Charging System Blues

[camos]

The charging system on my VR is not putting out like it used to do. At an idle the volt gauge would read about 13.8 v but now even at 5000 RPM it reads only 12.7 v. Pulled the stator and RR connectors apart, cleaned and greased them with no apparent change. Ohmed the three white wires and got .5 across any or all of them so that seems to be good. Have not checked them for AC yet though.

 

Downloaded the Electrosport diagnostic chart through a link found on this forum but that does not seem to relate to my Venture. Refers to 4 wire colours but mine has only 2 colours - 2 black and 2 red. The RR looks like the stock one although it is still installed so can't see much of it. As I type this, it just occurred to me that the red and black pairs are coming from the RR but perhaps it is the wires on the other side of the plug that should be 4 colours. Never even thought to look.

 

Can anyone who knows what I'm talking about clarify this for me? It's dark out and I have to go to work tomorrow so don't feel like going back out to check.

 

I have a Shindegen RR to replace the stock one and am keeping my fingers crossed that the problem is there and not in the stator.

[JohnMidnight]

Lucky... through stock wiring on the Venture, with the OEM stator, and regulator we would always get 13.8. With the oem, and high capacity, 13.7, 13.8. Now when we plug in the charge suite we have hooked up, which direct connects to the battery, brings everything up to 14.2 at idle, 14.4, 14.6 at speed. Have you checked the Stator and what its outputting?

[camos]

Lucky... through stock wiring on the Venture, with the OEM stator, and regulator we would always get 13.8. With the oem, and high capacity, 13.7, 13.8. Now when we plug in the charge suite we have hooked up, which direct connects to the battery, brings everything up to 14.2 at idle, 14.4, 14.6 at speed. Have you checked the Stator and what its outputting?

Have only checked the resistance of the stator. Totally forgot to check the AC output when I was out there.

[timgray]

That is how it started on mine. and it kept getting lower as the year went on. Everything checks out from those tests EXCEPT, voltage when the bike is running. I could see a spike in voltage when I revved it to 1500rpm, and then it drops off when I go above that on two of the wires from the stator.

 

If your bike does not have a stator cooler installed, and has the stock regulator, Your Stator is probably cooked and getting more cooked. The stock regulator draws full amps all the time form the stator and dumps it into heat. Modern regulators do not do this and will not rn the stator at full load high heat all the time.

 

I would change the Regulator first, then plan on replacing the stator in the near future as well even if it works. You have over 2 decades worth of cooking on that stator.. the chances that it's close to done are high.

 

 

Also check voltages when HOT and cold. I have seen a voltage drop out on one leg when the bike was hot.

[bongobobny]

Tim, I think it was just the early MK1's that did not have the cooling kit on them. Yes, I would try an aftermarket R/R first and solder the wires rather than use the connector and see if that fixes it. Even if you end up having to replace your stator at least you will have an improved R/R to go with a nice new high output stator!!

[camos]

That is how it started on mine. and it kept getting lower as the year went on. Everything checks out from those tests EXCEPT, voltage when the bike is running. I could see a spike in voltage when I revved it to 1500rpm, and then it drops off when I go above that on two of the wires from the stator.

 

Also check voltages when HOT and cold. I have seen a voltage drop out on one leg when the bike was hot.

Mary and I are going on a day trip tomorrow but hopefully I can check it out a bit more during our trip. Take a maintenance break of sorts.

 

Tim, I think it was just the early MK1's that did not have the cooling kit on them. Yes, I would try an aftermarket R/R first and solder the wires rather than use the connector and see if that fixes it. Even if you end up having to replace your stator at least you will have an improved R/R to go with a nice new high output stator!!

It seems a bit odd to me but at an idle the dash gauge reads about 12v and at 4000+ RPMs it is reading almost 13v. With something not working properly I would have thought at an idle the gauge would have been closer to the yellow range. Anyway, I had tentatively decided to go ahead with the new RR no matter what.

Thanks for confirming that is the sensible choice.

[frankd]

The OEM rectifiers/regulators used on Ventures are pretty reliable. I have seen one go bad, but I've seen a lot more stators and stator/regulator plugs go bad than R/Rs.

