Charging system 1981 gs650e

[kckershovel]

I remember Dad showing me how he could pull the - battery cable on his alternator, carburetor fed truck and told me that if the truck died the alternator was bad. I'm sure allot of kids were taught this "trick". I have since learned there are different ways to test a charging system depending on what you have.

I did not know this could harm a system though that's good to know. The charging system was supposed to have been updated by the PO what ever updated means. I have not seen the stator I only know it failed the ohm test as I directed my friend how to test over the phone. Not as easy as it sounds. So if the Stator is burned replace the R/R as well if not give it a try?

If the R/R is bad and we hook up a new stator will it test good for a short while then burn up if the R/R turns out to be bad?

 

[Grimly]

I remember Dad showing me how he could pull the - battery cable on his alternator, carburetor fed truck and told me that if the truck died the alternator was bad. I'm sure allot of kids were taught this "trick".

Back in the day - up to the late 60s - many cars/trucks were still fitted with dynamos, but they were rapidly being succeeded by alternators. Dynamos had one peculiar thing about them - self-sustaining output above a certain rpm (about 1200, iirc) and there were no electronics to fry. [1]
So, having the engine at a fast idle and pulling a battery lead off would indicate the dynamo was at least partially working (not under real load, but putting out something, enough to run the ignition system).
Problem was, this diagnostic technique lived on into the alternator days and killed many alternator voltage regulators - if you disconnect the battery lead while running, the alternator reg just keeps trying to output more and more and will fry any electronics - car radios, etc, and ironically, the regulator itself.


[1]This was sometimes a life-saver -out in the back of beyond with a dead battery, if you could bumpstart the car up to a minimal engine speed, the dynamo would work and get the ignition going and get your ass out of there.