Do you know why my scooter battery will not stay charged?

by Mike
(Mooresville, NC)

My battery won't stay charged, the headlight won't work, dash lights won't come on. It's a Baja 50cc scooter.


Can anyone tell me what might be causing this and how I can fix it?

Comments for Do you know why my scooter battery will not stay charged?

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Nov 15, 2010
 RESPONDED TO WRONG QUESTION
by: Anonymous

Sorry, thought I was responding to another battery problem I saw just below yours; if you're saying after you start the scooter the headlight and instrument lights don't come on, then the problem is with your alternator since those are the lights supplied by the alternator, not the battery, at least on mine they are.
Nov 13, 2010
 Edit
by: Gary

Sorry, I said the jumper was from the alternator fan cover to the engine, should have said from the alternator fan cover to the frame; the alternator fan cover connection is the engine side of the ground. Hope that didn't confuse.
Nov 13, 2010
 Poor ground
by: Gary

More than likely your ground is inadequate. The Chinese manufacturers don't seem to know about good electrical bonding practices and also use poor quality connector hardware.

Check the main jumper (from the alternator fan cover to the engine cover on mine, if it's not secured to bare metal at both ends, modify the connection so it is. You can rub the connection surfaces with silicon dielectric grease to prevent micro-arcing and corrosion, and attach securely.

Even if a test shows continuity, redo it if it's not bare metal to bare metal (a painted surface is not bare metal, strip the paint in spot if necessary). Also the connection should be solidly on a metal surface, not indirect such as on a metal bushing through a plastic cover, if necessary remove the plastic cover and reconnect between plastic cover and metal cover so its clamped against solid metal.

A poor ground can lead to failed coils, notably secondary ignition or alternator source coil, not just battery leak down.
Sep 13, 2010
 Charging System
by: Jim Zeiser

If you can get the scooter started put a volt/ohmmeter across the battery set at volts dc. It should read at least 13.5 volts. If not your regulator could be bad or, at worst, the stator is dead. Your charging system is not charging the battery.

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