Electrical Problem that doesn't sound like the RR

Hey guys, new one here

Just dropped in a new battery and with out paying attention hooked it in backwards and blew my 30A main. replaced it and everything seems to be working fine. I tell you this is a little background to help me fix my problem

After being on the charger for a while the bike will start and run fine, and seems to run fine for a while but after a good ride and I turn it off, it won't have the juice to turn over when I try to start. Headlights, gauges and everything else pop up just, not enough power. I have successfully pop started it several times and gotten myself home.

I'm not much on engine work but sounds to me like its the alternator, what am I looking at as far as replacement complexity? and price

Haven't bought a volt meter yet but will do that this weekend and post what it reads

please help, the weather is to nice to be missing out

 

Check you stator-

 

Oops, that would be "your" stator...

 

No change in voltage on the meter when I took it up to 5,000. Alternator maybe?

 

Electrical prb

I'd try a another r/r, they are alot easier to swap then a stator. Hooking up the battery backwards may have fried something, you're lucky if it's only an r/r or stator.

 

having same problem ive been told its the rr which is under the seat. i also have a stator coming from ebay going to put it in when it arrives. i will let you know how everything turns out

 

thanks for the help guys

ok the r/r is where exactly under the seat? there is some sort of electrical module under the seat by the tail lights is that it?

also where is the stator or alternator at? I have all the plastic off and I've got nothing, I wanted to check before I go diving into it and rippin the gas tank off

 

The r/r is on the left side of the seat frame, lots of fins and two big connectors.
The stator is inside the right side engine case, not an easy thing to swap.
The stator is basically three sets of windings that can be checked with an ohmmeter. I don't see how you could damage a stator by reversing the battery terminals, so I would try an r/r first.
Bikebandit.com has lots of parts drawings so you can see what you're looking for.
Good luck

 

You can check the stator by disconnecting it from the R/R and checking resistance on each leg with an ohmmeter. Resistance should be somewhere between .1 and 1 ohm between each leg. Hold the terminals from the ohmmeter against each pair of leads (1+2, 1+3, 2+3) to determine resistance. Then check each leg against ground to make sure there is zero continuity (infinite resistance) there. If those tests all check out, your stator is fine.

Your problem sounds like a bad R/R to me. They're easy to replace and relatively cheap. If you're losing battery power while running, the R/R is not charging the battery.

 

just a second there, scotty.......

the resistance between each stator leg and ground should be infinity, not zero !

in the situation that started this thread, a reversed battery, the wrong polarity would almost certainly damage the diodes inside the R/R

 

My apologies...should have read "zero continuity", not "zero resistance". That's what I get for posting late at night after working on, of all things, my R/R. :redface:

 

Ok guys found the R/R and tried testing. still not grasping the ohms deal. however found the fuse for the RR and its not blown. I'm reading 0V coming out of the RR. leading me to say BAD however how can I test to see if there is power coming from the alternator/stator into the RR?

can i take this to an autozone or cycle shop for them to test?


thanks again for the help

 

sounds like you and i have the same problem, except mine started with a battery with a bad cell and not one reversed. it died, put a new bettery in, seemed fine. after about an hour of riding the next day it died on me at a stop light. lights come on but not enough juice to turn over. it sat for about an hour while i was waiting for someone to come get me, and for the hell of it i tried to start it again, and sure enough, started with no problems at all. i just got a new r/r and a vfrness from Wire My Bike , great people and fast shipping. however i have not pur it on yet so i dont know if it will fix it. i will probably just replace the stator too for the hell of it. i got a big trip planned next month so i dont want any doubts.

 

Ratio of bad R/Rs to bad stators = about 10:1

at the price of a new stator, why replace one if it's still OK ??

 

new stator from ricks motorsports is $140. to me, its worth the piece of mind on a 700 mile trip.

 

WELL, OK, then.......but just what if your OEM Honda stator is SO GOOD it lasted all these years and the replacement is a piece of crap that fails on your trip???

See, you could still be up the creek.....

I'd say keep the OEM in place if it tests good, and carry the Rick's as a spare if you need it.

 

:thumbsup:

 

well lets not jump the gun here

can some one give me idiot proof instructions on how to test to see if the R/R is bad?

I am pretty good with the whole air fuel compression spark part of engines...electrical is a COMPLETELY other demon to me


still thanks for everyone's help

 

I know this may seem really far out there, but how about following the directions in the service manual?

 

The easiest way to test an r/r is to swap in a known good unit and see if it works.