1/2 Way thru the Stator Papers... Now What?

[fast eddie]

So I've run the battery dead on my 84 GS1150 twice now, enough to know there's a problem somewhere. I get out the stator papers...
I started with a freshly topped up and charged battery, 12.54 V on the tester. Right away in part 'A' of the flowchart, I'm reading 11.70 V across the battery (revving at 2500rpm). Skip to the second part, where it says "more than/less than 0.2 V"; at this point I was reading -0.39 V(?). At that point I knew enough to say "I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

According to part 'C' of the flowchart, I need a new R/R. According to the tests in my Haynes manual, I reach the same conclusion.

Q1:I have read a lot here about subbing in a Honda R/R; the thing is, will the 5-pin connector (red/yellowX3/Bl&W) hook up or will I have to jury-rig some kind of connection?
Q2:Should I still be looking for some sort of root cause, or can I just accept that, this being a GS, it died just because? Haven't had any other electrical troubles (knock on wood)...
Q3:I have a nice paperweight for sale, aluminum finnned construction...

[earlfor]

Ok then, putting the stator papers aside, lets try the simple route.
The charging system is comprised of the stator and the regulator/rectifier.
The stator produces AC voltage. The bike runs on DC voltage. The regulator/rectifier changes the AC voltage to the DC the bike can use.

The stator produces a set amount of AC voltage for a set rpm of the engine.
There are three yellow output wires coming from the stator that carry the AC voltage to the regulator/rectifier. You will find either a plug used to connect the two, or three bullet connectors on the three wires. Disconnect the stator from the regulator rectifier. You will have three plain ends of the yellow stator output wires. Do not have them connected to anything. Set your multimeter to the AC scale 200 volts. The stator has three phases. Each phase should output 80 volts AC when the engine is running at 5000 rpm.
If we number the three yellow wires 1,2, and 3 then you want to connect the test leads of the multimeter between wires 1 and 2 to read that phase. then connect the meter leads between wires 2 and 3 to measure the voltage on that phase and then connect the meter leads between wires 1 and 3 to measure the last phase. All measurements should be taken with the engine running at 5000 rpm. All phases should read 80 volts on the AC scale AC SCALE

If all three phases show 80 volts or very close to that, then your stator is working normally.

Keeping things simple, if the stator works and there is not 14.8 volts being put into the battery, then the only possibility is that your battery does not have a good clean ground, your regulator rectifier is not connected tothe battery, or you regulator rectifier is faulty.

Assuming the R/R was hooked up and the battery was grounded, then the R/R is at fault and should be replaced.

If the stator voltages are not 80 volts on all three phases, then the stator is faulty. If the stator is faulty, the R/R cannot rectify voltage it is not receiving, so the R/R may or may not be faulty when measureing voltage with a running engine test.

As a rule, if the stator outputs 80 volts AC at 5K rpm, its a pretty safe bet you have a faulty R/R.

Earl

[Wingnut]

Nice explanation Earl! Detailed enough to get the job done but not overcomplicated. (Like I tend to do.)

[fast eddie]

Much thanks for the reply Earl; out comes the multimeter again...

[Anonymous]

I have a question...I replaced the R/R on my bike, as I was getting the odd reading from Diode to Diode in the R/R. I don't know enough, but luckily my friend did.....He understood why the neg. reading on diode to diode meant that it was bad, and I can't remember if we tested the 3 phases or not. I have still got to do that, but I think I blew my head gasket the other day

[earlfor]

I like simple and direct. :-) :-) It does get me in trouble on a diplomacy level sometimes though. :-) :-)

Earl

Nice explanation Earl! Detailed enough to get the job done but not overcomplicated. (Like I tend to do.)

[earlfor]

As I commented previously about charging systems. The stator is the well and the R/R is the bucket. A hole in the bucket doesnt matter much if there isnt any water in the well. :-) I always check the stator first to see if there is supply available. If there is, it has to be the R/R anyway.

Earl

I have a question...I replaced the R/R on my bike, as I was getting the odd reading from Diode to Diode in the R/R. I don't know enough, but luckily my friend did.....He understood why the neg. reading on diode to diode meant that it was bad, and I can't remember if we tested the 3 phases or not. I have still got to do that, but I think I blew my head gasket the other day

[wrench]

[quote="earlfor"]I like simple and direct. :-) :-) It does get me in trouble on a diplomacy level sometimes though. :-) :-)

Earl

Well your advice/posts and Ron's (Argonsagas) helped fixed my charging problems

[fast eddie]

So I checked the 3 phases on the stator, at the point where the 3 yellow wires plug into the R/R; I was reading btwn 7 and 10 V AC for the 3 of them. Seems to indicate a faulty stator, I guess. So what are the chances my R/R is still alive?

[earlfor]

Too low a voltage from the stator will not harm a R/R. Its a 50/50 guess the R/R is fine.

Earl

So I checked the 3 phases on the stator, at the point where the 3 yellow wires plug into the R/R; I was reading btwn 7 and 10 V AC for the 3 of them. Seems to indicate a faulty stator, I guess. So what are the chances my R/R is still alive?

[fast eddie]

Okay, so I've managed to pick up a used (supposed to be good) stator. From what i understand, I should just wire the three leads directly into the R/R and bypass the harness?

[earlfor]

Yes, that is correct.

Earl

Okay, so I've managed to pick up a used (supposed to be good) stator. From what i understand, I should just wire the three leads directly into the R/R and bypass the harness?

[fast eddie]

Man, it hurts not having the Forum when your bike is in bits! Just goes to show how much we all appreciate everyone's help.

I've been trying to follow the Stator Papers (and Earls!) advice faithfully, and have replaced 1) battery(fried) and 2) stator(shorted). The new stator shows a nicely consistent 1.1 Ohms btwn pairs of leads. I'm still reading 11.7V across the battery while it's running, regardless of RPMs. So, by process of elimination, I think I'm due for a new R/R. The only thing is, before I do that, I still don't get the 80V AC coming fro the stator leads, instead I read like 2 or 3. Something I'm missing? Maybe I'm not using my brother-in-laws multimeter properly? AT least they're consistent readings, but before I splash on a new R/R...

BTW I did the R/R continuity test as per the stator papers FAQ and got infinite where there should have been continuity, so I'm fairly sure...

[Anonymous]

did you get 1-2 when bike was running@5K RPM?

Do you have the right wires? (Rookie mistake I made my first pass through)

Is the Multimeter on AC voltage?