Voltmeter going crazy
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 440
Likes: 1
From: NW Burbs of Chicago
Thanks all.
I had checked the battery connections but not the gauge. Pulled and cleaned them and the problem seems to have disappeared. But I haven't been able to ride any distances yet so I'm not too sure yet.
I had checked the battery connections but not the gauge. Pulled and cleaned them and the problem seems to have disappeared. But I haven't been able to ride any distances yet so I'm not too sure yet.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 213
Likes: 2
Regulators are apart that goes bad often. I carry a spare with me. I mounted it on top of the one on the bike and have used my sprare in the past.
HD regulators and after market, in my opinion I have not had luck with any of them to say that they lasted over 5 years would not be true. I have gone through about 6 regulators in 20 years.
HD regulators and after market, in my opinion I have not had luck with any of them to say that they lasted over 5 years would not be true. I have gone through about 6 regulators in 20 years.
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 817
Likes: 1
From: N.E. Ohio
I have gone thru 3 in 23 years and 78,000. I updated my system in 1991 to a 32 amp. I use a battery tender religiously. Dr Hess it sounds like we got our bikes about a year apart. I rode my buddys 86 and it made want a bagger.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,199
Likes: 3,087
From: NW AR
I rode a shovelhead FLH Classic to Sturgis in 1986. When I got home, the next day I put ten large in my pocket and started driving south, stopping at each dealer I came across, except the one in Bryan, which at the time was a serious thief (it's changed owners twice since then). Wound up at Stubb's in Houston and bought my bike there, Aug 6, 1986. A year later, we were at a dealer in Lethbridge, Alberta to get some spark plugs, not that I needed them, just to have some extras on hand, and saw Dr.Linda's Sportster on the showroom floor. Being a Rich American Seaman at the time, I bought it and she rode it 8000 miles home. It was August 6th, 1987, at about the same time of day. I stay out of dealers on August 6th now.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,404
Likes: 2,605
From: NC USA
My first regulator wasn't bad in '89 but I thought it was because the voltage would go up and down. I replaced it only to realize it dropped a lot whenever the radio hit a bass note... duh! #2 started charging 15+ after a year and #s 3 thru 7 were cheap aftermarket that seemed to go out about every second oil change. It became an unfunny joke that when I bought an oil filter, primary fluid and trans fluid, he'd set a regulator on the counter and and charge me for it!
I upgraded with an aftermarket 32 amp kit. The kit regulator lasted 6000 miles and I replaced it with a Compu-fire brand, series type, a little more money than OEM but Made in USA. The stator went out a year later due to overheating (I assume) because of a bad main seal pumping primary fluid to the oil side, I was on a trip and didn't catch it in time. Went back with OEM stator which was competively priced. The Compu-fire reg has 2.5 years and about 30,000 miles on it, lived thru one shorted stator and still holding up. (but I still carry a cheap spare in the TourPak)
I upgraded with an aftermarket 32 amp kit. The kit regulator lasted 6000 miles and I replaced it with a Compu-fire brand, series type, a little more money than OEM but Made in USA. The stator went out a year later due to overheating (I assume) because of a bad main seal pumping primary fluid to the oil side, I was on a trip and didn't catch it in time. Went back with OEM stator which was competively priced. The Compu-fire reg has 2.5 years and about 30,000 miles on it, lived thru one shorted stator and still holding up. (but I still carry a cheap spare in the TourPak)
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 817
Likes: 1
From: N.E. Ohio
t150veg do you run extra lights? Seems like you have a lot of problems. I used to have the old style 6 bullet light on the back. I got tired of it and took it off. I had a 78 Lowrider and my friend had a new 86FLHTC. We were out around 80 miles from home and he said "ride my bike home,see if you like it". Yeah like take the puppy home and if the kids don't like it bring it back. I bought min a few weeks later but, had to wait for it to come in. Picked up June 6,1987
HDF Community Team
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,404
Likes: 2,605
From: NC USA
I attribute 60% of my past problems to ignorance on my part for not using dielectric compound on the connectors and at least 20% to the less than adequate tiny pins of the 22 amp system uses which do not offer a very snug contact between the regulator and stator plugs. The remaining 20% I file under cheap replacements I've used and chit happpens catagories
Actually, my original stator (22amp) held up thru all those cheap regs over the course of 20 years and 85,000 miles. I'd replaced the stator plug end once, but of course the part was an import which dried out, shorted out and caught fire after 3 years. That's when I went 32 amp and the kit was aftermarket so no surprise on that regulator and the primary oil problem I mentioned earlier (post 16) is definitely the cause for that stator failure.
Last edited by t150vej; Jan 31, 2011 at 07:37 AM.
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Novice
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: NW Ohio
Mine was doing the same thing, finally traced it down to the 4-pack bullet lights in the back were over current for the circuit protector.
My total amperage with the bullet lights was over 18 amps, without was closer to 12 amps (15A circuit breaker)
Changed all of my bullet lights, tour pack lights and brake light to LED's
I use only white 5050 SMD LEDs (much brighter 10,000mcd per single LED)
Now I am down around 9A with everything connected and additional lighting installed.
Get some good dielectric grease and clean all of your connections, then apply it generously....the connectors are crap at best and can really use the DEG to fill the voids and keep arcing from becoming a problem (less corrosion this way)
Good Luck!
Shawn
My total amperage with the bullet lights was over 18 amps, without was closer to 12 amps (15A circuit breaker)
Changed all of my bullet lights, tour pack lights and brake light to LED's
I use only white 5050 SMD LEDs (much brighter 10,000mcd per single LED)
Now I am down around 9A with everything connected and additional lighting installed.
Get some good dielectric grease and clean all of your connections, then apply it generously....the connectors are crap at best and can really use the DEG to fill the voids and keep arcing from becoming a problem (less corrosion this way)
Good Luck!
Shawn
Last edited by dragonfire1970; Apr 30, 2010 at 10:29 AM. Reason: Can't speel
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 817
Likes: 1
From: N.E. Ohio
When I got my first bike ( Lowrider ) I broke my clutch cable at a friends house. Right around the corner from this Indy shop. I walk over buy a cable,. They only have a aftermarket cable. Guy tells me it as good or better than stock HD. Put it on and lube it. good to go. About 2 week later I am going to said freind house, pull in clutch to down shift,and PING it snaps. Make to indy shop go in and the owner tells me that I should have got the " Heavy duty cable". Says no warr etc and more BS. I gave my buddy money and had him got to the HD dealer and get me a cable. So the point of my story is Iam once bitten on aftermarket parts. I agree that some of the charging system AM are nice but as Dr Hess said parts are not readily avalible. I just replaced my stator and went with a HD. The one I replaced was a HD 32 amp that lasted 19 years.
Last edited by BB4xl; May 1, 2010 at 09:19 PM.
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