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DRZ400. Electrical Issue

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Texasrider58

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David
The battery runs down. If you leave the maintainer plug in your are fine. What would cause the battery to be pulled down by just sitting. It doesn't take much more than a week and the battery is too low to start it. Thanks
 
First things first, are there any electrical add-ons that have been put on the bike after the bike left the factory? If so, those would be my first place to start, and I would disconnect all of them and see if the problem continues. If it doesn't, then add one back at a time until you find your culprit.

If there are no electrical goodies added onto the bike, I would start by checking wiring to see if you by chance have a pinched wire that is shorting to ground that you shouldn't have.
 
No sir. I haven't added anything. Paul said it had the issue before. I read on Advrider one comment was saying the instrument cluster and clock would run the battery down after a period of time because the battery is small with no reserve. Does that sound like a possibility ?
 
Is the an S or SM?
If so not uncommon at all.
The OEM battery is marginal at best when a new quality Yuasa is used...
Old or lesser quality battery and things get worse.
How old is your battery? Had it tested?
Are you letting it run at least 30-45 min after each start? If not, your using more power to start then getting back into the battery... Do that 5 times and now your battery is in a dismal state of charge as you park it for the week.


Do you have a test meter? if so, check the key off current leakage is. Start with what you believe is a fully charged battery, key off, see what the amp draw is.. Spec is less then 1ma..
If you have less then 1ma draw, the battery tested fine, you should be good for a few weeks (in reasonable temps, cold weather cuts that down )
What is your key on / engine off battery voltage?
What is the key on engine on charging voltage at idle and 5k RPM? if not 13.5-15vdc.... you have a problem
If your seeing low charge voltage, there is a MOD that allows for bypassing the marginal wiring stock and directly wiring the RR output to the battery. Even a fully serviceable DRZ will see better charging voltage with the "Free Power" mod
 
The battery may be an issue. The battery was low. New battery a few months back, Bikemaster. Plugged into my 3 amp trickle charger for about 5 minutes. Started up. From idle to 4 or 5k, it reads 13.7v, steady. Key off. 12.74 then drops, .74,.73,.72 pretty steadily. Like counting 5,4,3,2, etc. . Going to take it for a ride for an hour or so.
 
Texasrider58 said:
The battery may be an issue. The battery was low. New battery a few months back, Bikemaster. Plugged into my 3 amp trickle charger for about 5 minutes. Started up. From idle to 4 or 5k, it reads 13.7v, steady. Key off. 12.74 then drops, .74,.73,.72 pretty steadily. Like counting 5,4,3,2, etc. . Going to take it for a ride for an hour or so.
Click to expand...

If it is a flooded lead acid battery, 12.7x is fully charged... but as you noticed, once the charge source is off, you will see voltage drop and then stabilize after about an hour... so if its 12.7 after an hour of sitting thats ok...If its in the 12.6 or less its getting old... AND even if at 12.7 it needs a capacity test as well.
That is what id like to see for a well function charging system
  • Engine off, key off - you should have 12.8 or more volts (DC).
  • Engine off, Key on, lights on - around 12 volts (DC) is good.
  • Engine running at idle - above 13 volts (DC) is good.
  • High idle to around 3000 rpm - 14 to 14.5 volts (DC) is what you want to see. (Note Suzuki Spec is @5000 RPM and 13.5-15v)

    If you have not done the "Free Power" mod, consider it, it will help with charge voltage at the battery.
 
I left the 3 amp trickle on it last night. Started it this evening and run it a little. Key on with lights on, the reading was 12 then down to 11.7. Idle to 4 or 5k, still at 13.7, doesn't vary much. The battery isn't as good as I thought. There are two sets of wires coming from the stator area, the red and black wires are the ones to make the mod with. I plan to do the modification.
What are your thoughts on lithium batteries. I was thinking of getting a Shorai I think it is from cycle gear. It has 210 cca. Are lithium worth the price. 159.00.
 
ZRX Mitch said:
Semantics? The first word in the title is "stator"........
Click to expand...
"Stator and Starter clutch LocTite fix" ... Yes but the article is about preventing loose fasteners ..nothing to do with electrical.

