Electrical problem again. When is enough, enough? Someone shed some light on my problem!

Discussion in '3rd & 4th Generation 1990-1997' started by JIMLARCH, Jul 4, 2017.

  1. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    Ok I'm fed up. How many times do I have to put up with the same electrical issue before I give up and decide to get rid of the bike? My '95 has been giving me erratic electrical problems for a couple of years. The rectifier would be undercharging at the drop of a hat. One day it worked, next day start the bike and it would be undercharging. On one occasion it wasn't showing more that 12.8v. Switch off bike, put in another battery. Bike ran fine for a couple of months. Last ride of last years winter didn't happen. Rectifier wouldn't read higher than 12.8 volts even though bike had run fine day before.

    This spring replaced the rectifier which had only done something like 25 k kilometers with the original which I had kept. Great. Works fine. Steady 14.5v at 5000 rpm. Must get another and keep this as a spare thinks I. Of course I procrastinated because I was only doing 200 k or thereabouts at a time.

    Then |I decided to ride to the Finger Lakes, Ny area with a buddy. Only a few hundred k. Now don't forget rectifier has been running fine. Packed to go. Start bike and after as few hundred yards glance down to check my volts on the nifty voltmeter I have wired in. Wtf. At idle it's showing 14 v. At 5000 it's showing 18 volts. Normally I would have turned around but my buddy was waiting at an arranged spot. I keep going and after about 4 k it miraculously changes to a steady 14.5v. For the next 500 kilometers every time I switched the ignition off for more than a few minutes it would read high volts for a few minutes.

    I got home last night. Switched ignition off. Switched back on, 18 volts at 5000 rpm. Today I started the bike and apart from flicking to 18v for a split second it worked property for a 50 k ride.

    I have done all the electrical tests on the stator and wiring repeatedly and it all checks out. I will obviously be buying another rectifier but if it craps out within too short a time I think I've had enough and the bikes going to have to go.

    Maybe someone can shed some light. Do I have an electrical fault in the wiring which is screwing up the rectifier?
     
  2. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    At 18v the R/R is not working. Park it. - Run the full Drill test, write down the numbers..
    --- What R/R are you running?
     
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  3. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    I got it from Wiremybike about 3 years ago. I see the same one for sale on fortnine.ca and it is allegedly a Ricks motorsport. About 13 reviews and 11 are negative. Obviously a piece of crap which I paid top dollar for.
     
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  4. mello dude

    mello dude Administrator

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    Yes -- I think the numbero uno conclusion for R/Rs is that there is only 1 place to grab a new R/R, and that is www.roadstercycle.com -- The most popular one is the FH020AA - I just bought one for my bike. But also, there is a new design series style SH847 that should be fine, but keep in mind - its huge.. I would like go this way, but I didnt want to invent a location for it on my 5th gen.

    Also -- I dont know if you are running a VFRness, but -- shit can the damn thing! - Moral of story.. dont buy crap to fix the charging system! Is it worth the price of getting stranded?
     
  5. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    I 've done the research and will be getting the fh020aa. Yes I have the vfrness . The fh020aa comes with a similar setup so I will be removing the vfrness. I find it really hard to understand why the vfr wrecks rectifiers. I rode my 1982 Honda for 27 years and didn't have one problem with it. I've never had a rectifier problem on any other bike I've owned. There is no excuse for such a poor electrical system.
     
  6. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    could also be a bad ground or loose connection ? try tapping into a green wire from the r/r and lead it directly to the negative battery terminal.
     
  7. OZ VFR

    OZ VFR Member

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    I understand your frustration, but I think you're being a bit harsh.
    Technically, your 22 year old bike had 1 RR failure, you then unwitingly replaced it with a crap one.
    I'm also not a fan of the vfrness, I don't think it fixes anything.
    This issue is not just for VFR's, Triumphs, Aprilias, and many others have excactly the same problem.
    Saying that, the VFR has marginal wiring, not very well sealed connectors, and add age, it makes for more failures then normal.
    A good RR, soldered wires diractly to battery, soldered Honda stator wires and just as important, a good soldered earth block will fix this.
    I must admit I haven't heard of too many 3rd/4th gens having this problem.
    Good luck and don't give up on a great bike.
     
