Battery draining through ECU

[luhbo]

I'm back from measuring. Guess what?! Mine shows 8.6V ignition off and 10.3 or so ign. on. Funny, ain't it.

 

Anyway, I never had any probs with this. I know folks that let their V11 stand over the winter without removing or even loading the battery and in spring they press the start button and drive off. Personally I can't complain about my battery, it's still the first one from 1999 and it's still doing a good job.

 

When you measure between the two fuse socket pins, F1 removed, ecu attached, you probably measure between two different potentials. The difference is 8 or 10 V as described. I think it has something to do with the polarity of the semiconductors/diodes in the ecu. Maybe one of the electronic pro's could explain this better. I'm not sure whether it's an issue.

[dlaing]

When you measure between the two fuse socket pins, F1 removed, ecu attached,  you probably measure between two different potentials. The difference is 8 or 10 V as described. I think it has something to do with the polarity of the semiconductors/diodes in the ecu. Maybe one of the electronic pro's could explain this better. I'm not sure whether it's an issue.

90206[/snapback]

I think it is just resistance and nothing special.

As the resistance increases the measured voltage decreases.

Infinite resistance would read zero volts.

As the resistance decreases, the measured voltage increases up to the full potential voltage of the battery.

[dlaing]

I'm back from measuring. Guess what?! Mine shows 8.6V ignition off and 10.3 or so ign. on. Funny, ain't it.

90206[/snapback]

Is that with Cliff's MY15???

I thought he did not even use the 17pin?????

Atleast I got infinite resistance when I probed the 17pin on Carl's MY15.

Odd funny, indeed.

[Paul Minnaert]

measuring voltage across the pins of a fuse means little to nothing. It's depending on the internal impedance of your meter what you read. So please measure amperes only. If it's resistance only, then you will measure resistance with all fuses in place, and the battery disconnected, measuring across the battery terminals cables. So the meter connected instead of the battery.

 

So you made me go to the shed, get my Fluke 87 multimeter, a very expensive one. I happen to own a v11 ecu, and have now measured any wire against pin 17. The lowest resistance I could find was 16 K ohm, what, if a ground is connected to it would give 0.00075 amps current. But since the thing is full with electronics, it will work different with a voltage attached. That's why I tell you to only measure current between fuse terminals.

[dlaing]

measuring voltage across the pins of a fuse means little to nothing.

90215[/snapback]

Measuring the volts is just safer and easier, though less meaningful

It indicates that there is some current, which is useful.

But knowing the volts may be less useful than knowing the Ohms, in this situation, but it is convenient.

On the ECU harnass, I can probe for volts, but for amps, I need to break the wire, or get some expensive gadget to read the amps.

But good point, Paul Knowing how much current we need an ammeter.

And I guess it is easy enough to put an ammeter across the fuse sockets.

Just don't blow up the ammeter. I guess most are 10Amp ammeters, so they are good for the 5 and 10A fuses.

[luhbo]

Is that with Cliff's MY15???

...

90214[/snapback]

 

Of course not! It's been the 50 USD one.

[Desdinova]

Well phase one completed. Two days went by... started at 11.2 Volts, then two days pass.... down to 11.0 volts as predicted (for my bike anyway.. .1 volt / day loss). I removed the #1 fuse, and we'll see if it continues as usual.

 

I know what is said about volts and amps, but at this point it's acedemic. The battery is draining faster than it should. Amps, volts, schmamps, smultz.... you should be able to leave a bike sit for a week or two between uses.

 

Yes, I realize if should just ride it more... but that's not really the point.... or is it...

 

 

[Guest Nogbad]

you should be able to leave a bike sit for a week or two between uses.   

 

Yes, I realize if should just ride it more... but that's not really the point....  or is it...

90588[/snapback]

 

Well, I left my V11 for 4 months once when I was out of the country. When I returned I rolled it out, hit the starter and it fired right up. OK the starter was maybe a tad slower than usual.........

[dlaing]

Well, I left my V11 for 4 months once when I was out of the country. When I returned I rolled it out, hit the starter and it fired right up. OK the starter was maybe a tad slower than usual.........

90602[/snapback]

What do your amps read across the number one fuse sockets?

[Guest Nogbad]

What do your amps read across the number one fuse sockets?

90624[/snapback]

 

Never measured it. I'd go right out and do it for you but I blew the mA circuit in my meter last week and don't have any spare fuses. If I can find my other meter tomorrow I'll measure it and post the result. Is the No 1 fuse easy to identify, like is it marked with a 1?

[dlaing]

Never measured it. I'd go right out and do it for you but I blew the mA circuit in my meter last week and don't have any spare fuses. If I can find my other meter tomorrow I'll measure it and post the result. Is the No 1 fuse easy to identify, like is it marked with a 1?

90627[/snapback]

Thanks Nog!

The number one fuse is the forward most fuse, a 5A fuse.

ie, the only fuse in this photo, draining away at my battery like a vampire <_>

[dlaing]

I am just really curious if someone is getting no drainage, or less drainage?

It is perplexing that some read 0.07xA and some read 0.007xA

Maybe we should all rush out and buy MY15Ms

[dlaing]

I am just really curious if someone is getting no drainage, or less drainage?

It is perplexing that some read 0.07xA and some read 0.007xA

Maybe we should all rush out and buy MY15Ms so our batteries would last ten years!

90630[/snapback]

[Guest Nogbad]

I am just really curious if someone is getting no drainage, or less drainage?

It is perplexing that some read 0.07xA and some read 0.007xA

Maybe we should all rush out and buy MY15Ms

90630[/snapback]

 

Well my battery is an original Guzzi and the bike is getting on for 6 years old already.

[Desdinova]

I'm not sure what this all means... just reporting data at this point..

 

1. It's been one day without the #1 fuse in place, and voltage across the battery terminals has dropped another .1 volts, just like it does with the fuse in.

 

2. The voltage across the currently empty fuse slot... now down to 5 volts from 6.

 

 

Some history...

- THis is Battery number 3. I replaced the first one not long after getting the bike because the bike had sat for a long time and I thought it's not holding a charge was because it was the original battery.

 

- Number two was replaced, because I thought... well... they call it coincidence for a reason.

 

- #3 battery charges fine. No other indications that anything is awry.

 

- FYI... the number 2 battery sat on my bench for a couple of months, and it that time didn't loose any charge to speak of. I actually was occasionally using it to power a radio I salvaged from an old fairing for some tunes in the garage.

 

Bottom line... something is causeing a slow drain on a battery when it's in the bike. Not fast enough to be a short... or one wouldn't think... but also fast enough to be annoying.