Stator has given up the ghost

[chris]

Hi, just for reference the headlight on my bike (H4) drops the voltage down to 14.4 from 14.6. I have a digital volt meter with my instrument gauges so I see this differential all the time.

 

[alke46]

Just returned home from a 90 mile ride and the charging system is putting out 14.4 volts at almost any engine speed above 2500-3000 rpms ---- as long as I DO NOT use the headlight. Turn the headlight on and the voltage drops to 13.1. On high beam it slips below 13.0v

So I can either use the bike as a daytime only bike OR, I can start tearing apart the wiring from the headlight rearward. Oh I love electricity-------NOT!!!!!!

I purchased a new light element for the H4 headlight but I don't think it improved much of anything except for getting a brighter white light.

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Larry, curious, does NE have a law requiring motorcycle headlights on all the time. I was under the impression that all states do, but have no facts to back up that impression.

 

[alke46]

Not 100 percent sure but I don't think it is required here.
The law I just looked up states a light must be on between the hours of sunset and sunrise. Duh!!!!!

 

[salty_monk]

Dirty contacts somewhere in that circuit = extra resistance would be my guess. Either that or a cooked wire doing the same thing. Fuse, Switch, the connector in the headlight bucket.... ? Good luck!

 

[alke46]

So far I have removed the left side handle bar switch and found a good amount of dirt and corrosion in the light switch. Taken apart and cleaned. Put back together but also need to do some cleaning of the grounds in the headlight bucket and determine why the right side t/s refuses to come on and blink.

I put everything on hold for now as I get ready to head out to Indiana for the Brown county get together.

The Suzuki will have to wait until the middle of next week at least.

Edit:. Also cleaned and regreased with dielectric grease the 11 pin socket of the left hand switch.

 

[salty_monk]

You'll get there.... try adding a ground direct to the lamp temporarily & see if that helps, you could also consider running the lamp off a relay as a last resort.

 

[alke46]

Dan, are you referring to the t/s when you mentioned lamp?

 

[grcamna2]

So far I have removed the left side handle bar switch and found a good amount of dirt and corrosion in the light switch. Taken apart and cleaned. Put back together but also need to do some cleaning of the grounds in the headlight bucket and determine why the right side t/s refuses to come on and blink.

I put everything on hold for now as I get ready to head out to Indiana for the Brown county get together.

The Suzuki will have to wait until the middle of next week at least.

Edit:. Also cleaned and regreased with dielectric grease the 11 pin socket of the left hand switch.

Larry,I hope you enjoy the Brown County Rally ! nthego:

 

[alke46]

Larry,I hope you enjoy the Brown County Rally ! nthego:

Oh I'm sure I will. Didn't go last year but I think I started attending this rally in 2017. It's a good time with some really nice people.

 

[salty_monk]

Dan, are you referring to the t/s when you mentioned lamp?

Headlight but you could definitely just temporarily pull a new ground up to the bucket & connect them all to see what happens. That would at least tell you whether the resistance is on the ground or positive side of the circuit. I would expect about 0.3 - 0.5v max drop with headlight on vs off and then only at idle.

 

[wymple]

Just returned home from a 90 mile ride and the charging system is putting out 14.4 volts at almost any engine speed above 2500-3000 rpms ---- as long as I DO NOT use the headlight. Turn the headlight on and the voltage drops to 13.1. On high beam it slips below 13.0v

So I can either use the bike as a daytime only bike OR, I can start tearing apart the wiring from the headlight rearward. Oh I love electricity-------NOT!!!!!!






I purchased a new light element for the H4 headlight but I don't think it improved much of anything except for getting a brighter white light.

I ran my 850 for about 4 years without seeing a reading above 13.4 or so. The stator was failing, but took it's time. If you are still charging near 13 volts why would you have a battery problem, when fully charged isn't a 13 volt deal?

 

[alke46]

I ran my 850 for about 4 years without seeing a reading above 13.4 or so. The stator was failing, but took it's time. If you are still charging near 13 volts why would you have a battery problem, when fully charged isn't a 13 volt deal?

