Topic: Cb350f charging issues

[dodieninja]

So I'm having some issues getting my bike to charge. The regulator and rectifier have been replaced with a ricks unit. My grounds are good, and the stator ohms fine with no shorts to ground, but when I check the ac output I only get 5v ac. Is my stator shot? If so where's the best place to get a new one or get it rewound?
thanks
Jay

[Bodi]

These engines are rather infamous for having the alternator wiring bullet connectors under the side cover fail, since they get cooked by engine heat and also carry quite a bit of current. I would check them first. You have to ensure that the field coil, despite measuring OK, actually is getting full current to make the magnetic field for the rotor and stator coils.
Once you know the field is being generated - something magnetic should stick hard between the field poles (flanges) when it's energized - you should get more than 5V from the stator coils when running. 5V with just a meter connected sounds about right for residual magnetism in the (unpowered) field coil and rotor.

[dodieninja]

All the connections under the side cover are good and clean. And there is connection to everything, how should I go about checking the field coil? With power to it a screwdriver lightly sticks to the stator cover. What else do I check?

[Bodi]

Sounds like the field is OK.  What is the actual field coil voltage connected (green to black on the regulator) with the engine running? How are you measuring the AC output - what meter, rectifier connected or not?
How's the battery? Good charge and holding voltage with the keyswitch on?
Test: Pull the "tail" and "head" fuses to reduce load, if you have a 3-fuse bike. Connect the white and black wires at the regulator together with a clip-lead or pushing the female spade connectors together (they will do that in an odd way) for maximum field coil power. Measure DC volts from these joined wires (key ON) to ground, it should be close to the battery voltage - within ~1V - lower means there's a harness, fuse, or switch problem. With the rectifier disconnected measure AC voltage (engine running) between the yellow wires (3 readings).
If you don't get a decent voltage (not sure what's "correct", more than 14V though) with the engine running then I'm stumped for now. With the stator reading OK, the field coil working, and the rotor spinning... it should work!
If you get OK voltage with the rectifier disconnected but 5V with it connected I think there's a rectifier problem.

[dodieninja]

I'm using a Sears digital multi meter, I jumped the white wire from the field coil straight to the battery and still got similar readings. The ac voltage went up to 8ish volts this time. The test was done with the regulator disconnected, and reading right from the bullet connectors under the side cover. Also the test was done with the headlight and tail off. And battery was at 12.6v at the time.
Should I just replace the stator and field coil or is it something else?

[dodieninja]

Ok so I got a new stator and field coil from eBay and installed them today. It works now but it's over charging. I'm getting almost a full volt drop from the black battery sensor wire. Where should I look for dirty connections?

[Bodi]

Fusebox fuse clips, connections inside fusebox (soldered but they melt loose when overheated), bullets on wires to and from the ignition switch, fusebox plug, keyswitch plug and contacts. Would not hurt to clean all the connections.