Rectifyer Bad??

[Condor]

I went out to check the battery charge rate, and when I hit it with the multi it read 17.7-18vdc. I've heard a lot about stators and rectifyers not charging, but this is 'whoa ho' time.... Obviously the stator is stating like it should, but the rectifyer is rectum.... I'm about ready to take the bike to Cody. Do you think I can get by without frying the battery?? It's a DEKA. I do have one of the OEM Indian rectifyers around here somewhere. Maybe replace the OEM in Cody?? Opinions??

Never mind... False alarm. I went ahead and read the service manual and it states that the voltage should be 16-17, and since I checked it with a $1.99 Harbor freight multi-meter it doing what it's supposed to be doing. Another interesting thing is I guess you can adjust the voltage on these things. How?? I donno, but I guess it can be done.

Edited July 18, 2011 by Condor

[phertwo]

I'm still in the process of resolving my charging system problem (just waiting for the stator to come in the mail...) but I can at least suggest this. If you are worried about your rectifier potentially doing damage to your bike, you can ride it to your dealer with your charging system un-plugged (just pull out your rectifier and the charging system is disconnected to the battery and rest of the bike. If your dealer isn't really far away of course. You just would be riding on the battery alone, but as long as you don't stop and start the bike up you should be fine to make it there. Then just charge the battery at the dealers. Well, just a suggestion anyhow.

[Snaggletooth]

Hi Jack.

 

Don't know about the 2nd gen stuff but when my OEM R/R went South on my '84 it was running up over 16 volts. That was not good. With the lead/acid battery it was boiling pretty good.

 

But on the DEKA isn't the charging rate recommended at 14.5? Or was that the minimum charge required?

 

Shoot Joshua at Bohannan a quick note. He could say for sure if the battery can take it.

 

 

Mike

[Condor]

Hi Jack.

 

Don't know about the 2nd gen stuff but when my OEM R/R went South on my '84 it was running up over 16 volts. That was not good. With the lead/acid battery it was boiling pretty good.

 

But on the DEKA isn't the charging rate recommended at 14.5? Or was that the minimum charge required?

 

Shoot Joshua at Bohannan a quick note. He could say for sure if the battery can take it.

 

 

Mike

 

According to the 2ndGen service manual, the charge output should be set to 16-17 vdc. It surprised me!! Number one because it was higher than I'd experienced, and #2 because it can be adjusted... The only experience I've had so far was with 1stGens and generally they peaked out at around 14.2 vdc. I know one thing... you don't want to run the audio equipment without running the engine. I've killed my battery twice doing that. Same thing on the 1stGens.. the tape deck eats amps like a horse eatin' oats.. I ran the tape deck on the '83 all day and actually discharged the battery to where it barely started. It was a lower CC rated battery, but once I turned the tape off it ran fine and charged up. Maybe it's a similar situation with the 2ndGen's when it comes to the audio system.??

[Flyinfool]

Something don't smell rite here.

16-17V is a very high charge level and it will do damage to most things that are made to run on 13.8-14.2.

You will have shorter bulb and most everything else life.

If the bike came with a 6 cell lead acid battery, that is to much voltage.

Lead acid is 2V per cell X 6 cells is 12V, and the proper charge voltage for that is 14V

I would reread that section of the manual that said to adjust to 16-17V, That just don't sound right.

[dingy]

Where you reading AC or DC volts? If you were reading AC voltage at the battery, ypu probably have a shorted diode in the Rectifier.

 

You must have had the battery disconnected to read that high a voltage?

 

I see what you may be referring to in the service manual about the voltage, if I am correct, they are referring to a battery charger output and varying the chargers setting. See the 1st picture, 1st block on the right side, 'By turning the charging voltage...."

 

2nd & 3rd pictures are checking charging system

 

4th picture is specs for the R/R.

 

Nothing I am seeing indicates an acceptable voltage above 14.8vdc. I am looking at the RSV manual.

 

Gary

[bkuhr]

Something don't smell rite here.

16-17V is a very high charge level and it will do damage to most things that are made to run on 13.8-14.2.

You will have shorter bulb and most everything else life.

If the bike came with a 6 cell lead acid battery, that is to much voltage.

Lead acid is 2V per cell X 6 cells is 12V, and the proper charge voltage for that is 14V

I would reread that section of the manual that said to adjust to 16-17V, That just don't sound right.

 

Jeff may be close here. I suspect book is calling for 16-17VAC at the stator output before the rectifier, and about 14-14.5VDC after the rectifier, at the battery.

[Condor]

Jeff may be close here. I suspect book is calling for 16-17VAC at the stator output before the rectifier, and about 14-14.5VDC after the rectifier, at the battery.

 

I just reread the service manual again and the 16-17 was refering to a constant voltage charger. The charge from the rectifyer should be around 14vdc at 5000rpm. So it looks like it may have a glitch in the system. Or the multi-meter is bad?? I'm going to go borrow my neighbors Beckman in the morning and see what it reads.

[friesman]

I have one of those Shindengen r/r that were part of the group buy about a year ago. Its for my 85, if it will work on your G2 I can throw it in and bring it down to Cody so you have some kinda backup plan.

 

Brian

[Condor]

I have one of those Shindengen r/r that were part of the group buy about a year ago. Its for my 85, if it will work on your G2 I can throw it in and bring it down to Cody so you have some kinda backup plan.

 

Brian

 

Thanks Brian. I have two of those from the group buy as well, all I have to do is find them?? I think I remember seeing them a couple of weeks ago. Toss yours in the trailer just in case I halucinated again.