charging problems

[kairles]

little background about 2 weeks ago I noticed my bike was turning over a little slower than useual. battery died 2days later, I got a jump and was able to get home(about 17miles) with no problems. I got a new battery thinking it was just time for a new one. 1 week later I had to get another jump. so now I know I have a charging problem.

I used the trouble shooting chart in the service manual and have a couple questions.

battery is new charged for about 6 hours. after sitting for about 2 hours it read 12.9v. I measured charging voltage and it was at 12.7v (should be 13.4v-15.1v right?)

next I measured the continuity of the generator coil, it was .5 ohms. spec is .2ohms-.4ohms. so would .5 be good?

No load test showed 90+v @ 5000ish rpm so Im thinking the stator is good.

I tested the rectifier but not sure of the results. with the "+" on BR and "-" on BW, B1, B2, B3 all come up as over ranged. with the "-" on BR and "+" on BW, B1, B2, B3 and show in the 530 range. Im not sure if this is right, spec is .4v-.7v. the manual for my meter says if the diode is in the .5-.7v range one way and over ranged the other then its good. so Im unsure if the 530 reading I got is the same as .5v

before I did these test I went to get prices for a stator and rectifier. I told the parts guy at the dealership what my bike was doing and he said most likely the cause is the rectifier.

I look at all the wires to the battery, stator, rectifier and they all look good. so Im kinda lost now. any help would be great.

 

[Vonderbach]

I just had the same issue with my new '08. Turned out to be a bad regulator (the device that converts AC to DC.) Don't ride that bike until you get it fixed, as it's not good to run the bike without a good battery from what I am told. Something about ruining your stator... but I'm just parroting what I was told.

 

[dsbunton646]

I just had the same issue with my new '08. Turned out to be a bad regulator (the device that converts AC to DC.) Don't ride that bike until you get it fixed, as it's not good to run the bike without a good battery from what I am told. Something about ruining your stator... but I'm just parroting what I was told.

I had the same problem on my 08. The rectifier was bad after about 1000 miles. Did the same thing as you replaced the battery and everything. Seems fine now putting out about 14.5 volts when tested at the battery. I would definetly go with the rectifier, fyi not cheap! Luckily mine was a warranty item.

 

[kairles]

well I just ordered a new rectifier. After talking to a couple riding buddies this seems like my best bet, plus it was the cheapest part to throw at it.

 

[Vonderbach]

I'm guessing the rectifier is what I was referring to as a regulator.


I guess I'm not a very good parrot.

 

[Zoinks!]

I'm guessing the rectifier is what I was referring to as a regulator.


I guess I'm not a very good parrot.

You're right. The rectifier is what you meant. The regulator regulates the amount of voltage that's sent out. It's what keeps the voltage in the 13-15v range. The rectifier converts AC to DC. The names say it all. The regulator regulates and the rectifier rectifies ": to make (an alternating current) unidirectional" (miriam webster).

 

[Zoinks!]

Oh, and as for the 530 reading on the meter, it depends on what the suffix of the numbers was. If it was "v" then it was 530 volts. If it was "mv" it was millivolts (0.53 volts). I'm pretty sure there's no way it would have been reading Kv cause that would be killovolts or 530,000v. It also depends on where the decimal was. If the reading was ".530v" then yes, it's the same as .5v, but if it was .530mv(.00053v), 5.30mv(.0053v) or 53.0mv(.053v) then no, it's obviously not the same.

 

[Mr Brown]

For Suzuki's purposes the voltage regulator/rectifier is the same thing.

 

[kairles]

Oh, and as for the 530 reading on the meter, it depends on what the suffix of the numbers was. If it was "v" then it was 530 volts. If it was "mv" it was millivolts (0.53 volts). I'm pretty sure there's no way it would have been reading Kv cause that would be killovolts or 530,000v. It also depends on where the decimal was. If the reading was ".530v" then yes, it's the same as .5v, but if it was .530mv(.00053v), 5.30mv(.0053v) or 53.0mv(.053v) then no, it's obviously not the same.

thats the weird part, there was no decimal.

 

[Vonderbach]

For Suzuki's purposes the voltage regulator/rectifier is the same thing.

Wait....so I was right? So sad, because I was convinced I was wrong.

 

[ajblbv]

vonderbach, did the rectifier solve your problem with charging?