Another charging system question

[kkesler]

81 GS450 hasn't been charging properly, so I went through the checklist.

Voltage was low (barely above 12v at 2.5k and 5k rpm) so I went through the entire list, but everything passed. On a whim, I reconnected everything, but bypassed the stator wire that goes to the light switch and instead hooked it straight to the regulator.

Now, I get 14.6 volts at 2500 rpm, and 14.4 at 5k. Does this sound ok? It is below the 14.8 on the checklist.

Thanks,
Kurt

[earlfor]

Re: Another charging system question

14.4v at 5k will do just fine.

Earl :-)

81 GS450 hasn't been charging properly, so I went through the checklist.

Voltage was low (barely above 12v at 2.5k and 5k rpm) so I went through the entire list, but everything passed. On a whim, I reconnected everything, but bypassed the stator wire that goes to the light switch and instead hooked it straight to the regulator.

Now, I get 14.6 volts at 2500 rpm, and 14.4 at 5k. Does this sound ok? It is below the 14.8 on the checklist.

Thanks,
Kurt

[Redman]

Hey, congrtatulations on your sucsess.

Well if what you did is disconnect things, run the checks, and reconnect things with the switch switch loop bypassed....I would quess that it must be that there was a few bad connections, and taking apart and back together has improved the connections, because I dont think that just the switch loop by itself would make that much of an improvment (maybe others with more experience can disprove me).

If the probelm had been related to the switch loop it would have still worked some and would have shown at least some charging. You seem to indicate that it wasnt charging hardley at all.

Oh, reason I mention this: If the connectors between the stator and R/R are in marginal condition, you might want to check to see that they are not heating up. You still have the original connectors? Just run it for a minute or so and feel if the connectors are noticably warmer that the wires several inches away from the connectors. You may have fairley good charging voltage, but if the connectors are heating up then after some time while the wires get brittle, and if warm enough the insulation melts and then have bigger problems.

But, yah, 14.4v will charge your battery just fine.

[kkesler]

Thanks. Never had one that high, so didn't know if bypassing that long stator wire was a bad thing.

Kurt

[Redman]

81 450 doesnt actaully have a headlight switch does it? Dont think so,not since 79 I think. But if it does you might want to check voltage with headlight off, maybe voltage too high then (which is why a phase of the stator went to headlight switch).

[kkesler]

It does have a headlight switch.

I am using a Honda R/R, which I installed last year about 6k miles ago.

All the original connectors are long gone, replaced by blue crimp connectors. I guess I could measure the loss in that switch loop, but as it appears to be working fine with that bypassed, I am not too motivated.

It was showing some small amount of charge (12.2 at 2.5 and maybe 12.4-12.5 at 5k), but I guess that was not enough to keep the battery up.

Kurt

[JayH]

~14 V is OK. If the voltage isn't regulated and it gets too high your battery will get an insatiable appetite for distilled water.