Battery, Reg/Rec/, S-S, CDI ?...

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Right...

For a while it seemed like the previous battery was on the way out, having to charge it at least once a week, got the arsehole with it, bought a new one...

New battery, all was fine for around two weeks then the problem started to creep back in, had to start charging it at weekends again...

Didn't use the bike last Fri/Sat/Sun, got it out to use Monday and it sounded weak so I whacked it on charge for a couple of hours then went out on it, two or three stops and it was fine, got back here and turned it off to open the garage, went to start it and got all of fuck, thankfully it played up here and not there...

So the question is, could it just be another duff battery or the Reg/Rec, the CDI or the Starter Solenoid ?...

Any help appreciated before it goes for a trip down the field...

* Bike's currently on trickle charge as we speak as it was slow to catch coming out of work...
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Possibly the regulator / rectifier or the generator.

Regulator / rectifiers normally seem to either work or not. However they regulator part can go leaving you with high voltage at high revs which fries the battery.

Generators have multiple coils and what can happen is that one circuit goes, leaving you with only partial charging.

Get it started and put a volt meter across the battery. Check that the voltage is reasonable at idle and rises when the engine is revved, topping out at around 14.5V.

All the best

Keith
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Howling TerrorOutOfOffice · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Karma :

I'd be tempted to check the easy things first.
Is the fuse for reg/rec ok?
Are the cables running into/out of the reg/rec ok. No signs of burnt connectors.
If you've a multimeter see that 13-14volts are getting into the battery. As you rev the volts should rise. No higher than 15v.

Do this when the bike is properly warmed up. Some failing reg/rec can show irregular charging voltages only when hot.
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Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Cheers Keef... Thumbs Up

It'll be the weekend before I can get that done so I'll be posting up during then with the results...

Just had a quick mooch on Ebay before I posted this reply, is there another name for the Generator as Ebay's coming up with nowt ( yeah I know it could just be that there's none for sale on there, but thought I'd check anyhoo )...

H-T I was thinking of fuses and connections myself so I'll check that while I'm on the case... Thumbs Up

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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

Could be called stator or alternator (and probably a few other names, along with plenty of unprintable ones).

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Due to my clubs rally this weekend and having to use the bike last weekend I haven't had a chance to test anything yet...

But...

Friday I charged the battery to full seeing as I was away this weekend, only done around 60 miles there and back, got there and the bike didn't move untill this morning to come home, was back here for around half an hour and thought I'd top the battery up and there wasn't enough juice in the battery to wind the starter...

So of three days no use apart from 30 miles Friday and 30 Miles this morning the battery is dead, which means the bike isn't charging it, I'm thinking altenator ?...

I'm off again Thurs/Friday next week so I shall get up Thursday and strip all the plastics off the bike so I can start checking connections and the like, I'll fully charge the battery again Wednesday and whack the tester across that aswell, as soon as I test the battery I'll report back on here and go from there with your help and advice...

Cheers peeps... Thumbs Up

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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

I've had a quick mooch at the connections and the like and can't see anything untoward...

The battery as soon as it was fully charged was put back on the bike and tested with a multi-meter and showed a reading of 12.26 when the ignition was turned on and a reading of 12.87 with the bike running...

My Spidey sense is telling me it may the the Reg/Reg not doing it's job fully, and I believe one from a TL 1000 should fit, seeing as a new one for the SV is £70 and used ones are like rocking horse shit I'm wondering if I can get a TL one cheaper...

Thoughts ?...
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Howling TerrorOutOfOffice · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Karma :

Red/Recs are almost consumables on bikes Rolling Eyes

I'd be surprised if it wasn't the reg/rec as you should be getting near the 14v mark when revved.
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Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Howling TerrorOutOfOffice · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Karma :

From what i've read the reg/rec doesn't often fail. It's made to fail.
In some bikes it's tucked away and gets too hot.

Or the bike maker has used thin guage cable..Or it's situated so it gets soaked. The cable gets hot/cold =brittle=increased resistance=heat. Connector blocks are buggers for holding moisture.

The reg/rec on the 250 i have is over 30yrs old. Thick cable..in airflow with greased connections.

On the st2 they used piano wire and the reg/rec tucked in the fairing..It's on its 2nd one and now, in the airflow with thicker cables (touch wood..ok)
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
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Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Everything on this one seems to be under and between both seats, everything's a right pain in the arse to get to, more so having the Ventura rack on as it's connected by the pillion foot pegs and a bracket that goes over the subframe and comes out the under tray...It's a ballache when you have to strip this and that but the rack on rack grabrail come in handy so it's just one of those things...
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

The stator is (probably) around the end of the crank. It consists of loads of coils of wire. Wires from this go to the regulator / rectifier unit.

