Author Topic: CB550 bogging with lights on (Read 4694 times)

iancb550 · « **on:** March 05, 2013, 11:53:04 AM »

Hi all, thanks to the help ive received on the forum I've solved most issues with my bike, it has a new battery, electronic ignition, carb cb boots, cleaned out carbs, new fuse box assembly and charges properly after adjusting the regulator.

I only seem to have an issue with a bit of bogging / misfiring when the main light is on. It's totally smooth when running without the lights on.

Is there any chance I need to further adjust the regulator to produce more voltage? Can it affect power going to the plugs? Currently I configured it a little low but charging the battery as I found it was quite easy to inadvertently set it to produce too high a voltage.

Any ideas guys and girls?

dave500 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:15:33 PM »

whats the charging rate with the headlight on?

Bru-tom · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:20:33 PM »

do bikes work similar to cars, as in, i would normally disconnect either terminal of the battery and if the car dies, i know the rectifier on my alternator is shot... i dont know if it could be the same for bikes....or just measure

iancb550 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:27:53 PM »

I will give it another test with the multi meter to be sure. Is it correct in principal that the regulator would have any affect on power to the coils ? I'm hoping that its the additional drain from the light which is causing the misfiring. Just wondered if I was barking up the wrong tree.

dave500 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:28:18 PM »

never disconnect the battery from a running car,the voltage can be spike very high,might even blow your rectifier?check your charging rate again it might have altered,make sure the battery connections are clean and tight,go over all the connections from the alternator aswell as the coil connections,what wattage headlight are you using?

iancb550 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:32:05 PM »

With the rectifier being separate I am hoping that's ok as the power is being converted correctly ac / dc otherwise I would not be running and charging at all I assume, can a rectifier also be adjusted ?

dave500 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:33:50 PM »

the rectifier can only be tested,have you checked it?

iancb550 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:35:08 PM »

I've not yet, can its function be affected by the lights ?

iancb550 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:37:06 PM »

Thanks for those tips there's a few things to check there

dave500 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:43:03 PM »

no but it can affect the charge rate.

iancb550 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 05, 2013, 12:46:53 PM »

Cheers mate I will check that too. Hopefully a little tweak on the regulator to bring it up to the standard in the manual may help. For future readers of this I also looked at http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=52615.0 looks like they discuss the affects the draw of power from the headlight can do.

I am starting to wonder if the previous owner fitted a high wattage than standard bulb to get a brighter light and that's cocked things up a bit. Will check

iancb550 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 09, 2013, 10:09:14 AM »

Well, it had a strange headlight bulb in it which apparently isn't even road legal, it was a h4 55w but it had a 100 w high beam. Apparently in the UK the highest wattage for a high beam should be 60, so switched to the Honda recommended h4 60 55w.

What I'm seeing on the multimeter without the headlight turned on is about 12.3 v at 1k, 13 v at 2k then just over 3k it reaches 14.3 then at 4k it's actually down a bit at 13.8 this continues up to 6k. (Unless vibrations are affecting my multimeter probes).

With the new headlight on it doesn't get higher than 13.5 v at any rpm up to 6k.

Does this sound like I have an issue with the charging system or is it within tolerances given the age of it?

strynboen · « **Reply #12 on:** March 09, 2013, 11:36:13 AM »

think it work perfekt..in the right tollerenses...if the volts are higher then 16 volts..the battery boiles the vater.12-14 volts are fine

iancb550 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 09, 2013, 11:49:08 AM »

Thanks Stryn, hopefully when I get to ride it again all will be well. Hopefully it won't misfire again under load with the lights on.

dave500 · « **Reply #14 on:** March 09, 2013, 12:33:11 PM »

if your doing lots of suburb or city riding at lesser rpms the battery wont reach full charge,it might be on the edge of gettting a charge then discharging again at the next red light?i run a 60/55 no worries,i think most guys with h4 do?you think your 100/50 was illegal in uk,i run 130/100 in my car!it has four lights with the in board pair being clear 150 watts each,a chicken roasting 560 watt high beam!

iancb550 · « **Reply #15 on:** March 09, 2013, 12:49:13 PM »

Would it be better for me to switch to a 35w? That was the other option, as during the week for work I'm often in traffic and in the fog etc can't afford not to have the lights on. Or do you think the charging systems not quite right still from those readings?

Or is it just the nature of the beast in that it doesn't like sitting in traffic with the lights on?

Hehe those car bulbs sound obscene, probably left some people's shadows burnt onto walls.

dave500 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 09, 2013, 01:19:35 PM »

idling with the light on will drain the battery,if you cant maintain say 3000 rpm the battery will go down,running a lower watt globe will help,or switch of the light at stop lights if its not night time,if you have a trickle charger use it once a week to keep the battery up,,if the battery is old it might be having a hard time accepting the meager charge,if the battery is say three years old replace it if your doing lots of the stop start riding.

iancb550 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 09, 2013, 01:28:03 PM »

The battery seems fine for button starting each day it's abou 6 months old. It's not run flat so far.

I pretty much use the bike every day about 25 miles a day with half that spent in traffic because its dark in the mornings and evenings here the lights are always on. Then some normal 50 miles or so traffic free day riding at the weekends.

It's really just the strange stuttering and odd misfire after use of lights for say 30 mins plus of traffic that worries me.

Just in general is that charge rate normal for its age, I imagine it would be hard to get it to exact textbook levels without new parts?

dave500 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 09, 2013, 01:33:34 PM »

the battery will be good being new youd expect,id go for its just getting run down?,charge it and see if the miss still happens,then after a day or two the miss might return as the battery is weakend again?go over all the connections again you can find and make sure they are real clean.

iancb550 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 09, 2013, 01:39:43 PM »

Cheers Dave

iancb550 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 10, 2013, 07:19:31 AM »

Bit hard to see the multimeter on this but it seems to be pretty much there now voltage wise, 12.3 standing charge 11.98 turned on but engine not running, 12.3 running, 13.3 at 2k 13.9 at 3 k then just over it reaches 14.5 and bounces around between 14 and 14.3 at rpms above that.

When it's a bit cold it sounds a bit poppy like it the video and idles just under 1000rpm, do 550s typically sound like this? It gets smoother when warmer and idles about 1200. Does it sound like its too rich?

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=plcp&v=PCKfM6gm7fg

Deltarider · « **Reply #21 on:** March 10, 2013, 09:03:51 AM »

500/550s should not idle below 1000 rpm. Better is an idle at 1100 rpm. You want that oil up there.
A charged battery should read 12,6 V or higher after it's left alone for a couple of hours.

iancb550 · « **Reply #22 on:** March 10, 2013, 10:38:37 AM »

Cheers, I've upped that now to idle around 1100 while warming and it idles about 1500/1600 when warmed.

I guess I can always turn that down again when it's warm.

Deltarider · « **Reply #23 on:** March 10, 2013, 10:41:28 AM »

Quote

I guess I can always turn that down again when it's warm.

Got it. It's common practice with us.

iancb550 · « **Reply #24 on:** March 10, 2013, 11:01:18 AM »

By the way, what kind of top speed do you guys see out of your CB500s and 550s? I am getting only about 75 mph, it was on a fairly short stretch of road though, but full throttle. Not done a full test on the motorway / highway. Now and then on a bit of an uphill with an oncoming wind in top gear it will struggle over to get over 65 mph.

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Author Topic: CB550 bogging with lights on (Read 4694 times)