Tips & Tricks To Help Your Charging System

A short history: I spent 15 years of my life designing and building high aperage electrical systems for automotive applications. I learned that in order for a charging system to work properly, things have to be solid, clean and over sized...

So

I bought my 99 VFR a couple of weeks ago...upon arriving home, gave the bike a good going over.
Reading about all of the charging gremlins the VFRs have, I decided to check out the electrical system.
When I measured the voltage, I found the voltage output was way to high at higher RPM and to low at low RPM...pulled the regulator, found a hole burnt in the back of it with a solder trail coming out...DOA reg.

I called the dealer where I bought the bike told him the problem - he gave me a new regulator no charge (the updated one even).
After installation, things were better but, I felt the voltage was still on the low side and unstable.
I went to work cleaning and updating all the charge wires...
(My apologies if all of this has been posted before)

First thing I did was pull all connectors apart and check them for coorosion or burning (none - all was fine) and give them a dot of grease.
next I cleaned all OEM ground points and reassembled with lithium grease.

Voltage came up some but, not what I considered acceptable and it was still unstable.

#1 - I ran an additional 8 gauge ground from the battery neg to the connection on the frame (right side with the green wires, not at the brake valve)
#2 - I ran an additional 12 gauge ground from the new ground point to the regulator ground and commoned them (green wires on the reg plug)
#3 - I ran 2 additional 12 gauge wires from the Batt positive to the regulator charge output wires (red & red white)

fired the bike up and BINGO - 14.6 volts, rock solid...@ all RPM w/brights on

My take: The OEM charge & ground regulator wires are to long & to small (for the length the run)...

Next, I'm thinking of upgrading the actual stator wires...for now, I think I'll just ride awhile.

 

Good info, thanks for the tips I'm sure it will help more than a few of us out:thumb:

 

One of the simplest, easiest things to do to prevent a bad ground on these bikes is to solder the entire ground lug and wires on the right side of the frame to prevent the copper wires from oxidizing and reducing current flow. I like Zam's suggestions a lot too!

 

Does the engine RPM need to be at a certain point for the battery to get charged? I'm thinking of doing your mod to help out with battery charging and output issues.

 

Generally, any rpm over 1500 up to 5000 will be charging the battery. I don't have the shop manual in front of me but I think those are the numbers.

Scott

 

YO ZAM; Thanks for the very good information on our charging systems. I have a 2000 vfr and did your neg. side mods. Now as far as your positive side recomendations, I have not done these yet because I have two red and white wires as opposed to one red and white and one red .I hesitate to experiment hooking up these wires, my luck I would fry the complete electrical system. Can you give me any suggestions. Also did you splice directly into the rr wires and solder them on , not quite sure how you hooked them up. :smile: