Saacattack Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 So my battery is corroded and I'm trying to figure out if it's just the battery or if its the alternator. is there a way to check and see if you have a bad alternator without me having to go to a shop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JStump Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 (edited) Correct me if I'm wrong but corrosion isn't caused by a bad alternator. It is just something that happens over time and if it is exposed to salt. Just scrape the corrosion off and you should be good to go. If you still want to test the alternator after you scrape off the corrosion, get a multimeter and test the voltage with the bike off and with it on. it should be somewhere between 12 to 13 volts off, 13 to 14.5 on. Edited March 15, 2012 by JStump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawlins87 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Clean the corrosion then charge the battery.might fix it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saacattack Posted March 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 I could be wrong, but i put a post up about my battery and the bike dying on me. about a week after i put that post up, i charged it, rode about 4 miles and it died on me. luckily i was near home so i walked it back. I took out the battery and charged it, but this time it smelled like sulfur and was making a different sound while charging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JStump Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 I could be wrong, but i put a post up about my battery and the bike dying on me. about a week after i put that post up, i charged it, rode about 4 miles and it died on me. luckily i was near home so i walked it back. I took out the battery and charged it, but this time it smelled like sulfur and was making a different sound while charging.Sounds like the corrosion was the issue. Had the same issue with my sentra last year, knocked off the corrosion and sanded the battery terminal and my problem went away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simplysix Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Clean connections and then spray them with a terminal protector ( few bucks at any auto parts store). While you are there, you could test the alt. if you wanted. I'm sure someone on here near you would let you borrow a dvom. For a beer, you could probably get someone to ride over and help you since its pretty easy to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 my grand am always had corosion on the battery , even after i replaced battery, alt, and new termials just the way it was exposed to the elements i guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saacattack Posted March 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Well I just took it to iron pony and they read the battery and it's good. They said it wasn't corroded but, does that make sense of it smelt like sulfur on the trickle charger? I'm no mechanic, so I'm thinking I'll have to have them or the triumph dealership look at it and see. I'm going to ride again tonight and see if the bike died on me again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JStump Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Not sure if the 675 has this problem or not but the 600 and 650 has known stator/rr issues which can be tested at home if you have a multimeter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mello dude Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 (edited) ^^^Ditto - do a voltage at the battery with a multimeter, at idle it should be in the 13s and then 5000 rpm it should be in the 14s. Your battery needs to be fully charged first for this test. A bad battery will screw up the readings. Edited March 15, 2012 by mello dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cOoTeR Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Your bike doesn't have an alternator it has a stater maybe a voltage regulator that's bad also. Have you ever jump started it from a car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saacattack Posted March 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Clearly im don't know anything mechanically about my bike. But I'm learning! I would check the volt meter but I don't have a reader Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mello dude Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 (edited) Clearly im don't know anything mechanically about my bike. But I'm learning! I would check the volt meter but I don't have a readerHarbour Freight sells one for about 10 bucks. Other places to get one are Radio Shack, Sears, just about any auto parts store, mbe even Walmart. Or if you have a buddy that has one, it only takes 30 seconds to check it and get a reading. If you dont want to do that, you'll probly end up taking it to somebody. Maybe even Hoblick could look at it. -Ditto on the alterator, you have a stator. Edited March 15, 2012 by mello dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snot Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Sometimes when batteries are tested it show good, but when a load is put on them they fail. Corrsion has to be completely removed or it will reform. As far as the smell, a lot of batteries will smell while charging I would check the acid/water level. I would check all the connections to make sure you have good contact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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