Charging System QUICK TEST

[mikerophone]

If you are using a 5 position fuse box , on of these is labeled main and there is no need for another fuse. Also this has nothing to do with quick test. You should start another thread.

Sorry about ragging onto this thread, wasn't sure if you'd see it... Should I delete these posts and copy them into a new one to keep it clean? Can do if you'd prefer.

5 position fuse box - that's what I have - so sounds like I'm good, other than a slight drop in voltage at 5k RPM's. I'll double check/clean connections on both the positive and ground sides and make sure everything is tight.

Thanks again for for this service to all of us GSRers!!

 

[posplayr]

Sorry about ragging onto this thread, wasn't sure if you'd see it... Should I delete these posts and copy them into a new one to keep it clean? Can do if you'd prefer.

5 position fuse box - that's what I have - so sounds like I'm good, other than a slight drop in voltage at 5k RPM's. I'll double check/clean connections on both the positive and ground sides and make sure everything is tight.

Thanks again for for this service to all of us GSRers!!

One post is not going to hurt anything. You should still do the revised phase a tests to measure those drops.

 

[Bizzel]

Hi there. Thanks for the great information so far. I did the test but I can't figure out whether it's my battery of my charging system (or both?)

My readings are

Key off: 12.58
Key on (w hl): 11.99
Idle: 12.3
revving @ 2k: 13.3
revving @ 5k: 13,2
Idle: 12.7
Key off: 12.77

It does seem to be charging because the voltage is higher after I've let it run for a bit. I have the problem that my bike won't start after it has sat for a while (like a few hours). Any ideas?

 

[bwanna]

Hi there. Thanks for the great information so far. I did the test but I can't figure out whether it's my battery of my charging system (or both?)

My readings are

Key off: 12.58
Key on (w hl): 11.99
Idle: 12.3
revving @ 2k: 13.3
revving @ 5k: 13,2
Idle: 12.7
Key off: 12.77

It does seem to be charging because the voltage is higher after I've let it run for a bit. I have the problem that my bike won't start after it has sat for a while (like a few hours). Any ideas?

Seems low.
1. Check ground connection. I actually ran a separate 12ga wire from the battery ground directly to the regulator ground. The grounding is VERY important.

2. Check and clean stator/regulator connectors. Oxidation, even slight, can reduce the charging ability.

 

[posplayr]

Seems low.
1. Check ground connection. I actually ran a separate 12ga wire from the battery ground directly to the regulator ground. The grounding is VERY important.

2. Check and clean stator/regulator connectors. Oxidation, even slight, can reduce the charging ability.

The best grounding is as I laid out for Single Point Ground, in this schematic in GS Charging health. You have to collect up 3 ground returns (Harness,Frame,Battery) and then run them to the R/R(-) . The battery is one of them but not the only. SPG should be as close to the R/R as practical.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...-Charging-System-Health&p=1138531#post1138531

The charging results here are in a classic ambiguity zone of low charging voltages (13.2-13.5 is way Too low). I like to confirm whether or not there is any actual power being generated from the alternator or is it just coming from the battery. The change from Step 1 to step 6 (in bold) shows an increase in voltage so we suspect it is charging some. We need to measure the current from the R/R. We can do that one of two ways. 1.) Measure voltage drops between the R/R and the battery(Refer to Revised Phase A tests of the Stator Pages). or 2.) Get an AC current clamp described here.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...BLE-and-CHEAP-STATOR-TESTING&highlight=stator

Key off: 12.58
Key on (w hl): 11.99
Idle: 12.3
revving @ 2k: 13.3
revving @ 5k: 13,2
Idle: 12.7
Key off: 12.77

Once you have that and give a quick clean, you can confirm that it is a contacts problem by doing the Phase A tests in the stator pages. If your are high that is good as it would explain you low charging voltages. Something that can be fixed by properly cleaning (e.g. Naval Jelly ,and DeOxit). If there are no voltage drops (or below 0.05V) then you might have a stator problem. So at this point it is a toss up.

