Charging System

[Pete750ET]

My battery has been going flat when riding so thought I'd better check it out. With engine at 5000 rpm checked voltage across all three generator wires. Nothing on volt meter, zero volts between all leads.

Thought this should be high like 80 volts. Am I checking it wrong or is the generator fubar?

Advice would be appreciated.

Cheers 

[Gixer1460]

Are you trying to measure with meter on AC or DC? Should be AC and measure between output and ground. More likely the regulator / rectifier is Fubar'd they don't have the best reputation. Piss poor oil changes ie. 20,000 between kills genny's as the winding insulation breaks down and they go open circuit.

[Captain Chaos]

2 minutes ago, Gixer1460 said:

Should be AC and measure between output and ground

AC voltage should be measured between the outputs, 1-2 2-3 and 3-1. Around 80V @ 5000rpm sounds good.

Then you can measure the resistances between the outputs (should be zero) and between each output and ground (should be infinite)

[Pete750ET]

Cheers guys

I'm crap with electrics.

The generator and regulator rectifier were replaced with Elextrex unit about 8 yrs ago, so not oe parts.

Not sure what my meter should be set on for ac? This my meter. Should it be to right for AC?

Cheers

Edited June 26, 2017 by Pete750ET

[Gammaboy]

Yeah, V~ is AC, V with the straight and dotted line is DC.

[Pete750ET]

Thanks I'll try again tomorrow with meter set properly.

[wraith]

If you check what the battery is doing by checking the Volt's on the battery at 3,500 rpm or above, should be at 14.5v, if its more or less than that most probably reg/rec if it stays at the same volts most probably geny. Then see if the battery keeps its charge other a day, if it losses charge with out using the bike may be the battery that's fu#ked or bad earth.

[Gixer1460]

 

23 hours ago, Gixer1460 said:

 Should be AC and measure between output and ground. 

It did sound wrong when I wrote it but I couldn't be arsed to check it LOL!

[Pete750ET]

Finally got chance to check to ET using AC on the meter this time (did say electrics not my strong point  ). Output from all three generator wires is 80V+ at 5000 rpm or higher, so think that's okay.
No charge across battery terminals though, although voltage does rise slightly at around 1200 rpm but drops off after that back to battery voltage, so assume it's the regulator/rectifier that needs replacing. Would this be right?

[Fazz711]

Hi Pete. If you have balanced voltage across the output. It looks like the reg rec is duff. 

[Pete750ET]

I'll order a new one tomorrow then :-)

Thanks all.

[arnout]

18 hours ago, Pete750ET said:

I'll order a new one tomorrow then :-)

Thanks all.

Better not be tempted to buy an OEM regulator if you want to avoid repeating the charging failure.

 

On 26-6-2017 at 11:19 PM, Pete750ET said:

The generator and regulator rectifier were replaced with Elextrex unit about 8 yrs ago, so not oe parts.

Ah... I had 2 Electrex units breaking down on my bikes in the past.

Now using Shindengen FH010ab and FH012aa regulators myself. Latest of these mosfet versions is the FH020aa.

It seems the Shindengen "series" type (SH775 or SH847) is even better though, esp. with regards to resulting in a cooler stator

[Gammaboy]

I'm running a SH775, all good so far. The reg itself runs up around 60-70degrees, but because it's not dumping excess current back through the stator (as per a conventional Shunt type reg rec), they keep the stator and the oil cooler. A guy on the GS forums has datalogged something like a 10 degree reduction in oil temps.

[Pete750ET]

Still not right. Rode in the dark last night and headlamp was poor. Pulled up to my garage and when engine at tick over it got bright again. Rev it up and goes dim until engine revs drop.

New Elextrex reg rec fitted so would hope it's not that?

I'll have to recheck generator output to see if that has failed.

Charging voltage at battery with engine revving is 13.8V.

Any ideas 

Edited August 4, 2017 by Pete750ET
Can't spell

[strima]

Are all the cable connections in good condition?

[wraith]

That's a new one (trust you ) 13.8v is OK, a bit low my gs1000 is 14.2v at 3500rpm.

All I can think of is a bad wire probably a earth ? As if it was a power wire I would think you blow a fuse, or maybe something trapped agast the frame and when you rev the bike it earths out and reduces the power out put?

[Pete750ET]

Better strip body work off and check everything. Will run temp wire from battery to frame and engine, see if that helps?

Cheers 

[londonboards]

Defo your wiring.

Make sure your reg/rect is eartherd directly to the battery terminal. It not put in an extra cable. Then check your wiring up to the ignition and kill switches. You are looking for burnt and brittle cables. After 35 years all your terminal need cleaning - especially all the earth connections.

If you rev up and the headlamp goes dim, you have bad connections.

Greetings

[Pete750ET]

Thanks for your help guys, sounds like a job for a rainy day 

[Bubba1135]

The reg/rec on my efe has packed in looking at changing it, it was an electrex one too, really starting to hate old bikes now , one fucking problem after another.

[Blubber]

4 hours ago, Bubba1135 said:

The reg/rec on my efe has packed in looking at changing it, it was an electrex one too, really starting to hate old bikes now , one fucking problem after another.

That's called character. 

remember:  even new stuff gets old   ( or saggy  ) 

[gs7_11]

Interesting stuff.  Never knew you could get Shindengen stuff aftermarket, is there a UK supplier?

I've been using Electrex for years with no issues. It does seem that in this case the RR was not at fault?

[Pete750ET]

Cheers Arnout but didnt see your post until after I ordered a new Electrex one. I'll look at your suggestion if I need another one.

Thanks

[Bubba1135]

22 hours ago, Blubber said:

That's called character. 

remember:  even new stuff gets old   ( or saggy  ) 

True but character can wear a bit thin sometimes, new one on order will see how that goes

[melkweg]

I don't know about your particular bike, but some run wiring through light switch and this is quite often the problem.