Topic: Charging Test in Clymer - Please help me understand

[highrpms]

great, thank you.  i will test tonight and I will run the stator test this weekend. 

im thinking this has to be something dumb.  i worry about the headlight connections becuase once upon a time there was a front fairing on the bike.

i will test the above but is there anything else i need to look for.  strange thing is all is working correcly.  turn signals, headlights and highbeams, starter, etc...

[highrpms]

spanner - i tested the regulator.  i took off the white lead and i put the meter to it and then the frame ground and got a reading of 0.03ohms.  i then turned the key on and that reading went right to constant 0.00ohms. 

i did the same thing with the white and green leads of the regulator and i got the same exact readings.

what does that mean.  there is voltage across the regulator but what does the ohms tell me?
thanks!

[Spanner 1]

Just to be sure... were just testing the field coil's impedance ( ohms ). So no ignition needs to be 'on' , testing for 'ohms' not volts... seems like you did it correctly, again the White wire that connects to it's terminal on the regulator needs to be pulled-off and one probe from the meter connected to it ( loose white wire ) with the other probe to frame ground/ battery neg. / green terminal on regulator... and the reading was 0.003 ohms? then your field coil is shorted-out, kaput. There is a very slim chance the white and green wires are shorted at/in the alternator cover and there are connectors inside the cover too !!
Also, meter needs to be set at the lowest 'Ohms' scale, but not the 'Diode Test' setting... should say '200 ohms'......

[highrpms]

beacuse im a moron, i measured the regualtor lead not the white wire.  give me 2 seconds....

[highrpms]

not sure dloing this right but i am taking the white lead off the regualtor that hooking a probe to it. then the other to a ground...  i did that and the ohm reading on my manual and digital meters are O.L (over limit) or infinity symbol.  no reading.  i am using the resistance setting on the meter.  digital meter is auto ranging and the manual is up to 1K so... 

i know its user error but not sure what going on here.

[Spanner 1]

Yep, your doing it right!.... the White wire supplies power to the field coil... to measure the field coil to see if its good you did correctly. So, the coil is 'open circuit'... means the wire winding in the coil is 'broke' somewhere in the winding.... still a slim chance the connectors in the alternator have come apart ( under the left cover ), OR the big 2 piece plug that connects to the alternator has burnt/ loose connections, have a close look at that.... has ; white, green, yellow, yellow, yellow on both connectors.... good luck.

[highrpms]

wow you were right the 2 big plugs (from the stator) and wiring harneess are burnt...  and looks like the have had some acid drip on it and man were they stuck together!!!  took 15 minuutes to separate them.. i have a couple pics but i have not ever posted on here before...

so can the stator still be ok with the short or burnt part on there still?
do i have to cut the plugs off and jsut hard wire it all?  what is the solution and tests i need to do from here?

i will try to post the pics now...
thanks

and sorry i was on vacation and i also just got my computer fixed as well.   

[Spanner 1]

I bet your stator/ field coil is good.... I would cut-off each connector and replace with individual insulated 'spade' type male and female connectors ( got 'em at Home Depot ! )... just be certain your crimped connection is good every time ( pull on the wire hard to try to pull it out of the connector to be sure its a good crimp )... start bike , test for rising voltage across battery.... best of luck  

[highrpms]

test

[highrpms]

test

[highrpms]

test

[highrpms]

ok ok ok.  i cut the connectors off and redid them all with with male female connectors.  seems to have worked, kinda. after i made connections i put the charger on it breifly (30 minutes).  after all this i hooked the multimeter and kicked over the bike.  fired right up and i cranked it to about 5000rpms, i didnt have chance to hold it there, but it went to 13.8-13.9 volts...  so thats awesome because now it jumps up instead of going below 12 volts... 

hear is my questions tho...  it didnt jump up to 14+ volts tho.  is that still an issue?  is that 13.8 enough to charge the battery now? did it not jump up to 14+ but is that due to fact it was charged and the regulator didnt need the full 14+ volts???

insights and am i in the clear now?
thanks for ALL the help....

[TwoTired]

You really don't want the battery to change its voltage rapidly whether charging or discharging.
You hope it changes slowly and it usually does unless very very high current rates in or out present.

It take a some time to get to peak charge, and you may never see it with some measurement devices, as it samples what it is testing in intervals. If the Vreg is switching back and forth between full charge and half charge, due to loads on the system, you will only measure some average voltage based on the sample rates of the meter.

If you want to see 14.5 v peaks you may either have to use an oscilloscope, or remove all loads for the system and hold the RPM at 5000 RPM and wait for the battery to reach full surcharge.

13.8 V is a good average to maintain a fully charged battery under use.  When charging a depleted battery, the input current usually continues until 14.5 V is reached, then the charger current is decreased.

To be nice to the battery, the charge voltage should creep up slowly to that 14.5V, as this allows all the electrolyte to get full charged not just the electrolyte near the plates.

Cheers,

[Spanner 1]

As TT says, voltage won't go to 14.5 V across battery until the battery is much closer to fully charged... so with a battery that is still calling for charge a reading of 13.8V is good ( very good  )....... I declare it fixed  !! ... good luck and maybe a 'stimulus' to go-over all the connectors on your bike...