• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

15v...too much output from Honda R/R ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dave R
  • Start date Start date
D

Dave R

Guest
1982 GS1100E

Got one of Duaneage's replacement R/R 's

-Stator output is 81 volts (all legs). Also passed resistance tests.

- Have direct R/R ground to battery. Have direct R/R input from 3 stator wires as recommended.

- sense wire hooked in orange brake light wire.

- believe battery is 2 yrs. old, fully charged


Output that I read across battery is 15v - 15.4v with engine running.

Isn't this too much?

Are all of you using the direct feed from the stator (grn/wh, wh/bl, yellow ) rather than getting the feed at the original (white connector) harness location? Does it change output if I revert back to using that (white connector location) for R/R input?

Have I missed something?
 
Most likely your brake light wiring is not getting full 12V+ thereby BS'ing the regulator into thinking there isn't enough voltage, causing it to overvolt. Temporarily hook the sensing wire directly to the battery, start the engine, and recheck your voltages. Post back and let us know.
 
Sensing wire issue as stated most likely. If it was a stock Suzuki without the sensing wire I'd say you might be "missing some load" (i.e. the 750 I have will charge at those voltages with no headlight attached - not good for it though!)

Dan :)
 
That changed the (engine running) voltage to 14.6

So I assume your guess is right. Why?

Have cleaned every friggin' connector I can find on this thing.


Thanks.
 
Old-ass wiring! I have done the same to my bike, even so far as to take apart the ignition switch and clean it up. I am still .5V lower on the fuse box side VS the battery voltage. And even after cleaning all those friggin connectors, they still cause problems with resistance. try to find another ignition controlled wire to splice into for that sense wire, or use a relay setup so that it gets direct battery voltage to it.

That is one reason I went with the FET type R/R setup. it does not use a sensing wire. Only 3 stator, one + and one -.
 
Last edited:
i had the same problem when i put in a honda r/r in my 850. Taillight/oil pressure switch was only reading 12v at best. Had the sense wire connected to a relay switch. Works great now.
 
I don't think there would be a big problem running the sense wire back direct to battery..... That's what a lot of hot rodders basically do with their "one wire" alternator upgrades.

Dan :)
 
salty_monk said:
I don't think there would be a big problem running the sense wire back direct to battery..... That's what a lot of hot rodders basically do with their "one wire" alternator upgrades.

Dan :)
Click to expand...

Same thing for old airplanes but they use a switch. Sometimes a double pole switch. One pole for the battery relay and one for the Regulator.
 
Most R/R’s don’t use a sense wire at all and frankly, it can cause more trouble than it solves in the case of old wiring. My guess is that’s why the sense wire is not that common.
 
salty_monk said:
I don't think there would be a big problem running the sense wire back direct to battery..... That's what a lot of hot rodders basically do with their "one wire" alternator upgrades.

Dan :)
Click to expand...

From what I understand, this will slowly drain the battery -- to oversimplify things a bit, the sense wire also serves to turn the R/R "on" when the key is on. There's a small amount of current leakage if the sense wire is hooked up to +12V all the time.

I've installed a couple using a relay to power the sense wire (and maybe some other stuff). Griffin did some research (poking lots of connectors with a voltmeter) a while back and found the oil pressure switch wire seems to have the closest thing to battery voltage running through it, so that also works well on many bikes.
 
salty_monk said:
I don't think there would be a big problem running the sense wire back direct to battery..... That's what a lot of hot rodders basically do with their "one wire" alternator upgrades.

Dan :)
Click to expand...

If you run the sense wire directly to the battery positive then it MUST be run through a relay so it will not drain the battery over time.
 
If you've got a voltage drop on the wire the sense wire is hooked to it will probably overcharge by that amount. You can install a relay to power the sense wire and while you're at it have that relay power your coils if you have a voltage drop there too. A high voltage drop is a sign of other areas of the electrical system that need attention. Go over all the connectors, grounds as well as the contacts in the ignition and kill switches.
 
I initially ran my sense wire to my (+) battery and tracked the drain. It was so little over 4 days i would not worry about it. Around .5v loss at most and that is when i did not run/ride the bike. I would disconnect the wire if in any type of storage. May not the "Best" way of handling it but i want to do a little r/d.
 
