Poor Bertha... stranded with electrical problems...
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: North Atlanta Area, GA
I had that happen last week on my 99 FXSTC. I rode it to town, shut it off, and it would not restart. Called my sweetie, and told her to bring the jumper cables. Got her started, and rode home. Charged the battery, and then did the checks as above. No charging at battery, good AC volts at alternator plug. Changed regulator and all is well again.
I had not thought about it until this happened, but I have no charge light on my bike. Even my old 84 Iron Head Sportster had a charge light. Go figure.
I had not thought about it until this happened, but I have no charge light on my bike. Even my old 84 Iron Head Sportster had a charge light. Go figure.
With all of the other stuff on Bertha, I would think she would have a charging light too... but she doesn't. In her dash, she just has turn signal, oil, neutral, and high beam lights... plus that awesome Police PURSUIT light that I have rigged to always be on!
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: North Atlanta Area, GA
mjunk1, your problem isn't the multimeter. Your problem is lacking a basic understanding of electricty. Once you understand the physics behind it, then the meter will make sense. It all starts with atomic structure and electrons. That's where you have to start, then work your way up from there. It really isn't complicated or difficult. Electrons flow in a conductor like water in a pipe. Current is the flow rate, measured in Amps. Pressure is measured in Volts. Resistance (to flow) is measured in Ohms. All three are mathmatically related as: Current = pressure divided by resistance, or I=E/R where I is current in Amps, E is voltage (electromotive force) and R is Resistance in Ohms. You can rearrange the numbers with simple Jr.High algebra and solve for any of those in realtion to the other two.
You have to look at what your measuring, think about what it is you want to know, then set your meter to the appropriate scale. Never try to measure ohms on a live circuit. For most users, never use the Amp (current) settings at all.
And as Doug sez, if you have the meter set at current (amps, miliamps) and put it across a voltage source like a battery or the stator (running), then you will blow the meter or at least the fuse in it, or the circuit your testing, depending on what's weakest. Same thing with putting it on Ohms and putting it across a big voltage source. This is a common amateurish mistake, but I've seen professional Maritime Engineers (schoolship boys yet, that is, Maritime Academy graduates) do this regularly. I was on one ship where they blew both of their Simpson meters doing that, then got upset when I wouldn't give them mine to use.
You have to look at what your measuring, think about what it is you want to know, then set your meter to the appropriate scale. Never try to measure ohms on a live circuit. For most users, never use the Amp (current) settings at all.
And as Doug sez, if you have the meter set at current (amps, miliamps) and put it across a voltage source like a battery or the stator (running), then you will blow the meter or at least the fuse in it, or the circuit your testing, depending on what's weakest. Same thing with putting it on Ohms and putting it across a big voltage source. This is a common amateurish mistake, but I've seen professional Maritime Engineers (schoolship boys yet, that is, Maritime Academy graduates) do this regularly. I was on one ship where they blew both of their Simpson meters doing that, then got upset when I wouldn't give them mine to use.
Ummm... can I borrow it sometime?
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From: North Atlanta Area, GA
Us Southern rednecks are stubborn, but we make up for it in SHEER STUPIDITY!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,856
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From: Middle of Kansas
Hey Hawg; Glad you found the problem. I was a little surprised when checking mine with the meter that the regulator checked out good in that respect, but the stator was putting out fine, so it had to be the regulator. The meter checks for the regulator do not always tell the story. The regulator is fairly easy to change, and just one wire on mine that goes to the breaker on the rear fender. Be sure and take the battery cables off when you go to install the regulator. To easy to short stuff when you are prying that breaker off of the rear fender if it is like mine, and those wires are hot all the time with the battery hooked up. I think my new one was $97.00 at HD.
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: North Atlanta Area, GA
Hey Hawg; Glad you found the problem. I was a little surprised when checking mine with the meter that the regulator checked out good in that respect, but the stator was putting out fine, so it had to be the regulator. The meter checks for the regulator do not always tell the story. The regulator is fairly easy to change, and just one wire on mine that goes to the breaker on the rear fender. Be sure and take the battery cables off when you go to install the regulator. To easy to short stuff when you are prying that breaker off of the rear fender if it is like mine, and those wires are hot all the time with the battery hooked up. I think my new one was $97.00 at HD.
Bertha's BACK, Boyz!!!