 

To completely test the stator, first you need to make sure that it is NOT grounded. Connect one lead of your ohmeter to the engine case and the other lead to any of the stator wires. If you measure a ground, your stator is toast. Most, but not all stators ground when they go bad. The other test you need to do is to check the AC voltage output of all 3 pairs when the engine is running. Consider the 3 stator wires to be labeled A, B, & C. Measure the AC voltage between A & B, A & C, and B & C. All 3 should be nearly equal. Another excellent way to test the AC output from the stator is to connect a 75 Watt, 120 volt bulb across each pair. The lamp should light identically for all 3 pairs. The reason I'm telling you about this method is that my brother brought the 83 to me bacause it was hardly charging. The regulator tested good, and the stator was not grounded. All 3 pairs read a touch less than .5 ohm. The AC voltage output seemed to be OK when the bike was first started, but then appeared to go down quite a bit. When I connected the light bulb, 2 of the phases (or pairs) lit the light bulb fairly bright for about 15 seconds, and then 2 of the lights got a lot dimmer. The 3rd phase stayed the same. This test made it obvious that the bike needed a new stator.

 

The regulator is a little harder to test. If you have an analog ohmeter, use it. If you have a digital, make sure you select the diode test position. Then measure between the 3 stator leads to the red leads. Then reverse the meter leads. You should see 3 diodes (conduct in one direction, open in the other). Repeat the same test between the stator leads and the black wires. You should see the other 3 diodes. The regulator that I had go bad lost one of the diodes. If you have all 6 diodes and a good stator, your bike will charge.

[camos]

Wow, now that is what I call a detailed how to.

Thanks Frank now I won't be stumbling around with guesses.

 

The OEM rectifiers/regulators used on Ventures are pretty reliable. I have seen one go bad, but I've seen a lot more stators and stator/regulator plugs go bad than R/Rs.

 

To completely test the stator, first you need to make sure that it is NOT grounded. Connect one lead of your ohmeter to the engine case and the other lead to any of the stator wires. If you measure a ground, your stator is toast. Most, but not all stators ground when they go bad. The other test you need to do is to check the AC voltage output of all 3 pairs when the engine is running. Consider the 3 stator wires to be labeled A, B, & C. Measure the AC voltage between A & B, A & C, and B & C. All 3 should be nearly equal. Another excellent way to test the AC output from the stator is to connect a 75 Watt, 120 volt bulb across each pair. The lamp should light identically for all 3 pairs. The reason I'm telling you about this method is that my brother brought the 83 to me bacause it was hardly charging. The regulator tested good, and the stator was not grounded. All 3 pairs read a touch less than .5 ohm. The AC voltage output seemed to be OK when the bike was first started, but then appeared to go down quite a bit. When I connected the light bulb, 2 of the phases (or pairs) lit the light bulb fairly bright for about 15 seconds, and then 2 of the lights got a lot dimmer. The 3rd phase stayed the same. This test made it obvious that the bike needed a new stator.

 

The regulator is a little harder to test. If you have an analog ohmeter, use it. If you have a digital, make sure you select the diode test position. Then measure between the 3 stator leads to the red leads. Then reverse the meter leads. You should see 3 diodes (conduct in one direction, open in the other). Repeat the same test between the stator leads and the black wires. You should see the other 3 diodes. The regulator that I had go bad lost one of the diodes. If you have all 6 diodes and a good stator, your bike will charge.

[camos]

Bummer!! It's confirmed, one leg of the stator is grounded.

 

Looks like the Rick's Motor Sports stator is the one to get. Was thinking of getting it from Dennis Kirk but they don't seem to have the high output version listed on their site just the OEM one @ $133 vs Rick's @ $140. The high output one at Rick's is $160.

 

Anyone found a better price than Rick's for the HO one?

[skydoc_17]

Hey Clive,

Have a look at this H/O Stator, MOSFET R/R combo package I offer in the Classifieds, I keep these kits in stock:

 

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3853&title=first-genhigh-output-stator-and-high-output-regulator-2frectifier-kit-21&cat=22

 

 

Earl

[camos]

Hi Earl,

 

I already have a Shindegen RR from the Group Buy but if you are interested in offering the rest of the package without the RR let me know.

 

Hey Clive,

Have a look at this H/O Stator, MOSFET R/R combo package I offer in the Classifieds, I keep these kits in stock:

 

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=3853&title=first-genhigh-output-stator-and-high-output-regulator-2frectifier-kit-21&cat=22

 

 

Earl

[frankd]

Clive,

 

Glad you found the problem, even if it is the hardest thing to repair. A bad regulator would have been a lot easier to replace.

 

I also bought my last stator from Rick's

 

 

Frank