I think it's best to discover where the voltage drop is taking place and correct it. Might be a bit O' trouble to find but worth it in the end. If you are losing that much to the rear taillight and brake light then your lights are not as bright as they should be. That's a safety concern needing to be addressed.
 
Yep, voltage on my orange brakelight switch wire reads 1.8 less than going to battery terminal.


- dismantled, cleaned (spray & brass-brushed) RH switch today. Looks like appropriate wires run up there. No change.


1. ignition switch - manual says it can be removed after instrument panel is removed. Also says it is a sealed unit. Is it? Can contacts be sprayed, brass-brushed after taking it off, or do you just shoot cleaner down key slot?

2. how many grounds are on this bike (1100E) that could be corroded? (approximate location?)

3. Is there a cleaner/spray that REALLY removes corrosion/oxidation? Had 2 kinds to observe working on the corroded RH switch. Of course, neither one did anything to corrosion. Just cleaned dirt/grease. Fortunately, could brass-brush contacts. How can you REALLY clean the female end of a bikes (bayonet?) connectors? I spray them and brass-brush the male ends, but female half isn't accessible.

Thanks.
 
I can answer #3:
I use copper solder cleaner/flux for all of my projects. It is slightly acidic so a GOOD flush with brake cleaner or carb cleaner is a must. It works great and when the connectors are treated with dielectric grease prior to install...they never cause an additional problem. :-\\\

As far as grounds...several and their locations are bike/model specific.

Ignition, never done anything other than silicone spray to any of mine. :|
 
If that's the same ign. switch that's on my '79 the actual switch part can be removed from the bottom with 1 screw. Probably be easiest if you drop the headlight bucket, maybe clean the connectors in there too while you're at it. I removed my whole switch but you might be able to just remove that retaining screw with the switch in place. I didn't want to disassemble the switch but with it out you can easily flood the switch with cleaner and work the switch, flood again and repeat until the cleaner comes out clear, blowing some air inside could also help. The contact armature will rotate 360 degrees so mark it or pay attention so you don't get it back in 180 degrees out, don't ask how I know that. That made a bigger difference than cleaning the RH switch. Got my voltage drop at the coils down to just under .5V which is probably as good as it's going to get. Now that I've had mine apart I don't think spraying down the key slot will get much cleaner into the actual switch contacts.
 
Last edited:
Dave R said:
1. ignition switch - manual says it can be removed after instrument panel is removed. Also says it is a sealed unit. Is it? Can contacts be sprayed, brass-brushed after taking it off, or do you just shoot cleaner down key slot?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I will qoute you what I wrote in an earlier posting about the ign switch:

For those who want to indulge in this, be forwarned: like most Suzuki switches, there are springs and a ball just waiting to explode all over your shop floor!! note however, that it is very easy to figure out what goes where, once you find all the parts!. There is a total of 4 springs, one ball, 3 little copper contacts similar to what you would find in the brake switches, and a white 'cap' (it makes the 'step' when you move the key to different positions). One ball, a spring, and the plastic 'cap' go together, and the other 3 springs and copper contacts go together. All in all, it was easy to remove everything and clean it, add Di-grease and put it all back together.
Click to expand...

Please note that I have a 'GK with the big fairing, and still managed to get my switch unpluggled, removed, and installed without taking anything else off.
 
Thanks propflux01, boy, I'm not sure if I have the macro eyesight/steady hands for that or not...


====================
how many grounds are on this bike (1100E) that could be corroded? (approximate location?)
====================

Re-reading that quote...guess it sounds kind of dumb. What I meant was:

- we have the large negative battery cable hooked to the engine case.

- Isn't there an actual "electrical" connection (either wire or metallic strap) hooking the engine to the frame? Can't find it for the life of me. Is it the engine mounting bolts that provide the electrical connection?
 
Its really not that bad, I used a 10" extension on a ratchet with a hex-head socket, a flashlight (because it was dark outside and my garage lighting wasn't that good) and I also used "the force" to feel my way with the bolt on the end of the hex-head socket when I reinstalled it. Took me about 15 minutes to remove and another 15 to install it once I moved the wire harness out of the way.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top