Battery Charging Woes

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Choldy
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2019 8:44 pm
Location: Fareham

Battery Charging Woes

Post by Choldy »

So having ridden my newly acquired Storm for a couple of weeks I've noticed she's more and more reluctant to start cold or hot.

I assumed knackered battery and put a new one in due to her being on sorn and laid up for near 2 years. However after a couple of days she was struggling again. Last night I broke out the multimeter and the new battery was showing around 13 volts, stayed stable at idle but when I revved to 5k rpm it stayed rock solid again, no increase so the battery is obviously not charging. Looks like the original reg/rec so going to take that off later and take the multimeter to it to see if that's the issue.
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Wicky
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Location: Colchester Essex
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Re: Battery Charging Woes

Post by Wicky »

Original unfinned early '97–'01 R/R best dumped at least for a later finned model or better still a FH mosfet.

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Also check for corrosion and any signs of burning on all the connections in the charging system (clean and protect with dielectric silicone grease) esp the starter motor terminal connection under the rubber hood
It may be that your whole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

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Choldy
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2019 8:44 pm
Location: Fareham

Re: Battery Charging Woes

Post by Choldy »

Thanks, yeah when I check out the reg/rec later I'll run over all the connectors too just to be sure
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E.Marquez
Posts: 635
Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 1:27 pm

Re: Battery Charging Woes

Post by E.Marquez »

Choldy wrote: Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:19 am So having ridden my newly acquired Storm for a couple of weeks I've noticed she's more and more reluctant to start cold or hot.

I assumed knackered battery and put a new one in due to her being on sorn and laid up for near 2 years. However after a couple of days she was struggling again. Last night I broke out the multimeter and the new battery was showing around 13 volts, stayed stable at idle but when I revved to 5k rpm it stayed rock solid again, no increase so the battery is obviously not charging. Looks like the original reg/rec so going to take that off later and take the multimeter to it to see if that's the issue.
Start by checking the battery connections
If tight
Check the battery to ground (earth) lead at the motor case.
Check battery to starter relay.
Check starter relay to starter connection (note it may be rusted and such, but for now is it tight?).
Remove the rear cowl (just four screws) and check the regulator rectifier and connector for signs of damage, heat, corrosion (common on this bike)
If all that is good so far.... with a fully charged battery start the bike and check charge voltage at idle and 3000rpm. If you’re not seeing 13.2 vdc or better you have a charging system issue

At this point many go straight for a repair or MOD / upgrade charging system. To most it makes sense as the proper kit replaces all the known and common faults. If you go that way, take the time to test the stator as well.... not a know probme part on this bike model but anything can fail.

Checking the stator:
Disconnect the stator to wiring harness pug fund in the bundle behind the seat, white, three place triangle(ish) connector with three yellow wires. On the stator side of the plug test all three legs of the stator, yellow to yellow… should show very low resistance. High resistance or an open means the stator is bad (very unlikely on this bike model)
Test each leg of the stator (yellow wire) to ground, should show no connectivity, IOW an open.
On the wiring harness side of the stator plug, check resistance on each yellow to the regulator plug corresponding yellow wire terminal. In a perfect world you should see just a few ohms of resistance, due to age and poor design you will likely measure medium to high resistance in those three wiring harness circuits.
If no opens, or more then 500 or so ohms.
Check the RR plug ground (black) terminal to battery Neg post, should be very low resistance.
Check the RR plug positive (red/white) wire terminal to battery Pos post, should be very low resistance.
If no opens, or more then 500 or so ohms.

If all that checks out you can rightly assume it is the rectifier / regulator that has failed, as is common on this bike. Tons of diode based RR check “How TO “videos out there so won't bore you what that.

A good way to address all the above possible issues is to install a modern MOSFET RR using quality connection cables pre-assembled. One part of that fix is the MOSFET RR, like a known quality Shindengen FH020 model. BUT the cables to connect it are vital to a good install and life long upgrade of the charging system.

Yes I sell a plug and play kit made specifically for the VTR, but my kit, another kit or one you make yourself.. just make sure the connectors are 1st quality, like sealed style Furukawa 250 QLW Series R&R Connectors, not aliexpress Chinese pattern parts, and please NO hardware store individual crimp connectors.
The RR to stator connection can be soldered as my 1st and 2nd Gen kits were, it works. But means you need to have the tools and know how to make a proper soldered joint, and protect it after. It also puts a stress point in the wire you can avoid with new cable and correct connectors that allow the RR to be connected directly to the stator.

All terminals need to be correctly crimped with an F crimp on the wire and O crimp on the seal for best performance and reliability. Heavy duty brass ring terminals, charge wire circuit protection with a marine rated circuit breaker or ATO style Maxi fuse. Cables should direct fit, no excess wiring coiled up and stuffed.
Cable harness should have stress reliefs, terminal seals, adhesive lined heat shrink tube, cable sheathing to protect against abrasion all contribute to a life time fix and upgrade.

If its not a quality kit and install, you are just kicking your charging problems down the road to appear another day
MMS GEN III RR kit.jpg
MMS GEN III RR kit.jpg (75.21 KiB) Viewed 1615 times
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