Charging Issues

[DIGX1]

I did some searching in the forum and found a few suggestions of things to test, try and replace.

1980 Yamaha XS1100 Special

Started noticing one afternoon ride back to work that the blinkers were a little lower and dimmer than usual, when I got to work and shut off the bike, I went to start it again and it wouldn't start, symptoms of a dead battery, which was weird.

Jumped it and got it home, put it on the charger and problem solved until I turned off the bike to chat with the neighbor and it wouldn't start again.

I used my multimeter to check the:
Battery when running at 3k - 13.3x-13.6x
Ohms of the green/brown field coil - 3.6.
Ohms of whites to whites on stator - 0.04.

I found good, used replacements on eBay for the stator and rectifier and installed both when they came in. Charging problem remained. I checked the Ohms after replacement parts and it was the same, but I ordered the field coil too, haven't installed because it still tests as OEM.

I don't know how old the battery is but it's an AGM.

All fuses look good, I cleaned the ends of each and the "hands" that hold each end of the fuse. I also used some sandpaper and cleaned up the bladed ends of the field and stator could connectors.
Could it be my battery or are my replacement parts bad, too? I emailed the Oregon parts guy but email came back as undeliverable.

Need help, please!

[Socer4m]

most likely old battery,,,they don't hold enough amperage to start,,these old bikes need a good, powerful battery to start,,,,,second guess is a bad ground, take off the battery terminals connectors, clean thoroughly and also the cable that connects the ground to frame and clean that connection thoroughly....do a voltage test on battery, if your voltage as 13.6 volts when running that it good,,, when not running it should drop down to around 12.7 volts,,,this is the easy check, so recommend so these first then see,,,keep us informed, Mike in S.DIego and PA

[Radioguylogs]

Sounds like the battery should be your #1 suspect.

You could charge it and then take to an auto parts store for a free load test.

[DiverRay]

1. Check the ground wires!!! There is one from Battery to frame, and another from frame to engine. Frame to engine is on the left side of the bike as you sit on it, IIRC it connects from just below the tool holder to the final drive. They usually rust/corrode on the frame side.
2.Pull the fuse box and check the connectors behind it. You may have some bad connections causing the problems as well.