jblackbird2000 Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 I first started noticing a low voltage situation a few weeks back, as evidenced by the speedometer and tach dropping to zero, but only when it was really REALLY hot out. I checked the current coming out of my alternator, and got 14.5 (I think) at 5K with the hi beam on. However I have since replaced the battery, since it was 3+ yrs old. Thought that fixed it. I was wrong. I was riding home the other day, and same conditions presented themselves with low voltage when very hot outside. I made it home, and assumed it would be fine after it cooled down. Wrong again. The next day on my way home from work, I stopped at the store and it wouldn't start after coming back out. I drove the thing prior to stopping at the store for 30-45 minutes at 3-5k RPM, so I assumed it should have been charging. WRONG-O (see a pattern developing here?) I'm guessing I've got a bad stator, but to be safe, last night I took out the wrenches, and started at the top of the flow chart. I performed the leak test, and got .6mA. The book says less than .2mA is acceptable. I confirmed that it was the clock, by pulling the clock fuse, and got a reading of 0. So my question is, has anyone else experienced a higher than expected draw from the clock? I haven't gotten to the rest of the testing yet, and being that it's my anniversary tonight, probably won't get to it tonight either. Thanks for the help! Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airborneXX Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Organ Donor had the same symptoms at the bike a thon pre ride. We swapped out the Reg/Rec and it's been fine since. I was getting a pulsing in my headlight. Replaced my R/R and so far it's been fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblackbird2000 Posted August 28, 2006 Author Share Posted August 28, 2006 Organ Donor had the same symptoms at the bike a thon pre ride. We swapped out the Reg/Rec and it's been fine since. I was getting a pulsing in my headlight. Replaced my R/R and so far it's been fine. Maybe it is the R/R. Did you guys do the troubleshooting thing, or did you just replace the R/R? What year's is Ben's? I've got a 2000, with a big R/R. It measures 5x3 and hangs on the left side of the bike, strange configuration from what I've learned, but that's what I've got. Sorta like my johnson. Really big and hangs to the left. I'll do the troubleshooting tomorrow, and find out once and for all...hopefully. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airborneXX Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 Organ Donor had the same symptoms at the bike a thon pre ride. We swapped out the Reg/Rec and it's been fine since. I was getting a pulsing in my headlight. Replaced my R/R and so far it's been fine. Maybe it is the R/R. Did you guys do the troubleshooting thing, or did you just replace the R/R? What year's is Ben's? I've got a 2000, with a big R/R. It measures 5x3 and hangs on the left side of the bike, strange configuration from what I've learned, but that's what I've got. Sorta like my johnson. Really big and hangs to the left. I'll do the troubleshooting tomorrow, and find out once and for all...hopefully. Jay Ben's is a 97. Pete said they were the symptoms he had when his went out. So we wound up at AJ's near the airport and he bought a used one. Been running fine ever since I believe. Oh are you going to Ephrata with us on Sunday? Well providing you get this sorted out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblackbird2000 Posted August 29, 2006 Author Share Posted August 29, 2006 Ben's is a 97. Pete said they were the symptoms he had when his went out. So we wound up at AJ's near the airport and he bought a used one. Been running fine ever since I believe. Oh are you going to Ephrata with us on Sunday? Well providing you get this sorted out I think the Jury's still out until I have time to do the rest of the troubleshooting. I hope your right though, I'd much rather replace the R/R than the Stator. Anyway, anyone have any idea if .6mA is acceptable? I'm not too worried about it I guess, but rather have someone else more knowledgable than myself confirm it. Don't think I'm going to make Ephrata this time around. As I said, it's Kris' and my anniversary tonight, and I'm still trying to get the kiddies to bed and obvisouly reading the forum. :icon_duh: We're going to drop the kids off at the in-laws this weekend, so I'm going to be otherwise engaged all weekend. