Rectifier/Regulator replacement list

[posplayr]

Did you so the stator page tests

Un plug the stator and do that portion of the test.
U need a VOM.

Pos

[dennis roy]

OK just did the no-load test and my stator is pushing more than 80 volts across all leads. The amps out of the r/r is about 6 amps steady with break lights, directional, and high beam including my driving lights or without anything at all.

[posplayr]

Measurements

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=139115

Next I would recommend that the R/R is well grounded to the frame and check what the voltages are between the following

Volts from R/R (-) to Batt (-)
Volts from R/R (+) to Batt (+)
Volts from Batt (+) to Batt (-)

get an idea where you stand at both idle (1200 rpm) and 4KRPM.

What R/R are you using on what Bike?

If you are only pulling 6 amps, with lights on it woudl seem like the R/R (-) ground is not supporting the return current required.

Pos

[dennis roy]

ok...so my next stupid question before i go out there and rip it all apart. does it matter which wire from the stator goes to what plug on the r/r? Other than the + or - plugs that is.

[rustybronco]

ok...so my next stupid question before i go out there and rip it all apart. does it matter which wire from the stator goes to what plug on the r/r? Other than the + or - plugs that is.

Dennis, what R/R are you using, a FET style like this?

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d44/rustybronco/PICT2556.jpg

you would connect each of the three yellows to the three wires coming out of the stator .which to which does not matter.

note the position of the red and black and yellow wires...

What R/R are you using on what Bike?

[dennis roy]

Yes that's the style. I attached the + to the terminal on the same terminal on the starter relay that goes to the + batt. terminal. The ground goes to the bolt on the starter relay and the other bolt on the relay goes to the - batt. terminal.

I just checked things out a bit. When I remove the + wire from the r/r to the batt. it tests at almost 15v. When I connect it back to the battery it reads just over 12v and never goes much over 13 at 5000rpm. I test amps from the r/r and it shows 16 amps at 5000rpm and about 8 amps at idle. checked all connections and grounds all are good.

[posplayr]

Connections matter

The charging system deals with relatively high currents (8 to 15 amp as per your measurements) and relatively small voltage ranges that provide good operation and battery charging (12.8-15V).

In addition there are some limitations of the devices (R/R without differential voltage sensing ) that are being used, so getting the connections right is pretty critical.

Yes that's the style. I attached the + to the terminal on the same terminal on the starter relay that goes to the + batt. terminal. The ground goes to the bolt on the starter relay and the other bolt on the relay goes to the - batt. terminal.

I just checked things out a bit. When I remove the + wire from the r/r to the batt. it tests at almost 15v. .

When you do that the R/R output voltage is higher than the controlled voltage level (e.g. 14.5V ) and the regulator will get hot trying to shunt stator power. This is not a good idea to do.

Also because you wired the R/R output directly to the Batt (+) you may have subverted your fusing. Clearly the R/R to battery connection is not fused.

When I connect it back to the battery it reads just over 12v and never goes much over 13 at 5000rpm. I test amps from the r/r and it shows 16 amps at 5000rpm and about 8 amps at idle. .

With 15 amps, that means that the stator is good and the diode bridge in the R/R is functioning.

Since you can pull the voltage down from 15.0V to 12.0V the regulator is functioning.

Hate so say, it but the operation is faulty because (it would seem) your selection of connections are not very good.

checked all connections and grounds all are good.

I can not access what this means.

My suggestion would be:

1.) Attach the R/R (-) directly to the R/R mounting screw

2.) Run a ground with as short a wire as is practical from the same R/R mount to the frame. I used the rear airbox screw hole.

3.) Run a single wire from the same R/R mounting bolt to the negative side of the battery.

4.) Run the R/R (+) red wire to the red wire on your harness where your old R/R connected.

That will not be the best you could do, but generally that should solve all problems. The schematic at the top of the Ground Loop thread shows the connections in solid black.



Pos

[dennis roy]

I did put a fuse in line from the r/r to the batt. So I should be able to attach the r/r- to the mounting bolt like you mentioned, then I could go from that to the ground wire behind the engine. I have used that to ground my starter. It has a large cable that goes to the neg. batt. terminal. I was actually wondering if I should just bring the + from the r/r back to the original wire it was attached to.

[posplayr]

Roy

I did put a fuse in line from the r/r to the batt. So I should be able to attach the r/r- to the mounting bolt like you mentioned,.

Ok Good

then I could go from that to the ground wire behind the engine. I have used that to ground my starter. It has a large cable that goes to the neg. batt. terminal. ,.

As described below. the R/R (-) wants to be attached to the frame at the closest point possible (i.e. shortest wire). When I say frame I mean frame and not the side plate that everything mounts to.

2.) Run a ground with as short a wire as is practical from the same R/R mount to the frame. I used the rear airbox screw hole.

I was actually wondering if I should just bring the + from the r/r back to the original wire it was attached to.