Stopped by the H-D dealer today and got a new regulator ($100, H-D = "Hunned Dollahs"!) and installed it just now. Battery tests out fine - with readings of 12.9 V with her off, 12.37 V on but not running, 13.2 V at idle, and all the way up to 14.21 V at 2500 RPM!
Glad this little adventure is OVER... thanks again to everyone for your help and suggestions - especially you Doc, with your nice "How To..." article, and you Mr1986FLST for "gently" reminding me to heed the Doc's advice about measuring AC voltage! A rubber mallet to my thick skull might have been even more effective, however...
Only took about 30 minutes to install the new regulator, run the wire to the breaker, crimp the connector, and connect it to the 50 A main breaker. On Bertha, this little breaker is located in front of the battery, in a little snap-fit holder behind the left side cover, in an unreasonably difficult place to access. I think they put the damn thing in a different place every year just to make things interesting for us amateur wrenches! Took longer than the install time to scrub all the dirt and grease of off my hands!
Jim K. - yeah, I always disconnect the negative battery connection first and put the wire well away from the battery terminal, then the positive terminal just to be safe (even though with the negative cable disconnected, nothing can happen).
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Joined: May 2009
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From: Middle of Kansas
Glad you got her back on the road without having to remove all the stuff to replace the stator. Plus 1 on that breaker. Mine was on the front of the rear fender behind the oil tank. Had to reach in with a long screw driver to pop it out of the holder. Once out, I had enough slack in the wires to pull it out where I could work with it. It was a little tricky getting it back in there also.
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From: North Atlanta Area, GA
Glad you got her back on the road without having to remove all the stuff to replace the stator. Plus 1 on that breaker. Mine was on the front of the rear fender behind the oil tank. Had to reach in with a long screw driver to pop it out of the holder. Once out, I had enough slack in the wires to pull it out where I could work with it. It was a little tricky getting it back in there also.
Ditto here on the main breaker. There's PLENTY of room on the fuse panel behind the left side cover - right out there in the open - that they could have used to mount the breaker. But NOOOO... the "best" place they could find is on a little snap mount on the backside of the big center frame plate in front of the battery, about 2" in, where it's very difficult to get to. Why do they DO things like that???
I popped it out of the snap mount with a screwdriver, too, then pulled it out into the open as far as the wires would let it. Got the new wire on easily, but it was a chore getting it back into the snap mount and pressing down on both sides with a fingertips each to snap it back in... Ridiculous!
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 15
From: Senoia, Ga., by way of Miami, Fl..
Yea, I spend so much time w/DC that I forgot the stator output... But, the "-" makes sence now that we know he was in DC mode..
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,952
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From: Senoia, Ga., by way of Miami, Fl..
Hey Greg! Thanks for the info - and for your kind offer. There were so many posts, and I was so frustrated trying to figure this out, that I missed responding to some.
Interesting that the shop manual says to use an impact. Nice to know the comp nut is 1 1/2". I'll probably buy a socket if/when I need it... I am always willing to expand my tool chest for a good reason. Not too much day-to-day use for one that big though - unless you work on planes, trains, trucks, or tanks!
We should go riding sometime, since we're not very far from each other. Of course, it's hot as hell this time of year, but heat's never bothered me... I grew up in Texas, which is only a few degrees cooler than the surface of the sun in the summertime. Only a dead bike 40 miles from home bothers me! A big-*** T-storm just moved over my house and cooled it off about 20 degrees... so I'm not complaining. It's still hanging around and quite windy now... glad I wasn't caught out in it...
...
Interesting that the shop manual says to use an impact. Nice to know the comp nut is 1 1/2". I'll probably buy a socket if/when I need it... I am always willing to expand my tool chest for a good reason. Not too much day-to-day use for one that big though - unless you work on planes, trains, trucks, or tanks!
We should go riding sometime, since we're not very far from each other. Of course, it's hot as hell this time of year, but heat's never bothered me... I grew up in Texas, which is only a few degrees cooler than the surface of the sun in the summertime. Only a dead bike 40 miles from home bothers me! A big-*** T-storm just moved over my house and cooled it off about 20 degrees... so I'm not complaining. It's still hanging around and quite windy now... glad I wasn't caught out in it...
...
No doubt.. We'll get together one of these days... I rode to work Monday, beautiful 74 deg morning.. But, the near 100 deg afternoon felt like a damn pizza oven on the way home... I'm looking forward to riding in the rain this time of year...