BATTERY NOT CHARGING 100%, regulator problem???

[benallenuk]

Hi guys, I'm having some problems with the battery on my bike.

For the past few months, the bike has seemed more and more sluggish when starting. Over the last week or so i have had to take the Fuse out of the headlight so not to put such a power drain on the battery, it would just about turn the engine over.

I finally decided to get a new battery on friday, charged it then replaced with the one on the bike.  Ive just ridden 40 or so miles today, i stopped then reatarted the bike and it seemed that there was the slugguist starter motor sound, but before the long trip it was fine, started quick and easy.

Another thing ive noticed is that the Voltage measured over the battery at 1500rpm is around 14.1volts but around 12.8volts at 3-6000rpm.  The headlights also dimms when revving the bike in neutral.

Whats up?  Is the stator knackard or is the regulator shot??  Has an old battery (5 or so years) killed the regulator?

Cheers

Ben

[stormi]

Whats up?  Is the stator knackard or is the regulator shot??  Has an old battery (5 or so years) killed the regulator?

Run through this test : http://www.electrosport.com/electrosport_fault_finding.html

It will help you find out where the problem is.  Make sure that the battery is fully charged first, and having a second set of hands really helps here.  You -can- do it alone, it's just easier with a helper.  

Oh, and if you do figure out that it's the regulator, post here before you buy a new one.  There are tons of ways to save $$$ on the regulator.

Pitter?  Can we sticky the electrosport link somewhere? Since the B4 has a common regulator issue, this is valuable info everyone should have.  

That link saved me hundreds of dollars the first time I used it.  The shop I called wanted to change my stator without testing anything.  I had a loose connection.  Then when my regulator did fail, I knew it was the regulator, and replaced only that.

[Stealth]

Hi guys, I'm having some problems with the battery on my bike.

For the past few months, the bike has seemed more and more sluggish when starting. Over the last week or so i have had to take the Fuse out of the headlight so not to put such a power drain on the battery, it would just about turn the engine over.

I finally decided to get a new battery on friday, charged it then replaced with the one on the bike.  Ive just ridden 40 or so miles today, i stopped then reatarted the bike and it seemed that there was the slugguist starter motor sound, but before the long trip it was fine, started quick and easy.

Another thing ive noticed is that the Voltage measured over the battery at 1500rpm is around 14.1volts but around 12.8volts at 3-6000rpm.  The headlights also dimms when revving the bike in neutral.

Whats up?  Is the stator knackard or is the regulator shot??  Has an old battery (5 or so years) killed the regulator?

Cheers

Ben

I have the exact same problem as you! I already went somewhat through the Electro sport manual thing.
On Mine I measured the AC Voltage from the "alternator" and it was 71 volts through all 3 yellow wires.
The alternator works fine. I think the Regulator is old and not doing its job properly anymore.

Anyone know where I can get a reg/rec for cheap?

[stormi]

I have the exact same problem as you! I already went somewhat through the Electro sport manual thing.
On Mine I measured the AC Voltage from the "alternator" and it was 71 volts through all 3 yellow wires.
The alternator works fine. I think the Regulator is old and not doing its job properly anymore.

Anyone know where I can get a reg/rec for cheap?

waddya mean you somewhat went through it?  Did you do the test for the regulator portion?  You can test that without the bike on as I recall.  (so the stator will not affect the reading)  The stator putting out more than 50 volts at 5000rpm is a GOOD thing.

If you want to change one connector, you can buy a regulator rectifier for a CB400 from a Honda dealer (often in stock) for about half of list for the Bandit 400 R/R.  That means the price of used from a wrecker for a new one.  This is what I'm using on my B4 right now.  It's been going strong now for nearly 2 years.   Any 5 wire R/R will work, as long as it comes from a bike with similar stator output.  The only caveat is if the R/R is significantly larger (larger is better than smaller, more surface area to disipate heat) then you may have to find another place to mount it.  The CB400 r that I got fit the space the old one was removed from with the exception that I was only able to put one screw in.  I safety wired the other screw hole, so it's not going anywhere.

