Battery not charging - 1982 GS650G

[paulohagan]

Hi there - if anyone has the time to tell me "stop!" or "give 'er a try" I'd appreciate it.

I'm new to riding and new to working on anything more complex than Ikea furniture.

My the battery doesn't seem to be charging in my 1982 GS650G. I checked the power going to the battery when it was running and it read something like 11 or 12v at 5,000 RPM. I understand that's not enough to get it charged back right.

My plan is to replace the stator as I understand that's the most likely culprit.

Bearing in mind I have effectively no knowledge of electrical systems, does that sound like I've done my research right?

Thanks in advance!

PS something unusual about my bike is that in 30 years, I'm only the 3rd owner. Going to meet the original owner this weekend for coffee - turns out he lives nearby. He bought the bike new in 1982, put a Canadian flag sticker on it, and rode to Brazil and back!

[tom203]

Your charging system didn't like Brazil, do some testing BEFORE you buy anything and by the time you figure out why, you'll be able to assemble IKea stuff blindfolded.
Try this link for starters....

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?p=1272192#post1272192

Edit: you'll need a multimeter, $20 units are fine, but read the manual

[paulohagan]

Thanks for the link!

I used my meter and made the following notes:
Off: 12.96
Key on: 12.4
Idle: 12.42
2500 rpm: 12.53
5000 rpm: 12.80 (and slowly climbing, I stopped after letting it run there for about 30 seconds)
off: 12.74

So, these numbers tell me based on the quick test note that the connections are fine, but there's not enough juice getting to the battery.

I assumed (ha!) this meant there is a problem with the stator. But maybe before I dig into that I should do something else/more first?

I'm a newbie, but not scared to try stuff : )

[BigD_83]

That might not be the stator...it could also the regulator/rectifier giving you fits...bad grounds could be a culprit here as well...

on Basscliff's site, you'll find the Stator Papers: this will get you a little closer to where you need to be.

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff/images/stator_check.pdf

[tom203]

You got a 82 ( canadian ?) so does it have on/off switch for headlight- were those readings done with headlight on??? The connections on these bikes are always suspect. Lots of posts about this problem--- drop down to roostabunny' s problems in this category for typical analysis.

Buying a salvage stator can be tricky - test yours first.