Im pretty sure anyway ...I think i know the guy that wrote it.....and the other one I linked to...LOL
 
Texasrider58 said:
I left the 3 amp trickle on it last night. Started it this evening and run it a little. Key on with lights on, the reading was 12 then down to 11.7. Idle to 4 or 5k, still at 13.7, doesn't vary much. The battery isn't as good as I thought. There are two sets of wires coming from the stator area, the red and black wires are the ones to make the mod with. I plan to do the modification.
What are your thoughts on lithium batteries. I was thinking of getting a Shorai I think it is from cycle gear. It has 210 cca. Are lithium worth the price. 159.00.
Click to expand...
Battery is junk, replace with new.
Yes the two charge wires from the RR are the ones you extend to the battery, using a in line ATO fuse in a weather resistant holder close tot he battery (Or a circuit breaker ..I use a marine rated one from Sea Dog on most the builds I do, unless the owner specifically wants a fuse...)
On the DRZ, Li battery is good or bad....depends on use..... Do you find yourself having to restart the bike 12 times in quick succession trying to get through , over a difficult set of obstacles ? ..Perhaps a LI battery is not for you, they excel at putting a lot of energy out at once, but have less capacity then a good lead battery.
Do you want to run your GPS, and charge your cell phone while spending two hours at camp? .Perhaps a LI battery is not for you

The Li can not only put out a lot of energy at once (great for starting) it can be charged at a high rate as well.... Great match for the Free Power Mod.

In Oregon I stayed with a conventional lead acid gel battery of a larger size then stock, as I had more need to do more and or longer starts (flooded)
Since coming to Texas, I have gone to Li as the terrain here and how i ride (and crash) does not have the same needs.
 
I do plan on running a phone and gps. I have the Strom and Ultra set up for both. I do charge my Sena at night on the bike. And would do the same with the DRZ. I thought since the Lithium had a higher cca, it had more capacity. Not real educated on electrical things. So, maybe a bigger lead battery would be better. Thanks for your time, knowledge and info.
 
E.Marquez said:
Perhaps a LI battery is not for you, they excel at putting a lot of energy out at once, but have less capacity then a good lead battery.
Do you want to run your GPS, and charge your cell phone while spending two hours at camp? .Perhaps a LI battery is not for you
Click to expand...

Help me understand ... charging a phone or Sena comm or GPS via a USB cable from a 12V socket while breaking for lunch will pull a Lithium battery down to the point it won't crank the bike? Or are you describing leaving multiple devices charging at the same time? over lunch break or overnight?
 
Last edited:
mitchntx said:
Help me understand ... charging a phone or Sena comm or GPS via a USB cable from a 12V socket while breaking for lunch will pull a Lithium battery down to the point it won't crank the bike? Or are you describing leaving multiple devices charging at the same time? over lunch break or overnight?
Click to expand...

It was a general statement and consideration.. based on Li batteries having less capacity then a similar sized lead acid battery, so just as generally I can say, charging a phone key off with a Li battery is not an issue.... Or has not been on most of my bikes. On my Big bore, stroked 485 DRZ ...that needed all the battery capacity to start reliably, key off powering stuff was a fast way to a no start.

And folks have differing set ups... there are those that swap in much smaller Li batteries and use the "extra" space to store tools...or get rid of battery box and put a small Li battery in the air box, and that small battery will still start the motor because of the ability to discharge great amounts of energy at once...But not have much capacity to power things with the bike off.

So will a Li battery allow for key off charging of your set up? Yes, No, maybe...it just depends... In my VTR1000F I installed the largest Li battery i could fit in the stock location...so I have way more capacity then I need to start, I can spare energy to a charge phone but not run an air compressor or inverter to power a lap top. Something I have done with a lead acid battery in place.
 
Update ...

Temps in the mid to low 30s
2016 KTM 1290 super Adventure
18,000 miles

New Shorai LFX19A4-BS12
19Ah - 285 CCA
Fully charged on an approved Shorai battery charger.

Key on - 12.8V via the display and started without delay.
Idled till readout peaked at 13.9V

Key off and back on (no start) - 13.1V

Key off - plugged in a dead Sena 20 and fully charged the Sena.
Was plugged into system for 3+ hours.

Key on - 12.8V via the display and bike started without delay.
Idled to again see 13.9V.

So the Sena 20 had no apparent effect on the battery's condition.
I'll experiment with a cell phone tomorrow.
 
I picked up a battery at Autozone. Should have checked Walmart, there's was cheaper. Charged the battery then unplugged it. Two days now and it is holding 12.87. Hopefully, putting trickle charger on once a week or so, things will be fine.
 
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