So it sounds like you have effectively delta with the charging system so it may be time to isolate any drains. With the engine rev'd to 4k or higher you should see 14+ volts. To pull the charging system down to 11 would mean quite a current drain. Maybe look for loose ground connections?

Assuming the battery is good (and this might be a bad assumption since batteries that test good can still misbehave under intermittent conditions) the next big current drain would be the HIDs. Try disconnecting them before the transformers and see if voltages change. I don't think the PC could drain enough current to hold the voltage low.

I hate to say it but I would reconsider the battery. Intermittent shorts inside the battery can play havoc. Try replacing if all else fails.

 

I had issues with my charging system. Was told hid kits can wreck havoc on charging systems didn't really believe it till had had to get my bike towed home. Replaced battery,stator,and regulator and both hids didn't work so ditched them haven't had an issue since.

 

It sounds to me like something has been demagnatized. If you are still only getting 42 VAC on each phase from the alternator, it sounds like that is where your problem still is.

If the AC peaks aren't high enough you cannot get the DC voltage you need.

The alternator is made of two parts, the rotor and the stator. You create the field by passing the rotor quickly over the static windings (stator).

If the magnetics in one component are weak, it won't generate the field.

 

Good point RJ. If the flywheel has lost some magnetism the voltage from the alternator would be low but the OP reported the voltage came up when the stator was replaced and the 42V was spec (sounds low I agree). Also if I remember right as speed goes up does the voltage from the stator go up? If so, is the 42 V a reading a say 5k rpm?

If disconnecting the HIDs has no effect you may have to replace the flywheel.

 

I picked up an Alternator tester at Harbor Freight for less than 5$ if you don't have a multi-meter. Just wanted to see how well it worked and its smaller than carrying around my Fluke meter for a quick test. It will tell you if your stator is running correctly with the ignition off and while its running. Revving the throttle will turn on another LED to indicate your voltage comes up with throttle. Sounds like you could have a bad connection ( loose or corroded ) or short to ground. Check where the rectifier plugs into the harness and check the quick disconnects on the stator ( I had to put the connections on myself and crimp them, don't know if you had to do the same or not ). Check each stator connection from the stator to the motor casing. Also check rectifier/ regulator plug to the rectifier itself to check for short to ground there.

 

Thanks guys im going to try to unplug the HIDs tonight and see what happens. When i tested the stator output it was 42v at either 4k or 5k i cant remember which exactly but probably would have kept going up, just didnt want to piss the neighbors off haha. Its been a month or two and havent been able to ride because im always waiting on parts then i finally get the parts and its still not working its killing me. How would i test the Regulator to make sure that its putting out the right amount?

 

If you are using a Voltmeter to check the voltages at the output of the alternator (stator) and at the output of the regulator/recitfier..... not to sound insulting, but you do know that the alternator is in VAC, and the regulator/rectifier is in VDC, right?

The output of the regulator is going to be between 12 and 14.6 volts, DC as measured across the battery terminals with the battery in circuit. If you don't see any increase in voltage on the battery after the bike starts and you have it rev'd up a bit you aren't getting any juice to the battery.

You may have a fuse blown. Have you checked?

 

My manual ('14 636) says to use a special tool for testing the regulator. Not sure about yours. I think it usually comes down to a process of elimination. There is a good set of "if this then that..." notes in the service manual that can help isolate the fault.

From what you described, the manual for my bike would suggest too strong a load (short to ground, intermittent short int the battery, maybe the HIDs or something else). Or the magnets are too week. Has this bike been in a accident?, dropped?, any damage?

 

Its been dropped or wrecked yea. Doesnt look like very much damage though just a few small scratches on the fairings and the mirror. Ill post what i find after unplugging the HID tonight. Really don't want to tear the stator cover off again so hoping its not flywheel. I know there was definitely magnetism when I changed that because it was pulling on the cover when i took it off and put it back on.

 

i forgot to add there is a switch that turns the fan on and off that someone rigged up. doesnt look like they did a very good job with that but not sure if that would make any difference.

 

Tried to unplug the lights and test but made no difference. Must be a short somewhere. I can't decide what to do. Take it to a shop or keep trying. I'm not good with electrical

 

While I would probably start digging in, if you are not good with an ohm meter and cautious about tearing into the electrical system, it may be time for a good shop. Tracking down a short or a something worse like a low resistance to ground (corrosion induced or some other contamination) can be aggravating. I don't live in your area so I can't make recommendations. If you go this route I would write down everything I've done and give it to them so the mechanic has a starting place.

BTW, the fan switch? Could this mean there is a relay problem? Is there a fan relay still in place? This may be a place to investigate. Sorry I couldn't help more.

 

If you are using a Voltmeter to check the voltages at the output of the alternator (stator) and at the output of the regulator/recitfier..... not to sound insulting, but you do know that the alternator is in VAC, and the regulator/rectifier is in VDC, right?

