Stator Measurements - 450/550/650/850/1000 Owners who have one out of the bike?

[duncan1178]

thanks

thanks

thanks bass cliff, i'd be visiting your website often for sure...

 

[duaneage]

Check out the link on my signature line.

If a shop says they don't know how, or that there is no way, to check a RR out then they aren't very good at electricals on motorcycles. The diodes can be checked forwards and back (there is probably a short) and the regulator can be checked for shorts as well.
I would replace the RR with a Honda unit no matter what. The OEM RRs are the number one problem on GS bikes, causing problems in an otherwise perfect motorcycle.

 

[Normk]

If the OP is in the Upper Fraser Valley, PM and we can arrange to test your VRR. FWIW, the stator needs not be out of the bike in order to obtain measurements as they are the same, in or out. Only mention this because limiting to out of the bike may reduce the sample size.

You may wish to use a 12 volt battery and test light rather than an ohmmeter for testing the diodes and checking stator grounds as that is usually a more reliable indication of diode operation and stator connections. We use a 120 volt AC source limited by a 50 Watt bulb for testing stator and field grounds as this is the industry standard method, just FWIW.

Typically, one tests stator for:

1) grounds- there must be no circuit/connection between a stator lead and the stator core under a voltage of 120 Volts.

2) open circuits- each stator lead must form a circuit with the others which is able to support a load at least equal to that of the stator output current.

3) short circuits- each stator winding must only contact other windings at their termination. Resistance tests, growler, or other testing can all confirm this condition, however a shorted winding will usually burn up right away so these tests are generally not required.

As for the shop checking a used VRR...if still service manager I would not wish to do so. Here's the problem: labor charge to set up and test would be significant against the cost of a new unit and there would be the issue of guaranteeing the results. Unless one could leave the unit under load for some time to ensure that temperature reaches the maximum experienced range, it could be quite likely to have a thermal related failure which escaped testing. We retired "hobby types" can afford the time and fooling but a business....

One needs to rig up the VRR with a load and variable voltage power source such that the source voltage can be driven above the regulator set point to allow the regulator's intervention to be tested. This is OK but the shop would only do this infrequently which makes for both inefficiency and errors. Most automotive alternator repair shops find it to be simpler to test the voltage regulator in operation than to set up and test separately, or at least the ones I used to visit in the course of my work reflected that approach.

Not arguing with duaneage's point of view but that would be my approach if still operating a service business.

Check out the link on my signature line.

If a shop says they don't know how, or that there is no way, to check a RR out then they aren't very good at electricals on motorcycles. The diodes can be checked forwards and back (there is probably a short) and the regulator can be checked for shorts as well.
I would replace the RR with a Honda unit no matter what. The OEM RRs are the number one problem on GS bikes, causing problems in an otherwise perfect motorcycle.