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dosequis driver Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 What you describe parallels the symptoms that I experienced when my '98 had about 22k miles and the regulator / rectifier went bad.... twice! The OEM went bad and was replaced by a "better" aftermarket model that also went bad about a week after it was installed and subsequently replaced under warranty. The second replacement model has worked like a champ. Thankfully, I didn't have any adverse electrical damage from the R/R failures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flitemdic Posted August 29, 2006 Share Posted August 29, 2006 I'm betting R/R. I don't have my little notebook with all the numbers I took when mine went a couple of months back, but what you've posted doesn't sound quite right to me- I'm sure others will post up with the exact right numbers. The configuration IS weird, but the attachment to the subframe supposedly makes it cool better. Be careful when going for a new one that you don't end up with a CBR 600 R/R. My first one had it marked on it as CBR600, but there is suggestions both ways that it might work, and the dealer said it would. It didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblackbird2000 Posted August 31, 2006 Author Share Posted August 31, 2006 Bump. So how 'bout it guys? Should I be concerned with my reading of .6mA battery leakage? Again, I've definately confirmed that it's totally the clock by pulling the clock fuse, I get a reading of 0. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lois Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Bump. So how 'bout it guys? Should I be concerned with my reading of .6mA battery leakage? Again, I've definately confirmed that it's totally the clock by pulling the clock fuse, I get a reading of 0. Jay I own an automotive electric shop......My guess is possibly one of two things. 1) Your stator is breaking down when it gets hot....can be checked with a good quality ohm meter or meg ohm meter. or 2) Retifier is going...Any elctrical rebuild shop will have a regulator tester that can test to see if your re R/R is breaking down under load/heat. So if you know of one, remove the R/R and take it to them...they shouldn't charge ya to test it...I wouldn't Don't dwell on the clock. If your charging system was working properly your bike would have started right up at the store. Besides , a .6MA draw would take weeks to run down a good battery..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblackbird2000 Posted August 31, 2006 Author Share Posted August 31, 2006 I own an automotive electric shop......My guess is possibly one of two things. 1) Your stator is breaking down when it gets hot....can be checked with a good quality ohm meter or meg ohm meter. or 2) Retifier is going...Any elctrical rebuild shop will have a regulator tester that can test to see if your re R/R is breaking down under load/heat. So if you know of one, remove the R/R and take it to them...they shouldn't charge ya to test it...I wouldn't Don't dwell on the clock. If your charging system was working properly your bike would have started right up at the store. Besides , a .6MA draw would take weeks to run down a good battery..... Excellent advice, I'll take my R/R in for testing. And thanks for the confirmation on the .6mA. I was pretty sure this wasn't my problem, with a 10amp hour battery or whatever it's rated for, that makes sense. Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblackbird2000 Posted September 1, 2006 Author Share Posted September 1, 2006 Ok, I finally got around to performing the additional tests on the charging system, and here's what I've come up with. I used the below link, and I've read Keith's post on this similar issue, and our symptoms are almost identical. http://www.electrosport.com/electrosport_fault_finding.html Results: 1) Testing of the voltage between the +12 V supply input off the R/R and the (+)side of the battery while engine is idling: .2~.25V *Flowchart indicates no greater than .2V is acceptable...close enough? 2) Testing the resistance between the stator coils: .1 ohms *Flowchart indicates no less than .2, Honda Manual says .1 is fine. 3) Testing the restistance between the stator coils and the engine case: needle didn't even move *That's good, right? 4) Testing the output from the Stator to the R/R with the engine to 5K 10.0V on all 3 coils. *Flowchart says 50V is mininum. And by the way, I'm using an analog meter :icon_nono: So from that, assuming the #1 is close enough (and i hope it is, cause that's a really scary turn in the flow chart for someone like me) it looks like I have a bad stator. Keith has different voltages across each of his coils, while I have the same. Does having the same voltage across all 3 coils indicate something not covered in Keith's post? And Keith couldn't have put it better, "Maybe someone a whole lot smarter than me can explain this". Thanks! Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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