78 charging issue

[elyons]

My 78 does not seem to be charging properly. When the battery is at full charge the volt meter shows it charging between 12 to 15 volts after about 2 or 3 days of riding the battery slowly starts losing its change. Am I looking at regulator problem? Battery is new so I know its good. Any help would be great. :help:

 

[backlander]

Are you running driving lights and other accessories while riding ?

 

[elyons]

Nope just headlight tail light. this is a Naked Goldwing so right now there's not much as far as lights

 

[backlander]

Use a multimeter to check the charge voltage at 3000 rpm. Sometimes the stock voltmeters are not accurate. If the multimeter shows lower charge going to battery, clean all the grounds and connections on the charging circuit and remeasure with the multimeter again.

 

[Ansimp]

backlander » Sat Jun 08, 2013 8:34 am[/url]":1yyrgil9]Are you running driving lights and other accessories while riding ?

Which exceed the output of the stock charging system!
Anything less than 13.5v s not recharging the battery sufficiently. :nea:

 

[Omega Man]

Has that plug that connects the stator to the wiring harness been removed? :beg: It's just to the left of the battery connecting 3 yellow wires to 3 yellow wires. They fail and short out the stator.

~O~

 

[slabghost]

Omega Man » Fri Jun 07, 2013 5:45 pm[/url]":3hcle2xu]Has that plug that connects the stator to the wiring harness been removed? :beg: It's just to the left of the battery connecting 3 yellow wires to 3 yellow wires. They fail and short out the stator.

~O~

:good: +1
Good idea also to check battery connections are clean and tight.As well as the ground connections.

 

[elyons]

Is this the connector your talking about? If this is what your refering to; all I can say is I have never disconnected it. what is the item right behind it, also there is a condensor right below it that is unhooked. This is the first time in years that I have worked on a bike and really struggling.

 

[elyons]

Sorry the picture does not show the part i am guestioning. Its grey right behind it and its finned. And yes the battery terminals are tight and clean.

 

[backlander]

The connector shown with the three yellow wires are the ones from the stator that connect to the rectifier. That is AC voltage at that connector. Take that connector apart and check for dirt, corrosion or signs of being to hot or melting. If it checks out, plug it back up for now. I don't know what that capacitor does, not familiar with it. What was the multimeter reading you got by checking DC voltage across the battery at idle, 3000 & 5000 rpm. The gray finned thing is going to be the regulator and or rectifier. I think their separate units on your model, they were combined into one unit later.

 

[elyons]

I havent had a chance to check with the multi meter yet have to charge it so I can start it.

 

[joedrum]

your bike probably has a electronic ignition and the condenser is unplugged and not use ,,,,check it out like blacklander says

 

[elyons]

:headscratch: :headscratch: :headscratch: Ok checked the voltage at 3000,4000 & 5000 rpm started 13.01 to a high of 13.73. how ever the longer it ran it droped until it leveled off at about 13.10. I checked the rectifier at the same time, got about a 6 - 8 volt reading. Voltage regulator is holding at about 12.3 to 12.5.

 

[backlander]

That's not real good news I'm sorry to say. Those readings are on the low side. You need to unplug the three yellow wire connector and check for continuity on each of the three yellow wires to ground. You should not have continuity on either of them. You can do this with the engine not running. Then check for continuity between the yellow wires by pairs the a to b, b to c and then the a to c wire, there should be no continuity here either. Then check for ac voltage output while engine is running on each of the yellow wires. Let me know what you get.

 

[elyons]

I already checked the AC voltage and was getting between 8 to 10 volts tops, as for check teh continuity I will try that tomorrow

 

[Omega Man]

Hang in there bro!

~O~

 

[mwbill37841]

opcorn: opcorn: opcorn: opcorn:

 

[joedrum]

yep dreading the thought is big time bad here so quit thinking on that ...it looks like some work to do

 

[zman]

I wonder with those numbers would he be able to go all LED/HID with his head, tail and running lamps and be able to ride it?
Of course I know if the rotor is bad it needs fixed but I`m thinking 60 bucks and a couple easy hours could get him by if needed.

 

[elyons]

Looks like I will probebly just ride back and forth to work this year,just a few blocks so it will get by till winter I hope.