Electrical problem?

[Guest]

I have an 82 GS1100E, I purchased a new battery back in December. I cannot seem to get it to hold a charge...is it the battery or something else? After charging the bike fires right up.....I ride it around the block and it boggs down and kills and then wont start. I push it home, put it on the charger for 2 minutes and it fires immediately....what the hell??

Joe

[Steve]

You have a volt meter?
Measure the battery at rest, after a charge, while cranking, while riding (if possible), and when it dies.
That will tell you a LOT about your battery and charging system.

.

[posplayr]

Sounds like the battery is not charging.

Check the batetry voltage as Steve suggests. Measue off, then idle then crank it up to 4000 RPM. If voltage is dropping then you are not charging. That simple.

Posplayr

[kinch]

The bible

http://www.thegsresources.com/garage/gs_statorfacts.htm

[77 gs550]

time for the stator papers

I had the same/ or a similar problem with my gs a couple of weeks ago.
Time to hit the "stator papers" here on this website.
Get a digital multimeter, and go through the test routine. That will tell you everything you need to know about what is wrong.
Took me about 30 minute to diagnose my issues, then I used members here for help. I bought an upgraded regulator rectifier from a member named Duaneage and everything works perfectly again.
Good Luck, keep us posted.

[bonanzadave]

I have an 82 GS1100E

Me too. Clean (or replace if its melted) the RR connector (and every connector on the bike) and run a jumper wire from the RR ground (its under the fuse box) to the battery - post. Chances are youre going to need a new RR soon.

[jwhelan65]

Somewhat of a rookie here...what is the RR connector?

[posplayr]

R/R = Rectifier and regulator

R/R is a single unit on your bike.

Lift the left side cover of your GS1100E. There is an electrical device mounted toward the rear which looks like a heat sink. The OEM unit was smaller but it could been replaced and would be about 3"x3"x1". It has 5 wires attached. Three are stator wire inputs (from the left side of the engine) the other two are a ground and the positive lead going to the battery. Read the stator papers it will explain more.

The design issue with the R/R is really with the harness. The R/R ground and red + wire should be as close to the battery terminals as possible. Generally the + red goes to the battery but through a fuze box. Not the greatest but not the end of the world. The ground on the other hand tries to find a return back to the battery through rubber grommets that the side plate (what the R/R is mounted to) is mounted to.

So a first step is to take:
a.) the usual ring lug on the negative lead of the R/R, tie it to the R/R case, Use the mounting screw.
b.) and run an additional wire with ring lug (under the same screw) to the negative side of the battery (directly do not pass go; go direct to the battery negative post).

Measure that the voltage drop from the R/R to the battery at 4000 rpm is less than 0.5V. If not you have a bad connnection somewhere in the ground path.

Posplayr