Pointy charging system problem.

Hey guys,

I have a 2007 SV650s, drove it home one day and turned it off for 5 min, came out to start again and it would't start with all the panel blinking and going off. So I plugged my bettery in on my battery tender JR and it charges and will start and run, but I always have to plug it in.

I checked with a volt meter, and have 12.9V off, 12.3V under load, 12.3V on, 12.3V at 5000rpm.

I've read around a bit and it would seem that this is likely a regulator problem, but that it could also be a stator problem.

Wondering a couple things, what other people here may think is the problem, and also how to test for a 2007 SV (all I find is the curvy model and I want to make sure it is done right).

Thx.

[Bibio]

dash going on and off sounds like an electrical connection issue more than anything.

have you checked the tightness of the battery terminal bolts?

Sorry, it goes off when attempting to start the bike, because the battery was dead.

[Bibio]

i think you have answered your own question.

[Sid Squid]

Electronic parts don't like low volts, when trying to start a Pointy with a low battery the terminal voltage drops away quite significantly - which explains why the dash flashes on and off.

The charging voltages you've posted are low, thus regulator is suspect. all the same it's well worth checking the stator which is easy:
Identify the three alternator output wires at the regulator, call them A, B and C, rev the engine to 5000 rpm and check voltages between each pair; A+B, A+C and B+C, each pair should give approximately 70VAC, +/- a bit, but all three readings should be essentially the same.
If the results you get are substantially different, or if one reading differs from the others, check the stator resistances between each pair and between each wire and a clean bare metal engine case point. I can't remember the exact winding resistance figures but it's something like 0.5 ohms, again all three readings should be essentially similar, and between each wire and ground should be open, that is no connection at all, if you find the winding readings good but one or more goes to ground check the wiring between the rectifier and the stator very carefully.

Stator failures are rare, wiring, connector and regulator problems are more common.

Thx Sid. Just to make sure I'm looking in the right place, the regulator is on the right side of the pointy in a very hard to get at place that makes it awkward to work at:

[Sid Squid]

You don't need to get to it to check it - just it's connector block.

Ya but unfortunately that is just as difficult to get my hands on to be able to pry it open it seems. At least I'm at the right spot though. Thx.

Well pretty sure I found the problem here:



That wire looks like it melted a bit. Problem is it isn't all the way through it so the cable are still technically attached. I did all the test you are supposed to do and they ended up passing, I believe because the wire is not completely severed. Am I correct in that assumption, and also that under full use it can't handle the load and thus fails, and this is still the problem?

Also, you think I could just solder the cable back together and use it as is?

Lastly, as I see in your signature, you are making fun of that mod. Do you think it is unnecessary to do that, if I need to replace my regulator anyways do you think it is a bad idea, I've obviously read a fair amount about it around a bunch of places.

Obviously something wore through the insulation and resulted in a short circuit. Perhaps intermittent, perhaps not. You could just tape it up and try it.