Battery overheating

[oggers80]

Might sound like a silly question but what would cause a battery to boil over? :confused: Previous one kept discharging itself!!

[xjtriker666]

reg/rectifier ..nakked alternator..possably...had that prob wi trike battery not keepin charge.....

[noizy git]

Sounds like a regulator problem to me mate.If you have a multimeter check what voltage you get across the battery terminals with the engine running, the workshop manual should give you a maximum figure but it's normally around the 14,5 to 15 volt mark. The other thing a regulator should do is disconnect the battery from the alternator when the ignition is switched off, if it doesn't your battery will go flat-since this is whats happening to you I'm 90% sure thats what you're problem is.
You may well find that the battery is shagged too now as overheating it tends to buckle the plates inside.

[johnr]

what bike is it, certain bikes have a lot of form for such things, gs or gsx suzuki anyone?

[oggers80]

Its an 1100 virago trike. No probs until bike was triked but first battery kept discharging itself, 2nd one boiled over & regulator is now def f***ed:(

[devon-tony]

is there lots of extra lights now??, or did it have running lights and youve now done away with them??

[Dougie]

Its an 1100 virago trike. No probs until bike was triked but first battery kept discharging itself, 2nd one boiled over & regulator is now def f***ed:(
Mebbe crimped a wire somewhere?

[trikerdrew]

Some imports have charging systems which could overheat a battery.This is because they are built to run lights on all the time.

Just a thought.Good luck with it.Could try www.ViragoTec.com :confused:

[oggers80]

Not an import but will try running lights on, thanks. Trike hasnt got any more lights than bike had apart from side lights, will check them too, thanks.:)

[Sir Ewok]

Regulator.... Mine went on VW trike and battery boiled on M5 on way to Faro....

[titusni]

Its an 1100 virago trike. No probs until bike was triked but first battery kept discharging itself, 2nd one boiled over & regulator is now def f***ed:(

Maybe when it was triked the rectifier/regulator's ground wire was disconnected and not replaced after? A r/r needs a good ground or it will fry.

[Bosun]

the regulator went on my xvs1100 did the same thing
make sure it has a good connection/heatsink

[Gypsy]

same thing on our GT750 R&R

[noizy git]

The regulator on my blade had to be mounted on a fair sized ally plate welded to the subframe after the first one cooked,it's surprising just how much heat they can give out.

[oggers80]

It was the regulator, possibly because it was moved when bike was triked. Thanks everyone :)

[oggers80]

Ok so I traced problem to the regulator, ordered one, they sent the wrong one! The one I need is on back order but it was promised for Monday (8th). Tuesday, still no sign! The guy who built the trike for me frantically starts ringing round trying to get me one and theres one in Doncaster, (no-where near here!) it finally arrives Thursday morning. (Bearing in mind I'm packed ready for the Bulldog,) I fit the regulator fire the trike up and fantastic, starts, running ok, so I leave it 5 mins.... I can smell something, bloody regulator is that hot I can't touch it!! Bastard electrics.... looks like when original regulator went, it not only took the battery with it but the alternator too (and god knows what else). Spent most of today desparately trying to get an alternator but the earliest is Monday. I am that pissed off I wish I'd never triked the bike and when the electrics are fixed it's going on sodding ebay. The best bit is I'd been given guest tickets for the Bulldog and I'm still sat here :mad: :mad:

[noizy git]

Regulators do need to be able to dissipate lots of heat so make sure its bolted to a sizable lump of metal and away from the engine. Bolting it to an ally mount can often help as aluminium is particularly good at conducting heat.
Are you sure the alternator isn't still working? The fact that the regulator is getting hot sounds like it's still generating electricity.
It's possible that it's just the wiring from the alternator thats cooked near where it goes into the regulator,might be worth checking that.
Sorry I can't be more help since you obviously need to be on the road asap but diagnosing electical faults over a forum isn't the easiest way.

[trikerdrew]

Bike rect/regs & alts cost a packet when it goes pear-shaped.

Car alt. has reg/rect built into it,cost peanuts and can polish up ok.Just a pulley where alt used to live via a belt to alt mounted where you like.

Car batt can be used.cheaper, lasts longer, holds more oomph for starting and running extra lights etc.

Tried to post picture of a bike with conversion but I can't work out how to. :confused:Looks like it worked now.

O.K. it looks like a pile of crud but the idea is an excellant one.