Charging issue! Help please

[mike the bike]

Have you fixed it then?

[Wenman]

Have you fixed it then?

Not yet Mike!! Just a few ideas and tests I need to run that you guys have suggested during this feed!
I am praying that with the help from this feed I will figure it out this weekend!
I will keep u posted! Also those that offered to pop in and cast an eye if your commitments bring you down my way are more than welcome! Think I'm still gonna need the help!

Al

[Wenman]

Update...

Just playing around checking Nikos idea of a second earth. I have checked the green wire from rec to the frame earth at the front of the bike and I have continuity to the frame earth! Also I have placed the red probe on batt pos and black to green wire on rec and I'm getting 12v on the meter! (As per Mike the bikes instructions)

Does this mean the rec is earthed correctly?

I was really hoping this was going to solve this saga?

Alan

[mike the bike]

Spot on.  Glad you're getting somewhere and eliminating things.

[Wenman]

Thought I was getting somewhere but was kinda relying on that one being the problem!! Feel like I'm back at square one😩😩😩

Do you know.. the inner coil in the stator has a green and white wire coming from it. I've removed it from the bike(still bolted to the stator cover and I'm getting continuity between green to casing and white to casing also continuity both each wire to the coil body itself!
Should this be the case or does this mean it's shorting?

The inner coil bolts directly to the stator cover, if I remove it from the cover I no longer get continuity from the green or the white to the coil body??

Alan

[mike the bike]

That sounds normal.  The earth/chassis/negative/0V, call it what you will, is green on Hondas.  The regulator outputs 12V (when charging)  to the white wire. Given that the resistance of the field coil isn't a lot then you would measure a dead short green to chassis and just the coil resistance measuring white to chassis.

With the engine running, is there 12V on the white, Y/N?

[Wenman]

UPDATE...

Not had chance to bolt it all back together but I think, I think I may have just cracked it (not holding my breath mind lol)
Turns out the three bolts holding the inner coil to the stator cover are supposed to be 16mm, mine are 20mm! I think because they are too long they are causing the inner coil to ground to the casing and therefore making it not work as it should (please god let this be it!)

By placing a number of washers on each bolt thus (like my use of the word 'thus' lol) reducing them in size No more continuity, hence no more short!!!!!!!!

Any comments welcome!

Alan

[mike the bike]

Hope that's the end of the saga.  You must be an expert on Honda electrics by now.  Bloody previous owners; they've got a lot to answer for.  (hope you like the semi colon).

[Wenman]

Tell me you think I'm onto something Mike?;

[Nurse Julie]

I really do hope you have cracked it, fingers crossed.

[mike the bike]

The proof of the pudding etc, etc, Don't count your chickens until the bird in the bush has eaten the early worm.  A pencil must be lead etc.

Just fire it up and watch the battery voltage swoop up to 14V.

[Wenman]

UPDATE!!!

So buttoned the old girl up last night and fired her this afternoon!

Battery off charger for couple of hours reading 12.9... started the engine and it went down to 12.4.
Applied revs up to about 4000-5000rpm and heavens behold the volts started climbing! Went up to 13.4 and steadily climbing before I decided to shut her off as I didn't want to upset my neighbours!

So believe I have only gone and fixed her!!!!!!!

Who would have thought after all that wiring chasing, resistance checking, taking things off putting them back on, new rec/reg, diagram checking, fuse changing blah blah
Turns out the three bolts holding the inner coil to the stator cover were 4mm too long and one was grounding the coil to cover as it was ever so slightly touching the inside of the coil! Bloody previous owners eh!!

I am extremely proud of myself and hope for lots of praise from you lot if not just for my shear tenacity lol!!

No honestly thanks for everyone's comments and encouragement Mike,Niko, hairygit etc
Wouldn't have done it without ya!!

Looking forward to my Sunday ride tomorrow... bet it bloody rains!!! Lol

[Nurse Julie]

Well done you. Even if it is pissing cats and dogs tomorrow, I would still have to go out for a ride after all that !!

[hairygit]

Excellent news! Your tenacity and sheer determination have paid off (Probably what makes you good at your work. Weather forecast for this area is for dry all day tomorrow. If you find yourself up towards Exeter way, give me a yell and call in for a cuppa, be nice to see your bike in the flesh. Enjoy riding it, but I shouldn't need to warn you to beware of caravans, it's that time of year!

[mike the bike]

Well done, I'm proud of you for finding such a difficult fault (bloody POs).   You used a clear, logical fault finding process and learnt a lot about electrical principles en route.
Enjoy the fruits of your labours by going for a blast tomorrow.