FH-011AA R?R install success sort of

[swedge61]

I successfully installed a FH-1100AA in my 83 GS1100GK with some good advice from forum members. The R/R allows 13.8 volts at idle and 14.01 volts at 5000 rpms. It is the first time I have actually turned the bike off and attached the trickle charger and it indicated the battery was charged.
Here my issue. When I turn on my auxiliary lights I have added so I can better seen driving down the road, the volts drops to 13.3 and continues to slowly drop at all rpms. The lights are the small halogen driving lights.
Do I need to just forget about adding extra lights, or keep looking for a better R/R?
Thanks
Swedge61

 

[Steve]

Any regulator is only going to regulate what comes into it.
Sadly, our charging systems can only put out so much, which isn't enough for extra lights.

If you want to see better, make sure that your headlight reflector and lens are crystal clear. If not, replace them. Next, you can add a higher-output bulb, but be aware that it will draw extra power all the time, so it might be better to compromise and get a 55/100 watt bulb. That way, you will be running stock lighting most of the time, but have more output available on high beam.

.

 

[earlfor]

I successfully installed a FH-1100AA in my 83 GS1100GK with some good advice from forum members. The R/R allows 13.8 volts at idle and 14.01 volts at 5000 rpms. It is the first time I have actually turned the bike off and attached the trickle charger and it indicated the battery was charged.
Here my issue. When I turn on my auxiliary lights I have added so I can better seen driving down the road, the volts drops to 13.3 and continues to slowly drop at all rpms. The lights are the small halogen driving lights.
Do I need to just forget about adding extra lights, or keep looking for a better R/R?
Thanks
Swedge61

The R/R you have is working fine and rectifying all the current the stator is capable of making. Your problem is those two lights consume more watts than your alternator/stator can produce. The bike does not have an extra 100 watts of lighting capacity. The stator produces about 280 watts and and a stock bike consumes aprox 240 watts to run and charge the battery.

Earl

 

[bwringer]

Over on ADVrider.com, there are some guys who have had excellent results with some of the new generation LED arrays. Very low current draws and a TON of light.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199827

However, they're more useful for added visibility (people seeing you) than for driving lights (you seeing evil antlered rats hiding in the ditches).

A little spendy for the good stuff (made by Whelan), though. Cheap generic LEDs don't hold up or put out much light.

I'm seriously considering adding the red LED photon cannon modules for auxiliary brake lights. A lot of drivers around here have a nasty habit of creeping up closer than I'd like when I'm stopped at a light, especially at right turns.

 

[SqDancerLynn1]

I would sugest a switch to turn them on only when needed

 

[swedge61]

Thanks for all your replies. The help I have been getting with this R/R change over has been fantastic
I am thrilled that the r/r is working correctly:dancing:. I was kind of worried that it wasn't up to par. It was a challenge to relocate it to the front of the bike.
I have the driving lights on a switch so I guess I will only use them when absolutely necessary. My main reason for the driving lights was so I would be more visible to other people on the roads.
I will look into the led lights since they use less electricity. I am wanting to put on a second brake light and the leds may be the way to go.
thanks for all your help
Swedge61

 

[Steve]

My main reason for the driving lights was so I would be more visible to other people on the roads.
I will look into the led lights since they use less electricity. I am wanting to put on a second brake light and the leds may be the way to go.

LEDs are definitely the way to go, and since you are looking to be seen, rather than to see, do a search on eBay for "LED driving lights". You will find them in many styles, with prices ranging from less than $10 to just about $100, but I saw one set for $260. I put a set of them on my wife's bike and they work very well and don't draw enough power to bother anything.

For extra lights on the rear, check out Hyperlites. They have several models, ranging from simple add-on brake lights to three-way units that have tail, brake and turn signals. The three-way units are about $100 and worth every penny.

.

 

[rustybronco]

I successfully installed a FH-1100AA in my 83 GS1100GK with some good advice from forum members. The R/R allows 13.8 volts at idle and 14.01 volts at 5000 rpms.

Here my issue. When I turn on my auxiliary lights I have added so I can better seen driving down the road, the volts drops to 13.3 and continues to slowly drop at all rpms.

