Post by ellpee on Jan 2, 2014 16:15:35 GMT -6
My tribulations are spread over 3-4 different threads, so thought I'd pull it all together here for the benefit of anybody else who finds themselves in my situation.
FIRST, this is about a 2011 Roketa MC-54B-250, assuming that's the right model number for the Roketa with the Honda clone 244cc engine. Lots of confusion over those model designations! Might or might not apply to any other scoot, but the laws of electricity are what they are, so it's worth reading.
My troubles had to do with charging system not keeping up with the load when I was out on an extended run -- voltmeter showed below 12v much of the time, and sooner or later the battery would be depleted to the point (< 10v) where the CDI wouldn't send juice to the ignition and therefore the scooter wouldn't even crank.
Lots of helpful people here suggested all sorts of things, and I followed through sequentially on most of them, as follows:
(1) Replaced front running lights with LEDs. No real effect on my core problem, but nice, bright running lights. About $20.
(2) Replaced tail/brake lights with LEDs. No real effect on my core problem, but nice, bright tail/brake lights. About $40.
(3) Replaced OEM cooling fan, alleged to draw 8 amps, with a 2.8 amp replacement. No real effect on my core problem. About $40.
(4) Replaced all four turn signal bulbs with LEDs. No real effect on my core problem (no surprise, since turn signals are only on briefly anyway), but nice bright turn signals. About $30.
(5) Added an on/off switch for low beam headlights, leaving them off in daytime (only time I ride anyway). About $5. HUGE effect on my core problem, voltmeter now showing almost 14 amps enroute until the fan kicks in, then about 12.7 volts or so. Makes sense, since OEM headlights draw 3 amps x 2. BUT NOTE, still seeing a significant drop when the supposedly much lower amperage fan kicks in; not enough to put me in minus territory with the new bulbs, but troubling. And almost as much when I click on the headlights; If I were a Night Rider, which I definitely am not, they and the fan combined would probably put me back in the voltage doodoo again.
So as of today I feel much better about going on extended daytime scooter runs, but the gremlin is by no means dead. Next time I have a reason to pull the necessary plastic, I'm going to have to take a hard look at the thermoswitch (screwed into lower right corner of radiator, seen from the driver seat) that lets juice through to the fan when the coolant gets hot enough. All evidence would suggest that when it does so, a whole bunch of voltage is leaking away somewhere it shouldn't be.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. If anybody knows an easy, no-plastic-pulling way to check that thermostat switch thing, by all means chime in, but for now Ellpee is in pretty good shape and feeling like I really learned something hanging around this forum. I'll likely go LED on the headlights too when I have reason to open up all the front end plastic, but for now I'll just be leaving them off in daytime.
FIRST, this is about a 2011 Roketa MC-54B-250, assuming that's the right model number for the Roketa with the Honda clone 244cc engine. Lots of confusion over those model designations! Might or might not apply to any other scoot, but the laws of electricity are what they are, so it's worth reading.
My troubles had to do with charging system not keeping up with the load when I was out on an extended run -- voltmeter showed below 12v much of the time, and sooner or later the battery would be depleted to the point (< 10v) where the CDI wouldn't send juice to the ignition and therefore the scooter wouldn't even crank.
Lots of helpful people here suggested all sorts of things, and I followed through sequentially on most of them, as follows:
(1) Replaced front running lights with LEDs. No real effect on my core problem, but nice, bright running lights. About $20.
(2) Replaced tail/brake lights with LEDs. No real effect on my core problem, but nice, bright tail/brake lights. About $40.
(3) Replaced OEM cooling fan, alleged to draw 8 amps, with a 2.8 amp replacement. No real effect on my core problem. About $40.
(4) Replaced all four turn signal bulbs with LEDs. No real effect on my core problem (no surprise, since turn signals are only on briefly anyway), but nice bright turn signals. About $30.
(5) Added an on/off switch for low beam headlights, leaving them off in daytime (only time I ride anyway). About $5. HUGE effect on my core problem, voltmeter now showing almost 14 amps enroute until the fan kicks in, then about 12.7 volts or so. Makes sense, since OEM headlights draw 3 amps x 2. BUT NOTE, still seeing a significant drop when the supposedly much lower amperage fan kicks in; not enough to put me in minus territory with the new bulbs, but troubling. And almost as much when I click on the headlights; If I were a Night Rider, which I definitely am not, they and the fan combined would probably put me back in the voltage doodoo again.
So as of today I feel much better about going on extended daytime scooter runs, but the gremlin is by no means dead. Next time I have a reason to pull the necessary plastic, I'm going to have to take a hard look at the thermoswitch (screwed into lower right corner of radiator, seen from the driver seat) that lets juice through to the fan when the coolant gets hot enough. All evidence would suggest that when it does so, a whole bunch of voltage is leaking away somewhere it shouldn't be.
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. If anybody knows an easy, no-plastic-pulling way to check that thermostat switch thing, by all means chime in, but for now Ellpee is in pretty good shape and feeling like I really learned something hanging around this forum. I'll likely go LED on the headlights too when I have reason to open up all the front end plastic, but for now I'll just be leaving them off in daytime.
