[image: View Post]AndyJ, on 30 May 2010 - 06:35 AM, said:
The other day while riding in stop & go traffic, my battery discharged to the point it shut the bike off. I was able to get going by unplugging the headlight bulbs and bump starting it (fortunately someone stopped to help bump, as it was uphill). Everything checked out fine when I got home; I think the fan running constantly along with 2 H4s and everything is just too much when crawling along at idle for an hour.
So, along with ordering a Signal Dynamics voltage monitor, my plan to avoid a repeat is to make the headlights switchable so I can unload the electrical system while idling or creeping along. Looking at the wiring diagram, I'm thinking the easiest way to do this would be to put a switch inline with the white wire on the headlight relay (same wire that goes to the hi/lo switch.)
Well there is a lot of stuff here.
First off, That DAMN fan!!
Codewriter (and others) may disagree with me when I say that FNG suck-in fan design is a total turd, but at least we agree that the worst thing it can possibly do is stay running when you start moving again, and I mean at anything over say 15mph. He is absolutely on the correct path with the air flowing in is adding load to the fan. Way more than you are supposed to have to deal with.
So my first suggestion is get the VTR fan blade and swap it out.., then the flow from the fan matches the natural moving flow from the bike, so once the fan spins up to speed there should be no more big amp loads on the system.
Next (not done beating on the fan design yet), The R&R dumps any extra electricity into the plate behind it and then into the subframe as heat. But if the fan is running, then there is no cool airflow through the rear of the bike. All the heat removed from the left rad is just pumped around the engine/frame/exhaust and back across the R&R/subframe combination. That can't help cooling of the R&R or it's ability to properly charge the battery, which is also getting baked by all that heat.
Adding a switch to the headlight circuit is going to add resistance to the whole circuit, you added H4's for more light, but if you add the switch, your going to be dropping the voltage to them. You'll loose less if you use a relay to before the white wire gets to left beam switch, but that is still going to drop a few tenth's of a volt.
I've been running h4s in my 01, pretty much since I got it new. And while one day I'll upgrade gauge of wire to the relays up under the instruments and forward to the bulb sockets (Assuming I don't do HID's first), can't complain about the load they have added to the charging system or the light that they throw.
But I thing that your really missing the problem. The headlights are not the problem, It's the cooling fan that's killing you.
I'd suggest you look at the following things.
1. Check the charging system, go through the electromotive trouble shooting diagram. if that all checks out (and it sounds like you've already done most of it). Don't forget to get the battery load tested, I've had a couple of bike batteries show 12.8 volts until tested, then they plummet to 8 or 9V.
2. Get the VTR fan and swap it out. It literally is a bolt in modification. If I lived closer to you, I be setting a date for you to come over here and I'd do it.
Its not hard and it will go a long way towards handling any cooling problems you have.
3. Check your coolant and replace it. IF you are using the Honda approved EG coolant, I'd mix it 65% distilled water/30%EG coolant/15% a water wetter type product (I like hyper lubes super coolant). Whatever you use, do not use a total mix that is less than 50% water, and I would shoot for more like 70% water, unless you totally get away from the Ethylene Glycol coolants.
Personally, I would get away from the eg mixes for a number of reasons, and go with one of the NO WATER PG coolants (like Evans NPG+).