I have also posted about using a inexpensive clamp on meter here which would be a quick way to test the stator.

 

[Bizzel]

Thank you guys for the reply. I'll try cleaning the connections & making sure everything is grounded correctly first, that shouldn't be too hard. I'll think I'll get a new battery anyway, since this one is quite old and still doesn't have factory specs after being on the trickle charger for a week..

 

[Bizzel]

Too bad, I cleaned the connections & checked the ground and that seemed fine. I also measured the a/c voltages from the stator and they were very low, between 28 and 40 V. So I think the stator is probably bad, sadly. I'm thinking about selling the bike.

 

[cowboyup3371]

Why sell it? Post up what kind of a bike you have (place it in your signature) and where you are located. Steve, member here, was selling rewound stators at one point in time and there are many posts about fixing these kinds of issues.

 

[growler]

Did my charging system quick test today. This is with the battery right off the tender. Is there a certain amount of time you have to have the bike running? This was done after warming up for 60 seconds.


Key off: 12.9
Key on (w hl): 12.2
Idle: 12.3
revving @ 2k: 12.3
revving @ 5k: 12.38
Idle: 12.38
Key off: 12.32

 

[posplayr]

Did my charging system quick test today. This is with the battery right off the tender. Is there a certain amount of time you have to have the bike running? This was done after warming up for 60 seconds.


Key off: 12.9
Key on (w hl): 12.2
Idle: 12.3
revving @ 2k: 12.3
revving @ 5k: 12.38
Idle: 12.38
Key off: 12.32

Battery is good, Charging sucks. I would do the Stator tests Revised Phase B . Measure VAC A.) leg to leg (needs to be about 80VAC) and B>) leg to ground (0 VAC) at 5K RPM.

 

[Jon]

Hope its OK to post in this thread? Too late if not - I'm doing it right now. Put a good multimeter on my battery terminals today. about 12.8 to start (before starting engine). First, the voltage reading gradually dropped to about 12.2 regardless of revs, indicating (I would think) not charging. But then with turning the lights on, the readings started to go up. All the way to 16.2 volts at about 3000rpm. Which seems much too high. After turning the engine off and trying it all again, it seemed to read quite normally, ie: just under 13V before starting, up to just under 15V at anything over about 2500rpm.

Something wasn't right the first time. Is it possible for the regulator/rectifier unit, or the stator (or any other component in the charging system) to behave erratically? Or do they either work or not work? Could using the light switch have done something to nudge the system into life?

This was the first time I've ridden the bike properly since buying it a couple of weeks ago, all I know is that the chap I bought it off had fitted a new battery, and that it started dead easily every time, and that when I checked the horn & lights after 10 days, the battery had definitely lost charge. I charged it before starting the engine again, then rode it about 12 miles (including quite fast for a few miles), then did the above test. Hope this gives enough info?

 

[posplayr]

Hope its OK to post in this thread? Too late if not - I'm doing it right now. Put a good multimeter on my battery terminals today. about 12.8 to start (before starting engine). First, the voltage reading gradually dropped to about 12.2 regardless of revs, indicating (I would think) not charging. But then with turning the lights on, the readings started to go up. All the way to 16.2 volts at about 3000rpm. Which seems much too high. After turning the engine off and trying it all again, it seemed to read quite normally, ie: just under 13V before starting, up to just under 15V at anything over about 2500rpm.

Something wasn't right the first time. Is it possible for the regulator/rectifier unit, or the stator (or any other component in the charging system) to behave erratically? Or do they either work or not work? Could using the light switch have done something to nudge the system into life?

This was the first time I've ridden the bike properly since buying it a couple of weeks ago, all I know is that the chap I bought it off had fitted a new battery, and that it started dead easily every time, and that when I checked the horn & lights after 10 days, the battery had definitely lost charge. I charged it before starting the engine again, then rode it about 12 miles (including quite fast for a few miles), then did the above test. Hope this gives enough info?