The no load regulated voltage should be somewhere between 14.3-15.1 volts. this value is in line with other FH series R/R's and it should be around the same for yours.

your measured voltage of 14.01 volts @ 5000rpm is in "my opinion" too low. I would measure the wiring for voltage drops, between the R/R negative and the negative post of the battery and also the R/R to fuse box to battery positive connections.

It never hurts to make sure...

 

[earlfor]

The no load regulated voltage should be somewhere between 14.3-15.1 volts. this value is in line with other FH series R/R's and it should be around the same for yours.

your measured voltage of 14.01 volts @ 5000rpm is in "my opinion" too low. I would measure the wiring for voltage drops, between the R/R negative and the negative post of the battery and also the R/R to fuse box to battery positive connections.

It never hurts to make sure...

I would take a reading on AC stator voltage. The R/R cant rectify what it doesnt have.

Earl

 

[Steve]

The no load regulated voltage should be somewhere between 14.3-15.1 volts. ...

OK, so what should the "loaded" regulated voltage be? :-k

It's kinda hard to get a GS to run without having a load on the charging system.
Yeah, you can pull the headlight fuse, but you still have ignition draw of several amps.

.

 

[spyug]

I have run auxilliary lights on a couple of my previous Yammies. As the charging systems were also pitifully inadequate I couldn't run them for any length of time. As I don't ride much, if ever, at night time I really only used them as extra conspicuity. I got into the habit of flipping them on as I came up on stop lights or in areas of heavy traffic flow.

I was going to do the same with the GS but haven't as yet made the move. I have just gone through the charging issues thing and don't want to compromise what I have finally arrived at so LEDs seem the logical choice. I found these which might work:
http://www.creativelightings.com/12...ght-Pod-5-LEDs-3-Pack-p/cl-12vpod-rec-3pc.htm

Cheap enough for a test I figure.

On the XS website, the guys are always trying to lighten the load so there are many LED conversions underway. LED bulbs are still abit spendy but I think its the right way to go for all old iron.

As mentioned, some of your voltage "loss could be old wiring and other connectors in the circuits maybe you want clean or change those.

Keep us informed of what you end up doing.

Cheers,
spyug

 

[rustybronco]

That is how they state it, "no load" voltage. I'd hate to list it as 14.3-15.1 volts regulated when it's not.

most FH series R/R's have been shown to be around 14.5-14.8 volts measured at the battery.
that is why I believe it to be too low.

It only takes a few minutes to measure the voltage drop and as Earl suggested, the A.C. voltage at the stator.
then you know you are getting the maximum usable output from the stator.

 

[lucabond]

You might want to check and see what voltage you are getting at your headlight. If it less than battery voltage that would make it dimmer. You could check and clean all the connections that supply voltage to the headlight or you may want to run the headlight off a relay to make sure its getting full voltage and is as bright as possible. Good luck

 

[swedge61]

When I went thru the stator papers I checked the voltage from the stator. I was getting between 87 and 91 volts on each leg. At the time I did not have my tach working so I had to guess at the rpms when I was checking it.
How do I check for voltage drops, between the R/R negative and the negative post of the battery and also the R/R to fuse box to battery positive? Is it part of the charging system check list when checking to see if the r/r or the stator is bad?
I will look in to the led lights, but I will probably stay closer to the $10 range than the $100.
Thanks again for all the help
Swedge61

 

[rustybronco]

When I went thru the stator papers I checked the voltage from the stator. I was getting between 87 and 91 volts on each leg. At the time I did not have my tach working so I had to guess at the rpms when I was checking it.
How do I check for voltage drops, between the R/R negative and the negative post of the battery and also the R/R to fuse box to battery positive?

http://thegsresources.com/garage/gs_statorfault.htm
please see...

positive side testing...

Let the engine idle, and connect the black multimeter lead to the battery(+). Connect the red multimeter lead to the RED output wire of the RR. Leave the RR connected to the bike. Check the reading on the meter. Leave the engine idling!

negative side testing...

Connect the red multimeter lead up to the battery's negative pole (-) Connect the black multimeter lead up to the negative output of the RR (BLACK/WHITE), but leave the RR connected up to its leads on the bike. If you can't find a negative output wire, then the casing of the RR is normally the negative lead to the frame. Check the reading on the meter. Leave the engine idling !

something else to read...
http://www.posplayr.100megsfree3.com/FH012AA_Charging/Stator_Papers_Phase A.pdf
please see...

