Downtown battery being drained

[ScooterWolf]

Hello,

My 2013 Downtown seems to have a problem with its battery. I just installed a new one, and after a week it lost its charge, low enough that it couldn’t start up the engine. I recharged the battery on my trickle tender, but I’m in no rush to reinstalling it if it will just get drained again, or at least until I can figure out what’s causing the power drain.

Anyone have a problem like this before, or have any idea of the cause?

- Wolf

[Neil955i]

Sounds like on board charging (none or too little) at fault here Wolf?  I'd start by looking to the alternator / stator as a possible guilty party?  (Sure Ruffus will be along soon with a more complete diagnosis and I'd bow to his immense knowledge!)

[CROSSBOLT]

Can you rig up your multimeter to check for excessive current drain while the machine is off? The only thing that remains powered should be the clock unless you leave the key in while parked...

[Kymco Symco]

Can you rig up your multimeter to check for excessive current drain while the machine is off? The only thing that remains powered should be the clock unless you leave the key in while parked...

I'd pop off the bottom cover to access the battery.......connect battery to multi meter...start up scooter & it should be about 12v at idle and up to 14 v when engine is revved

if no change when rev as above reg/rectifier or generator... swap out former first as it's the cheaper part

[Ruffus]

@scooterwolf, pls follow CROSSBOLTS and xwelders hints to locate the culprit.

If NONE is found:
-check this connector which leads from generator to your regolator/rectifier (white connector and three yellow cables), burns out sometimes.
-motor running should be on each of this yellow cables 40-70 VAC !! not DC

-Yes/No
If NO, there is a chance your generator is defect, which is very rare.

If YES, connect again and measure after your reg/rectifier (two cable in a white connector) how many volts arrive at your battery at idle (12. and revving (14.5).
Let's see how it goes.

[CROSSBOLT]

Yeah, what Ruffus said! Do all that and call in the morning!

[ScooterWolf]

Thanks everyone,

I hope to install the battery today and then wait another day before checking it out with the multi-meter. My gut tells me it may be a problem with the
alternator/stator. Not being a mechanic, or an electrician, I have no idea. Given the age and miles on the bike it could be anything at this point.

I hope to report back soon.

- Wolf

[CROSSBOLT]

Thanks everyone,

I hope to install the battery today and then wait another day before checking it out with the multi-meter. My gut tells me it may be a problem with the
alternator/stator. Not being a mechanic, or an electrician, I have no idea. Given the age and miles on the bike it could be anything at this point.

I hope to report back soon.

- Wolf

Wolf, before you let the battery sit overnight, hook up one terminal, preferably the positive, to the battery as normal. Then put your multimeter leads in the holes for amps or high milliamps. Turn the selector to amps/milliamps whatever the leads are plugged. One probe on the battery negative, the other on the negative cable lug or convenient ground point. Read the meter and post what you read. Start high and go lower carefully. You make it through that and you will be a qualified mechanic with auto/motorcycle/scooter/aircraft/marine endorsement!

[Ericson]

Anyone have a problem like this before, or have any idea of the cause?

- Wolf

Recently I had a problem where if I were driving with LED lights only ( middle lights switch position )  battery would hold charge for 2 weeks until it will refuse to crank enough juice for start. If I would put driving lights on ( 2 x 35 W ) after 30-40 min I would get red battery icon on dashboard. After shutting engine down battery was to weak to start the engine.

Voltage readouts were 13.6 V with LED lights and 11 V with driving lights down to 9-10 V with battery icon turning on.

I bought used voltage recitifier from scooter scrapyard and that solved the issue for a time being - I can drive with lights on as long I like  Voltages are still pretty low for my taste - 13.2 V with lights on but it has been one month of driving since replacement and no more dead battery issues.

[mousejunks]

The voltage regulator is weak and known to fail in the DT300. Easy enough to replace and Kymco knew about this, so they changed it to a different design for the DT350.