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Checking Charging System

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michaeli54

New Member
I just replaced the battery on my 2006 wide glide and took it for a test ride during the ride the check engine light and battery light came on after replacing with new battery. I am think it could be either the voltage regulator or the stator, but not sure the best route to check these items out. Does anyone have some thoughts or ideas as to what my problem could be or the easiet way to check these out? Thanks
 
probably the stator, disconnect the stator from the reg and check each of the stator terminals to ground, if any goes to ground its a dud, then ac volts between all phazes of the stator 16-20vac per 1000rpm, there isnt really a way to test the reg other than, if the stator is good but the battery isnt getting charge or over charging the reg is no good
 
michaeli54 said:
I just replaced the battery and took it for a test ride and battery light came on after replacing with new battery.
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Sounds like the problems started right after you changed the battery. By some remote chance, did you happen to see any sparks while you were replacing the battery. Something like a wrench hitting frame ground or terminals getting crossed for just 1 second.
 
rancid said:
probably the stator, disconnect the stator from the reg and check each of the stator terminals to ground, if any goes to ground its a dud, then ac volts between all phazes of the stator 16-20vac per 1000rpm, there isnt really a way to test the reg other than, if the stator is good but the battery isnt getting charge or over charging the reg is no good
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Trying to learn something electrical. Just how do you check "stator terminals to ground"? I'm not so versed on electrical and am interested in knowing just how to do this. Been searching the forum but haven't found an answer yet.
 
EASY and QUICK to do...

Take off the dreby cover and SNIFF the fumes there.......

IF a BAD BURNT SMELL it is a BURNT out stator and if NOT do the other checks above.. I would say IF you smell the Burnt Bad Smell there is No Need to check further. Stator WILL need to be REPLACED.

signed....BUBBIE
 
I have read that if your voltage regulator is bad most likley so is your stator, why is that? anyone... thanks
 
blueboy said:
I have read that if your voltage regulator is bad most likley so is your stator, why is that? anyone... thanks
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Because in a 3 phase regulator there are 6 semi-conductors that really take a beating from heat. Almost all the heat a regulator emits (99.0%) comes from these 6 semi's trying to rectify the stator AC output. If 1 or 2 go bad and short to ground, it shorts all of the stator current to dead ground. If that happens, the stator windings will quickly overheat.

In most cases with bad regulators, (but Not all), a couple of those semi's will go bad and short. So the words "most likely" is very accurate.
 
Thank you hoople, I took the derby cover off no burnt smell I am getting about 29vac @about 1200rpm ....
 
blueboy said:
I am getting about 29vac @about 1200rpm ....
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Remember that the stator must put out a certain voltage at a given current load. A pure voltage test without any current load (service manual procedure) is a marginal test at best. But it's the best you have unless you want to build an AC load test bench for a 1 time deal. Based on just measuring the output voltage, your stator seems to indicate that it is probably OK. You should also get about 10 volts increase per 1000 RPM.

Also check for resistance of the windings to frame ground while on a high (200k>) range of your ohm meter. You should read infinity. I assume you have a single phase (2 wire) stator.
 
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