I don't have a battery problem. I have a dirty or faulty wiring/connection problem.
When the system is producing 14.3 or 14.4 without the headlight on and then drops below 13.2 then that's a problem.
I don't care if it drops down to 13.8 or 13.9 but beyond that is a sign something needs attention. Imagine that, a 42 hear old Suzuki that needs attention.

 

[Nessism]

I don't have a battery problem. I have a dirty or faulty wiring/connection problem.
When the system is producing 14.3 or 14.4 without the headlight on and then drops below 13.2 then that's a problem.
I don't care if it drops down to 13.8 or 13.9 but beyond that is a sign something needs attention. Imagine that, a 42 hear old Suzuki that needs attention.

Did you wire up the system like shown in the SH775 install diagram?

 

[alke46]

Yes ------- eventually.

 

[Gorminrider]

Are we still talking about an LED headlight here? In post 42 you said you put a new "element" in-What does that mean? It's hard to comment on "voltage drops" without knowing.

 

[alke46]

No, not an LED, just a replacement element that is a Sylvania Brite white light.

 

[Gorminrider]

I ran my 850 for about 4 years without seeing a reading above 13.4 or so. The stator was failing, but took it's time. If you are still charging near 13 volts why would you have a battery problem, when fully charged isn't a 13 volt deal?

There's lots of truth in this. ...I rewound my 650s stator and it has fewer windings than OEM so voltage is about 13.8 with headlamp on at 5k rpm. At a stoplight,brakes and turn on, V is about 12.8. Headlamp off, 14.4 or so..

This battery is more than 4 years old! It came with the bike...I do give the battery a higher voltage in winter when maintaining it but If you don't get what the manual says, it's not always necessary to commit hari kari ...

I'd check the voltage drop of the harness- between fuse and headlamp. If you lose the volts there, try to double-up wires (a parallel path) and see if that helps. Headlights are a place to consider relays too, because a lot of current goes through what are now pretty old handlebar switches and a relay - a good relay - can be better. (It can be worse too and adds complication)

ALSO be sure that there's a ground wire from the harness near the headlight bucket that grounds to the frame ( a screw on the frame front)-NOT the forks. (There are two harness-to-frame grounds on the wiring diagram-this is one of them.
Reason being, without this ground wire, a lot of the harness grounds through just one ring-lug back near the tailights OR through the greasy bearings of your headstock! You don't want that. It aids pitting and corrosion.

 

[grcamna2]

There's lots of truth in this. ...I rewound my 650s stator and it has fewer windings than OEM so voltage is about 13.8 with headlamp on at 5k rpm. At a stoplight,brakes and turn on, V is about 12.8. Headlamp off, 14.4 or so..

This battery is more than 4 years old! It came with the bike...I do give the battery a higher voltage in winter when maintaining it but If you don't get what the manual says, it's not always necessary to commit hari kari ...

I'd check the voltage drop of the harness- between fuse and headlamp. If you lose the volts there, try to double-up wires (a parallel path) and see if that helps. Headlights are a place to consider relays too, because a lot of current goes through what are now pretty old handlebar switches and a relay - a good relay - can be better. (It can be worse too and adds complication)

ALSO be sure that there's a ground wire from the harness near the headlight bucket that grounds to the frame ( a screw on the frame front)-NOT the forks. (There are two harness-to-frame grounds on the wiring diagram-this is one of them.
Reason being, without this ground wire, a lot of the harness grounds through just one ring-lug back near the tailights OR through the greasy bearings of your headstock! You don't want that. It aids pitting and corrosion.

I second this about the importance of a solid ground connection.
Gorminrider,this ground connection on the front of the frame to the harness,is it connected under the tank near the coils ?

 

[Gorminrider]

@grcamna...yesOn the diagram... though mine comes out of the harness near where the big loop is under the headset. ...

If you look at the wiring diagram, it's about in the middle of the diagram, which is deceptive.

NOTE that half the diagram is concerned with stuff ahead of the headset, on the forks...the handlebar switches, headlight, signal switches, key.....and where's the closest place to goto ground? through a skinny black wire...mine has a ring lug to suit convenient screw for it on the frame just near the web,facing forward on the opposite side to the horn... the wire won't actually reach to where the horn is bolted....