Another stator check most people may not do...

[vance580]

I was having a charging issue and after doing some checks had figured it to by my voltage regulator. Well after getting a new one and installing my bike still wasn't charging. Well after talking with Jack at Roadstercycle because I thought I got a bad regulator we determined my stator had went out again. After pulling it this is what I found.
Now the thing is when I ran the bike it tested at 20V's at idle and went up to 40V at 4k rpm which was within spec. When putting the volt meter between phases to check for shorts between each phase tested exactly .6 ohms which is good. After doing those two tests I assumed my stator was good. Well Jack had me put a volt meter lead in each plug and ground the other lead. This checks for your stator being grounded and sure enough it registered .6 ohms. This test should read nothing. When I pulled my stator I found this small little bit of copper that looks to of overheated and was grounded to the metal ring and was grounding my stator to the case.
So I'm posting this to let people know if you have charging issues do not forget this check. It could help if your stator passes the other two but is still not working correctly. It looks like voltages were all correct with mine but the current was going to the case and not to the regulator and none of the phases had shorted together.

 

[poinographer]

Um, I believe your stator is fried, sir. All that black crud is not supposed to be there. So, if ain't dead yet, then it's dying.

Actually, I think that diagnosis holds for all stators running with a no-oil-hole rotor... [smirk]

 

[vance580]

It is fried but it's only grounded to the ring at that one little spot. The black crud is where the oil stained the stuff that Ricks puts on to the windings. It had clumps on the one side like they had it sitting on something. Everything besides the little burned area where the copper hits the ring is exactly how it was when I installed it after a rewind except the oil staining.

This stator tested perfect A/C output and perfect resistance between phases. I'm posting to let people know when testing to make sure they make sure the stator isn't grounded too because if you only do the first two test and then move on to testing the regulator you may end up buying a new regulator when it's actually good. If you don't do a grounding test you probably won't even think about cracking the stator cover to inspect it like I didn't do. It took upgrading the regulator and still not getting a charge to do this one test and realize it was my stator the whole time.
Not sure you read my whole post.

 

[d_adams]

35k+ on this one, still looks pretty good. Black is usually not a good sign on electrical stuff.

 

[vance580]

I'm not sure you guys are understanding the point of the thread. I know this stator is fried. I tested it and it tested bad which is why it was pulled from the bike. I'm only pointing out testing the phases to ground because it's not a check I typically see people telling people to check. Not everyone pulls the stator then test it. I tested this in the bike so I didn't see what the stator looked like till I pulled it. In the bike it passed both the VAC output test and resistance between phases test. I'm just letting people know to make sure they check that the stator is not grounded to the chassis.

 

[d_adams]

1st check should be AC voltage. 2nd should be resistance through the windings. 3rd is to ground through the windings. If those all check good, THEN go after the regulator. Lesson learned a long time back, nice of you to remind people to check it. I just posted the pic of mine for reference to a good stator and what it looks like, that's all.

 

[vance580]

Its cool. This is what replaced it. Went with the new option from Ricks and the CE605SB regulator and the oiling rotor. Doesn't dip below 14V now.

 

[poinographer]

Honestly, given the history of '09 stators, if I had one that wasn't dead yet I would not wait for it to die, I'd just go ahead and do the whole stator, rotor, etc. dance. The peace of mind would be worth it, even versus the remote chance that it was the rare system that might never die.

 

[ztied]

Thanks for the info

 

[BuellsRuell]

Went with the new option from Ricks

Is this their new "overseas-built" hot-shot stator?

 

[vance580]

Yes it was. I've put about 1000 miles on it already and hasn't gone below 13.9V in hot traffic idling. Everything seems to be running good now.

 

[DualSportDad]

i installed the voltage gauge on mine. when it comes to charging system diagnosis checking the stator to ground should be the first test.

i come from riding a KLX400 (drz400) where fried stators are common. a check of the stator to ground at every oil change was a must for me.