Charging issues

[docc]

11 minutes ago, LaGrasta said:

In reference to the 30 amp fuse topic,  I swapped mine for a circuit breaker. However that wire is still heating and melting.. I wonder if this all has something to do with that.

Certainly still relevant to the topic, then.

Have you seen to the main ground of the negative battery cable to the back of the gearbox?

[gstallons]

BTW , any time you are checking for B+ or ground use a conventional test light to test for the "quality" of the circuit. the test light will load the circuit to make sure it is good.

 You do have  ground wire thtat attaches to the regulator case ?

[LaGrasta]

the regulator has the original ground, plus the one I added. As for the ground from the battery, I'll inspect it later to see if indeed it is still there. I suspect it is as it should be. The bike is so clean, not tampered with other than what I've done, lol.

[gstallons]

For now , use a DVOM and go from the battery negative terminal to the ground wire at the regulator . It should read 0 volts. Then disconnect the original ground wire from the  regulator and use  test light and test the wire integrity going from the battery positive to the lug at the ground wire you disconnected . You should get a good bright light . After that  Check the voltage from the battery positive to the battery negative . Record your v reading . Now check the voltage from the battery positive to the ground wire at the regulator. You should have an identical voltage reading. 

 Even if you do not discover anything you will learn how to detect voltage drops. Also , you will learn how important a test light STILL is .

[gstallons]

You can do these same tests w/the positive side of the alternator circuit.  

I want this thing fixed. 

[gstallons]

17 hours ago, LaGrasta said:

the regulator has the original ground, plus the one I added. As for the ground from the battery, I'll inspect it later to see if indeed it is still there. I suspect it is as it should be. The bike is so clean, not tampered with other than what I've done, lol.

A lot of people have left off one or more of the ring terminals when playing around with the battery . Don't overlook this area . 

[LaGrasta]

I tested, and tested, and tested; no difference. I uncut the zip-tied harness and inspected, all is well. I guess I'll swap the stator or I'll have to drop it off to get repaired. I'm at a lost.

[gstallons]

Before you call in the dogs , you should use a analog ohm meter and check EVERY wire for continuity and every connection. When you rule out everything you can rule out everything. also , a new part is not always a good part. 

Also , make sure EVERY ring terminal is accounted for on the positive and negative side of the battery.

[Pressureangle]

Let's review some basic theory, and in the context of how we ride.

Heat is created by current (amps). Amps is a function of Voltage over Resistance. 
Sometimes it's not intuitive, that a *reduction* of voltage actually increases current, when resistance is very low and demand is high. 
For instance;

You came home from a nice ride, but spent 20 minutes idling in traffic and residential streets (low charge output)
You always ride with high beam on (additional demand)
Next morning you let bike warm up before riding the same 20 slow minutes to your favorite rev zone

You do this 3 weekends in a row. 

Euro bikes all have 'city lights' and it seems they're intended to be run as usual, with headlamps only at night. I'm guessing here, Euro posters please give some clarity. So it also seems that Euro electrical engineers produce marginal systems to operate at max capacity constantly.

So if you create a low battery/high charge situation, (high demand) with short-trip low speed rides, and high headlamp demand, low rpm output voltage, you maximize the amperage current through the system. Consider that even if every connection is perfect, the system itself may not be up to the task, robust enough, to tolerate that as a permanent condition. 

I reviewed the electrical schematic, fuse sizes, and expected demand. It's very close. 

Assuming a 400 watt alternator, that calculates to 28.5 amps at 14 volts.|
Drop the voltage one volt to 13, and the amperage goes up to 31.7. Now we see where we may be in trouble.

So the moral here is, as I discovered on my own bike, that the higher the charging voltage the lower the amperage. Maximize your connections and also your riding habits, or use a battery tender to recover between rides.
 

[audiomick]

7 hours ago, Pressureangle said:

Euro bikes all have 'city lights' and it seems they're intended to be run as usual, with headlamps only at night. I'm guessing here, Euro posters please give some clarity.
 

Both my V11 Le Mans and my Breva 750 have the headlight permanently on, but on low-beam. As far as I know, some later bikes may have had "running-lights", but I don't think it was that common in the low 20's.

Otherwise, your logic is good. If the load is pulling current, the current will go up at lower voltages. And I think it can be considered "established knowledge" that italian electrics are occasionally a bit marginal.

[Pressureangle]

24 minutes ago, audiomick said:

Both my V11 Le Mans and my Breva 750 have the headlight permanently on, but on low-beam. As far as I know, some later bikes may have had "running-lights", but I don't think it was that common in the low 20's.

Otherwise, your logic is good. If the load is pulling current, the current will go up at lower voltages. And I think it can be considered "established knowledge" that italian electrics are occasionally a bit marginal.

Yes, it's been since...started by State in 1967? That the US has required 'headlamp on' for motorcycles. But I don't know if or when Europe stopped using the 'city light'. My '97 Sport still has it, though the switchgear doesn't allow city lamp only. My thinking was that the system(s) are engineered for 80% daytime (city lamp) and 20% nighttime (headlamp) operation. 
Can't never know for sure, I suppose. 

[Kevin_T]

It's been more then a few posts since you started your hunt for the problem you have so this might have been dealt with. Have you removed the stator and looked at it. I just purchased Andy's(a.k.a. oldbutnotdead) and it was a rusted mess. Water seeps in from the top wiring port and the iron core on the bottom was pretty nasty.

[LaGrasta]

@Kevin_T I have not, maybe about the only thing I haven't. I'll remove it and give it a good look. As it seems to be producing increased amperage with increased throttle, I expected it was good. Thank you for the suggestion.

I still don't know why the 30 amp fuse (now breaker) heats up and melts. This must have something to do with the stator not charger the battery.

@Pressureangle my riding has been 50 mile roundtrip freeway rides to and from work, 80mph+. 

[LaGrasta]

great video from Rick's. 

 

Watching 2:30, he see no increase in voltage, regardless of throttle. This is what I experience as we'll.

[MartyNZ]

2 hours ago, LaGrasta said:

great video from Rick's. 

 

Watching 2:30, he see no increase in voltage, regardless of throttle. This is what I experience as we'll.

Keep in mind that video appears to show testing of a 3 phase generator. The V11 has a single phase generator. The advice is good, but you're only testing output from 2 yellow wires.