charging system

Hey all. I went to start the bike yesterday and she turned over a couple times (3 or 4 seconds)then wouldnt crank anymore. I charged the battery over night (less than a year old and good fluid levels). put the battery back in this A.M. with 12.5volts and same deal cranks 3 or 4 seconds then has no power to keep going. I then kick started it and its charging close to 15.5 volts. Maybe it fried my battery?? talked to the guy at oregoncycleparts.com where i got the rect/reg lesss than a year ago and he said if there is a diffeence in the switched 12volts and the unswitched battery voltge that the rectifier/regulator will charge that much (the dfference switched/unswitched) extra. 12.5 volts unswitched key off. 10.4volts after switch in on position.....2.1volts difference

It didnt make much sense to me, but I tracked it down to the Dyna-S and my green 3-OHM coils. contacted Dyna and they said that i could try the 5ohm coils, but the coils take power and thats what the difference in swithed/unswitched voltage is. i put a 2-OHM ballast resistor inline to the coils but it only made a little difference. It seems that the regulator should top out at about 14-14.5volts regardless. then again im no electronic expert!! ......I will get my battery load-tested, but in anycase, the rec/reg shouldnt be overcharging like that....right? Any ideas?

When you talked to Oregon, did you mention that your reg/rec only has 4 wires? The situation he is describing would only happen on a reg/rec where there is an extra voltage-sense line. That's what most of his regulators are like, but yours isn't that type.

Just to make sure...you should have model VRRPM2-KZC reg/rec. It has a red, a black, and two yellow marked wires, correct?

That type doesn't have any connections that are switched. The reg/rec feeds directly to the battery.

Make sure the ground connection is real good and the positive connection is real good (from reg/rec to the battery). Also, if the battery is low on water, the symptoms you describe may happen.

yes, i have the 4 wire reg/rec. (black ground, red pos & the 2 yellows). Oregon asked me what bike it was on & i told him 78 kz 650, but maybe he was thinking of the older bikes. The battery isnt low on fluid. if the battery was shit, would it be overcharging too tho? I havn't had it load tested yet, but if the battery is dead in less than a year, i want to make sure a new one doesnt fry too (if thats what happened to this one) from overcharging......???????

If the battery goes really low on water, or if the battery has an open cell circuit, the regulator will not regulate properly. There needs to be something that smooths out the alternator pulses. Usually it's a battery, but it can also be a big capacitor.

If the battery is too low to start the bike, charge it up and see if it will start the bike with electric start. If it will, then it's good enough for the regulator to work properly. If the charged battery won't start the bike, then you'll probably need to get a new battery.

Then check the voltage while running. If the voltage is still 15.5v then the wiring to the reg/rec may be flakey or the reg/rec is bad.

If not already done, would check for a good connection where the negative battery cable attaches to rear of the engine.

Good Fortune!

Theres a good connection at the ground (both ends) and the wire is a new one. The battery isnt strong enough to start the bike.....fluid levels all where they should be . But once kick started it still charges too much. I am guessing I need a new battery either way, but dont want to fry a new one too......

pburnhamb wrote:

Theres a good connection at the ground (both ends) and the wire is a new one. The battery isnt strong enough to start the bike.....fluid levels all where they should be . But once kick started it still charges too much. I am guessing I need a new battery either way, but dont want to fry a new one too......

Could confirm shot battery with specific gravity test and load test.

New properly serviced fully charged battery could imo be installed and engine run long enough to test charging system without damaging anything, to determine voltage at idle rpm compared to voltage at 4000 rpm. This being a common method of checking overall performance of the charging system.

However, if loudhvx advises differently in this case, go by what he says!

Good Fortune!

Ineed to have it load tested but these lame ass "bike shops" in the area dont have them....Prob stupid question, but the auto parts store (cars) load tester is different right??

In my area, Auto-Zone is happy to load test a motorcycle battery any time, and don't bat an eye about doing it. I just carry it in and ask.

They use the same battery test machine used for automobile batteries, and know which adjustment settings to apply.

They also sell motorcycle batteries, and need to know about testing them for warranty purposes.

Good Fortune!

sweet, thats where got my car battery. OK>>>> so i just went down and kicked her over a coupe times andi can hear the starter motor reving when i KICK her over......that aint normal,,,,right? the starter body is grounded, the wire coming off the side of the starter goes o the right side of the solenoid, the other side of te soenoid to battery positive. the two small wires on selnoid coming out between two posts.....yellow with red stripe going to oregoncycleparts rect/reg black wire/negtive wire. and the other small wire in middle of solenoid is black and goes to what should be a starter button (which i dont have but touch it to the switched 12volts to use the starter).y other sarter is dead.....and i just got this one last week (havnt had one for a year or so) so nowim stumped... is that the correct wiring from starter???
i love this site thanks guys!

LOUDHVX, you were right about the rect/reg. Oregon said to send it in for replacement, he did misread what i had typed him and though i had the other style....YOU advance to the bonus round. THANK YOU. Now for the $64 question abut why my starter runs when i kckstart her.....

I would pull the starter and see if it still sounds that way. Hopefully the starter clutch is not messed up.

I hope the new Rec/reg works out. It'd be nice to see a little US upstart become successful against China.

(PS, thanks Patton )