Battery charging question

charge up your battery fully then take it to auto zone or a nice place like that and they can load test it for you to see if it is still good. a fully charged battery should have between 12.8 volts to 13.2, how did you maintain it over the winter did you take it out and charge it occasionally over the winter[about once a month in the house would be best where it is warm] or did you let it sit over the winter. just because the battery has been in your possesion for two years does not mean it is two years old and even if it is it still could be bad.start with a good known fully charged battery before you start checking the charging system then at least you will have eliminated that as a problem.

charge up your battery fully then take it to auto zone or a nice place like that and they can load test it for you to see if it is still good. a fully charged battery should have between 12.8 volts to 13.2, how did you maintain it over the winter did you take it out and charge it occasionally over the winter[about once a month in the house would be best where it is warm] or did you let it sit over the winter. just because the battery has been in your possesion for two years does not mean it is two years old and even if it is it still could be bad.start with a good known fully charged battery before you start checking the charging system then at least you will have eliminated that as a problem.

holy multiple posts batman lol try not to hit the back button when posting.

The reg/rec combo is far more often the culprit on the 550 than the alternator. But wiring is even more commonly the problem.

Even with completely dead batteries, if the charging system is good, I can usually hit 14v by 3000 or 4000 RPM on the 550's. (obviously have to push start).

Ok timebomb, we get the point Seriously though, I've noticed that multiple post problem in a couple of posts today. Somethings acting wonky.

HerrDeacon wrote:

Ok timebomb, we get the point Seriously though, I've noticed that multiple post problem in a couple of posts today. Somethings acting wonky.

The site was down last night for a few hours, maybe that has something to the multiple posts.


Im having the same charging problem on my GS. I have replaced the stator so far and am waiting on the mailman as I type for a little box with a regulator/rectifier tucked neatly inside. I still have to check EACH and EVERY connection to satisfy my own mind, then I should be good to go.

A bad/faulty crimp in any of the battery charging circuit connectors can cause a lot of head scratching, along with corrosion in/on the male/female pins.

As to the Suzuki GS thing, I had a buddy that put 100,000 miles on a GS1100 and he said you must replace both the stator and the reg/rec and hard wire everything with no connectors. He did this 3 times in 100,000 miles. Never had the head off, but ouch, those GS electrics. In the Kawasaki case here, I'd bet on the stator as being the culprit.

I have a GS 1100. The single biggest reason for the charging problems is the way Suzuki grounds the Rec/Reg. The Rec/Reg grounds to a rubber mounted plate and with time and rust the Reg/Rec loses it's ground. It's best to ground the Reg/Rec straight to the Battery negative post.

This web link to Electrosport's fault finding diagram should be a sticky somewhere. Follow the flowchart step by step and it will tell you where a problem may be.

But you have to start with a fully functional battery, so get that tested first.

www.electrosport.com/technical-resources...lt-finding-guide.php

OKC - Thanks for the link to the flowchart. I'm working my way through that after working different tests from manuals. I like flowcharts because it rules things out in an orderly progression.

One thing I did discover and hope someone can answer. There's a connector that comes from the top side of the connector from the rectifier. When I bought the bike the plastic shrink tube that was over the connector was not burned off but had definitely overheated and was black and brittle. I removed it on previous reseating connection projects and have replaced it. Would that have been cause by a surge from the rectifier or resistance to where that wire goes off to?

Thanks

sorry about the multiple posts guy's that happened the night the site went down but just the same did yu get my point. :laugh: :woohoo: