Replaced stator and rectifier....still no good....HEEELLLLPPPP

[griggi63]

Hello All,
I have an 81 GS750L (TSCC)....had a charging problem ran the test on the stator...it was dead, gave about 2V AC.....couldn't make heads or tails of the rectifier test in my clymers because it only listed 79 and before with a separate regulator...any way long story short, i ordered both from Ricks....put the stator in mounted the rectifier and nothing....ran the test on the stator that you just hook the voltmeter to it and i got 75-80V AC in all directions, dont know what is up with the rectifier...where exactly is the black and white wire supposed to be connected, on the one that i took off, it was connectedc by the screw that held it in to itself....i'm a little lost...

[relic-rider]

I believe that wire should be attached to a mounting screw for ground or just attach it directly to the battery negative post. The R/R works better when hooked up that way.

[saddlewarmer]

black white should go to ground, preferably direct at battery.

[griggi63]

ok, when i connected it to itself like it was before, i got nothing....i have the ground straight to the battery and at least i'm getting a little charge...i did both tests on the stator and rectifier and both are working. at idle i get around 12.8v which is more than i got before....but i only get about 13.2 at 5000rpm ,gets a little better at a little lower rmp around 13.3-13.4 but not 13.5 to 14.5...maybe the battery was down a little, i had to use my headlight this morning, maybe when it fully charges it will show better?

[chef1366]

Without a ground your R/R will not work. Do as stated before and connect it to your negative post of your battery with some dielectric grease. I cut off those pesky bullet connecters on the stator wires and soldered them together.

[chef1366]

ok, when i connected it to itself like it was before, i got nothing....i have the ground straight to the battery and at least i'm getting a little charge...i did both tests on the stator and rectifier and both are working. at idle i get around 12.8v which is more than i got before....but i only get about 13.2 at 5000rpm ,gets a little better at a little lower rmp around 13.3-13.4 but not 13.5 to 14.5...maybe the battery was down a little, i had to use my headlight this morning, maybe when it fully charges it will show better?

Try using the post on your solenoid that connects directly to your battery. I get better readings there for some reason.

[griggi63]

as opposed to directly to the battery? at least now when i run it and turn the headlight on it doesn't do a drastic drop at idle. it maintains at about 12.5v, when i throttle up some it goes about 13.1 or so. i'm thinking it will get better as the battery gets more charge or am i mistaken?

[Calvin Blackmore]

ideally you should be charging you battery via an external charger

Tha way you can check the condition of the battery and its ability to take and hold a charge.

an alternator is meant to provide an equilbrium and cannot make up for a marginal battery.

[griggi63]

ok, the battery is brand new (well about 5 weeks old) freshly charged before installing, didn't know i had a charging problem till about the 2nd week and the bike died on my way to work, that when i found GSREsources and starting looking for a problem, you guys are great...

So even with a good charging system i should still put it on a charger occasionaly? how often if so?

[Calvin Blackmore]

Oh Sorry I assumed it had gotten run down over time.

If its new it wouldnt hurt to charge it externally just to bring it up to specs

I dont know what type of battery it is but a specific gravity test is the proper way to tes tthe condition but its annoying and you need a wee tester to use on the snmaller volume of acid available in an MC battery.


another issue is the specs on the r\r you bought may be sufficient but not match those of your OEM part

[griggi63]

well the specs i was using came out of the clymers manual for the bike....not sure how reliable the information is.

[Calvin Blackmore]

is the bike running ok?
you chased out your wiring for shorts and bad ground etc?

the portion that flexes near the steering head is a nice spot for rubbing and cracked abraded wires

i say if its running good take it for a nice fairly high rpm drive
on a highway

[griggi63]

she runs fine, and i just had a mechanic go over it a couple weeks ago putting new tires, chain, plugs, airfilter, change the oil...( i just got the bike 6 weeks ago) and he actually remarked on how well it ran...but i didn't have him check the charging system, i didn't realize there was an issue at the time because i had thrown in a new freshly charged battery. she has a cam chain rattle, but hopefully i will be rebuilding that soon too to get rid of the noise...she idles a little rough when first started (always have to use the choke when cold) but when she warms up she is fine.

[Steve]

Your bike is charging, so ride. Actually, anything over 12.6 volts will charge the battery. More just charges it quicker and better.

You say it tops out at about 13.4 volts at lower rpm then drops to 13.2 at 5,000 rpm. That sounds normal. My wife's 850 will hit about 14.1 at 2,000 rpm, then drop to 13.8 or so at 4,000. It takes more current to run the coils and plugs at higher speeds, so it's logical that there is less left over to charge the battery.


.

[twistedwankel]

ok, when i connected it to itself like it was before, i got nothing....i have the ground straight to the battery and at least i'm getting a little charge...i did both tests on the stator and rectifier and both are working. at idle i get around 12.8v which is more than i got before....but i only get about 13.2 at 5000rpm ,gets a little better at a little lower rmp around 13.3-13.4 but not 13.5 to 14.5...maybe the battery was down a little, i had to use my headlight this morning, maybe when it fully charges it will show better?

You/re not that far off the mark. With the lights off my 81 puts out high 13.8 to 14 with a fully charged battery. Even at idle of 1200. At slow idle with the lights on I see 12.8. 13.3V hot riding at 3000rpm. Now that's not a "real" meter that's my $15 digital one on the bike probably off .3V on the low side? Last time I checked it. When you see the low 11.2V range you/re screwed at idle with the lights on.