If the connections to your fuse box are good enough then doing this will work. Only as a last resort would I completely go around the fuse box with a separate in line fuse. Depending upon your fuse box style, you can dip all the connections is an acid like navel jelly wash it out and solder the connections to keep out any corrosion.

Hopefully if you get these connections squared away you will charge up to 14.5 volts at 3K RPM and be close to 13V at idle.

The difference is the connections.

Pos

[dennis roy]

Ok. I think i'm getting it....sometimes i'm not to bright lol The ground I have been using is on the side plate next to the starter relay. I didn't think it would make a difference because I have a ground wire there that goes back to the battery.

I replaced the fuse box last summer. I had the whole harness out and cleaned/replaced all the connections. I actually took regular vaseline and dipped all the connectors before I plugged them in. They still have the vaseline in them even through the heat of the summer.

[gsinmaine]

R/R problem or??

Hello all. I am a newbie to this site and want to say what a great site this is. I never realized that there were all that many followers of the GS line. I personally have a 83 GS1100 Laverne with all the correct period Vetter accessories. Anyway, on the to question. Laverne is charging at 17V at about 3.5K rpm. I cleaned all the plugs, pigtails and so on and have grounded the black wire off the R/R direct to the battery to no avail. She is still charging hard. Drops to around 14 or even 13. 5 at an idle. Needless to say, my one year old battery is as dry as a popcorn fart. ( or just about anyway) I am betting on the regulator going south. Is this a safe assumption? I know on a 70 Ford high charging is a stuck regulator that was corrected by some well placed sharp raps with a screwdriver handle on the regulator. This not being Ford, and by reading all this high tech. talk, I am sure someone will be able to narrow this down. Otherwise, the bike runs like new. 17K on the clock. Best bike I have ever owned, except for the seat. Gets kinda hard around the 4th hour. Other than this, it is fast enough, smooth enough, economical (both at the pumps and at the tax collectors office) and just an all around fine machine. Great site!! GSer's rock on......

[Billy Ricks]

Hello all. I am a newbie to this site and want to say what a great site this is. I never realized that there were all that many followers of the GS line. I personally have a 83 GS1100 Laverne with all the correct period Vetter accessories. Anyway, on the to question. Laverne is charging at 17V at about 3.5K rpm. I cleaned all the plugs, pigtails and so on and have grounded the black wire off the R/R direct to the battery to no avail. She is still charging hard. Drops to around 14 or even 13. 5 at an idle. Needless to say, my one year old battery is as dry as a popcorn fart. ( or just about anyway) I am betting on the regulator going south. Is this a safe assumption? I know on a 70 Ford high charging is a stuck regulator that was corrected by some well placed sharp raps with a screwdriver handle on the regulator. This not being Ford, and by reading all this high tech. talk, I am sure someone will be able to narrow this down. Otherwise, the bike runs like new. 17K on the clock. Best bike I have ever owned, except for the seat. Gets kinda hard around the 4th hour. Other than this, it is fast enough, smooth enough, economical (both at the pumps and at the tax collectors office) and just an all around fine machine. Great site!! GSer's rock on......

Almost certainly the R/R is charging too hot. It's an easy fix with a used $40 R/R.

[gsinmaine]

Almost certainly the R/R is charging too hot. It's an easy fix with a used $40 R/R.

Yeah, that is what I thought too. I got one of them new and improved Shindengen FH-012 models off the Bay. Wiring seems straight forward enough and the price was right. Hasn't arrived yet but I am 99% sure that this will fix my over charging issue. I took it on a 300 mile road trip last year, at the end of our riding season and I am surprised the battery didn't explode or that I didn't burn out every bulb, coil and anything else electrical charging that high. I almost fell over when I put the meter on it. In fact, I had to go get another meter just to be sure. Thanks for the reply and I will post back with the results. Strange place for the R/R. Under the battery box. But, it gets alot of air there I suppose. Thanks again!

[Billy Ricks]

Yeah, that is what I thought too. I got one of them new and improved Shindengen FH-012 models off the Bay. Wiring seems straight forward enough and the price was right. Hasn't arrived yet but I am 99% sure that this will fix my over charging issue. I took it on a 300 mile road trip last year, at the end of our riding season and I am surprised the battery didn't explode or that I didn't burn out every bulb, coil and anything else electrical charging that high. I almost fell over when I put the meter on it. In fact, I had to go get another meter just to be sure. Thanks for the reply and I will post back with the results. Strange place for the R/R. Under the battery box. But, it gets alot of air there I suppose. Thanks again!

I did burn out every bulb and watched my tach go up in a puff of smoke. You could also strap a computer fan to the heatsink for a little extra airflow. Won't matter if you pull air off or force it through the heatsink. The taillight wire is a good source of power for a fan. They pull minimal power.

[bonanzadave]

This thread is very informative but now that Ive lived the RR curse and read over 999 posts on the topic Im getting bored. Think Ill add a picture......



WTH is that ??