I would really make sure that's the problem, and not a loose connection before you spend $100+ on a part you may not need.

[Stealth]

By somewhat I mean I followed it to the point which I couldnt figure out how to do. I completed the other sections but the part with the DIODE test puzzled me. The Test for the Stator and Rotor were fine.

Although I did notice that the Black/White and Red wire Coupling was extremely filled with grease, dirty black grease. I cleaned it out as much as I could.

When I said 71 Volts through all three i meant that its a good thing because the service manual says it should be 70Volts or higher.

[Stealth]

So wait, You can do the PART "C" without the bike being on?
I never did Part C
But the other ones turned out good so I thought the Problem must be the RR

[stormi]

So wait, You can do the PART "C" without the bike being on?
I never did Part C
But the other ones turned out good so I thought the Problem must be the RR

Sure you can.  The first sentence in Part C is "Disconnect the RR from the bike", you wouldn't disconnect part of the charging system while it was running, would you?   That could be illuminating.  

What part C will show you is if the RR is at fault.  If it is NOT at fault, and the stator, and connections have checked out, the very bottom of the test says: "As this was the last test, the only thing that can be at fault is the battery itself.  replace it with a known good fully charged battery and return to start."

I wouldn't go replacing parts til you go ALL the way through that test.  Otherwise you might find yourself getting bit in the @ss.  If it turns out to be the RR, then you know you guessed well, AND don't have to worry about not being able to take an electrical part back.   If it turns out to be the battery, then you're not stuck with a part you can't return.

[bigbadmad]

Sounds like the Regulator to me too, I had a similar problem last year and a new Regulator has fixed it.

[stormi]

By somewhat I mean I followed it to the point which I couldnt figure out how to do. I completed the other sections but the part with the DIODE test puzzled me. The Test for the Stator and Rotor were fine.

Although I did notice that the Black/White and Red wire Coupling was extremely filled with grease, dirty black grease. I cleaned it out as much as I could.

Do you have a diode setting on your multimeter?  Some don't.  What was it that puzzled you?  

The coupling should have some di-electric grease in it.  clean it out, but make sure you replace some.  The grease displaces water, protecting the electrical connection.

[Stealth]

My Multimeter does have a Diode setting but when I tried to do the test, the Digital Meter would show nothing at all.  I dont know for sure But I think I left the engine running, Could this have something to do with it?

Anyway, Im gonna do Diode test again soon.

Hey benallenuk, sorry for hijacking your thread but it seems like we both have the same problem and possibly the same solution, although I recommend you do the tests too.

[stormi]

My Multimeter does have a Diode setting but when I tried to do the test, the Digital Meter would show nothing at all.  I dont know for sure But I think I left the engine running, Could this have something to do with it?

Anyway, Im gonna do Diode test again soon.

Hey benallenuk, sorry for hijacking your thread but it seems like we both have the same problem and possibly the same solution, although I recommend you do the tests too.

I would think it might have something to do with it.   The diode should stop power from being able to flow backwards.  If the bike was running, there's a chance that it will skew the results.

[Stealth]

I just did the Diode test again.

No Matter which Combination I used for Part C, the Meter stayed at "1"
For the first Combination, the Fault Finder guide says that if its 1.00volt then the RR is at fault, could this be true for my case?

[stormi]

I just did the Diode test again.

No Matter which Combination I used for Part C, the Meter stayed at "1"
For the first Combination, the Fault Finder guide says that if its 1.00volt then the RR is at fault, could this be true for my case?

Ok,.. for two of the four tests, the meter should read 1.  "OL" would be the same as "1" on most meters.

Try continuing on with the test.  

That confused the hell out of me the first time too.

[Stealth]

I completed all four of them and got a "1" or "OL" for each and every one of them, Now im confused even more

[stormi]

I completed all four of them and got a "1" or "OL" for each and every one of them, Now im confused even more

If that's true, and you reversed the leads like it said to in the test, then I'd say that the RR is pooched.