free website stats program '93 FXR Charging Question. Help ! | Page 2 | Harley Davidson Forums

'93 FXR Charging Question. Help !

Re: New Stator / New VR And Only 12.6 Charging

TQuentin1 said:
Check your grounds. Take off and wire brush both ends of both battery cables. Then make sure that the VR is getting a good ground. That VR is grounded through the mounting hardware, right?

Check that the Stator is putting out 16-20 Vac/1000 rpm. You can do this with a DVOM across the posts in the plug coming out of the Primary.

TQ
Click to expand...

Since I replaced the VR I guess I'll check that ground first. I'll check the stator too. The stator puts out AC, not DC ? I'll check that tomorrow. Once I start her, I can unplug the VR from the stator to check it?
 
Re: New Stator / New VR And Only 12.6 Charging

TQuentin1 said:
Check your grounds. Take off and wire brush both ends of both battery cables. Then make sure that the VR is getting a good ground. That VR is grounded through the mounting hardware, right?

Check that the Stator is putting out 16-20 Vac/1000 rpm. You can do this with a DVOM across the posts in the plug coming out of the Primary.

TQ
Click to expand...

Just checked stator...putting out a little over 20v at idle (choke on...a little above 1,000 RPM). Problem's not there. On to check grounds. Maybe the main breaker?
 
Regulator had a good ground. Replaced the main circuit breaker...no difference. When I installed the new VR a few months ago, I did splice the wire going to the circuit breaker into the old wire coming off of the breaker. I usually do a good job of that kinda thing but I guess the next step is to take that splice apart and check it out.

Can I "sneak" into the insulation fore and aft of my splice just to see if I have good voltage either place?
 
kenshapiro2002 said:
Can I "sneak" into the insulation fore and aft of my splice just to see if I have good voltage either place?
Click to expand...

You can but this way is better. Take your voltmeter and place 1 probe into the wire before the spice. Place the other probe into the wire after the splice. (you now have the voltmeter across the splice). Start the engine and increase RPM. If you read Zero volts at all RPM's, your splice is perfect. Any reading above .15 volts (point 15), I would call that splice bad.. (using a low voltmeter scale)
Depending on the orientation of test leads, the voltage you read may be negative.

One other thing. The AC Stator output test is 16/20 volts per 1000 RPM. Therefore you should see about 40 volts at 2000,, 60 volts at 3000 etc. See if you get that ladder effect.
 
Hoople said:
You can but this way is better. Take your voltmeter and place 1 probe into the wire before the spice. Place the other probe into the wire after the splice. (you now have the voltmeter across the splice). Start the engine and increase RPM. If you read Zero volts at all RPM's, your splice is perfect. Any reading above .15 volts (point 15), I would call that splice bad.. (using a low voltmeter scale)
Depending on the orientation of test leads, the voltage you read may be negative.

One other thing. The AC Stator output test is 16/20 volts per 1000 RPM. Therefore you should see about 40 volts at 2000,, 60 volts at 3000 etc. See if you get that ladder effect.
Click to expand...

"Rider error"...it was my splice. I solder 90% of the time and just crimped and shrunk wrapped that one. Before seeing your response, I stripped some insulation before the splice and got 14.5 volts ! Oh what a joy. I redid my splice, this time soldering and shrink wrapping. I'm getting about 13.5 at the battery at idle and about 14.6 at 3,000 RPM. The stator has the "ladder effect". Thanks. Life is back to good now.
 
Outstanding! Way to stick with it and sort through it. Nice work to Hoople too!
 
Guess it wasn't solved. Need help before I do something stupid like buy another bike.

Went on an overnight ride yesterday. This morning the bike started but seemed not quite as strong as usual. The horn worked about three times and then stopped (takes about 12.4 volts for my horn to work). After about 1/2 hour of riding, the horn started to work perfectly. I assumed that the battery might have been discharging overnight (I always keep it on a battery tender, but couldn't where I was) and had charged up as I rode. After my first stop, the same thing happened only it took and hour for the battery to have enough juice to make the horn work. On the third leg...over two hours...the horn never worked and the turn signal lights were pretty much dead. Shut her off in the garage and the battery was reading a little over 8 volts. Wouldn't start at all of course.

My thought is that maybe the charging system is working intermittently as evidenced by the horn. Why did it work after 1/2 hour. The after an hour, and then not even after two? A progressive thing for sure.

I thought I'd wait until she was charged up and then disconnect the Battery Tender and check voltage every hour or so to see if she is discharging.

My other thought is to install a cheap volt meter and see what the charging system is doing while I'm riding.

One more bit of "evidence" is that for the first time today, my tach was reading lower than I knew it should be a few times...reading 2,000 when I knew it was pulling 3,000.

HELP !
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top