Charging System Question. Yes, I've read it.

[EvenmoreXS]

" bad ground return path, or bad grounding driver in the reg. "

any way to test for that? Seems like I need to buy another reg/rec.

Should I try to get my money back from the other member. Its been a few weeks now since I bought it, but so far it never worked. Ethics question I guess.

 

[gggGary]

have you tried running the green wire directly from the brush to the regulator, bypassing the harness?

 

[gggGary]

As a general rule no returns on electrical items. Sadly there is a very good reason for this rule. Replacing parts to find the fault often results in more ruined parts. Just sayin....
You might try a craigslist ad for charging system help. We can only do so much from a distance. I get kind of frustrated on these threads. You are doing well (much better than most) trying to help us help you. But, straight up, an experienced electrical guy, hands on your bike, would have this hammered out in about 10 minutes.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

" bad ground return path, or bad grounding driver in the reg " How can i test for this?

Sounds like what I suspect.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

As a general rule no returns on electrical items. Sadly there is a very good reason for this rule. Replacing parts to find the fault often results in more ruined parts. Just sayin....
You might try a craigslist ad for charging system help. We can only do so much from a distance. I get kind of frustrated on these threads. You are doing well (much better than most) trying to help us help you. But, straight up, an experienced electrical guy, hands on your bike, would have this hammered out in about 10 minutes.

I agree on not returning the box.

Its been hammerd out for several weeks now. Your right, Took about 10 mins to figure it out. Reg rec went bad. Ran some test. Bought another one. Turns out that one was sent to me bad. Since then, All Ive done is go through the motions of trouble shooting. Only thing that isnt happening is the battery isnt charging. Only two things can cause that if the charging system is functioning properly, a short or a bad reg/rec. Right???

There are no shorts.


Gonna buy a new one if we are out of test to run.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

have you tried running the green wire directly from the brush to the regulator, bypassing the harness?

NO, but i have checked continuity several times. NO issues with the plug or harness. But I will tonight as a last resort.

 

[gggGary]

I have to think this through a bit more but; you have a regulator/rectifier ie there are two separate functions in one box. We have tested the rectifier side, have you tested the regulator side? ie with the regulator in the bike disconnect the green wire at the brushes run that wire to a light bulb. Turn key on and off, it "should" light the bulb as the regulator grounds that lead.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

I have to think this through a bit more but; you have a regulator/rectifier ie there are two separate functions in one box. We have tested the rectifier side, have you tested the regulator side? ie with the regulator in the bike disconnect the green wire at the brushes run that wire to a light bulb. Turn key on and off, it "should" light the bulb as the regulator grounds that lead.

So, leave the box plugged in and grab an extra tail light bulb. Ground the bulb to the frame?... Disconnect the green wire AT the brush, so no green brush on rotor,?.... Connect the green wire to the conductor on the bulb and turn on the switch. The bulb should glow..... This would confirm a good or bad regulator. Correct.

So the previous test show a bad rectifier. Correct?

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

" So the previous test show a bad rectifier. Correct?"

In your post #20, you essentially bypassed the reg, got good charging output. That would mean that the rectifier part is working. Try gggGary's green wire bypass test, posts #42 & #46.

Does this rec/reg box open up, or is it a sealed unit?

" So, leave the box plugged in and grab an extra tail light bulb. Ground the bulb to the frame?... Disconnect the green wire AT the brush, so no green brush on rotor,?.... Connect the green wire to the conductor on the bulb and turn on the switch. The bulb should glow..... This would confirm a good or bad regulator. Correct."

Instead of "Ground the bulb to the frame?", you put power on the bulb, since the reg is trying to ground the green.
This may show the quality on the grounding driver in the reg.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

" So the previous test show a bad rectifier. Correct?"

In your post #20, you essentially bypassed the reg, got good charging output. That would mean that the rectifier part is working. Try gggGary's green wire bypass test, posts #42 & #46.

Does this rec/reg box open up, or is it a sealed unit?

