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    r/r keeps killing battery?

    Well I finally got my 79 gs1000 running this weekend and loved every minute of test driving it around the neighborhood. Yesterday when I put it away I noticed the rectifier was really hot even though the bike had been off for several hours. Even the pipes were cool. When I went out to start it this morning the lights came on but there was not enough power to crank even a little and the rectifier was still warm. The battery was fully charged before riding and I checked the charge on sunday before I rode it and it was barely 13 volts @ 2000 rpm so it was charging. I dont believe the rectifier is stock, it is black and rectangular, and does not look like any of the pics in any of the manuals. Doesnt seem right for it to be getting hot like that while the bike is off and sitting but it still charges the battery while running. Anyone experience this before? Ive found many no charge threads but nothing quite like this. I'd like to rectify (no pun intended) this before the weekend so I can join my first group ride. Thanks

    #2
    Originally posted by rusty boltz View Post
    I checked the charge on sunday before I rode it and it was barely 13 volts @ 2000 rpm so it was charging.


    Probably not.
    Check the batt voltage when its not running. A fully charged battery will show close to 13 vdc. That will drop down closer to 11 when you turn the key on. When running you should see a rise in voltage over 14vdc.
    Sounds like that RR is wired in hot. Like the sense wire is always got voltage on it. Maybe its connected right to the battery +. It should be on a switched wire like the brake light. Also make sure the RR ground point is good. A jumper to the - battery post will help that. If the RR still has a connector make sure its clean with electrical contact cleaner and some dielectric grease.

    If all else fails break out the Stator Papers.
    82 1100 EZ (red)

    "You co-opting words of KV only thickens the scent of your BS. A thief and a putter-on of airs most foul. " JEEPRUSTY

    Comment


      #3
      If it is not faulty it may be the type that senses the battery voltage and that part may take some juice out of the battery if connected directly. Not sure if it is so much that the unit will be warm to the touch.
      I recall people fitting those and then suggesting that the battery sense wire be connected via a relay that operates when ignition is switched on, thus disconnecting the sense wire when the bike is off.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by bonanzadave View Post
        Probably not.
        Check the batt voltage when its not running. A fully charged battery will show close to 13 vdc. That will drop down closer to 11 when you turn the key on. When running you should see a rise in voltage over 14vdc.
        Sounds like that RR is wired in hot. Like the sense wire is always got voltage on it. Maybe its connected right to the battery +. It should be on a switched wire like the brake light. Also make sure the RR ground point is good. A jumper to the - battery post will help that. If the RR still has a connector make sure its clean with electrical contact cleaner and some dielectric grease.

        If all else fails break out the Stator Papers.
        Come to think of it the battery voltage was 12.9 before starting. Still its weird that there was no drop while running. Definitley not a ground issue I replaced battery wires with 6G wire and made a bus ground straight off the battery, nothing is grounded to the frame. No connector, it is soldered in so thats not likely bad. Its not wired directly to the battery or to the solenoid, but might be spliced into the main fuse as I've noticed it always has power (will check on that soon as get off work). Maybe its going bad? The headlight got brighter every time i would rev it so something was happening. I dunno, but that thing is cooking hot now, I just hooked it up to the trickle charger and it got hot right away and the bike is off. Stator papers were the first thing I went running for when I noticed this but I lent out my DVM yesterday and wont get it back until tomorrow. The bike came with the aftermarket RR so I really am not sure if it a sensing type or not or even how it should be wired. The PO was a serious hack and I'm being nice. So it wouldn't surprise me in the least if it was wired incorrectly. Well, guess I'll get my meter back tomorrow and do the whole check. Might as well do it now instead of later on down the road. I hope I get this sewed up before the weekend. Thanks for your input!

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by rusty boltz View Post
          nothing is grounded to the frame.
          Wait for the experts to chime in. I have no other comment except I think you want your frame and motor grounded.
          82 1100 EZ (red)

          "You co-opting words of KV only thickens the scent of your BS. A thief and a putter-on of airs most foul. " JEEPRUSTY

          Comment


            #6
            My guess is that it is wired wrong

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by SqDancerLynn1 View Post
              My guess is that it is wired wrong
              Or completely the wrong type for the system.
              http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

              Life is too short to ride an L.

              Comment


                #8
                Cooking with electrons

                Hi Mr. rusty boltz,

                Does your r/r unit look like either of these?



                Does your r/r unit have 5 wires? 6 wires? 7 wires? Knowing this will help determine how it should be wired into your bike.

                My bike has a big ground wire running from the negative battery terminal and bolted to the back of the engine. Yours should be similarly grounded.

                Here is a wiring diagram for a standard r/r unit (5 wire):




                And here is a diagram for one of Mr. duaneage's 6 wire Honda r/r units:


                I hope this helps. Keep us informed.

                Thank you for your indulgence,

                BassCliff

                Comment


                  #9
                  Frame and motor are grounded. When I made the new battery wires I crimed an extra 10G wire to the ground terminal and ran it to a stud on the electric panel and grounded everything directly to that stud so everything gets ground directly from the battery. Although it may be overkill it works and eliminates ground issue questions later on. I agree that the RR has to be wired in wrong. The more I think about it the more I think its gotta be that wire that the PO spliced into the main fuse. Thats the only wire that bypasses any switch. I'm going to check it out tomorrow morning before I go to work. If thats the problem I will run it to a switched relay as recommended in an earlier post. I really hope thats my problem cuz I can't afford any expensive charging components right now and I JUST WANT TO RIDE IT ALREADY!!!! Thanks again for your comments and input. I truely enjoy being a part of this forum because people get involved and that is what puts these bikes (at least mine) back on the road.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Wow thanks BassCliff! Mine is the one on the left. I'm pretty sure it is either aftermarket or off another brand of bike. I just hope it is not fried from being on all the time. I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Hi Mr. rusty boltz,

                      The r/r unit on the left is a 5-wire OEM type. The one on the left is a 6-wire Honda r/r unit from Mr. duaneage. It's a great $40 investment.

                      Thank you for your indulgence,

                      BassCliff

                      Comment


                        #12
                        the new ones are huge (dissapates a ton more heat) and if you have a spot to mount it you can find em cheap.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Just a further comment, Mr BassCliff's diagram for the Duanage Honda regualtor shows the "sensing" wire wired to the switched positive. Most people pick it up on the brake light switch as shown. This is the preferable way to do it and in many cases this should be sufficient.

                          On the other hand some bikes have a faily large voltage drop from the main fuse via the ignition and back to the fuse box, which is then sensed as too low a battery voltage and your regulator pushes out a higher voltage and could overcharge the battery.

                          A direct connection to the battery gives a more accurate sensing, but could lead to a slow discharge, so a 12 volt relay is used to only connect this when the ignition is on. You could just put a temporary switch in the wire and do it manually to stop the discharging and prove the charging voltages are correct.

                          This is all only applicable if your regulator is actually not faulty and is the some sort as the Honda types.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            crap.

                            Well, I got out there (I'm always a little out there) this morning with my trusty DVM and the laptop with the Stator Papers all loaded up (the computer not me) and began the tests. First, that wire that I was so sure was the problem went to the electronic ignition (probably the only good thing the PO did) not the rectifryer like I thought. So the search began. I didn't make it far into the tests before I was cursing angrily. Of course it's a shorted stator no resistance at all between the yellow wire and the engine case. With all the hacked up wiring the PO did to it (I mean, WHO uses duct tape over twisted together connections!) I don't know why I even thought it would be OK. Funny thing is the rectifryer and the stator are pretty new. Stupid hack... man I am starting to hate that guy. Alright I know where I gotta start now. The battery is new and luckily has been holding up to the abuse with the help of my battery tender. I need a new stator but would like to order the whole set up with the RR if it is available. Then I'm ripping out ALL the wiring pertaining to it and running all new quality wiring. I don't want to EVER do this again.
                            Anybody got a link to a place that sells a system at a reasonable price? Does it exist? Thanks again!
                            Oh, and its a 5 wire RR I guess it is a stock one.
                            Last edited by Guest; 07-09-2008, 03:04 PM. Reason: me not so smart

                            Comment


                              #15
                              It's all in there

                              Originally posted by rusty boltz View Post
                              Anybody got a link to a place that sells a system at a reasonable price? Does it exist? Thanks again!
                              Oh, and its a 5 wire RR I guess it is a stock one.
                              Check your mega-welcome again.


                              Thank you for your indulgence,

                              BassCliff

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