Beast is not Charging!!

[Harleychanic]

Ok guys, I spent the entire weekend troubleshooting my 78E to try and find the problem. I followed the tech section on trouble shooting the charging system to no avail. The tach is not working, the stator is reading the proper resistanceand the field coil is reading the proper resistance. When I turn the ignition on the field coil creates a magnetic field pulling a feeler gauge to it. At the connector behind the fuse panel the green wire reads about 1 VDC and the brown reads battery voltage. When I rev the bike the green wire stays at 1 VDC and never gets any higher. I checked the stator aoutput and it is putting out AC volts that increase proportionally to the RPM's. The only thing that I can possibly think that may be bad is the Regulator/Rectifier. I also noticed that the headlight relay was getting extremely warm during this time. I took it apart to check it out and it functioned properly. I also checked the connector to it and was suprised to find battery voltage at both the yellow and red wires with the key off!! I then pulled the regulator/rectifier and only had voltage at the red wire which is tied into the main switch. I guess I am just trying to see if anyone else has had this similar problem or symptoms to see what their fix was before I drop $100 on a new voltage regulator. Thanks for the input!

[skids]

You wrote: I also checked the connector to it and was suprised to find battery voltage at both the yellow and red wires with the key off!! I then pulled the regulator/rectifier and only had voltage at the red wire which is tied into the main switch. I guess I am just trying to see if anyone else has had this similar problem or symptoms to see what their fix was before I drop $100 on a new voltage regulator.

Here are some notes that I have taken from replacing the relay:

1. Red/yellow = the positive input

2. Blue/Black = the positive output that the relay switches

3. Yellow (or white) = the lead from the alternator to operate the old relay

4. Black = the ground to operate the old relay

The yellow from alternator should not be hot unless the engine is running, let alone if the key is off!

Unhook the relay and run the bike and check the tach.

[Harleychanic]

Hi Skids, I did run the bike without the headlight relay in and the tach was still not operating. I am not sure what to check now, the only thing that kI was thinking is that there meay be a short inside the volatge regulator. Since it is a solid state unit there is really no way for me to check ou the inside. The one thing I noticed was that before the headlight would not come on until the bikes was running, I would leave the headlight switch off, turn on the ignition (with the headlight off to make starting easier) and start the bike which would then turn on the headlight. Now, when I turn the ignition on, the headlight wlso turns on. Also, the relay was powered all the time until I unplugged the regulato/rectifier. Now it is not powered at all.

[Harleychanic]

Also to add, the headlight relay was powered with the ignition key in the OFF position with the regulator plugged in. Now with it unplugged, the headlight relay is only powered when the key is in the ON position, hence furthering my thought that the problem lies in the voltage regulator/rectifier.

[Harleychanic]

PS Any other suggestions?

Thanks

[skids]

>and start the bike which would then turn on the headlight.

Yeah, thats normal

>Now, when I turn the ignition on, the headlight also turns on.

That is not normal unless the switch on the handlebar is activating the relay (78E only).

>Also, the relay was powered all the time until I unplugged the regulator/rectifier. Now it is not powered at all. Also to add, the headlight relay was powered with the ignition key in the OFF position with the regulator plugged in.

I am not sure which part of the relay is powered "all the time" but with the key on and the bike not yet started, the Red/yellow is the positive input, or the "hot side of the high amps (from the fuse panel)" for the relay unit.

>Now with it unplugged, the headlight relay is only powered when the key is in the ON position, hence furthering my thought that the problem lies in the voltage regulator/rectifier.

Well, you could be right. You need a spare working regulator to test it out quickly.

[Harleychanic]

Thanks again for the input Skids, I am at work right now but will check immediately when I get home tonight. Will try to have a few better updates for you guys.

Thanks

[trbig]

I am having pretty much the same problems. Here is some advice from Geezer on checking the R/R.

If it’s not charging at this point, the regulator is probably good but the rectifier is probably bad. Unplug both plugs to the reg/rec, set the meter to ohms x1, touch the positive lead of the meter to the red wire and the negative probe to each of the white wires. At this point you will either get continuity or not but it should be the same on all 3 white wires. Reverse the test leads and do the test again and now you should get the opposite results but again the same on all 3 white wires. Now you’re half done, do these to test with the black and white wires."

It worked fine for my black to white wires, but was nothing for my red to white wires. R/R unit shot for me. Geezer sells a great super-unit for under 100 bucks, but due to funds, I am having to go used at this point. Good Luck.

Tod

[Harleychanic]

Thanks Tod, thats the problem. I was 99% sure by last night but did not want to commit without exhausting all the possibilities that were out there. The unit is shot!! I stopped at my local Yamaha dealership on the way home to price out a new regulator/rectifier and it was at the Benjamin mark like I expected, sigh. There goes another $100 towards repairs instead of upgrades! The Beast is starting to act like and cost about as much as my fiance!!!!!!! Its a good thing that I enjoy the ride!!

Thanks for all the help and input guys!

[trbig]

You've got a fiance' that only requires 100 bucks?? Better hurry up and make it official before somebody else grabs that up!

I am a little concerened about buying a replacement R/R unit, and maybe still having other problems. I'd hate to hook it up and burn it out too! Lots of mechanical problem solvers here, but seem to be few electrical. I hope that takes care of your problems.

Tod

[Harleychanic]

I wish my fiance only cost me a $100, I'm pretty sure that $100 is the daily rate for her!!! Anyway I ordered an OEM R/R from my dealer this morning and should have it by Friday so we'll see if that works. IT BETTER!! or at this point I almost have the fiance talked into a new "Beast" (06 FZ1)!!!