If you look at the reg / rect you will probably find 3 wires that are the same colour. These probably go to the stator. The resistance over ANY pair of these 3 wires should be the same (ie, say we call the wires A, B and C, the resistance between A & B should be the same as the resistance between B & C which should be the same as the resistance between A & C). Note you check the resistance with the engine off and with the wires disconnected from the reg / rect.

You can also test the AC voltage with the engine running over these wires with them connected to the reg / rect for a further test but I don't know what readings should be expected on the SV (it will be a LOT higher than 12V).

All the best

Keith
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Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

I've had the plastics off the back end today and gone over all the connections and traced what I could of the wiring to see if there are any bare wires showing, couldn't see any and all connections looked clean but gave them a wipe over anyway...

Regards the plug for the Alternator I wasn't entirely sure which one it was so I have yet to do that test, but seeing as the bike's been started a few times now I thought I'd whack the tester over it again, reading at around 12.50, but, and this is the important part, when I did it the other day I forgot to rev the bike to see if it spiked, did that earlier and there's no change in the voltage...

So, what would that mean ?...

Edit...

Finally remembered the password to the SV Forum !...

After doing some digging on there the Reg/Rec is a common fault on these, they suggest checking all fuses and connections first ( done that, found nothing, unless I missed one )...

Keith at some stage I must have had the plug you mean in my hand in two parts but it's only just hit me, so tomorrow the battery will be fully charged and I'll try again on all the connections and plugs, but right now I'm going with either the new battery is just a shitter, I've missed a connection or the Reg/Rec is fucked...

Also read that a CBR600 one will fit and they're coming in at around £40, which will be easier as I have to tax and MOT the bastard month end already...

The main problem I'm having is everything is in such a little space you can't see shit unless you know exactly what everything is and does, give me a mechanical problem and I can normally fix it, give me two pieces of wire and I'm screwed, never known a bike like it so far, next bike I'm going back to a naked, fed up of arseing about with fairings!
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

No change when you rev it suggests no charging at all. Most likely the regulator / rectifier then, although no realistic way to test it (pretty much either try another one, or check everything else to exclude anything but the regulator rectifier).

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Cheers Keith... Thumbs Up

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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Turns out it was the Reg/Rec...

Took all the plastics off earlier and noticed the plugs that come from it didn't look right, one of the wires had burnt through and started to melt the plastic plug, looks like it's been on the way out for a while...

Phoned round a couple of localish breakers with no joy, so I can either order the one I found on Ebay, brand new from Taiwan, slightly uprated with more cooling fins on it, comes in at just under £60 delivered, second hand ones come in at around £40ish and Shitsuki want £70...

Was actually considering cutting the wire half way down and cleaning up the plug and soldering a new piece in but wasn't sure how long it'd last tbh...

I have taken a couple of photays but it's a Reg/Rec with a burnt wire not quite reaching the plug it's burnt the side of, so Meh...

Will update when the new one arrives... Thumbs Up

Oh, the bike is actually running on one cylinder aswell at the moment, started doing that Monday, one of the symptoms of a fucked Reg/Rec...
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Howling TerrorOutOfOffice · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Karma :

Not sure how a reg/rec would make a cylinder drop out.
Unless your battery voltage is too low to power the ecu properly.

BTW did your connector look like this? https://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m174/howlingterror_2006/DSCF0669.jpg
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Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

The one cylinder thing I found out on an SV Forum, and mine started doing it so I put two and two together Pat...

My plug isn't that bad, it's the Reg/Rec plug, not the other end, it may be possible to clean the burnt wire pin up and resolder some fresh wire in but like I say I'm not sure if it's worth it poping again and leaving me stranded at some point...
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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...

Howling TerrorOutOfOffice · Super Spammer Joined: 05 Dec 2008 Karma :

As mentioned i don't know of a way to test a reg/rec other than to see if it works...if you get me.

Whilst you're waiting for the replacement go over the wiring and inspect the cable mating points. I popped all the blocks and scraped the spade connectors..bit of grease(dielectric). Also cleaned up my earth strap, it gets alot of crud fired at it.
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Diabolical homemade music Bandcamp and Soundcloud
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The Harry Turner Project

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Handsome · World Chat Champion Joined: 30 Dec 2005 Karma :

Fixed...

Part came this morning, second hand 650 one, put it on and started it, at first it ran on one cylinder then the other kicked in and deafened me, put the tester back over it aswell, off it was 12.something, running it settled on 14.60...

Took it out to see if I remembered how to ride, bike runs sweet and sounds healthier, which leads me to believe the Reg/Rec must have been on it's way out for a while before the wire burnt through...

Anyway, it's sorted... Thumbs Up

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Previous Bikes...Honda NSR 125 RR...Kawasaki Zephyr 550...Suzuki SV 1000 S...Yamaha FZ8...Current Bike...Suzuki GSX-R 750...