quick answer !

[derekhonda]

my buddy has a 300ex, it wont start under its own power, we jumped it, started up fine, also starts up on a push start. Even after he rides for a while i would expect the battery to recharge but it doesnt, does he need a new battery or is there a common problem im overlooking?

[400exrules]

get new battery, check plugs

[Bill Fuller]

Sounds like the battery is gone try a new or different battery and I bet you will be fine.Quads are not like cars when it comes to recharging the battery.

[honda350r]

Originally posted by Bill Fuller
Quads are not like cars when it comes to recharging the battery.

The systems are exactly the same!! Cars aren't suposed to recharge thier batteries either!!

[Pvt. Maggot]

check your fuse.

[derekhonda]

thanks guys, set it on the trickle charger for about an hour and cleaned the terminals and she fired right up. Thanks !

[Woodsrider]

Originally posted by honda350r
The systems are exactly the same!! Cars aren't suposed to recharge thier batteries either!!


:huh
Got Crack?

[Bill Fuller]

Originally posted by soggyrider
:huh
Got Crack? And a pipe apparently!:confused2

[honda350r]

I seriously doubt you guys know more about this subject than me ! You guys are the ones that need to walk away from the pipe!!!

[JTRtrx250r]

well even tho it dont make full-on sence to me either...I wont doubt honda350r...I know what he does for a living...and w/ this topic..he'd be the 1 to know....just my 0.02:D

[sickmojave]

Originally posted by honda350r
The systems are exactly the same!! Cars aren't suposed to recharge thier batteries either!!


:huh if this is true your car would only start a few times and then you would be walkin. if you can explain that statement I would love to hear it.

[JTRtrx250r]

haha...just for peice of mind I'd like to know also:o it got me thinking....and I still dont get it lol,I know of him from a couple other forums and the guy has suprised me w/ his info a bunch...but this I just dont get......???

[WEEZIL]

Well. when my battery died I took it out of my quad and put it on a slow (trickle charge) for about 2-3 days and its all better.

[honda350r]

A dead battery or a very low state of charge battery in any vehicle is a broken vehicle! A alternator is never supposed to charge a dead battery!! The alternator is the vehicle power plant that runs everything electrical! The battery is there for two reasons.1 to start the vehicle and 2 a capacitor to keep the electrical system stable!

Everyone including mechanics think that the alternator is a battery charger because when the alternator goes bad the battery dies. The reason it dies is because the vehicle lost it power supply and must run off the battery PERIOD!

If you charge a dead battery with your alternator you may over heat it and damage it! The alternator has enough power to run the electrical system not enough to do both! A dead or low battery will draw more current from an alternator than everything turned on in the vehcle twice!!

An ATV has the exact same system as any auto! The only difference is that it uses a permanet magnet for a rotor other than that they do the same job !!

Bottom line is if you have a dead battery charge it with a external battery charge that plugs into the wall socket!!

I know this to be true because I own a alternator rebuild shop that is a 12,000 sq foot facility and I have been doing it for 20 years! I have this same conversation with almost everyone that walks though my door !

Thanks and sorry for testing you but the crack statement hit a nerve!



Jim

[toby400ex]

If my battery is on its way out, but will still hold enough of a charge to start my quad a few times a day when i go riding, am i doing damage to my alternator?:(

[honda350r]

If a battery loses its capacity to hold a charge,it will not hurt the alternator! If the battery is discharged from the lights or key being left on that will put a strain on the charging system! In this case it would be very wise to charge you battery with a 2 amp charger for several hours!

Jim

[toby400ex]

Every once in a while i hook it up to a car charger set on 2 amps, im not sure i the charge is full of it or what but it says its at full charge and it still doesnt turn over as fast as it used to and it has a new starter. Also I dont have any lights of any kind on my quad anymore, does it matter if i leave the key on?