STEP #2 MEASURE POSITIVE LEAD VOLTAGE DROP

STEP #3 MEASURE NEGATIVE LEAD VOLTAGE DROP

I am of the school of thought where voltage drops need to be measured at the higher rpm's not just at idle.
***edit*** In fact I would highly stress that you check for voltage drops at 4-5,000 rpm's.

FYI.

My 1982 GS1100GK with FH012AA r/r measures 13.93v-14.14v when at idle or high rpms, only slight difference.

GK, I have also seen charging voltages listed in the ranges you have listed, but most have been in the 14.3-14.5 volt range. only when we can gather more readings will we know what values are correct for for each FH R/R.
thanks for the details.

 

[posplayr]

Rusty,
As is common knowledge, the GS changing system barely provides any power at idle . Small changes in idle between 1100-1300 RPM can cause the typically 1 amp current to flow to Battery R/R (+) (e.g. 1300 RPM) to as much as 1 amp discharge at lower RPM (e.g. 1100 RPM).

So testing for voltage drops between the battery and R/R is ineffective as there can be little to no current flow at idle. The main issue in fact is that there is minimal voltage drops at full output. This point appears to have escaped the original authors of the stator pages and the contribution I attempted to make in the rewrite.

Jim

 

[salty_monk]

My bikes charge in the high 13's with no problems.

With 13.3v with the lights on I don't think you'll have an issue if you are on a decent run, maybe if you're doing lots of short hops low rev/town work.

Dan

 

[earlfor]

My bikes charge in the high 13's with no problems.

With 13.3v with the lights on I don't think you'll have an issue if you are on a decent run, maybe if you're doing lots of short hops low rev/town work.

Dan

With a well charged battery, my 1150 always charged at 13.3 volts cruising down the highway. I had the constant readout voltmeter in the dash for the last three years I had the bike and never had any kind of charging problems.
l
Ear

 

[posplayr]

While, I can understand that 13.3V will create a certain amount of trickle current flow (e.g. 1 amp) into the battery, that does not represent the ability to do strong charging (2-3 amps minimum).

While stable (keeps the battery topped off), 13.3V going down the road does represent an impaired charging system most likely due to high resistance between battery and R/R (+).

As I noted in the revised stator papers, 14.0V should be considered minimum charging voltage at 5000 RPM.

 

[bakalorz]

I have run auxilliary lights on a couple of my previous Yammies. As the charging systems were also pitifully inadequate I couldn't run them for any length of time. As I don't ride much, if ever, at night time I really only used them as extra conspicuity. I got into the habit of flipping them on as I came up on stop lights or in areas of heavy traffic flow.

I was going to do the same with the GS but haven't as yet made the move. I have just gone through the charging issues thing and don't want to compromise what I have finally arrived at so LEDs seem the logical choice. I found these which might work:
http://www.creativelightings.com/12...ght-Pod-5-LEDs-3-Pack-p/cl-12vpod-rec-3pc.htm

Cheap enough for a test I figure.

On the XS website, the guys are always trying to lighten the load so there are many LED conversions underway. LED bulbs are still abit spendy but I think its the right way to go for all old iron.

Actually I think the way to go may be replacing headlights with HID conversions.
There are 2 power levels available, 35 watts and 55 watts.

My reading seems to indicate that the 35 watt ones are maybe 2 times as bright as a 55 watt halogen, and the 55 watt ones about 4 times or so as bright.

Using a 55 watter would increase visibility a lot, or use 35 watts for a bit brighter headlight than stock, and then get 2 or so amps to play with for other lights or accessories.

I am pretty seriously considering getting one, the big holdup for me is that they probably don't work right with headlight modulators.

I will probably get one in the end and rig up a special jury rigged modulator.
Even if it shortens the life of the HID, as long as it doesn't blow up immediately, I could probably live with that.
On the plus side, the HID should have much sharper HI/Low transitions, the thermal mass of the wire in the bulb is to high for it to modulate as fast as it should, so it ramps up and down 4 times a second.

Sigh ... So many projects so little time.