Trip in 3 weeks and the battery is dead

[posplayr]

You have cleaned the connectors but have you done the bypass to the light switch? Have you added grounds ? Are you using a stock style regulator or a newer up graded one? There are alot of things that can cause what you are experiencing but a little maintenance may save you some money.

We now have a chorus reiterating the same thing one more time just because you cleans connections does not mean they are clean. There are crimps that can have corrosion inside them and if you are brushing the outside it is not sufficient. An old connection has to be either soaked in an etching agent (like navel jelly) and then soldered or replaced. A wire brush does not get rid of corrosion on the inside.

We could be talking about something as little as 0.1 ohms of resistance to cause an upset to charging (loss of 1.5V).

You have to test using the Revised Phase A tests to makes sure when you are charging to over 14.0V at 5K rpm the drops do not exceed 0.25V.

All of this is detailed in GS Charging Health.

[posplayr]

Verify that your voltmeter is working correctly by flipping it on A.C. and plugging the leads into a power source.
If it checks out OK then, plug your old parts back in and ride it. If you don't have them anymore ping me...

With 95 VAC on one leg and 50VAC on another it is sounding like a short in the stator.

An AC voltage test to ground should be showing something.

[posplayr]

Do you mean 66 volts?

I guess we need to add a meter check to the Revised Phase B tests using household 120AC outlet to test the meter and settings

[posplayr]

Yes. Plugging the old parts back in has crossed my mind.

I assume you are talking about the R/R as the stator will take more time.


Since you see to be maybe OK with the 66 VAC on the stator tests do the Revised Phase A tests to see if there are big voltage drops before changing anything. If the drops are bad , then you know you need to change the connections and grounding.

[rustybronco]

I retested my stator after realizing I didn't have it on AC on my multmeter. The wires tested out at 66 amps in all three AB,BC, AC.

Jim, it wasn't a valid test. AND his newest results are incorrect as well.

Just waiting on some good information to work with.

[Scudder]

YEs 66 volts.

[rustybronco]

An equal 66 volts on all three phases using an aftermarket stator? It's probably just fine.

[posplayr]

An equal 66 volts on all three phases using an aftermarket stator? It's probably just fine.

A little low, was it at 4000 RPM? OK then back to Revised Phase A to measure the voltage drops.

[Scudder]

Tested the new R/R that I installed this winter. Everything checked out fine except when I had the negative multimeter prob in the red wire on the r/r. One of the wires tested at .717 while the other two was .47 and .48. Seems to me that .717 is a bit off.

Then put the Red =/+ probe in the red and touched the three wires to the black. All three were OL, or from my understanding good.

Did the same tests with the ground wire instead of the red + wire from the r/r and everything check out, except one of the wires registered a reading, or flickered when it was supposed to read OL.

Lucky I still have the oem r/r attached to the bottom of the battery box. Ran the same tests on it and everything checked out fine with no fluctuations in readings. One more thing.... Do the oem r/rs have a ground wire or is being grounded to the battery box sufficient?

Seems to me the old r/r is in good shape and the new one is messed up. However, I could be wrong about that, as you all well know.

Thanks for you patience. I am inexperienced in matters of electricity.

scudder

[posplayr]

Tested the new R/R that I installed this winter. Everything checked out fine except when I had the negative multimeter prob in the red wire on the r/r. One of the wires tested at .717 while the other two was .47 and .48. Seems to me that .717 is a bit off.

Then put the Red =/+ probe in the red and touched the three wires to the black. All three were OL, or from my understanding good.

Did the same tests with the ground wire instead of the red + wire from the r/r and everything check out, except one of the wires registered a reading, or flickered when it was supposed to read OL.

Lucky I still have the oem r/r attached to the bottom of the battery box. Ran the same tests on it and everything checked out fine with no fluctuations in readings. One more thing.... Do the oem r/rs have a ground wire or is being grounded to the battery box sufficient?

Seems to me the old r/r is in good shape and the new one is messed up. However, I could be wrong about that, as you all well know.

Thanks for you patience. I am inexperienced in matters of electricity.

scudder

Do you really need to ask that question? Of course not

Ground R/R(-) to:

• battery (-),
• Harness B/W
• and frame

with soldered or sealed connectors

[Scudder]

Things that may be apparent to you are not as immediately apparent to me, concerning these matters. I've a long way to go, and little time to go there.

scudder

[posplayr]

Things that may be apparent to you are not as immediately apparent to me, concerning these matters. I've a long way to go, and little time to go there.

scudder

there is a wealth or knowledge and experience that has been posted, several of the links have been posted as well. People are willing to help but you need to help yourself as well.

9 out of 10 GS chargings systems have gone off the deepend primarily because of a poor design that is too susceptible to corrosion. Leaving it that way invites you joining with or staying in that crowd.

So considering how much grounds have been mentioned, to suggest leaving one the same seems like someone is not paying a whole lot of attention.
I think you will get there, but also if you had paid better attention your bike would have been charging the first time you changed out all of the parts had you made the recommended changes then.

I may be getting on your case a bit, but you seem to be heading towards the same shortcuts that got you in the place you are now. Being on the side of the road far from home with easily avoidable problems is no fun..

[Big T]

Well, at this point, take a piece of wire and run it from the R/R housing to the negative post of the battery

See if the charging voltage increases

I don't know the technical reason that it works, but it does

Then, find the short

[posplayr]

Well, at this point, take a piece of wire and run it from the R/R housing to the negative post of the battery

See if the charging voltage increases

I don't know the technical reason that it works, but it does

Then, find the short

Hey Big T,

Unfortunately just doing that ground wire won't fix this guys issue or others. All connection to the R/R need to be dealt with including the grounding which your recommendation is only part. .

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showpost.php?p=1855079&postcount=8

[Scudder]

Posplayr... clearly you are an expert at electrical issues and probably all things gs related. I am not. I'm just an old (not too...51) guy trying to figure stuff out. I am on the site because I don't know Jack about electrical issues. I am reading, watching, and testing, when I'm not asking questions, to try and speed up the learning curve. I appreciate you helping lead me down the right path, and gently helping me help myself. Have a nice day.

scudder