R/R Replaced Now Battery Draining

[posplayr]

I hope I'm not one of those that you consider wrong.

But the frame is ground in a negative frame grounded vehicle, the motor case is also ground.

I don't know that that generalization applies to a GS. On a GS current returns are parially through the frame/engine and partially through the harness all returning current to the R/R(-). Regardless of how you want to think about it, thinking about it in any other way than how current flows will result in a flawed grounding approach (unless you are just lucky).

You over emphasize return paths to the regulator. While you can look at the regulator that way and mostly get it to work in reality the battery is the start and end of it all. The regulator merely charges the battery, it's job is that and that alone.

For a properly functioning charging system, there is positive "average current" flow into the the electrical system (10-14 amps) from the R/R of which the battery gets typically (0-3 amps). 0 amps is at idle, but by idling the bike up to 1500 RPM there is usually a positive current flow into the battery. Those are facts (I have measured it with a DC amp meter) regardless of what the designers intended or what the regulator is "supposed to do"..... So once the bike is running above idle the R/R output is the source of all "average electical" power.

While it can, it's purpose is not to run the bike hence why it's a bad idea to remove the battery from a running bike.

It is kind of a race condition, I would be most worried about either too much output voltage because the battery is not there or the stator being shorted too much because the battery is not there. It is just an unknown.

The reason why it's not good to see the regulator as the source and return for electric while running is the battery makes up for draw the regulator can't supply like your bike running at idle with lights and all on and it also takes in the excess current the bike is not using - typically at speed.

Have your R/R connected well to the battery, then have your battery well connected to your electrical. That's how it's done.

Well, yes but the "devil is in the details" of dealing with poor and corroding connections. This is the whole point to the discussion, what are "good connections"....


I hope I passed basic electric and grounding 101, they gave me a degree after all.

Stacking all ground returns to the same point at the shortest R/R(-) connection is fool proof and you don't really need to know anything else.

[Killer2600]

Stacking all ground returns to the same point at the shortest R/R(-) connection is fool proof and you don't really need to know anything else.

You can do it however you like and you can even set your idle to 1,500 but the rest of us on bikes typically don't roll that way.

[posplayr]

You can do it however you like and you can even set your idle to 1,500 but the rest of us on bikes typically don't roll that way.

So am I to assume you have no issues with the direct contradictions I identified in your prior statements? Specifically what the function of the R/R is?

[Killer2600]

So am I to assume you have no issues with the direct contradictions I identified in your prior statements? Specifically what the function of the R/R is?

I do but if your emphasis on making good connections between battery and regulator are as true as they sound then your accomplishing my agenda anyway. The only difference is if that connection should fall flat my method will run till I get home or the battery is drained, yours may leave you on the side of the road going through the stator papers. I don't have to fix your work so how you do it doesn't matter to me.

FTR the regulator is part of the charging system, thus it's purpose is simple - it charges the battery. Your starter, no matter how well connected, will not run off the regulator.

[posplayr]

I do but if your emphasis on making good connections between battery and regulator are as true as they sound then your accomplishing my agenda anyway. The only difference is if that connection should fall flat my method will run till I get home or the battery is drained, yours may leave you on the side of the road going through the stator papers. I don't have to fix your work so how you do it doesn't matter to me.

FTR the regulator is part of the charging system, thus it's purpose is simple - it charges the battery. Your starter, no matter how well connected, will not run off the regulator.

I don't know what method you are describing, or why it has an advantage over the Single Point grounding that I have been describing. What I describe is very straight forward and does nothing to reduce reliability:

1. As it reduces the number of connection from stock harness(i.e. the R/R(-) and the side plate B/W ground strap are co-located rather than being separated). That means the harness B/W return is only based on a current path through a stacked set of ring lugs.
2. Adds an additional wire from R/R(-) to battery (-) . This has been an accepted modification for several years here (I did not invent it). As the current return from battery(-) to R/R(-) on the stock harness involved several engine/frame/harness connections and grounding points.
3. Adds a redundant R/R(-) to frame ground ( This already exists in the B/W harness ring lug that attaches to a battery box mounting bolt but is often overlooked ).

So how is it that this is somehow less reliable?


As far as the R/R goes, it seems very strange and contradictory for you to characterize a R/R as "solely charging a battery" when the facts are that it provides 10 amps to the electrical systems and only 3-4 amps to the battery (at maximum output to the battery). I guess it suits your argument, but not much else.