Weird charging problems

[Steve]

Got anything else there that is 55W other than the orginal headlight and switch? I was thinking that you could use it as a 55W load direct to battery instead of the headlight. This would eliminate the headlight, switch, that section of wiring, etc.

This was already addressed and answered:

the symptom:
charging OK with no load (14.7V at 5k rpm)
charging NOT OK when the headlight is ON (or when i connect a 55W light bulb directly to the battery) - the voltage starts slowly dropping

The mystery continues.

.

Psyguy,
Apologies, I do not want to derail the proving process, but you seem to have a very interesting (frustating) problem here it seems.
The R/R is OK
The wiring is OK
Connections are OK
Battery is OK
Headlight is OK
Routed AC wire via headlight switch is bypassed
Stator tests for voltage shows OK, but..
Maximum current supply from stator has not been proven conclusively


If your stator is a 180W unit it should be able to supply you with at least 15 Amps. Your headlight (55 W) adding another 4-5 Amps when its on tells me you are exceeding the maximum of 15 Amps total current supply, thus pulling the current excess from the battery.

I would at this stage seriously think of pulling the stator cover and give the stator a mk1 eyeball check.

Good luck
__________________

[psyguy]

i'm bringing this summary here from an older thread that is too difficult to follow due to its length:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=146155

the symptom:

• charging OK with no load (14.7V at 5k rpm)
• charging NOT OK when the headlight is ON (or when i connect a 55W light bulb directly to the battery) - the voltage starts slowly dropping to under 15.5V

the history:


i first noticed there is a problem when the battery unexpectedly went flat on a ride and i couldn't start the bike. prior to this i had been going only for short rides and my battery is always on the battery minder and fully charged so it is likely that i have not noticed the problem for a while as the battery had no time to go flat over only a short ride. at the time the conclusion from the testing was that the RR must have gone bad so i got a new one (used) 6-wire RR from duaneage that he has tested so the asumption is that the RR is now OK.


current findings:

• the stator checks out ok at 85+V on all 3 phases
• the battery has been tested by a car electritian and it is ok for voltage, load test and electrolity specific gravity
• all the relevant connections are new spade connectors
• RR is wired directly to the battery with the sense wire spliced into the main switched wire
• the system has been tested with the engine just warmed up from cold as well as fully hot
• also tested during a few hours ride and the symptoms are consistent over time
• the charging voltage is roughly equal (+/- 0.3V) when tested with either one of the 3 phases disconnected
• i have now done testing using a car battery and the results are still the same