Weird electrical question...
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2006
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Weird electrical question...
I have a 95 Softail, and FXSTC. The plug connection between the stator and voltage regulator went bad. It "fried" my stock stator. I replaced the stator (two wire) and rotor, and put back a stock voltage regulator. Fired it up, checked the voltage across the battery, and read about 14.25 volts at idle. I know this is not a valid test, but does at least tell me that voltage is charging the battery. Anyway, on the ride home from the shop at night, I noticed that my headlight was "blinking" every seven seconds. It was noticeable enough that it looked as if I was flashing my light, or switching between high and low. It was momentary, and lasted all the way home, about a twenty minute ride. It did it at idle also, and with the same frequency. Does anyone have any ideas on this>?
Thanks, Jethro
Thanks, Jethro
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From: TOAK western branch
Looks like you have some more testing to do and confirm all connections are clean and good. Also do a load test on the battery. Usually if the stator goes it takes out the reg. Almost need to rig up a temp volt gauge to see if its over producing due to a bad VR. 90% of elec issues are a bad ground.
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Cruiser
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I screwed up in ealier post, I meant that I had replaced the stock voltage regulator with a new, stock regulator. This replacement is the same as the old regulator, meaning it does not have a ground wire, but "grounds" to the frame with the mounting bolts.
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Cruiser
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Hey Soft.... the original stator was shot. The windings were burned and the stator was not putting out voltage. I checked this on a stator tester. Put in a new stator. Put in a new rotor. Put in a new voltage regulator. It is charging about 14.25 volts to battery at 2000 rpm, less at idle. New battery. The problem is this "blinking" noticeable on the headlight as described in the first post. I will re check grounding of the voltage regulator at first light, and also battery connections. Does anyone else have any ideas or experience with this issue of a pulsing-more like blinking headlight, as if switching it from hi to low? It occurs on a regular basis, every seven seconds, which makes me suspect it is tied in to new voltage regulator.
Hey Soft.... the original stator was shot. The windings were burned and the stator was not putting out voltage. I checked this on a stator tester. Put in a new stator. Put in a new rotor. Put in a new voltage regulator. It is charging about 14.25 volts to battery at 2000 rpm, less at idle. New battery. The problem is this "blinking" noticeable on the headlight as described in the first post. I will re check grounding of the voltage regulator at first light, and also battery connections. Does anyone else have any ideas or experience with this issue of a pulsing-more like blinking headlight, as if switching it from hi to low? It occurs on a regular basis, every seven seconds, which makes me suspect it is tied in to new voltage regulator.
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Cruiser
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From: Pacific Northwest
Do other lights "blink" as well, or just the headlight? If you turn on the ignition but don't start the bike, does the headlight still "blink"? Since the headlight runs off the battery, I don't see how a problem with the stator or regulator would cause the headlight to flicker, unless it's an intermittent short, and that would cause all the lights to flicker.
Did you check the battery connections? Did you disconnect the battery before changing the stator and regulator?
Did you check the battery connections? Did you disconnect the battery before changing the stator and regulator?
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Do other lights "blink" as well, or just the headlight? If you turn on the ignition but don't start the bike, does the headlight still "blink"? Since the headlight runs off the battery, I don't see how a problem with the stator or regulator would cause the headlight to flicker, unless it's an intermittent short, and that would cause all the lights to flicker.
Did you check the battery connections? Did you disconnect the battery before changing the stator and regulator?
Did you check the battery connections? Did you disconnect the battery before changing the stator and regulator?
The consistent 7 second thing makes me think the regulator is regulating a short. Here are more ideas on testing:http://www.wildwestcycle.com/f_charge.html
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