Another one bites the dust

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Stormin Ben
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Another one bites the dust

Post by Stormin Ben »

Got back from a ride last week and whilst doing the usual 2 mins post ride lookover I noticed a different smell
After a minute of sniffing I located the source as under the right rear seat panel
Yep, the reg/rec was roasting :?

Finally found my multimeter (Mrs Stormin had tidied it up!) and tested it all

Charging voltage
at idle - 13.7V
at 2000rpm - 13.4V
Not desperately bad

Stator resistance
Between each one - 0.7ohm (this totals 2.1ohms which as I read it is outside the spec)
No continuity to earth

Hmmm, odd, it all seems normal

Then I decided on a whim to check the AC voltage across the battery
20V
Ah, that sounds bad

Does everyone else agree that my reg/rec has curled up & died then?
Hope so coz I've just splashed out for a replacement R1 unit off ebay
:)
I've got an inferiority complex
But its not a very good one!
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Pete.L
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Post by Pete.L »

Two thoughts Ben.
1) It's only a bridge rectifier, have you done a diode test to check for shorts or continuity?
2) What about the battery or wiring loom? A partial short in either could be pulling excess current from the regulator and causing it to over heat.

Good luck, Happy testing

Pete.l
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Stormin Ben
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Post by Stormin Ben »

Cheers for that thought Pete,

However, any and all thoughts of testing wiring, checking diodes etc went swiftly out of the window once I discovered the 20V ALTERNATING VOLTAGE that it was applying to the battery

Could someone with a multimeter check this out for me please?
Just take the seat off, expose the battery terminals, start the engine and set the multimeter to AC voltage rather than the usual DC voltage


Battery has and seems to be holding decent charge so I'm really hoping it has managed to escape unscathed if this is not normal
Failing that I'm gonna take it for a blast and recheck the figures
I've got an inferiority complex
But its not a very good one!
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Max
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Post by Max »

Hi Ben

I've got 14.4v DC at a fast idle (choke on)
and 0.05 V AC sat on top of that.

It sounds like your rectifier is not rectifying any more.
Max

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Pete.L
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Post by Pete.L »

20 V AC on the battery
That means one of the diodes has shorted in the rectumfrier :lol:
SOZ I should have read the original post a little more carefully :oops:

Pete.l
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Stormin Ben
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Post by Stormin Ben »

Thanks Max, confirmed my thoughts

Thanks Pete for being the first person to repond despite 30+ views :)


Now, who can point me in the direction of an electrical wholesaler that can sell me a female plug for the loom and a male plug fro the new R1 rectifier

Not a fan of making modifications that cannot be undone so plan to make an adapter cable
I've got an inferiority complex
But its not a very good one!
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Pete.L
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Post by Pete.L »

Ben Said
Not a fan of making modifications that cannot be undone so plan to make an adapter cable
How about using a watcmakers screwdriver and removing the pins out of the knackered rec socket. You can then either solder the pins onto the replacement one and shove em back into the original socket or if you're lucky and the yammy ones are the same just remove the wires from the yammy socket and shove them in the Honda one.

Pete.l
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Stormin Ben
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Location: Birmingham

Post by Stormin Ben »

UPDATE

After having no time whatsoever to work on the bike since receiving the R1 reg/rec I have just got round to fitting it
Made up 5 wires to connect the existing block to the Yammy reg/rec and gave it a test

Charging voltage
at idle - 14.4V
at 2000rpm - 14.2V
at 5000rpm - 13.9V

And now got 30V AC across the battery and the rectifier is getting warm straight away

WHAT THE FOOK IS GOING ON?
WOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL IF ANYONE COULD SHED SOME LIGHT

ps sorry for shouting
:)
I've got an inferiority complex
But its not a very good one!
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sirch345
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Post by sirch345 »

That sounds about right to me Ben :!:

When I fitted an R1 rectifier earlier this year (I did it before the old standard one gave up) the voltage readings were very close to yours :!:

Chris.
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Stormin Ben
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Post by Stormin Ben »

Chris

So did yours DROP as the revs increased?


BTW the AC voltage component has been sourced to a faulty multimeter!!!
Read 20V AC across teh battery without the motor running (I'd be impressed if that was real!)
I've got an inferiority complex
But its not a very good one!
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sirch345
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Post by sirch345 »

Stormin Ben wrote:Chris

So did yours DROP as the revs increased?


BTW the AC voltage component has been sourced to a faulty multimeter!!!
Read 20V AC across teh battery without the motor running (I'd be impressed if that was real!)
Yes, my volts did drop if I increased the rev's :!: But as your readings show we're not talking huge amounts here :!:

I'm also pretty sure my R1 unit gets warm quite quick, but not baking hot :!:

Chris.
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Pete.L
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Post by Pete.L »

How Hot is Hot Ben.
Your battery could be in need of a charge so it's taking lots of current
oor
It's possible you have an internal short in the battery across a cell or two. That would cause the rec to be drawing a lot more current from the alternator and it would get an awful lot hotter trying to handle the extra current. Have you any way of checking the battery...substitution maybe?

Pete.l
My new ride is a bit of a Howler and I love to make her Squeal
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Stormin Ben
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Post by Stormin Ben »

Well, I had it out for a decent run last night and it all seems to be working (after I found and reconnected the side-stand cut-out switch I had inadvertantly knocked loose earlier -my how I laughed after getting all kitted up and the the bike died as soon as I put it in gear :? )

Regulator gets reasonably warm but not what I would call hot so will suck it and see

Pete,
Battery lives on an optimate so is unlikely to be drawing a lot of current but it is always a possibility
I will look at borrowing a battery for a bit more testing but as it looks like I may have shelled out on an R1 reg/reg unnecessarily I'm loathe to just buy one straight away
I've got an inferiority complex
But its not a very good one!
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sirch345
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Post by sirch345 »

Stormin Ben wrote: it looks like I may have shelled out on an R1 reg/reg unnecessarily
Surely Ben prevention is better than cure :D Well that's my motto :!:

The chances are that not only will you need to replace the rectifier (if you wait until the standard non finned type item fails) but you could be looking at a battery and/or alternator as well, so replacing it before that happens has to be cost effective :)

Chris.
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