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It starts fine without issue once the battery is charged or jumped, so I wouldn't think it had anything to do with the starter or relay. I checked the battery voltage while running with full choke and hitting the throttle and still the voltage doesn't go above 12.2?
If the stator tests good, and it appears to be at 42VAC and no grounded leads, then you have a bad voltage regulator.
It should be 13.0V minimum per the Electrical Diagnostics Manual. Replace the voltage regulator.
I just ran into a similar issue and was told by a very knowledgeable person to run a second ground connection to the regulator and over to the motor. It worked and I'm back to a perfect recharge.
I had just replaced the battery, then found the stator starting to smoke, and then replaced the regulator because none of that helped. I even upgraded to Cycle Electric products and was baffled how an all new recharging system was still giving me issues. I even made certain all connections were corrosion free including the mounting points of the regulator, even using star washers on both sides of the bolt.
I simply ran a 14 gauge with a terminal lug to the regulator bolt and over to the bolt that holds the spring clip holding the stator plug in place, again using a terminal, slide under the bolt, lug.
Hope this helps you too.
Last edited by JohnnyC; Sep 22, 2014 at 06:05 PM.
Reason: Star washers, not nuts as first written.
Thanks again everyone for all the info and suggestions.
Here's what I came up with today. I had the regulator wires disconnected since Saturday and had no problem starting the bike today, also the battery read 12.22 volts prior to starting. So at least the battery didn't drain over last 2 days.
Next I retested the voltage coming from the stator and saw between 46 and 49 volts at high idle (choke out). I then re connected the dual stator lead as tested the voltage coming out of the single lead from the regulator and testing from that lead to ground I was only getting .6 to .8 volts? I'm assuming I should be getting way more than a little over half a volt?
Also, since I originally ripped the battery apart on the side of the highway in the dark, there is only one lead going to the positive side of the battery. Is this correct? Just want to make sure there's not some missing wire I didn't reconnect.
check to be sure the regulator has a good ground where it bolts to the frame
slap your meter -lead to the regulator
slap the +lead to where it mounts or a good known ground
see if you get a reading /rings out
if not u can slap on a star washer
Got the new regulator today. Besides the fact that the holes didn't line up perfectly and I had to drill them out, it went in and seems to have fixed the problem. The battery is showing 14.2 - 14.5 while running. I threw some star washers on since I had the bolts out anyway. Figured can't hurt.
So thanks to everyone for the suggestions and help. Looks like I'm back on the road and off to the Heavy Heads show tomorrow.
Got the new regulator today. Besides the fact that the holes didn't line up perfectly and I had to drill them out, it went in and seems to have fixed the problem. The battery is showing 14.2 - 14.5 while running. I threw some star washers on since I had the bolts out anyway. Figured can't hurt.
So thanks to everyone for the suggestions and help. Looks like I'm back on the road and off to the Heavy Heads show tomorrow.
It is just another day in the life of a super hero ma'am...
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