Electrician
Same here always was at 14.10 at idle . It was on the freeway for 30 mins. When I got off the freeway and stopped at the light. The volts started to drop to 12.7 which has me thinking something must be rubbing thru.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,549
Likes: 30,889
From: Pennsylvania
Make sure your battery is fully charged before taking any readings or doing any diagnostics. Sometimes the VR will cycle charging the battery trying to get it fully charged. Best to charge the battery fully with a battery tender, which can take a few hours or longer depending on the battery level.
Make sure your battery is fully charged before taking any readings or doing any diagnostics. Sometimes the VR will cycle charging the battery trying to get it fully charged. Best to charge the battery fully with a battery tender, which can take a few hours or longer depending on the battery level.
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 7,683
Likes: 8,415
From: Utah
Odd that it happens after 10 min, something gets warm then????
I'd run the stator checks when it's doing it and make sure it looks good.
This is from Harley Manual, Cycle Electric values might be different. The gist of the test is if the stator looks good check the conductors from the VR to Battery + and ground the resistance should be <1 ohm, if not the VR is suspect. Call Cycle Electric and explain the problem.
Stator testing
Turn the bike off and disconnect the Stator from the Voltage Regulator.
Testing a 3 phase Stator, (A single phase stator is tested in the same manner but the plug will only have 2 sockets).
The end of the connector from the stator has 3 sockets. Set your meter to ohms and connect one lead to the battery negative. With the other lead make contact with the conductors inside each socket. You are checking for a grounded coil winding, each socket should show an open circuit to ground, no continuity.
Now take both meter leads and check resistance between each of the three sockets, 1-2, 2-3 and 1-3. The resistance should be 0.1 0.3 ohm.
Next check the Stators AC output. Set the meter to ACV 100V scale. With the Stator unplugged from the VR and the bike in neutral, start the bike. Run the bike at 2,000 rpm and check the Stator output between sockets 1-2, 2-3 and 1-3. The voltage should read approximately 32-46 Volts AC, for the 50 amp Stator. Stators with other Amp ratings will be similar.
If the Stator continuity tests to ground and Phase to Phase are good but the output is not the Rotor may be bad.
One other indication that the stator may be bad is if your primary oil smells like a burnt circuit board.
Voltage Regulator Testing
Voltage readings of 15.5V and higher test wire from VR negative to battery negative, if less than 0.5 ohm replace Voltage Regulator.
If the output is less than 13V from the Voltage Regulator to the battery and the Stator output is good, disconnect the output cable from the VR to the Battery. Check continuity between the Voltage Regulator Positive wire and the battery Positive and the negative wire and battery negative. Repair or replace cable if needed. If the cables are good and the Stator tested well replace the Voltage Regulator.
I'd run the stator checks when it's doing it and make sure it looks good.
This is from Harley Manual, Cycle Electric values might be different. The gist of the test is if the stator looks good check the conductors from the VR to Battery + and ground the resistance should be <1 ohm, if not the VR is suspect. Call Cycle Electric and explain the problem.
Stator testing
Turn the bike off and disconnect the Stator from the Voltage Regulator.
Testing a 3 phase Stator, (A single phase stator is tested in the same manner but the plug will only have 2 sockets).
The end of the connector from the stator has 3 sockets. Set your meter to ohms and connect one lead to the battery negative. With the other lead make contact with the conductors inside each socket. You are checking for a grounded coil winding, each socket should show an open circuit to ground, no continuity.
Now take both meter leads and check resistance between each of the three sockets, 1-2, 2-3 and 1-3. The resistance should be 0.1 0.3 ohm.
Next check the Stators AC output. Set the meter to ACV 100V scale. With the Stator unplugged from the VR and the bike in neutral, start the bike. Run the bike at 2,000 rpm and check the Stator output between sockets 1-2, 2-3 and 1-3. The voltage should read approximately 32-46 Volts AC, for the 50 amp Stator. Stators with other Amp ratings will be similar.
If the Stator continuity tests to ground and Phase to Phase are good but the output is not the Rotor may be bad.
One other indication that the stator may be bad is if your primary oil smells like a burnt circuit board.
Voltage Regulator Testing
Voltage readings of 15.5V and higher test wire from VR negative to battery negative, if less than 0.5 ohm replace Voltage Regulator.
If the output is less than 13V from the Voltage Regulator to the battery and the Stator output is good, disconnect the output cable from the VR to the Battery. Check continuity between the Voltage Regulator Positive wire and the battery Positive and the negative wire and battery negative. Repair or replace cable if needed. If the cables are good and the Stator tested well replace the Voltage Regulator.
