New guy's bike won't charge

Hey everybody, I'm new around here and roughly new to working on bikes so I don't have a clue. I just got myself an 1100 maxim and all the monitoring lights were on and the tach doesn't work. I rode the bike for a couple days with no real problems. A couple days later I went for a short ride and shut it off. From there it wouldn't start again. So I took it to the garage and started searching. I'm not getting voltage coming back to my battery. I had the stator checked and it came back good. I changed the voltage regulator, and still nothing. I'm at a total loss at this point, and am in need of some guidance.

Thank you, Lugnut

 

Download the Electrosport fault finding guide: http://electrosport.com/technical-resou ... sis-center

 

Measure the Alternator Brushes.
They MUST be within Specs.

A Thumb Rule for Length is:

10mm or Below = REPLACE.

 

I'll check the brush length tonight, but I believe that they were alright, I can't be sure though. Thank you for the replys.

Anything else I might need to check would be great!

Thanks again

 

Also, what about the monitoring system display staying on all the time, and the tach not working? It does however go out when you take off and accelerate to around 3500, but when you go to shift it and drop the RPM's again the lights come back on and tach kicks out again. Could this be related in anyway to the charging system?

 

Pretty sure that's the case. The monitoring system won't kick in until you're getting a healthy current from the alternator. My buddy's XJ1100 does the same thing if the idle dips too low.

 

Alright that's what I was thinking, because the monitoring system runs off the battery voltage and if it's too low (ie. not charging) it won't run it properly. Now I've just got to fix the charging issue

 

How much Voltage is the Alternator giving the Battery at 2,250 rpm's?

Should be around 14.2 ~ 14.5 Volts.

 

It's not giving me any voltage. The meter reads the voltage going down.

 

Find the Pigtail leaving the Voltage Regulator and follow it to where it Plugs-In to the Wiring Harness.

Unplug it and inspect BOTH Sides of the 2 Connectors.
Melting?
Evidence of Over-heating?
ALL Terminals seated within the Connectors?

If there is signs of HIGH HEAT ... The Voltage Regulator is likely to have been cooked.

 

also, measure the voltage at the connectors. you should have a/c volts that go higher with engine rpm. the regulator is also the rectifier i beleive. and that's what converts into d/c volts.

alternators produce alternating current. (a.c.) the rectifier converts into d.c. volts.

 

junk battery? solenoid? when u hit the button do you hear a click or do u hear nothing?

 

I've changed out the regulator/ rectifier and I still had nothing, and I had checked the connectors as well and everything looked cosher there. I'm thinking that it might be a cooked battery dlh30m. The bike has no problems running or starting as long as there is enough juice to start it and keep running. If my battery is cooked will it still read that it is getting a charge while the bike is running? If so then that's not the problem cuz I'm not showing any sort of charge at the battery at all. I haven't been able to check the voltage at the connectors yet though.

Thanks to everyone so far... Anymore let me know

 

The Battery might be getting sufficient Charging Voltage from the System, ... but NOT be capable of storing the Charge anymore.

Bring the Battery in to a AutoZone Store and have them do a "Cranking Amps" Test.
The test will tell you if the Battery is able to provide the energy to run the Bike.

You need the Battery able to deliver AMPS ... Not -- Volts.