Another typical Charging issue

[rayb24]

From reading a few threads on here it seems that charging issues are a bit common. So I shouldnt have been suprised that my new to me V11 Sport decided to have an issue too. I was going to go for a Sunday ride, I got about 3 miles fom my house when the battery light came on and stayed on. Not the idle type flashing light but a full and very bright continuous time to turn around and go home light.

 

When I got home I did a bunch of research on here and then started following some threads that all seemed to point to the voltage regulator and how to test it. I was getting 12:18 volts at the battery with the bike running at idle and that didnt change at all when I reved it to 2 or 3k. In fact it tended to drop by a tenth and then go back so I was pretty sure it wasnt charging. I mean even a trickle charger pushes it higher. So I took the tank off and started poking around at wires. The bike has had a few owners and well there has been some creative wiring, some good some not so good. I had checked the Alternator Wires and there was lots of voltage at that end. Then following a thread on here I unplugged all the wires from the voltage regulator and checked them. No issues apart from some dirt, bodged shrink wrap over bullet connectors and one wire that was purposely cut??? Since that wasnt new. I ruled that out. I'm not the best with Eletrical things. I reconnected all the wires, and turned the ignition on. Bad idea even though the tank was off and fuel lines were disconnected the ignition turns the fuel pump on. Lol fountain of gas from the pump. Luckiliy I had the fuel lines point out from the bike so a bit messy but none on the bike. Anyway I put the tank back on connected everything.

I started the bike, still at around 12:18 to 12.20 volts at the battery. Twisted the Throttle a little still the same, then all of a sudden it started charging the light went out and over 13 volts at the battery.

 

So lol I must have a loose connection somewhere, but lol which of the wires was it.

 

I'm thinking I unplug the same wires and really clean the connections, put vaseline on them too. But any other ideas?

 

Ray

[mznyc]

Have you see Kiwi Roy's test point diagram? Mine may not be updated but here it is.

Yup,sounds like something is loose,check battery connections if you haven't already.

Test Point Layout August 18 2010(2).pdf

Guzzi Wiring - Simple.pdf

[docc]

When my Sport threw this fit, it was a broken yellow wire leaving the bottom of the stator under the alternator cover. It's hard to see, even with the cover off.

 

Tail end the thread here: no charge

[moto fugazzi]

As long as you're cleaning connections, and checking that yellow wire, why not find out where that cut wire belongs too? What color is it? I'm sure it'd be easy enough to find on the wiring diagram.

I'd also add a ground wire to the regulator casing if you haven't done so already.

Ken

[Kiwi_Roy]

By the sounds of it you do have a loose connection. Check the 30 Amp fuse clip to see if it's not loose and heating.

Check where the yellow wires are soldered to the alternator coil, they break off with age, easy fixed.

The regulator relies on the headlight circuit for a Voltage reference, the Black wire of the Black/White pair taps in between the headlight relay and the headlight.

As Moto Fugazzi says, it's very important to have a good ground on the regulator body because all the current has to pass back through the ground. Any Voltage drop there is lost to the battery. I suggest a short wire between the reg and a timing cover screw, add a bit of Vaseline to stop corrosion.

 

I used to think the regulators on these bikes were ok but I finally gave in and bought an Electrosport ESR510 for mine. It's directly connected to the battery so it doesn't suffer from stray voltage drop or bad contacts. It doesn't come with the fuse shown in the picture and the charge light acts a little different but so far it's been good. 

http://www.electrosport.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=esr510

If you wonder why I went that way rather than the recommended direct replacement, I wanted to get away from the bikes reliance on the headlight circuit reference.

These regulators are made in China but when I asked they told me Electrosport own the factory there.

[rayb24]

Its going to be a rainy day here tommorrow, I'm going to use it to go over the connections again, put a better ground on the Regulator. The Snipped wire was the black wire in the black white pair. It goes from the regulator into a connector with the white wire coming out white to white and the Black just cut at the connector with no wire in sight. 

 

I'm half of a mind to replace the regulator during the winter, even if I have no more issues and probably use the other newer regulator from the link you posted KiwiRoy.

 

I have a bunch of fixes to do to my bike over this coming winter so it will be another item to the list.  The funny part to this is, I just spent last winter going through wiring adventures on another bike I have. Much older bike, where over 30 years or so of previous owners fixes / bodges had made it into wiring night mare. In the end I replaced the entire loom  and cleaned up all the connections to more than just soldered wires.  Near had me pulling my hair out. Looks like i probably at least should go over all the wiring on the V11 just to make sure I know where it probably will give me problems. LOL i think I must have done something really bad in a past life.....

 

Ray

[Kiwi_Roy]

If the black wire is cut I'm thinking you must have an after market regulator

The originals have Ducati Energia stamped on them, they need the black wire to work

 

Look at the one you have and see if there is a make/model on it

 

Moto Guzzi - making electricians out of riders for 90 years

 

Roy

[rayb24]

Well its aftermarket I guess, it certainly doesnt look like ones I have seen that are original. Silver hexagonal shape finned obviously and no markings as far as I could see. I looked at all sides with a flashlight.

 

I redid the connections (cleaned and covered with a little vaseline) then strapped everything back out the way. Rode it all afternoon and everything appears ok.

 

I'm hoping it stays this way until the late fall annd then I will take the tank/seat/ oil cooler off and really go over all the wiring looking for bad connections and cleaning up places where things are somewhat bodged.

 

Ever noticed how a nice sunny day ride takes all the daily stress out of life!!!

 

Ray