GS550 Not Charging

[Rustybux]

My son and I used the Stator Papers and found a bad stator. We replaced it and the R&R. Charged the battery up and we are only getting battery voltage at the Battery terminals at 5000 rpm. Could a Bad Battery be the cause and not charge even if it is fully charged? WE are lost and run out of ideas. We have a 1981 GS550L. Would also like a wiring diagram for that bike if anyone has it.

Thank you very much.

[tconroy]

What do you mean battery voltage at the battery?How old is the battery.A battery will hold a SURFACE charge when it is put on a charger but wont hold a load charge when used. When you start the bike and rev to 2.5 to 3 grand what is your voltage reading? It should be between 13.8 and 14.5.When you rev it to 5 g's it should not go past 14.5.Make sure your ground on the r/r is clean and I would put it straight to the battery- anyway.You still might have a bad r/r.Take the stator and r/r wires apart and do the stator papers test again to see if your new stator is working properly. I just replaced all my electricals too. Double check and make sure you have everything hooked up properly. Make sure your battery is holding a charge and is good.If it's a couple of years old it probably need replace.Take it to the auto parts store and have them do a load test on it to be sure.Also is it the right battery for the bike?The auto parts store can look your bike up and tell you what battery you should have in there.

[Redman]

If you read same battery voltage with the engine off as you do with engine running at mid RPM, well, then the charging system isnt doing anything or the charging system isnt connected to the battery.

I would say to start over again with the stator papers.

[chef1366]

Try taking the readings off the front starter solenoid battery connection.

[txironhead]

I'd verify that the stator is good then throw a Shindingen (Honda) regulator in it. Plenty of articles here on the conversion, mine took about 20 minutes to solder in (I hate connectors).

[chef1366]

I'm solder happy too. I have the orginal charging system with a ground from the R/R to the battery and I'm charging perfectly. I wasn't with the bullet connections.

[txironhead]

I'm trying to get the charging system working on my bro-in-law's Nighthawk and I tried the regulator grounded direct to battery trick but I think the regulator's fried. I posted on the Honda Motorcycle Technical Help Bawd (??) for some help, mentioned that I'd direct-grounded the regulator. Got chewed out for it, several people said that there was absolutely no reason to direct ground the regulator. Forget helping me get the darn thing working, just a bunch of "why on earth would you do that?" My response is, it didn't hurt anything and an extra ground is a good thing especially on a bike notorious for bad wiring.

They'd have a cow if I told them about my Honda regulator conversion. And guess what? I have an extra ground from the regulator body to the battery on it, too! This is along with the ground wire from the regulator. A grounded regulator is a happy regulator.

[chef1366]

I'm trying to get the charging system working on my bro-in-law's Nighthawk and I tried the regulator grounded direct to battery trick but I think the regulator's fried. I posted on the Honda Motorcycle Technical Help Bawd (??) for some help, mentioned that I'd direct-grounded the regulator. Got chewed out for it, several people said that there was absolutely no reason to direct ground the regulator. Forget helping me get the darn thing working, just a bunch of "why on earth would you do that?" My response is, it didn't hurt anything and an extra ground is a good thing especially on a bike notorious for bad wiring.

They'd have a cow if I told them about my Honda regulator conversion. And guess what? I have an extra ground from the regulator body to the battery on it, too! This is along with the ground wire from the regulator. A grounded regulator is a happy regulator.

Fvck em..............:?

[tconroy]

Fvck em..............:?

It obvious they have never worked on a GS. My feelings too chef! Mine is grounded to the battery and also if you use an inline fuse and go to the battery with the hot wire it will up your voltage output. I tried this and then went back to the hot on the wiring harness and dropped to 13.98.With the inline fuse a got a reading of 14.2 both of which are excellent.I guess the reason for the hot wire change on the harness is because of the longer wire routing back to the fusebox.I kept it going thru the harness anyway.Less wiring under the seat and don't need an extra fuse hanging around. If your working on a GS listen to those with GS's.