The output of the regulator is going to be between 12 and 14.6 volts, DC as measured across the battery terminals with the battery in circuit. If you don't see any increase in voltage on the battery after the bike starts and you have it rev'd up a bit you aren't getting any juice to the battery.

You may have a fuse blown. Have you checked?

Yea the multimeter i have is supposed to do that automatically and i checked it was measuring the correct one. i checked the fuses under the back seat but none say anything about the charging system. would there be fuses anywhere else i could check?

 

Many times there is a fusible link built into the battery cable itself.

If you disconnect the battery (both cables at the battery terminals) and use the Ohms function, you can see if the cables are complete. It's usually the positive lead that has the link (at least on cars). When you touch the leads on the meter together in Ohms, the number should drop to just about zero to indicate a short circuit between the leads.

You want to see a similar low number when you touch both ends of either the positive or negative battery cable. If one reads very high resistance, you cannot have current flow. No flow, no charging.

On a steel framed bike, the negative cable will tie to the frame.... from the tip of the cable that should connect to the battery, to the frame, you should see less than one Ohm of resistance.

 

ok ill test that tonight. where do i touch the multimeter leads to? everything to ground right? probably a dumb question just want to confirm.

 

The positive cable between the battery and your electrical system should go from your regulator/rectifier, straight to the battery.... it could well go through a fuse block on the way there, but it's usually a direct connection.

 

Ok haven't had time to test the wires yet for shorts but something weird did happen. My dad decided to take it out on a ride around town and it died on him like a dead battery. He said the speedo and gauges read zero and it eventually just started sputtering and died. He ended up having to push it home about 5 miles and just about gave himself a heart attack but anyways I finally got time tonight to come test some things so I get here check the battery and it reads 12v but it hasn't been charged since he thought he killed it. Anyways I thought what the hell that's weird so I tried to start it and it started right up like the battery was fully charged. Makes no sense to me fully charged battery at 12 volts starts right up but Friday died on my dad and clicked like a dead battery. To me it seems like it was kept charged? I don't know I'm lost on it now

 

If I had a bad battery would that make my bike not show the correct reading from the regulator? It started about 3 or 4 times but now it's dead again.

 

Any wet cell battery will 'recover' if it sits for a while after you have drained it. It takes time for the battery to balance the charges between the cells.

From your description, it sounds like you aren't getting anything to the battery.

Alternator (which is made of the rotor and stator) > Rectifier > regulator > battery & all other electrical connections on the bike.

Bad alternator = Incorrect AC Voltages out.... at that point, you are running on the battery until it runs out of juice.

If the alternator is still putting out 50+ VAC on all three phases, the rectifier is supposed to turn that into DC volts, anywhere from 12-16 VDC. If the rectifier dies, you get zero VDC from the alternator, and the bike runs on the battery until it runs out of juice.

If the alternator and the rectifier are good, but the regulator is bad, you MAY get zero VDC, or you might get >14 VDC.... your bike may run..... but you could easily damage the ECU due to overvoltage. If the regulator is open, so you don't get power from the alternator,the bike runs on the battery until it runs out of juice.

The shop manual available on this site has the whole troubleshooting process listed in it. Either download the manual and follow the procedures listed there, or take the bike to a shop and pay them to do this for you.

 

I know this is an old thread buy I just found my problem. I can't figure out how to upload a picture from my phone to here easily so I'll try to explain what it looks like. There are 4 of these little square connector boxes with caps on top of them. You can pop the cap off and there is a metal piece with 6 male parts that plug into the connecter. Anyways one of them was burnt up I cleaned the melted plastic off and now it works. Just need to figure out the name of this little connector so I can buy a new one

 

 

Glad you figured it out..... at least you have identified the point of failure; that doesn't necessarily mean you have it fixed -- what caused that to melt? Is it sitting on the exhaust somehow?

 

Not sure. I don't think it's near the exhaust. I know the stator wasn't putting out the correct amount before I replaced it and the regulator. Maybe that could have caused them to go bad if it got to hot or something. I'll have to look at what it's by. It seems like it's not really near any other parts that would have gotten it hot. Maybe I'll run it in the garage and see if those wires get hot

 

Any idea what that little connector box would be called so I can order one?

 

Anyone figure this out I had a prob of my bike dying replaced parts and battery too and I did have a burned up wire to that little capped thing and I swapped the one wire but mangled the plastic part

 

That looks like a 'JUMPER MOD' to me...maybe... was there a wire inserted into both connector holes...under the cap? if yes it is a jumper...

If no it could easily be bugs or spider eggs or something that arced the wires...

It might be for the power commander...bypassing a sensor... or there used to be some component that plugged in there (if it's a jumper mod or for the power commander)