96 F3 Battery Drains
 

Hope someone can help me with this.

It appears that if my 96 F3 sits and idles at low RPMs for a long time the battery dies. This has happened in high traffic where I am bumper to bumper. The bike stalls and then I cannot get it to start. Does anyone know what causes this, and is it fixable?

RE: 96 F3 Battery Drains
 

did you put a new battery in?, i just had a binch of electrical probloms with my 96 900rr so i might be able to help you

RE: 96 F3 Battery Drains
 

Could be a faulty regulator rectifier which could be overcharging the battery, or not charging it enough...
Take off the seat so you can access the battery, put a volt meter on the +/- terminals and check the voltage...should be about 13.5 at 5000RPM or so and should be putting out about 12.5 I believe at idle. Check you service manual for the exact readings

RE: 96 F3 Battery Drains
 

The battery is brand new. I will have to check the voltage to see if it is a regulator problem.

RE: 96 F3 Battery Drains
 

I've always understood that the bikes only start charging the system when your off idle, say 1000 rpm or higher. Below that and your basically running off the battery. I'm probly incorrect but I do remember a mechanic telling me that when I ask him why my headlights would brighten above 1000 rpm. I've never had a problem with it charging the battery. If anything, the water filled lead-acid batteries don't last more than a couple of summer seasons. I replaced the battery 2 years ago with a maintenance free, gel-filled and I've hard zero problems since. It always has plenty of cranking amps, even in the dead of winter.

-Del

RE: 96 F3 Battery Drains
 

maintence free batteries are good for about 2-3 years and then they are just done...so it could be a battery problem

RE: 96 F3 Battery Drains
 

same here, batteries dead on idle and wont start until i charge it up again.

RE: 96 F3 Battery Drains
 

ok, first check your rectifier make sure all the connections are solid and there isnt a bunch of rust or corrosion on them, make sure they dont fall off when riding, and have you jumped your bike battery at all cuz if you jump your bike battery with a car on or off u will ruin the battery and it will charge start the bike but after a while it will just quit. if neither one of those fixes it check all the wiring from the rectifier to the battery and from the stator to the rectifier.

RE: 96 F3 Battery Drains
 

Done deal. I did check the battery with a DMM and it read the battery 14v and it was sitting in the garage for 4days strait. So my guess is the battery, stator and the rectifier are good. Is there a certain point where the rectifier stops charging?? Like temp. max setting for it or even if the stator has a certain limit??

Did you ever figure out what your electrical problem was? I am have the same issue and all the electrical points mentioned I have checked