clogged stator?

[Sven]

Had my charging system checked recently.

You paid for watt? Your vr is dying? How as that concluded?

Bought a new HD battery.

Well, that solved 1 of 3 variables, 2 left to go.

...still not working right. The mech says VR is dying.

So, let me get this right, I play mech, I remove the battery as a variable, I have 2 left, I [guess???] the vr is dying? How does a vr die? Let me now play a volt to ground. I am out of the stator and I better go to ground and only pass 14v down that wire to the battery. If I am a dying vr I stop at that burnt area. Do I look like I can shock the shit out of you "I climb over the next surface," and oh look, out the wire to the battery at over 16v at idle. Is that a dying vr or a shorted out vr? Because here comes the balance you spun at that stator or no joy. Hello?

Do Harley VR's work on a BDM charging system?

Yes. Is the BD a 32a stator? Then yes, so is the balance of a h-d stator and vr is monitoring that 32a as well, right? Numbers don't lie, right Mr. Ohms? So 1999 or below and buy the other rubber connector end w/wire connectors and it's just a simple plugin with harley OE parts still in production.

Still, I question what is meant by 'dying?'

LOL the battery is sulfating ass we speak get ear done already. HELLO???

 

[Coolbreezin]

Sven,

Thank you for your input. However, I dont do riddles and cant figure what yr saying. Just clearly write the info youre trying to convey. Thank you.

Im testing my VR and its not charging. I cleaned and reattached the plug to the engine. I cannot fin where the ground goes to. I see it enters a sheath and I cannot find the end. Anyone know where its grounds on 05 Ridgeback? Thank you.

 

[Sven]

Sven,

... cant figure what yr saying. Just clearly write the info youre trying to convey.

I'm going to assume you know how to use an ohm meter.

1. Switch to 20v and keep it on the battery so the reading is always being seen.
2. Start the bike and if the volts do not rise above 13v turn bike off.
3. Pull stator wire off and start bike. The battery should show 12v and that current drawn from the starter happening twice should show 12v about.

Conclusion Variable 1:
A. The v/r is working it showed 13v and that is all the stator is putting out.
B. The stator is out of the loop so this shows the v/r can monitor voltage but no output or enough of AC output.
C. Therefore, the stator/rotor might be how I would look at how the v/r can 'regulate/voltage' and control it.


Conclusion Variable 2:
A. If the v/r was not working it could not hold the high AC output so if the v/r cannot monitor voltage, this is a complete loop as in the AC has to ground somewhere and it follows out to that one thick wire to the (+) of the battery.
B. So if we see 13v, we know the fuse is not broken because it is now cooking the battery being the v/r if the v/r no longer 'regulated' the voltage. Heat is the byproduct and begins to cook the liquid inside the battery.
C. Your AC is not putting out, because you are not over 14v, but more looking at a charging rate of 12v or a low 13v and that says the v/r is working.

Final Conclusion watching the battery voltage when running:

15v = Is not the v/r or you'd say that is high and the battery smells of sulfur.
13v = Is not the v/r because this is as close as your mech saying the puzzling word 'dying' and I would assume this is the dying part of 12-13 and not seeing 14v with a good charging system and a well charged battery.
12v = It sounds like there is not enough AC to make the v/r put out a number. Therefore, by pulling the AC out of the loop, there is no change to hardly a change = Stator Problem, not a v/r.

Digest that see if this is less confusing watching a meter and report numbers.

 

[Coolbreezin]

Thanks Sven. A little beyond my understanding, but yr info will guide me further in this quest.

 

[Coolbreezin]

For those that have changed their VR's, where is the ground mounted at?

 

[Sven]

Look at the lower left corner where the battery is. Look at the 2 wires out of the stator into the======[VR]------and one wire goes out to the battery. Where is ground? See the [VR]box is the ground?

 

[Coolbreezin]

Thank you. Exactly what I needed.

 

[Coolbreezin]

New HD battery. Installed HD V/R yesterday. Bike was charging when revving engine in driveway. Went for a ride today. Got the usual 3 starts from it and had to jump it (negative cable smoked, but didnt get red). Rode straight home. Without shutting off bike, I tested it in the driveway, bike was charging when I revved the engine. Battery was at 11.9v.
The V/R install was done with only the HD parts, minus the plug on the front of the primary (wire was 2mm short, so I used the OEM plug).

Any ideas on what the fix is? Thank you.

 

[Sven]

Cool, you're a hard one to convince. I tried to walk you thru a, 'don't buy the v/r it's not it' scenario. I don't know how many variables you thru at me, how is it I wind up at the same it ain't the v/r if I am 11.9v.

So you took a good known part, installed and you were convinced it was the v/r and I said you only have 3 components, watt are the odds you choose the v/r and I chose the AC, we already had the battery new at 12v so stop watt you are doing and charge that battery pronto or it goes junk sooner. Go!