  8. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    I've never had a rectifier problem with any of the 20 odd bikes I've had except vfr's. Had a rectifier go on a 1990 in a very short time, and now this vfr. I'm ordering the FH020AA, have a new battery sitting in my basement, and put a new stator in last year. If this doesn't give me reliable electrics then what will? My connections are fine!

    Yes it's a great bike. There's something about it that really appeals to me. The major appeal is that I love the look of the instruments, and the bike just plain fits me. The engine sounds like a sewing machine below 4000 rpm but rev it hard and it's one of the most satisfying power plants I've ever ridden.

    In regards to the vfrness. It looks robust, but who knows if it made any difference.
     
  9. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    Update: Bought the roadstercycle FH020aa. Was a fairly easy install. It's st least twice the size of the OEM one. All connected up and runs 14.2 volts above 2000 rpm. I guess time will tell as to how long this one lasts.
     
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  10. skimad4x4

    skimad4x4 "Official" VFRWorld Greeter

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    Phew.

    Its great to hear the new RR from Roadstercycle is putting out healthy volts - enough to keep up with demands but not too much to cook the battery.

    So PLEASE put this date in your calendar for next year with a reminder to provide an update on how the bike and new RR is running 12 months on. Over the years we have helped loads of others resolve similar charging system issues, but sadly once their bike is running OK relatively few people bother to come back to the forum and provide an update on how things panned out, which leaves us with nagging doubts over whether or not the problem was fully resolved

    Take care


    SkiMad
     
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  11. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    Yes I will do an update. I
    I Will do an update. Hopefully riding down to Deals Gap next month. Nothing like a long ride to give you confidence in a bike. Or heartache lol.
     
  12. tinkerinWstuff

    tinkerinWstuff Administrator Staff Member

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    Did you eliminate all the plastic connectors and solder the RR and stator connections? My 3rd gen had problems until I soldered everything. When I built the 5th gen, I used heavier gage wire and soldered everything. Yet to have a problem......

    Knock on wood...
     
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  13. RRloves2RRIDE

    RRloves2RRIDE New Member

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    Roadster cycle changed connectors so I did not solder everything. A newb so may have screwed up soldering I did do, or did not solder enough. There's no magic bullet but being stranded on dark freeway access road 1030 at night sucks. You wouldn't want your wife or gf out there. We need reliable machines.
     
  14. squirrelman

    squirrelman Member

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    i've found that the horn, which draws alot of amperage, to be a fairly good test of the charging system condition. knowing how it usually sounds, it's easy to hear the difference in sound low voltage will cause, but an onboard voltage monitor is the best way to go.
     
  15. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    Ok. I’m a bit late for my update on this thread. The new rectifier from roadster cycle has worked flawlessly for 2017 to 2019. This year although I insured it, I haven’t ridden the vfr as I purchased a gsx-s1000f.

    Will never sell the vfr, but have to state that the gsx-s1000f is a very enjoyable bike, and if you’re into fast, good handling, comfortable bikes, worth a look.
     
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  16. RRloves2RRIDE

    RRloves2RRIDE New Member

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    Towed vfr to shop next AM. They had it for a week bc they did not see anything I had not already told them. So I retrieved my baby ASAP. Nice guys..no charge. This weekend, it's off with the connectors and on to soldering wires after I do the Drill again. I did get the voltmeter but not installed yet. Hope to have time for that and Mello Dude's rr mounting plate bc it is tight in there with the SH847. Need 2nd moto as a backup...my whole week has been strangely out of sorts not riding.

    Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk
     
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