I think I have a generator issue but like opinions

[dayven99]

I got a 2004 FJR with 30,000 miles on the current engine. For the record I have the Scorpio Ride system, Clearwater Lights (Ericas), LED 2200 lumens headlights (bought LED kits AFTER arriving in Tampa and blew an HID bulb), and USB to keep my phone charged. It is a new season so been riding the bike but decided to get a new battery to start the season. The bike struggled at times to start thought it was on a battery tender during the winter. The bike was stored outside in the cold. So I'm thinking weak battery. So changed battery and fresh oil so I can drive to Tampa and West Palm Beach Florida this past week. After leaving battery on trickle charge I made my way to Florida from Atlanta and made my first stop about 1 1/2 hours in Macon. The barely restarts! I left around 7 am so (Ericas) weren't running long. The ride system keeps track of my trip and Samsung Note 3 can't drain a new battery that been getting a charge. Well I unplug everything but the Ride System and bike is still weak. I get about a 100+ alarms saying ignition alarms saying someone is messing with the bike even though I am riding the bike about 60mph to 80mph on the highway. No spurts of loss of power. Only when I turn engine off OCCASIONALLY it might take 3 three restarts to get it going. I normally wait a few seconds before trying again. I'm looking to go with a GEN II generator anyway. Any thoughts?

I was briefly reviewing ignition failure section but 17 pages! Also seemed slightly different since Mine didn't cut off while driving like I read first few pages. Not to mention I just got back from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to Atlanta, Georgia.

 

[Mihalis fjr]

First,try with a multimeter on the battery terminals to see if the voltage is 14v or plus when the engine runs at about 4-5000rpm.

Find the coupler with the three white terminals where it comes from the generator,unplug it and connect the + of the multimeter on the one of the outside terminals.

Connect the - of the multimeter on the middle terminal and see if the multimeter shows 0.15 - 0.23 Ω.Now without to move the + of the multimeter from the outside terminal,connect the - of the multimeter from the middle terminal to the other outside terminal of the coupler.It should shows again 0.15 - 0.23 Ω.Of course with this measurement the ignition switch must be off.If the multimeter shows between 0.15 - 0.23 Ω, then your generator is fine and probably the problem is the rectifier regulator.If the voltage is ok at about 14,14+,if the measurement is ok at 0.15 - 0.23 Ω, then the problem perhaps is in the ignition switch but i don't think,or a or some couplers have some corrosion..My thought...

Also check the battery terminals if they are tight and if all the wires around there are in good condition..

 

[RossKean]

1) Remove battery, charge it fully and have it load tested! Just because its new doesn't mean its good!

(As mentioned, above, check battery terminals)

2) Disconnect EVERYTHING, including the Scorpio system.

3) With the bike off, measure current draw from the battery with a DC ammeter.

4) Check everything again as you reconnect accessories; one at a time.

5) Measure and track battery voltage (bike off) and charging voltage (bike running). A Datel (or similar) meter can go a long way toward catching problems well before they become serious.

Most times, charging problems are due to something other than the stator - I assume yours is the OEM as opposed to an aftermarket? The Electrosport higher output stators have had issues.

 

[Fred W]

Just as an aside, you mention that you want to upgrade to a 2nd gen alternator. While that can be done, it isn't easy. You will need to replace both the stator and the rotor, as well as the Regulator/Rectifier to get second gen output power from the alternator. It was done and documented a very long time ago. After that most 1st Genners just learned to live with the available power, which is usually adequate. The loads that you are putting on the bike are not very much.

As others have said, you need to make some voltage checks to diagnose your problem. You still don't know that this isn't caused by a bad (new) battery. After-all it is the last thing that was messed with, so it is the most likely cause of a new problem.

 

[drjfjr]

At 50k I had problems with rectifier and key switch. Went to MOSFET rectifier, and new ignition switch. I put a relay in that others did on the Gen II and I have been solid since. I put in a datel voltmeter to monitor when I started having problem.