-
Enjoy XS650.com? Consider making a donation to help support the site.
XS650.com receives a small share of sales from some links on this page, but direct donations have a much greater impact on keeping this site going.
Rewound Alternator Rotor gouges, trouble shooting charging system.
- Thread starter 75XSFLORIDA
- Start date
- Status
75XSFLORIDA
XS650 Addict
Hello Jim. I got this rewind from you 1/2021 and have 4500 miles on it. Are these goudges affecting anything?? They were there on the rotor day one BUT have gotten worse.A new riding season is almost upon us. Time to fire up the cauldron. Lessee if I remember....
Throw in an old rotor, eye of newt and toe of frog, Wool of bat and tongue of dog…
Say the chant.... "Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble."
Let it simmer for an hour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
...and here we are, a freshly rewound rotor. This is the second one of the season. Another forum member snatched the first one up before it even cooled.
Prices are in comment #1.
I'll note here that this month marks 4 yrs since I first offered this service. Prices ain't changed in all that time.
View attachment 237147
View attachment 237148
Attachments
Can't tell what I'm lookin' at from that pic. Shoot some better ones?
Fwiw... a "gouge" happens when something sharp scratches out a piece of the metal. Not rightly sure what would be gouging the ring in exactly the same place to make it worse.
Fwiw... a "gouge" happens when something sharp scratches out a piece of the metal. Not rightly sure what would be gouging the ring in exactly the same place to make it worse.
75XSFLORIDA
XS650 Addict
75XSFLORIDA
XS650 Addict
Not sure. Look at this pic. You probably remember me, when i first bought this from you I questioned these goudges but you said the rotor will outlast the bike. It may still be fine but they look worse now and worn alot more.Can't tell what I'm lookin' at from that pic. Shoot some better ones?
Fwiw... a "gouge" happens when something sharp scratches out a piece of the metal. Not rightly sure what would be gouging the ring in exactly the same place to make it worse.
Attachments
75XSFLORIDA
XS650 Addict
Well, as I alluded to above, a gouge can't get worse unless something sharp gouged it deeper. So no, the gouges aren't getting worse. I'd guess the carbon rubbing off the brushes have just highlighted them. As long as it's still charging, I'd say you're OK.
75XSFLORIDA
XS650 Addict
Yeah... I hate to drop highly technical electronics terminology on ya... but that thing looks to be toasted. 
There is a routine for testing them and in my view rectifiers are more robust than other pats.
I have had one that gave up a diode .But I would not be surprised if that one works.
I have seen worse looking working.
I would not use chemicals .instead try to scrape it off with something soft brush or so.
Is the rotor slip ring resistance checked ?
Regulator ?
It can be water
I have had one that gave up a diode .But I would not be surprised if that one works.
I have seen worse looking working.
I would not use chemicals .instead try to scrape it off with something soft brush or so.
Is the rotor slip ring resistance checked ?
Regulator ?
It can be water
A NOS part is still an "old" part. In your case it's pushin' 50 yrs. Even in a box the metal will age and be susceptible to corrosion. Electrical cleaner won't remove corrosion. It might clean it up enough to work short term, but it won't last. Your best bet is to just replace it.
You live in Florida right?
75XSFLORIDA
XS650 Addict
Havent checked ohms on slip rings yet. Yea maybe from washin bike water sits in there and corrodes over time. The thing is when I rev the bike till about 3000 RPMs or even more, the battery voltage never goes higher than 12.4. To me that seems like a bad rectifier. If the rectifier was good it would be charging the battery upon revving the bike right??
Just kibbitzing but how far from the ocean do you live. How often do you wash your bike, is it kept under roof?
Is the battery on a tender?
No Not Right .. the charging circuit consists of more parts ..
Most cases it is the rotor winding ( Slip ring Resistance wrong )
Brushes worn
Then the regulator
Stator or Rectifier .
Can also be the wiring or connectors esp Loose Fuse or Fuse open circuit in holder
I have had faults in all of them over time 2 or 3 rotors Cant remember how many regulators close to 10
Mostly my Own fault trying to use old parts to long. On old worn bikes.
1 Stator and 1 Rectifier.So the rectifier can be Broken .. It is possible but in my view they are the toughest part in that circuit.
.
Does everything else work on the Bike
75XSFLORIDA
XS650 Addict
I’m about 3 miles from the ocean and the bike is kept in the garage but not under a cover. There is also a dehumidifier in the garage.
75XSFLORIDA
XS650 Addict
When I do the slap test with a 10 mm wrench which is very light, I turn the ignition on and it pulls the wrench very very very ever so slightly. Barely any magnet pull at all. What does that mean? Shouldn’t it be a strong pull?Yeah... I hate to drop highly technical electronics terminology on ya... but that thing looks to be toasted.
IMHO that means it's time to do some more testing.
#1 is your battery holding a strong charge; 12.8 volts after charging and after 24 hours.
#1 with a good VOM (ohmmeter) check the rotor. ideal is 5.0 to 6.0 ohms
What do you get?
#2 Are the brushes long enough? 4500 miles is getting to the normal life expectancy of a brush, that outer ring may cause faster than normal brush wear.
#3 Check that you have +12 on one brush and a solid ground on the other.
A test light, think turn signal bulb, should light brightly with on lead on each brush with ignition on.
The "slap test" is very useful, but also subjective. Obviously the bike is not charging and as Gary says it's high time to run through the charging system tests in a logical order - glad we've got a new thread. I've attached the manual as one orderly method and there are other tests too if something inconclusive appears. Please let us know what you find...
The rings on the rotor are very soft. When testing with a meter try to avoid pushing the probe tips on the ring because it will leave prick marks. I try to use the flat side of the probe. If you must use the tips then press them on the other edges where the brush never contacts.
The gouges in your rings will only be a problem if they are raised above the surface. Your gouges do not look raised. If raised this may lead to excessive wear on the brushes.
In the rectifier photo there are two white wires near the zip tie. Both wires have very poor looking solder joints possibly due to corrosion/heating. The upper most white wire's solder joint also looks like it may be experiencing excessive heating. Use the diode setting on a multimeter to check the diodes for open circuit and short circuit.
Good Luck
The gouges in your rings will only be a problem if they are raised above the surface. Your gouges do not look raised. If raised this may lead to excessive wear on the brushes.
In the rectifier photo there are two white wires near the zip tie. Both wires have very poor looking solder joints possibly due to corrosion/heating. The upper most white wire's solder joint also looks like it may be experiencing excessive heating. Use the diode setting on a multimeter to check the diodes for open circuit and short circuit.
Good Luck
- Status
