Second opinion on faulty regulator
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 140
From: Edinburgh UK
Second opinion on faulty regulator
Hi All
For my COVID allowed exercise I went out for a short run the other day ...on the bike
(2018 Fatboy 114, 5K miles)
Anyways, the battery light came on, then the speedo started playing silly beggers so I stopped and restarted. was ok for a short while then the battery light came on again.
Went home, parked bike up, but battery light was still on even tho the bike was off and no power? Two days later, battery completely flat, but eventually charged up ok.
So, fired up bike, but battery only 12.1 volts - obviously not charging
Stator tests ok, with no shorts to ground, and output same AC volts on all pins (19 volts I think it was). Plus stator into regulator but there is next to no volts output.
Does this look like a duff regulator to you experts out there or have I missed some better testing? There were no codes other than the low voltage at ecu
many thanks
btw... Ł200 for a regulator in the uk
For my COVID allowed exercise I went out for a short run the other day ...on the bike
(2018 Fatboy 114, 5K miles)Anyways, the battery light came on, then the speedo started playing silly beggers so I stopped and restarted. was ok for a short while then the battery light came on again.
Went home, parked bike up, but battery light was still on even tho the bike was off and no power? Two days later, battery completely flat, but eventually charged up ok.
So, fired up bike, but battery only 12.1 volts - obviously not charging
Stator tests ok, with no shorts to ground, and output same AC volts on all pins (19 volts I think it was). Plus stator into regulator but there is next to no volts output.
Does this look like a duff regulator to you experts out there
or have I missed some better testing? There were no codes other than the low voltage at ecumany thanks
btw... Ł200 for a regulator in the uk
Last edited by Gordon61; May 24, 2020 at 09:56 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 32,934
Likes: 36,032
From: Carlsbad, CA
I’d take the battery to someplace that can test it including a load test. If the battery tests fine, then most likely it’s the regulator. It’s extremely unlikely the stator is bad based upon age of bike.
You can also follow the diagnostic procedure in the sticky in the electrical sub-forum.
You can also follow the diagnostic procedure in the sticky in the electrical sub-forum.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 978
Likes: 423
From: UK
I had a regulator fail on an 18 fatbob. In my case it gave no prior warning. Bike just wouldn't restart. Battery was fine and not replaced. I guess they can fail in different ways, no output looks suspect, but it might just be your battery, see if you can get it tested?
Always thought it's a strange place to locate the regulators, where muck and stones get thrown up. Surprised they're not more prone to fail.
Always thought it's a strange place to locate the regulators, where muck and stones get thrown up. Surprised they're not more prone to fail.
Last edited by Mart; May 24, 2020 at 05:33 PM.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 140
From: Edinburgh UK
Thanks guys. The killer is mine is 2 years 8 months ...so technically out of warranty. With less than 5K miles on the clock tho, I'm hoping Harley may agree that this is way less than the expected life of the unit and help me out.
If anyone is working that is
If anyone is working that is
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 140
From: Edinburgh UK
just to confirm testing
The stator gives out about 14v AC on each pin referenced to ground. Across any two of the pins it gives about 24v AC
And the motor company said their warranty was 2 years and that maybe the dealer could do something. There is the Consumer Rights Act in the UK which says stuff should last for a serviceable about of time, but that is screwing the dealer over for the motor companies shoddy bits
The stator gives out about 14v AC on each pin referenced to ground. Across any two of the pins it gives about 24v AC
And the motor company said their warranty was 2 years and that maybe the dealer could do something. There is the Consumer Rights Act in the UK which says stuff should last for a serviceable about of time, but that is screwing the dealer over for the motor companies shoddy bits
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 140
From: Edinburgh UK
So a little update ...there are no regulators in Europe and I'm not likely to see one until at least the start of July ish ...so to say I'm really peed off would be an understatement
So I'm bored and wonder what could have happened to it. I can't get into it for a look at components or anything so ended up chucking it on the carpet in the living room with a bit of force ...it didn't bounce.
I plugged it into the bike again to see if anything had happened (because I'm still bored rather than expecting anything to have changed) but ...it now works again and gives 14.5 volts on the output.
Now that was only a 10 min warm up rather than out for a decent run so I'm expecting it to give up again. Apart from anything else if a thump can get it going again there is obviously something broken/loose inside.
Question - if anyone else has tried this (can't imagine why, but you never know) - if you disconnect the output connector, should the regulator still show 14 volt across the output pins? this one shows more or less no volts, but when plugged in it is charging the battery at 14.5 Does it maybe need the ground on the output for the regulator to work at all?
I think I'm still needing a replacement but, well, boredom asks daft questions
So I'm bored and wonder what could have happened to it. I can't get into it for a look at components or anything so ended up chucking it on the carpet in the living room with a bit of force ...it didn't bounce.
I plugged it into the bike again to see if anything had happened (because I'm still bored rather than expecting anything to have changed) but ...it now works again and gives 14.5 volts on the output.
Now that was only a 10 min warm up rather than out for a decent run so I'm expecting it to give up again. Apart from anything else if a thump can get it going again there is obviously something broken/loose inside.
Question - if anyone else has tried this (can't imagine why, but you never know) - if you disconnect the output connector, should the regulator still show 14 volt across the output pins? this one shows more or less no volts, but when plugged in it is charging the battery at 14.5 Does it maybe need the ground on the output for the regulator to work at all?
I think I'm still needing a replacement but, well, boredom asks daft questions
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,325
Likes: 140
From: Edinburgh UK
Still bored
That bit in the middle of the back of the regulator sounded hollow so nothing to lose I picked around at the sealant and managed to get a cover to come off.
Not much help tbh, because what I discovered was what looked like slivers and little lumps of green corroded copper. Inside you can see the boards and the main trannys all look good and test ok in circuit but there is a silicon coating over everything, presumably to protect from moisture. Well, it would have if they had actually used enough to cover the components properly. I can't see where the corrosion has come from, what I can see is all good apart from the loose bits sitting across the tranny legs. I gave it a proper wash out with alcohol and even more sh1te came up from under where the connectors are.
So there's the answer, cheap POS that wasn't sealed properly. Probably just as well ordering a cheap one from china, can't be made any worse than this!
That bit in the middle of the back of the regulator sounded hollow so nothing to lose I picked around at the sealant and managed to get a cover to come off.
Not much help tbh, because what I discovered was what looked like slivers and little lumps of green corroded copper. Inside you can see the boards and the main trannys all look good and test ok in circuit but there is a silicon coating over everything, presumably to protect from moisture. Well, it would have if they had actually used enough to cover the components properly. I can't see where the corrosion has come from, what I can see is all good apart from the loose bits sitting across the tranny legs. I gave it a proper wash out with alcohol and even more sh1te came up from under where the connectors are.
So there's the answer, cheap POS that wasn't sealed properly. Probably just as well ordering a cheap one from china, can't be made any worse than this!
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