R/R Sanity Check?

[Doldrums]

My bike ('82 GS1100) seems to have blown another R/R. Can you please confirm my thinking?

I have a new Electorsport stator. The current (blown?) R/R was put on in 4/2012 and is a Rick's 10-212 with about 3,000 miles. I have moved the ground directly to the battery.

I was 6 hours into a 3 day ride when the bike just died - battery was dead. Opened side panel and the 3 wires from stator had melted together where they went to the OEM wires (lower gauge). I know these were good solid connections that were well insulated as I had soldered them as well as shrink wrapped them. I'm not a NOOB at wiring / soldering.


This alone leaves me to believe the R/R shorted out. (Of note, I had to take 6 miles of course gravel about 1 hour before bike died - vibration). But, I thought I would do some testing to verify...

1. The stator is putting out 67 volts on all 3 legs at 5,000 rpm.
2. With the R/R plugged in (wired back up), the battery charges around 13.6 volts at 2500rpm. But, doesn't increase at higher rpm.
3. The stator wires get hot VERY quickly when the R/R is hooked back up.

So, do you agree with my assessment?

THANKS!

Also, it looks like there are a lot of fans of the Polaris SH-775 R/R on the forums. I guess that is what I will be replacing this with. It will be the 4th R/R in 10 years. Hopefully this one will be a little heavier duty. The first two were OEM and as I said the current one is a Rick's.

 

[gs11ezrydr]

I will have to disagree for now. Sorry. Seems like 13.6 volts should be fine the not going up may be normal for that regulator. Not for sure. Very possible it might have failed. Usually they won't have any output. Just battery voltage. But that many R/R's in that amount of time I wouldn't think so. Sounds to me like you have high resistance in the R/R output (red) wire. Maybe the ground side but since you said you took it directly to the battery and it also has a good ground not likely. Have you bypassed the stator wire runs through the L.H. switch that Suzuki is famous for? Follow this fault finding chart and I bet you find your problem. http://www.electrosport.com/media/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf Along with reading all of the "stator" papers found on this site and some help from some people on here you should regain your sanity. And yes some of the optional stators that can be had drop the running temps of everything involved including oil temps but hooking one up to a faulty wiring system will only show the same results and fail.

 

[gs11ezrydr]

http://www.thegsresources.com/garage/gs_statorfacts.htm Start with this one and go from there the links are provided within. I found it to be very informative and educational. Happy reading.

 

[Doldrums]

Forgot to mention it was when I put this R/R in (4/12) that I took out the extra wiring through the headlight bucket and took the ground directly to the battery.

So the first 2 probably shouldn't count.

 

[posplayr]

My bike ('82 GS1100) seems to have blown another R/R. Can you please confirm my thinking?

I have a new Electorsport stator. The current (blown?) R/R was put on in 4/2012 and is a Rick's 10-212 with about 3,000 miles. I have moved the ground directly to the battery.

I was 6 hours into a 3 day ride when the bike just died - battery was dead. Opened side panel and the 3 wires from stator had melted together where they went to the OEM wires (lower gauge). I know these were good solid connections that were well insulated as I had soldered them as well as shrink wrapped them. I'm not a NOOB at wiring / soldering.


This alone leaves me to believe the R/R shorted out. (Of note, I had to take 6 miles of course gravel about 1 hour before bike died - vibration). But, I thought I would do some testing to verify...

1. The stator is putting out 67 volts on all 3 legs at 5,000 rpm.
2. With the R/R plugged in (wired back up), the battery charges around 13.6 volts at 2500rpm. But, doesn't increase at higher rpm.
3. The stator wires get hot VERY quickly when the R/R is hooked back up.

So, do you agree with my assessment?

THANKS!

Also, it looks like there are a lot of fans of the Polaris SH-775 R/R on the forums. I guess that is what I will be replacing this with. It will be the 4th R/R in 10 years. Hopefully this one will be a little heavier duty. The first two were OEM and as I said the current one is a Rick's.

Apparently you are passed doing the "Quick Test", so proceed to the Revised Phase A tests.
Any by the way 13.6V is too low and probably what is making your R/R hot.

 

[Doldrums]

Apparently you are passed doing the "Quick Test", so proceed to the Revised Phase A tests.
Any by the way 13.6V is too low and probably what is making your R/R hot.

Can you point me to the "Revised Phase A tests"? Do mean you mean test A at http://www.thegsresources.com/garage/gs_statorfault.htm?

Also, the R/R is not getting overly hot (as far as I know). It is the wires going into it from the stator that get too hot to touch within 30 seconds of running the bike.

My setup is 3 stator wires going directly to the R/R. The red and black of the R/R going directly to the battery. Very simple circuitry.

Thanks!

 

[tom203]

This stator stuff can be confusing, see if this link helps

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff1/images/Stator_Papers_Phase_20A.pdf

If your stator wires are getting hot, you got problems and if they get hot within 30 seconds, you got big problem.
How big is this Ricks R/R? maybe it's too small to cope with ES stator . Any additional electrical loads ? Do some more testing . Your red wire from R/R to battery is fused right??

