Hey Electrical Gurus!!

[West]

The red/white wire goes up to the headlight switch. When the headlight is turned on, that also makes a connection through that red/white wire and the headlight switch back to the third stator winding to energize it. Chances are you have a short in your headlight switch - I think someone just reported this exact same problem in another thread.

The two winding/three winding with headlight trick is a hokey solution. Bypass the headlight switch (just take the red/white wire & connect it to the yellow(?) wire that also runs up there) & run all three windings all the time & let the regulator do it's job.


Not sure that is your problem but it sure sounds like it.

(edit) Rereading, I see wizard beat me to it. (/edit)

[Hoomgar]

Oh, and I have never had luck testing an r/r for some reason. Even brand new ones, I've always gotten nonsense readings- but I am useless around a multi-meter. Electrical stuff is my downfall. I can replace a crank, but don't ask me to test a r/r...

I'm guessing your using a digital volt/ohm meter? If so, get an analog meter for this type of work. I personally use analog for everything for this type of reason.

Also, it doesn't hurt to replace wires like that with thicker wire. If it is getting loaded enough to get hot at the connector like that maybe replace the wire with a guage thicker or two and use a matching thicker lug. You cannot have too thick of a wire but you can have one that is too thin to handle the load.

[Jethro]

I'm guessing your using a digital volt/ohm meter? If so, get an analog meter for this type of work. I personally use analog for everything for this type of reason.

Oh, no kidding? Yes, mine is totally digital. The readings I got actually made sense when I used the diode setting on an old r/r. The numbers all made sense except the red lead had no value whatsoever. When I get my new r/r in today I will check it using my new knowladge. I think I do have an analog meter somewhere.

So no one knows how to interpet the wires on the aftermarket r/r I got of another member? Earl, was this the same set up as the one you got in Asheville? From left to right, yellow. red, yellow, black, yellow. Is this an Electrex? I have no paperwork on it.

[Hoomgar]

Oh, no kidding? Yes, mine is totally digital. The readings I got actually made sense when I used the diode setting on an old r/r. The numbers all made sense except the red lead had no value whatsoever. When I get my new r/r in today I will check it using my new knowladge. I think I do have an analog meter somewhere.

So no one knows how to interpet the wires on the aftermarket r/r I got of another member? Earl, was this the same set up as the one you got in Asheville? From left to right, yellow. red, yellow, black, yellow. Is this an Electrex? I have no paperwork on it.

I'm sure Earl or someone will hook you up with that info. if not, PM duanage, he is a wealth of info on this subject too. Sharp guy.

If you are getting reliable readings from your digital now that you know how to do it then disregard what I said earlier. I just prefer analog as I am so frickin hopelessly old school when it comes to electronics. Even when getting proper readings on a digital I don't trust it. I sold all of mine. I don't even own one anymore. Just me

[Jethro]

Ah, I found what I needed online for installation. Apparently the thre yellow wires are all for the three phases of the stator, and it makes no difference which wires go where, since output is the same. The red is obviously posititve and the black is ground.

Would you wire the red and black directly to the battery? The instructions say to simple attach the factory connectors, but of course mine was melted in the great Suzuki Hiroshima of 2006.

[Jethro]

With the brand new r/r I got today, I cant get a single reading with my meter!! Is my digital meter no good for testing this r/r as you said Hoomgar? It has the diode feature, and I now have 4 r/r's downstairs, some leads I can get a reading on, others, none. And the brand new one, none!!! I guess I need to go to a shop to make sure one of the 4 r/r's I have are any good!!! FFS WTF and all that....

[Hoomgar]

With the brand new r/r I got today, I cant get a single reading with my meter!! Is my digital meter no good for testing this r/r as you said Hoomgar? It has the diode feature, and I now have 4 r/r's downstairs, some leads I can get a reading on, others, none. And the brand new one, none!!! I guess I need to go to a shop to make sure one of the 4 r/r's I have are any good!!! FFS WTF and all that....

I don't know enough about testing them to help buddy. But I can tell you it's at times like this I feel a lot better with an analog meter. If you have one, use it. Sure hope you get this sorted. Moosehead is calling!

[Baatfam]

Your digital meter should do everything an analog can do....and more.

It's either the parts are bad....or.......the operator doesn't know what he's doin'....:-D

Bob T.

[Jethro]

I'm gonna find my analog meter...

[Hoomgar]

I'm gonna find my analog meter...

I'm sure the digital meter can be used just fine it's just I feel a lot better seeing the needle and knowing. I have had much trouble with the digi's so I got ride of all of them. I have one left that I keep only because it is an amp meter.

Wish I knew what to tell you as far as testing the stator. Earl is away right now and may not be back online for a bit. I hope someone else can chime in!

Duane, you reading this?

[Jethro]

This is the meter I use, it's almost brand new. Except mine has temperature testers as well:

[Baatfam]

I really don't think the meter is your problem....

[Baatfam]

Of course now that I think about it....I had a set of leads go bad on my meter...they were intermittant...and it about drove me nuts before I figured it out.

[Hoomgar]

I really don't think the meter is your problem....

I apologize if I made you think that Geoff. I agree with him. I don't think it is your problem either. Still, just the same, if I was there with you right now I'd be asking you to find your analog meter and part the digi. Then we could move onto trouble shooting.

Seriously Geoff, send duanage a PM buddy. he knows his shiznitz about this stuff. he may not see your thread in time.

[Jethro]

I apologize if I made you think that Geoff. I agree with him. I don't think it is your problem either. Still, just the same, if I was there with you right now I'd be asking you to find your analog meter and part the digi. Then we could move onto trouble shooting.

Seriously Geoff, send duanage a PM buddy. he knows his shiznitz about this stuff. he may not see your thread in time.

Have you ever ran diagnostic tests on an r/r? Has anyone? I now have 4 r/r's infront of me, all were in perfectly operable bikes (mine included, but had a melted connector), one is BRAND new today, and I can't get any kind of reading off any of them that is in spec with the manuals I have. I wanna ride tomorrow, but don't wanna put this gear in my bike if it's not the problem.

I'm clear that I have a diode setting, and I have the range set right for what the manual says, X1ohms. But I am stumped to believe that I can't get a single reading to come up on the new r/r especially. The only one that tests normal at all is the one I had on my 81 1100 which I thought was really toast.

Please help!! Anyone!!