Last edited by Vernal; Feb 21, 2020 at 07:53 AM.
Odd that it happens after 10 min, something gets warm then????
I'd run the stator checks when it's doing it and make sure it looks good.
This is from Harley Manual, Cycle Electric values might be different. The gist of the test is if the stator looks good check the conductors from the VR to Battery + and ground the resistance should be <1 ohm, if not the VR is suspect. Call Cycle Electric and explain the problem.
Stator testing
Turn the bike off and disconnect the Stator from the Voltage Regulator.
Testing a 3 phase Stator, (A single phase stator is tested in the same manner but the plug will only have 2 sockets).
The end of the connector from the stator has 3 sockets. Set your meter to ohms and connect one lead to the battery negative. With the other lead make contact with the conductors inside each socket. You are checking for a grounded coil winding, each socket should show an open circuit to ground, no continuity.
Now take both meter leads and check resistance between each of the three sockets, 1-2, 2-3 and 1-3. The resistance should be 0.1 0.3 ohm.
Next check the Stators AC output. Set the meter to ACV 100V scale. With the Stator unplugged from the VR and the bike in neutral, start the bike. Run the bike at 2,000 rpm and check the Stator output between sockets 1-2, 2-3 and 1-3. The voltage should read approximately 32-46 Volts AC, for the 50 amp Stator. Stators with other Amp ratings will be similar.
If the Stator continuity tests to ground and Phase to Phase are good but the output is not the Rotor may be bad.
One other indication that the stator may be bad is if your primary oil smells like a burnt circuit board.
Voltage Regulator Testing
Voltage readings of 15.5V and higher test wire from VR negative to battery negative, if less than 0.5 ohm replace Voltage Regulator.
If the output is less than 13V from the Voltage Regulator to the battery and the Stator output is good, disconnect the output cable from the VR to the Battery. Check continuity between the Voltage Regulator Positive wire and the battery Positive and the negative wire and battery negative. Repair or replace cable if needed. If the cables are good and the Stator tested well replace the Voltage Regulator.
I'd run the stator checks when it's doing it and make sure it looks good.
This is from Harley Manual, Cycle Electric values might be different. The gist of the test is if the stator looks good check the conductors from the VR to Battery + and ground the resistance should be <1 ohm, if not the VR is suspect. Call Cycle Electric and explain the problem.
Stator testing
Turn the bike off and disconnect the Stator from the Voltage Regulator.
Testing a 3 phase Stator, (A single phase stator is tested in the same manner but the plug will only have 2 sockets).
The end of the connector from the stator has 3 sockets. Set your meter to ohms and connect one lead to the battery negative. With the other lead make contact with the conductors inside each socket. You are checking for a grounded coil winding, each socket should show an open circuit to ground, no continuity.
Now take both meter leads and check resistance between each of the three sockets, 1-2, 2-3 and 1-3. The resistance should be 0.1 0.3 ohm.
Next check the Stators AC output. Set the meter to ACV 100V scale. With the Stator unplugged from the VR and the bike in neutral, start the bike. Run the bike at 2,000 rpm and check the Stator output between sockets 1-2, 2-3 and 1-3. The voltage should read approximately 32-46 Volts AC, for the 50 amp Stator. Stators with other Amp ratings will be similar.
If the Stator continuity tests to ground and Phase to Phase are good but the output is not the Rotor may be bad.
One other indication that the stator may be bad is if your primary oil smells like a burnt circuit board.
Voltage Regulator Testing
Voltage readings of 15.5V and higher test wire from VR negative to battery negative, if less than 0.5 ohm replace Voltage Regulator.
If the output is less than 13V from the Voltage Regulator to the battery and the Stator output is good, disconnect the output cable from the VR to the Battery. Check continuity between the Voltage Regulator Positive wire and the battery Positive and the negative wire and battery negative. Repair or replace cable if needed. If the cables are good and the Stator tested well replace the Voltage Regulator.
Amps out of VR positive 2.57 negative lead 2.67 and the both go up if revved opps that was ac current not DC. I have to retest had my meter on the wrong setting
Last edited by 1 2 many; Feb 21, 2020 at 03:56 PM.
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 761
Likes: 369
From: Winnipeg
Id send an email to cycle elect. and let them know of your concerns. Maybe their system drops the voltage as the battery becomes fully charged- then increases it only when needed? It could be a VR fault too......