Battery will not charge ! Help

[gs850 Bobber]

Hi, I have a problem my bike will not charge the battery. I can charge the battery before I ride, but after I stop for any length of time and come and try to restart the bike the battery is completely dead. I'm guessing that the bike is running under its own power, and its just not charging. So could it be a bad rec/reg, or loose wiring / bad ground. Or hopefully its not the stator !

Sorry the bike is an 81 GS850G bone stock with some wiring removed like signals and guages, and horn.
Thanks

[tkent02]

Most likely corroded wire connectors, at least at first.
Leave it that way too long and it can get expensive.

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

[gs850 Bobber]

Another question is how does the bike run under its own power if the battery is dead.

[tkent02]

Voltage is voltage, the ignition does not care where it came from.

[Steve]

How old is the battery? It could be that the bike is running on a properly-charging system, but the battery is so bad it won't accept the charge. A voltmeter will help with the diagnosis, but if the battery is no good, the charging system won't be working right, so it really won't be accurate. You need a good battery to do troubleshooting. At the very least, connect the bike to your car (engine OFF, please) and use the car battery for your charging tests.

.

[Tom MLC]

Bobber, use the Stator Papers to troubleshoot your challenge. You'll find it in The Garage on the GSR Home Page. Also, you'll find that you are not alone. These old GS's are notorious for cranky charging system.

Some of the other resources you should look into is BassCliff's website, and Duanage's rectifier replacement.

Good luck brother.

[OldVet66]

If that battery has ever frozen while it's dead, it's done, and will never charge.

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. gs850 Bobber,

Yes, "The Stator Papers" will guide you through the electrical charging system and help you repair it. You'll find lots more GS850 lovin' on my website and here in the forum using the Search feature. Let me say "Howdy!" and extend to you a cordial greeting ...

Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", the Carb Rebuild Series, and the Stator Papers. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...

Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Redman]

Hi, I have a problem my bike will not charge the battery. I can charge the battery before I ride, but after I stop for any length of time and come and try to restart the bike the battery is completely dead. I'm guessing that the bike is running under its own power, and its just not charging. ...
...

Bobber,

Welcome to GSR.

Many folks here willing to help.

Intersting that your signon name is Bobber, and you say the bike is stock.

My first observation of your description is that you did not mention any voltage readings. Without a volt meter, about your only option is to just replace the battery and see if any improvement.

About only other thing you can do without a volt meter is this: Charge battery back up, remove charger, start bike, with headlight on, let engine idle then rev it up, see if headlight brightens some, if so then have some idea that the charging system is working (trying to charge battery). That will give you some confidence that the battery itself is the only problem.

Soon or later you are going to want to have a volt meter.

.

[850 Combat]

Right off the bat, after you check your output as described in "The Stator Papers", you should look at the three connectors off the stator to the Rectifier / regulator leads and observe that the clear plastic sleeves are burnt. I like to remove these connectors and solder them and shrink tubing over the joints. The red wire off the R/R to the battery also probably has a visibly overheated connector to delete and solder. A ground jumper from the starter solenoid mount where the R/R is grounded to the battery negative terminal is also in order, to assure that the R/R is properly grounded..

I have made a few of them charge with these simple corrections. You can clean the connectors instead and that will do the same thing, but I like to delete the four most troublesome (in my experience) connectors.

[bwringer]

Also, where are you?

There's probably a GS-er nearby who might be able to help.

Assuming you're in the US, you can get a meter that will work fine for $3 at Harbor Freight.

There's nothing mysterious about GS charging systems. And to tell the truth, there's nothing inherently wrong with them either. It's simply that the connectors in any old vehicle develop corrosion and resistance after 25 years, and this kicks off a sequence of problems.