 

[posplayr]

Look in my signature there is a link under gs charging health

 

[posplayr]

This stator stuff can be confusing, see if this link helps

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff1/images/Stator_Papers_Phase_20A.pdf

If your stator wires are getting hot, you got problems and if they get hot within 30 seconds, you got big problem.
How big is this Ricks R/R? maybe it's too small to cope with ES stator . Any additional electrical loads ? Do some more testing . Your red wire from R/R to battery is fused right??

Yes that is the one. The primary change is to measure the voltage drops at 5k rpm vs idle as is specified in the original. It should be clear that no matter what the resistance in the connection is, the voltage drops will always be less with less current running through. In fact with a typical system at low idle there is no current avaliable to charge the battery ; it all goes to the bike. So by leaving the bike idling you make what you are trying to measure in observable. I don't think I can ever remember anybody ever measuring the voltage drops at idle and the. At 5k and the voltages dropped. Typically the voltages drops will triple when measured at 5 k rpm.

 

[Doldrums]

This stator stuff can be confusing, see if this link helps

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff1/images/Stator_Papers_Phase_20A.pdf

If your stator wires are getting hot, you got problems and if they get hot within 30 seconds, you got big problem.
How big is this Ricks R/R? maybe it's too small to cope with ES stator . Any additional electrical loads ? Do some more testing . Your red wire from R/R to battery is fused right??

Tom - The link you provide is different than the version I linked to. Which one is correct?

 

[Nessism]

You feeding stator power into the main harness? If so, this is part of the problem. The stock Suzuki power routing though the harness is far from ideal, and corrosion in the harness will knock down voltage and cook wires.

It's imperative to rewire the charging system to route the stator wires directly into the R/R, bypassing the stock harness. Make sure you have good grounds, and make sure the power output from the R/R, going through the fuse box to the battery, doesn't have excessive resistance. Jim's enhanced stator paper checks are great to guide you through the process.

 

[Doldrums]

You feeding stator power into the main harness? If so, this is part of the problem. The stock Suzuki power routing though the harness is far from ideal, and corrosion in the harness will knock down voltage and cook wires.

No. Everything is a direct connection and soldiered (3 stator wires direct to RR - RR red to battery - RR black to battery). I've added an extra ground from battery to frame as well.

Only thing I'm not sure of is if I have an inline fuse going from the red of the RR to the battery (I'm at work and can't check right now). If I don't, what amp does everyone suggest?

I'm really thinking the Rick's R/R is either bad or not enough for this. I'm going to buy a new R/R either way (never hurts to have an extra). Should I get the Polaris SH-775 folks are talking about or the ElectorSport ESR090? I'm not looking to save a buck; but hoping to fix this damn thing once and for all!

 

[posplayr]

Tom - The link you provide is different than the version I linked to. Which one is correct?

He linked this one and yes it is the revised one for the stated reasons.

Link to Revised PHASE A of Stator Pages:
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/3970459/stator-papers-phase-a-pdf-may-13-2012-10-43-am-55k?da=y
ORIGINAL_STATOR_PAGES

The most important thing to do checks at 5000 RPM which is typical cruising speed. You might find that you will need to clean your fuse box to get the positive side voltage drops below 0.2V at 5000 RPM. In steps #1 above you should of gotten most of the connections between the R/R(+) to battery (+) in good shape except the fuse box.

 

[posplayr]

No. Everything is a direct connection and soldiered (3 stator wires direct to RR - RR red to battery - RR black to battery). I've added an extra ground from battery to frame as well.

Only thing I'm not sure of is if I have an inline fuse going from the red of the RR to the battery (I'm at work and can't check right now). If I don't, what amp does everyone suggest?

I'm really thinking the Rick's R/R is either bad or not enough for this. I'm going to buy a new R/R either way (never hurts to have an extra). Should I get the Polaris SH-775 folks are talking about or the ElectorSport ESR090? I'm not looking to save a buck; but hoping to fix this damn thing once and for all!

Yes, it is SERIES and not shunt like most all of the others out there.

 

[Guest]

Compufire, and 3 grounds. battery to the frame, R/R to the battery and R/R to frame as well. I would replace the stator as well, start anew with everything. Check your fuse box as well, Connections there go bad as well eventually.

 

[Doldrums]

Yes, it is SERIES and not shunt like most all of the others out there.

PosPlayer... what did you do with regards to "wire harness" that is needed for the Polaris R/R? Do you at least know the pin outs?

I assume the 3 pins on one side are the inputs from the Stator; and the other 2 pins are + and -. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Doldrums]

" Does he at least know the pinouts?????" I'd edit your post before he wakes up!
The three together are for the stator; on other two, one closest to middle is positive

Sorry... wrote that in a hurry early this morning. Did not mean the condescending / ungrateful tone of "at least". I meant to write something more like "do you happen to know". Really was a slip of thought. I'm VERY thankful for the advice and help I've received on these forums... as well as the time folks have spent tracking down better solutions than the OEM R/R!!!!

And, I would never EXPECT anything from anyone on here. VERY sorry!!!

 

[tom203]

I love sarcasm on hot days!