" So, leave the box plugged in and grab an extra tail light bulb. Ground the bulb to the frame?... Disconnect the green wire AT the brush, so no green brush on rotor,?.... Connect the green wire to the conductor on the bulb and turn on the switch. The bulb should glow..... This would confirm a good or bad regulator. Correct."

Instead of "Ground the bulb to the frame?", you put power on the bulb, since the reg is trying to ground the green.
This may show the quality on the grounding driver in the reg.

I'll try the green wire test tonight.

So....dont ground the bulb. It will ground and pull power thru the same wire???? Doesnt sound right ,but I'll try it.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

What you're doing with the bulb is using it to imitate the rotor. The rotor, at 5 ohm resistance, can pull up to 3 amps. The bulb will pull less current. So the bulb gets power and reg/ground just like the rotor. The grounding driver in the reg may not be able to pass 3 amps. If you had another 2 hands, you could measure the green wire voltage, while using the bulb, and see if it goes below 6v. It should go to 0.6v.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

What you're doing with the bulb is using it to imitate the rotor. The rotor, at 5 ohm resistance, can pull up to 3 amps. The bulb will pull less current. So the bulb gets power and reg/ground just like the rotor. The grounding driver in the reg may not be able to pass 3 amps. If you had another 2 hands, you could measure the green wire voltage, while using the bulb, and see if it goes below 6v. It should go to 0.6v.[/QUOT

10-4. I will try to find some extra hands.

But basically im connecting my green brush wire directly to the bulb contact and looking for it to glow. If it glows, I have a good regulator.

Correct?

If it test good Im not sure what I'll do.

 

[gggGary]

2many has it right, the other bulb lead needs to go to battery hot, (thanks 2many) See I hadn't finished thinking it through, but as long as evermore is at work with nothing to do I thought I'd throw up ideas. You could use a headlight bulb for a better "stress test"

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

If it glows, it "may" mean a good reg. The problem is that 6v you found, which means that the grounding side of the rotor (green wire) going to the reg, then to ground (black wire from reg), is not passing enough current. Just using rough numbers, if system voltage is 12v, rotor is 6ohm, should get 2 amps flow. If 6v is seen on rotor grounding side, then reg+wiring is acting like series resistor, another 6 ohm. Total current is now one-half, 1 amp, not enuff for full charging, barely enuff for running with fully charged battery.

Could try voltage probing various points in this 'grounding' path.

Could also try probing the green wire vs the black wire where they emerge from the regulator connector. That should show 0.6v for full charge. If not, then it's the reg.

 

[EvenmoreXS]

2many has it right, the other bulb lead needs to go to battery hot, (thanks 2many) See I hadn't finished thinking it through, but as long as evermore is at work with nothing to do I thought I'd throw up ideas. You could use a headlight bulb for a better "stress test"

So, is this right? One line to each bulb contact.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

" at work with nothing to do...."

Where do I sign up?

Yeah, your pic is right!

 

[EvenmoreXS]

My job REQUIRES me to be lazy, unmotivated, and they would prefer If i were stoopid. But im just lazy and unmotivated. Guess what happens If i come to work 10 mins early? The same thing as if I came in 5 hours late. Its the blind......there are no leaders. Just blind people hitting eachother in the leg with white sticks all day long shitting down the ladder on all the people that allow them to be up there in the first place.

I work in government.

So how about the pic i posted.??? Will it work.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Oops, don't want THAT job...

Yeah, your pic is right, essentially same thing as those lighted probes you find at auto/wallyworld stores.

Curious, does your rect/reg require solid/grounded mounting?

 

[EvenmoreXS]

Oops, don't want THAT job...

Yeah, your pic is right, essentially same thing as those lighted probes you find at auto/wallyworld stores.

Curious, does your rect/reg require solid/grounded mounting?

Cool.

Its closed, cant open it.

It should not, it has its own ground wire. Again, keep in mind that it worked fine for 6 months before rewire and another 5 months after rewire with NO issues whatsoever. Always mounted in the same place.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Yeah, just wondering if this new 'replacement' rect/reg was designed and built assuming case grounded.