[honda350r]

If the key is left on it will kill the battery! Make sure that your sub frame bolts are tight! If they get loose you will lose you ground and have a hard start problem. I have run a new ground cable from the battery to the starter and made huge gains!X

Jim

[remlapr]

Originally posted by honda350r
A dead battery or a very low state of charge battery in any vehicle is a broken vehicle! A alternator is never supposed to charge a dead battery!! The alternator is the vehicle power plant that runs everything electrical! The battery is there for two reasons.1 to start the vehicle and 2 a capacitor to keep the electrical system stable!

Everyone including mechanics think that the alternator is a battery charger because when the alternator goes bad the battery dies. The reason it dies is because the vehicle lost it power supply and must run off the battery PERIOD!

If you charge a dead battery with your alternator you may over heat it and damage it! The alternator has enough power to run the electrical system not enough to do both! A dead or low battery will draw more current from an alternator than everything turned on in the vehcle twice!!

An ATV has the exact same system as any auto! The only difference is that it uses a permanet magnet for a rotor other than that they do the same job !!

Bottom line is if you have a dead battery charge it with a external battery charge that plugs into the wall socket!!

I know this to be true because I own a alternator rebuild shop that is a 12,000 sq foot facility and I have been doing it for 20 years! I have this same conversation with almost everyone that walks though my door !

Thanks and sorry for testing you but the crack statement hit a nerve!



Jim


But it still must draw some charge from the alternator or like others have said, after so many starts it would simply run out of juice and no longer work. Correct me if I'm wrong - but simply push starting a quad (or car) that had a good, but drained battery because the lights were left on would result in the battery eventually regaining it's full charge - it's just a really bad idea because it's bad for the electrical system, right?

[honda350r]

Originally posted by remlapr
But it still must draw some charge from the alternator or like others have said, after so many starts it would simply run out of juice and no longer work. Correct me if I'm wrong - but simply push starting a quad (or car) that had a good, but drained battery because the lights were left on would result in the battery eventually regaining it's full charge - it's just a really bad idea because it's bad for the electrical system, right?

Exactly, the alternator can put back in a charge after the starter has taken it but not to bring back a dead battery! People do it everyday and some get away with it some don't!

Why risk it? Do the job right the first time !!~!

[Woodsrider]

Originally posted by honda350r
Exactly, the alternator can put back in a charge after the starter has taken it but not to bring back a dead battery! People do it everyday and some get away with it some don't!

Why risk it? Do the job right the first time !!~!

I think what we need here is a clear definitian of a "dead battery"

A battery that has been completly depleted will not get recharged from the alternator alone, HOWEVER, a battery that is simly too weak to start the vehicle will infact gain a charge from the vehicles charging system. If the battery has an internal short, or was neglected, there is no saving it, buy a new battery.

[honda350r]

Here is a classic example of alternator abuse!

Say you go out for the evening ( movie dinner whatever) you come back to you car to find you have left the lights on for several hours, you jump in the car and hit the key and it growns,hit it again and it barley fires up,you rev the engine and let it idle for a minute or two.Then you pull the lights on hit the A/C and go home.

Your poor little alternator has just been abused BAD! Go out the next moring and the car seems to fire up and run just fine no problems so no worries right? Three weeks later you are wondering why you battery is dead?So you take to the shop only to find out you need a new alternator and possibly a battery to the tune of 300 to 500 bucks!!

That money could have been saved if you would have recharged the battery with a battery charger instead of the alternator!!

Food for thought boys!

Take it or leave it

[Zuikan]

Basically,
A 12 volt system will have a battery with 6 cells at 2 volts a peice, therefore 12v, if you apply more than 12 volts to a lead acid battery you will charge that battery. Any Car or Atv should supply around 14.5 volts to the battery when running, Hence charging the battery. Hope that clears everythign up. On most vehicles you can notice a diffrence in headlight brightness from Idling to a slight rev because they make there electrical power from spining there magnetos/alternators faster. So, if you want to charge your battery, keep the revs up a little bit if your just sitting there. :)

Zui
Electrical Engineer

For more info go to
How Stuff Works (http://www.howstuffworks.com)