OK, we back? Now, lets begin all over again:

1. You bought a battery new and it should be charging as we speak = Not the battery.
2. You bought a v/r brand new and that was the 2nd part to the puzzle = Not the v/r.
3. You have no other move to make we are down to the last part to make current = It's the Stator /and-or/ rotor.

We are done. Now, fix it like I started out in the beginning trying to save your v/r money to go towards the AC system. But would you listen?

Signed,

Like my psychological bang to the head? Don't listen so you keep the economy rolling cha-ching.

 

[BadDawg Bill]

New HD battery. Installed HD V/R yesterday. Bike was charging when revving engine in driveway. Went for a ride today. Got the usual 3 starts from it and had to jump it (negative cable smoked, but didnt get red). Rode straight home. Without shutting off bike, I tested it in the driveway, bike was charging when I revved the engine. Battery was at 11.9v.
The V/R install was done with only the HD parts, minus the plug on the front of the primary (wire was 2mm short, so I used the OEM plug).

Any ideas on what the fix is? Thank you.

I feel for ya bro but don't have any real answers either. I'd say you have a short somewhere. Here is a way to test out your system:

To check stator rotor output:
1) disconnect the stator plug
2) start bike
3) set multimeter to VAC
4) read across the stator plug (one probe in each hole)
5) have someone rev the bike up to 2000-3000 RPM
6) stator/rotor output should be 16-20 VAC per 1000 RPM

To check for a shorted or grounded stator:
1) set multimeter to "ohms"
2) read across the stator plug
3) resistance should be 0.2-0.3 ohms
4) now check each stator pin to ground
5) should have no continuity
7) reconnect stator plug

To check voltage regulator function:
1) set multimeter to VDC
2) check battery voltage...12.5-13.0 VDC
(if the battery isn't fully charged, this test is useless)
3) start bike
4) hold the red lead of the multimeter to the positive post of the battery and the black lead to the negative post.
5) increase engine RPM to at least 2000 RPM
6) multimeter will show regulator charging rate which should be 14.2-14.6 VDC. A brand new fully charged battery will sometimes only indicate 14.0 VDC, anything above 14.6 VDC is cooking the battery.

Good luck...

 

[Coolbreezin]

1) Most of the time the starter will just hang up for a second when I first press the slam button, then it spins over and starts (unless the battery is too low on juice). My mech tells me that he found online (not sure where) that battery amps are relative to the kw of the starter, and a local HD shop confirms this. Im not sure which starter I have (I have 2). Is there a mark on the outside I can see with R&Ring the starter?

2) Should I use dielectric grease on the plug on the primary?

:bang::bang::bang:

 

[Coolbreezin]

Found this site. Though it's not about motorcycles, it still helps to clear the air for me a little bit.
Starter Motor Current Demand

 

[harley74]

Low Voltage will fuck everything up fix your charging system. And find a new mechanic. If he has to look up online how a starting and charging system works he don't need to be working on your bike. Just saying.

 

[Sven]

It seems like, Cool, once you charge the battery it turns over well. Once you ride the bike, the head and tail is on. Say a stuck brake light will drain a battery within hours if left unchecked. So lets you and me ride around the block, my observation is you have yet to check the stator's output; you are running total loss as if your taillight was stuck on...

... Add, no charging to the bike's battery; a nice current draw that does not get replenished enough or at all. You are, I have no clue what your are doing to that bike, but beats me why you are looking for electric grease on where? On the battery posts, yes. Or glue a penny on the top of the battery so that electrolysis stops in its tracks.

Cool, push start the bike. What is the A/C current to the battery at idle? I am done with this thread until I hear watt is being put back into that battery at idle. I suffer no fools 3 pages in, dude!

 

[harley74]

Like Sven has been trying to tell you measure the ac voltage out of the 2 wires come from the primary case. You should have at least 30 amps at 2500 rpm. If not replace stator and rotor aka the magnetic wheel that rotates with the crank. If you have good ac voltage. Check the stator for a short to ground really easy to do. Turn the dial on your ohm meter to ohms and put one lead on the engine and if you have an ohms reading on either side you have a short to ground aka the engine case.

 

[Coolbreezin]

Harley74, you come on this site. Why, just to bash other people or get answers?

Sven, What?!

 

[harley74]

Im not bashing you man I just gave you instructions on how to test your stator.

 

[Coolbreezin]

I didnt see yr 2nd post until the system refreshed after I posted mine. Thank you for the info in yr 2nd post, but my reply was in regards to yr 1st post.

Im using this problem as a learning experience, so i can help others later on in life. Although I am about at my wits end.

 

[harley74]

If I offended you or your mechanic im sorry. I was just trying to help. I've replaced 3 stators this month. And I only work on my friends bikes. As im a auto tech by trade.

 

[Breeze]

I have to agree with Sven and Harley74 on the stator -no charging..Sven has said more than once in this thread. Its your money replacing needless parts,go for the vendors love you..