Stumped by Regulator Test

[Guest]

The 550 is not charging. Voltage across the battery terminals was:

13.0V bike off

12.6V bike idling

12.6V at 3K rpm.

I have followed the chart in the Stator Papers and tested:

1) Test Phase B: stator for continuity (1.0 - 1.1 ohm), ground (all OL) and output all 61VAC at 4K rpm). All readings were ok.

2. Test Phase A: readings across battery terminals as above. Voltage between battery positive and RR red output wire less than .2V. Voltage between battery negative and RR black/white negative wire 0.9V - 1.1V at idle.

That last reading is supposed to be less than .2V. The chart says that the fault is a bad wire connection between the RR negative and the battery negative, but I'm testing with my meter attached to the bare wire from the RR and there are no connectors between. The chart doesn't say what this means. The b/w RR negative wire does not seem damaged in any way.

3. Test Phase C Part 1: I did the following:

Disconnect the RR from the bike. Switch the multimeter to the diode test position. Connect the RED multimeter lead to the RED positive output wire of the RR. Connect the BLACK multimeter-lead to one of the yellow wires. Check the reading. Repeat this procedure for the two other yellow wires.

When I did this the meter read OL on both yellow wires. The chart says the reading should be 1.5V or higher. Is OL a normal reading?

4. Test Phase C Part 2: I did the following:

Connect the BLACK multimeter lead to the RED output wire of the RR. Connect the RED multimeter lead to one yellow wire. Check the reading. Repeat this procedure for the two other yellow wires.

Both readings were .497V, which fits the "around .5V" called for in the chart.

5. Test Phase C Part 3 and 4: following the directions, I connected the negative output wire to the two yellow wires, once with the meter red lead on the RR negative and once reversed, and got OL readings both ways.

I guess the means that the diodes are bad on the negative side and the RR has to be replaced, or something like that. Electricity is not my strength as a mechanic.

Is this right?

Did I kill the RR by connecting the negative output wire to a frame ground for one week?

(Note, the fifth wire on the RR is white/red and connected into the harness. The third yellow wire from the stator connected to a white/green wire in the harness that I presume goes to the headlight.)

[posplayr]

you are not charging, sounds like the stator (61V at 4K RPM) is OK but not sure if you are hooking the stator directly to the R/R. If you are not charging then measuring the 0.2V is meaningless.

If the R/R is failing it's diode tests then..................................... U know what to do

[FiremanBob]

Yup. Now, do I need a FH010 or FH012, or does it matter? And is roadstercycle.com the best place to get a Shindengen MOSFET kit?

I'm haunted by the thought that in a week of incorrectly grounding the RR I killed it.

Thanks.

[FiremanBob]

Yesterday I emailed Jack at roadstercycle.com and $137 later, a complete Shindengen MOSFET RR kit with all connectors pre-installed is on its way, priority mail. Supposedly the MOSFET technology is a permanent fix for the Overheating Rectifier Blues.

This is a plug for Jack: He even called me on the phone yesterday to help me decide which kit to order and to assure that his priority mail shipments almost always get delivered within 2-3 days, and that he's dropping off this week's shipments at the PO before work today. Very nice guy, like Billy, does the MC work in his spare time from his day job.