| Author | Message | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
     Gamdh |
Saturday we went from Dahlonega GA to Asheville NC and back via the Blue Ridge Parkway. Trip went great until the last 50 miles or so. We left Asheville and it basically rained all the way to Franklink NC, but no issues. Rode for at least 30-60 minutes after the rain stopped with not issues. However, about 60 miles from home I started noticeing something odd. When I came down to idle the voltage monitor went to Red.. (first time I had seen this on my bike). My HIDs were already off (got water in them .. thats another story) I was running both head lights so I turned the High beam off... still red. It didn't go back to green until I was back up to about 2500 rpm. This scenario happened several times.. and I have not seen this behavior on the bike before. So, something is amiss..... Today, I pulled the headlights and my HID's off the bike, pulled the #77 connector and the others in that area... cleaned everything put it back together with dielectric grease. (left the headlights and HIDs off the bike for the test). I then started the bike and checked the voltage on the battery to compare to my baseline readings from when I installed the FB voltage meter mod. My battery reading that night (bike off) was about 12.81 volts.. which is pretty consistant with what I got a month or so ago. The next morning it was about 12.65.. which was also consistant with what I got before. Where I saw some differences from my baseline readings was as I reved the engine
I stopped when I saw the 17+ volts at 3000 rpm.... Background =========== '06 with about 33K mi Stator, Voltage Regulator and Battery are all original. No previous electrical issues. #77 connector checked and looks good Installed the FB battery status mod a few months ago ( thanks for that by the way!!!!) So, given I am not an expert...it seems to me that maybe the voltage regulator may be bad??? What can I do to confirm the bad component for sure (stator/vr/battery)?? Any other ideas or suggestions? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hughlysses |
Michael- sure seems like that'd have to be a bad VR. IIRC, the shop manual has a detailed set of tests to make sure. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
Hugh... thanks. Yes, the SM has procedures, but it calls for a load tester which I don't have... so just looking for some peace of mind/confirmation from those that know more than me (large numbers I'm sure) before replacing the VR... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Red_chili |
Voltage too high cannot be the stator. That would have to be voltage too low (which could be the stator, or a low-resistance VR). Your VR is suspect. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
Thanks!! I did go ahead and order a new VR. Hopefully that will be it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Red_chili |
Test it first... but that does sound relatively safe. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost_in_ohio |
I wonder if you have a loose battery connector that is kinda rev dependent. Where are checking your voltage at?????? I would check it at the battery and see if your losing connection. It could also be a battery that is starting to have an open cell. An open would make the voltage spike the way you say. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ft_bstrd |
I agree, where are you checking the voltage? Is the voltage meter blinking green as you rev through the range? If you are checking output upstream of the voltage regulator, you will get high readings. If you are getting it down stream of the regulator, something is definitely not right with the regulator. I'd just be surprised if you are getting 17 volts at the battery and yet the meter isn't blinking. I think it blinks at 15.9v or higher. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
I was checking it at the battery and yes when it was reading 17v.. the led meter was blinking green. As soon as I returned to idle it would drop to amber then Red. Connectors are tight on the battery. All connections in the area of the 77 connector are good, ground that is accessed under the headlight is good. All were disconnected, cleaned, reattached/plugged with dielectric grease. What else should I check? Electrical systems are not my strong point....so I"m open to all suggestions (assuming of course i can figure out how to do it). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost_in_ohio |
do you have a buell buddy in the area that would let you try his battery...... If you try a battery.......then VR would be it. I have never seen one produce too much voltage, thats not to say that it can't happen. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
I have someone who might help.. he doesn't ride a Buell .. but he's still ok. Funny.. he just had to replace his stator and he had an issue a while back similiar to our #77 connector. Thanks...for the help. I'll let you know what I find out in the next day or 2. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
One question... The battery was reading 12.81 (sat night) - 12.65 (Sun morning) when I checked it with everything off. Would that make any difference with an open cell?? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gsilvernale |