First off, you are not making it any easier by not recording the voltages measure as per the Quick test. However, normally it is an absolute; if you are charging at 16V plus the regulator is bad. However, such inconsistency is also not making the diagnosis any easier. I would check the connections between battery and R/R and if they are good and you still see over 16VDC then replace the R/R and retest. You might have a bad stator as well.

 

[Jon]

These tests were done earlier today, before I even saw the thread about how to do them! Just hoping a replacement reg/rect will sort it. I clicked on your link re. the Solid State Power Box but it just went to another thread.

I'm sure i've seen something, somewhere in the past week or so, to the effect that reg/rec units from most Jap bikes are interchangeable depending on the number of wires. Mine has 5 wires (but it is not the type which has 3 yellow wires - I think each wire is two colours but it'll be a day or so before I can check).

 

[tom203]

Do some more reading by posplayr and don't just throw and hope new parts will be magic.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...-Charging-System-Health&p=1138531#post1138531

his Quick Test offers vital clues, so do it and report all six results- make sure you start with fully charged battery

 

[posplayr]

These tests were done earlier today, before I even saw the thread about how to do them! Just hoping a replacement reg/rect will sort it. I clicked on your link re. the Solid State Power Box but it just went to another thread.

There are 6 different links in my signature.

 

[Jon]

Yes. It was the Solid State Power Box link I clicked.

 

[johnsoma]

When you run these tests, where should the multimeter be connected to the wires on the bike? Like what wire should I touch it to and exactly where?
Also What setting should the multimeter be on?

Thanks!

 

[posplayr]

When you run these tests, where should the multimeter be connected to the wires on the bike? Like what wire should I touch it to and exactly where?
Also What setting should the multimeter be on?

Thanks!

Sorry I added this to the first post.

EDIT 8/10/2016: Make the measurements by stabbing the center posts of your battery. These are direct battery measurements. Avoid any connections.

 

[RobP]

Hi
my 1986 GS750ES with 24,000km died and the batter was flat last week when I stopped during a ride. This is a new to me bike. Believe it has upgraded RR as it has blade type connections. Since buying it I've driven 1500 km with no issues at all. Just prior to dying, I was driving down a very bumpy road. I also recently switched to a different H4 bulb, but volt tests show no difference in draw on th battery between the old bulb and new one.

Here are my voltages as per test above.

off 14.52
key on 13.12
idle 12.93
2500 rpm 13.05
5000 rpm 13.2
key off 13.15

It is a gel battery. I've checked and cleaned all connections.

I think the volt meter numbers above look ok?

I was thinking id take it out for an hour text ride and see how it looks.

Any thoughts?

thanks,
rob

 

[posplayr]

Hi
my 1986 GS750ES with 24,000km died and the batter was flat last week when I stopped during a ride. This is a new to me bike. Believe it has upgraded RR as it has blade type connections. Since buying it I've driven 1500 km with no issues at all. Just prior to dying, I was driving down a very bumpy road. I also recently switched to a different H4 bulb, but volt tests show no difference in draw on th battery between the old bulb and new one.

Here are my voltages as per test above.

off 14.52
key on 13.12
idle 12.93
2500 rpm 13.05
5000 rpm 13.2
key off 13.15

It is a gel battery. I've checked and cleaned all connections.

I think the volt meter numbers above look ok?

I was thinking id take it out for an hour text ride and see how it looks.

Any thoughts?

thanks,
rob

You are barely charging (virtually nothing). I would suspect the stator is fried. Run the Phase B tests leg-leg and especially the leg to ground tests in the Stator Pages (ignore the ohm meter tests).
You are obviously providing enough to the electrical system about 10 amps), but nothing excess to charge the battery except[t ever so slowly (think trickle charging).

http://www.thegsresources.com/statorpapers4.php