RMStator Rectifier - Quality Comments?

[rcoville]

Hi all: Still working on my 83 GS1100 ES. Waiting for the valve cover gasket and new plugs to arrive.

In the meantime, I thought I'd tackle the next area. I keep getting a battery light alarm on the instrument cluster. Every now and then it comes on or flickers, then goes out again. Water level in the battery is spot on the FULL line, and the battery sensor probe is brand new (I replaced that a couple of weeks ago). The previous owner confirms it used to flicker on and off every now and then when he owned it as well (with the original sensor). He could never find the cause. The battery seems to hold up well, but I re-charge it weekly just as a precaution.

Thinking it might be the R/R unit, I read through the Stator Papers, and tested my system. Here are the results:

Fully charged battery - 13.3 v
@ idle - 12.25 v
@ 4000 rpm - 13.78 v
@ 5000 rpm - 13.90 v

OK, but sounds a little borderline? Maybe replace it before it fails and kills the stator? Or do these numbers suggest I should just watch the hockey game tonight and save my money?

Assuming I went ahead with a replacement, and since I am in Canada, I can get a RMStator R/R unit cheaper and faster then an Electrovolt unit (about 2/3 the price of the EV unit, in fact). Does anyone have any experience with RM's R/R unit? Do they stand up well compared to the Electrovolt product?

Thanks for your comments.
Rick

 

[posplayr]

Hi all: Still working on my 83 GS1100 ES. Waiting for the valve cover gasket and new plugs to arrive.

In the meantime, I thought I'd tackle the next area. I keep getting a battery light alarm on the instrument cluster. Every now and then it comes on or flickers, then goes out again. Water level in the battery is spot on the FULL line, and the battery sensor probe is brand new (I replaced that a couple of weeks ago). The previous owner confirms it used to flicker on and off every now and then when he owned it as well (with the original sensor). He could never find the cause. The battery seems to hold up well, but I re-charge it weekly just as a precaution.

Thinking it might be the R/R unit, I read through the Stator Papers, and tested my system. Here are the results:

Fully charged battery - 13.3 v
@ idle - 12.25 v
@ 4000 rpm - 13.78 v
@ 5000 rpm - 13.90 v

OK, but sounds a little borderline? Maybe replace it before it fails and kills the stator? Or do these numbers suggest I should just watch the hockey game tonight and save my money?

Assuming I went ahead with a replacement, and since I am in Canada, I can get a RMStator R/R unit cheaper and faster then an Electrovolt unit (about 2/3 the price of the EV unit, in fact). Does anyone have any experience with RM's R/R unit? Do they stand up well compared to the Electrovolt product?

Thanks for your comments.
Rick

Your voltage at 4K and 5K RPM is still low. It could be as simple as connections.

The way to tell is to measure from R/R(+) to Battery (+) and R/R(-) to Battery (-) at full load. These voltages need to be below 0.2V each.

Mine positive side was recently 0.4-0.5V and I could not get over 14V charging. It was the bullet connection from fuse box to battery +.

Just remember the stator is fully capable of putting out 16-17 volts at 5K RPM and any excess current gets shorted back to the stator (making it hotter than needed).

You really want to be charging at or above 14.5V at 5K

See link in my Siggy especially this part

Finally STEP #3.) Perform Stator Paper Checks. The stator pages checks are not perfect, but they are designed to help you through a process of elimination in determining what is wrong with your charging system. The good news about doing steps #1 and #2 above first, is that when the stator pages say to check your connections you know you already have done it. Here is the update.


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

Link to Revised PHASE A of Stator Pages:


ORIGINAL_STATOR_PAGES

Test this out first

 

[rcoville]

Thanks for the guidance.

I took your suggestion and had a look at the wiring last night. The connector in behind the R/R unit was encased in a big wad of black electrical tape, and after I cut all that away, I understand why.

Half the connector was melted away, and what was left had been coated in black silicone. When I peeled all that away, I found the wires were literally hanging on by a thread. Hard to imagine the bike was actually functioning as well as it was. When I think how it could have failed, and all the issues that would go with that, it's enough to keep me up at night.

Anyway, tonight I intend to trickle charge the battery up to full, and tomorrow I will run the tests from your Stator Papers to see what the results are. I will post them here tomorrow night. I may include a photo of the old connector for the record.