:
> The first thing to check is if you are using AA Duracells or just
> regular batteries. If your starter won't crank with the AA's then > you > might install some D size batteries.
> The next thing I can recommend is
> drive your Jeep when you go out to
> breakfast, and limit calls with Dad to
> 15 minutes, you don't need
> that much radiation.
> I'd put an In-Line
> ampmeter in and a Volt Meter also. The alternator
> should be putting out
> 13.8v at the battery.
> Miles
> --- In
> 2cylinderhondas@ yahoogroups. com
> ,
> "misterpoopoohead"
>
> wrote:
> > Hi Gang,
> > Anyone else have issues with
> killing batteries in your 600?
> > I left the headlights on for
> less than an hour on Saurday while
> > eating breakfast and when I came
> out to start the car the battery
> was
> > flat dead. I had AAA fix me
> up in no time and it was fine the rest
> of
> > the day.
> > Then on Sunday I talked to my Dad on my cell phone (which was
> plugged
> > into the lighter socket) for about an hour and it drained > the > battery > > so much that the car would almost turn over, but I > couldn't get it > > started. I am surprised that the cell phone could > drain the > battery > > down this much!
> > I'm planning
> to put a clamp-on ammeter on the battery cable to see
> if
> > there is
> any current flow with everything shut off. I'll also
> check
> > the
> voltage across the battery with my DMM while it's running to > see
> if the alternator is running at a good voltage.
> > I am
> considering looking into converting the parking lights, brake > > lights, > and blinker lights to LED's to lower the load on the > charging
> system. Anyone else try that?
> > Does anyone know if there are
> any low power replacements for the
> > headlights? They are a huge drain
> on the charging system.
> > Miles, do you have any pearls of
> wisdom you can add? ;o)
> kev
> ------------ --------- --------- ---
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