I also think its the VR. I had one go bad on my Honda VFR. When it went bad, it was not sending enough voltage. So I replaced it with an aftermarket VR. When it went bad, it sent to much voltage. Which ended up frying all kinds of stuff, including the ECM. $1000 worth of damage and left me stranded in the middle of nowhere. Too much voltage is worse than not enough. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lost_in_ohio |
the open cell could be vibration or maybe current related. I have seen both. When the battery was being charged at a trickle current or not at all it was normal and ok, but when it would get charged normally (couple of Amps) it would open up. The guys in my shop were speculating that it was ultimately heat related. Who knows for sure? A borrowed battery is a cheap test. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
Different battery... same result 17+ volts at 3K rpm. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Red_chili |
VR. Assuming your 77 connector is good. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
Yup, 77 connector looks fine... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reepicheep |
I would *strongly* suspect the VR and / or its associated wiring. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pso |
I do not want to hijack this thread, but do all the 1200's have this problem or is it only the Uly's problem? Fiance' has a Lightning Scg so just wondering. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Froggy |
Its happening to my 06 XB12SS, so who knows. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
 So, did I mention electrical stuff is not my field of expertise??? FROM my original post.. "Today, I pulled the headlights and my HID's off the bike, pulled the #77 connector and the others in that area... cleaned everything put it back together with dielectric grease. (left the headlights and HIDs off the bike for the test). " What I neglected was the fact I did not plug the head light back in. With the headlight unplugged and the new VR.. I was still getting around 17v. Sooo, I plugged the headlight in..... now at 3000k rpm I'm getting around 13.3 and at idle its doing good to hold around 12v. Did I mention I'm an idiot.. but I am learning as I go.. hopefully it won't be to expensive. So rethinking this....it would appear that the voltage really is low. And as i rethought everything.. it does make sense. When I was riding Saturday at speed it was green (not blinking) and would drop to red when the rpms got lower. The 17v reading only came into play after I pulled everthing apart to clean/check plugs and grounds... and didn't plug the headlights back in (no idea why). So tomorrow night I'll do some more testing (and learning). I know.. I'm a idiot.. but be gentle  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ft_bstrd |
All of the new models(08+) have lower output stators. They also went from three phase to single phase. I believe it allows them to run thicker wiring as well as to keep the peak power much lower. I believe that there is less plugged into the Uly's than expected and more people are actually riding them like sportbikes instead of low RPM tourers. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
Mine is an '06? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ft_bstrd |
Sorry. I was answering PSO's question. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reepicheep |
The way the VR works, it should not have mattered if the headlight was plugged in or not. Unplugging the headlight would have made the VR get hotter faster, but should not effect its ability to regulate. Are you sure you didn't fuss with the VR connector when you were hooking the headlight back up? Maybe it had a bad connection... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
Thats what I would have thought.. but there was a difference. Between the readings (from last night) the only thing I touched was the headlight plug. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reepicheep |
Ummm, you were measuring the bike voltage, like right off the battery, not the output of the HID transformer to the HID bulb, right?  That could be a hair raising experience! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gamdh |
right off the battery...HID's are not on the bike, they went back to the manufacturer. The light in my comment above was the Headlight. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reepicheep |
Yikes. What kind of imparted voltage to you think it would take to raise the battery to 17 volts? Good thing you shut it down. Is the meter trustworthy? Were the settings right? Is the ground for the voltage regulator good? (I think it grounds off the body of the regulator through a bolt to the mounting bracket, but I could be wrong). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Red_chili |
Now THERE'S a thought... floating a VR above ground would lead to some very flaky regulation. Wouldn't it be interesting if this turned out to be part of the VR/stator/77 connector issue? Just sayin'. And if you didn't verify the ground before touching it, a new VR might very well fix the problem only by improving the ground... ??? Naw. Couldn't be. (Message edited by Red_Chili on August 21, 2008) |
