Hi, I've got a 91 XT600 that doesn't seem to be charging the battery. With the light off I get 12.3v or thereabouts whether I rev it or not. If i ride with the light on, it runs fine until I stop.Then it will not restart (battery often under 11v) unless i charge the battery or roll start it. The same happens if the light is off, it just takes a little bit longer.
I've had the battery load tested and it is fine. I been told it's probably the regulator, I went to buy one but the storeman said I should test the stator first. I don't know where that is. Can some one please give me some fault finding tests or course of action so i can determine the problem, replace the correct part and stop roll starting and charging every night.
Thanks for your help
Izzy

Hi Izzy,

To test the alternator windings (Stator) you need to obtain a digital multi-meter (DMM) or an analogue multimeter - or find a workshop that will do this simple check for you.

To test them, with the ignition off, unplug the lead that comes from the left hand engine case, where it connects to the loom behind the front edge of the left hand side side panel. This lead should have 3 wires the same colour, plus some others, they will probably be white or yellow.

On the side that goes to the engine measure the resistance between all 3 combinations of the 3 (White?) wires, from memory they should all be about 0.5 ohms. Also measure each one to earth, all should be the maximum resistance the meter can display, or be off the scale of the highest resistance range.

Be sure to use the lowst resistance range for the first test, if the meter isn't anauto ranging type, ans subtract any reading you get when just touching the probes together to get the correct figure. Most likly, if the falt is here the reading will be "open circuit", ie: max resistance or same oa probes not touching anything. If that is the case there are companies who can repair them by rewinding, usually much cheaper than buying new.

If the stator checks out OK, re-plug it in and un-plug the rectifier / regulator unit, which is located under the trim panel behind the seat. Find the same 3 same coloured wires and repeat the tests to see if a wire in the loom has broken. Check that the rec/reg unit is well earthed with no corrosion interrupting the earth path, if it is earthed through it's mounting bolt.
If it is earthed through the loom, measure the pin on the connector to battery -ve (Sorry, can't remember the colour)

Also check that the other wire (or one of the other wires if it is earthed through the loom) can be measured back to the battery positive at less than 1 ohm.

If all the above check OK, I would try replacing the rec / reg, if you can't find anyone to lend you one. They cannot easily be tested.

Maybe if you post where you are located, someone local may offer to help

Good luck

Mark

thanks Mark. That's the kind of answer I was looking for. Will get into it when i get home.
I'm in Byron Bay, Australia.
Happy Riding evryone.

So, which was the problem? It´s happening the same to me. I charge the battery and when I ride the bike after 20miles or so it just won´t e-start nomore. Mine is a 1990 XT600E......

XT600 not charging
my XT600 was exactly the same.
here is a test that will tell if it is the regulator/rectifier that is knackered.

Start the bike and select Dip beam, park about 5 feet from a wall ( this is best done at night actually) and let the bike tick over.... then blip the throttle...no need to rev the nuts off it, just blip it to about 3,000 rpm... if the lights get BRIGHTER, it is charging, the Regulator is OK, the Rectifier id OK. If the lights get DIMMER, your reg/rect is Knackered and I would look on German ebay for one, 2 year guarantee, link here.

http://cgi.ebay.de/Regler-Yamaha-TT6...QQcmdZViewItem

Regards

Martyn

mine also wont charge and the wires get very hot coming from stator

It's easiest to use the ElectroSport (formerly Electrex) troubleshooting guide.
(Tried attaching PDF file, but it might be too large) Go here:
https://www.electrosport.com/technic...sis-center.php

In the last two weeks, trying to get to grips with fixing our own bikes - we have learnt, time and time and again that you can have every manual, every 'fault finding' list and every CD on planet earth - but all of it will be PRETTY DAMN USELESS without guys like Mark (and our very own Bike Whisperer), making sense of it all.

In such simple, frazzled-girly-brain-proof language.

Thank you Mark - EXACTLY what I was looking for!

...

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ok, mine 1vj tenere is getting a flat bat on long trips too. checking the voltage when reving sees it go up to the mid to high 13's, but checking the current coming through the circuit breaker sees about 2a when the manual says it should be around 6a. this means if lights are switched on there is a negative current. also the white wires coming from the stator measure 1.2 ohms between them wen the book says 0.6 ohms (these are for an xt600, is the tenere diferent?). is this enough of a diference? the lights get brighter when the throttle is bliped and the (smaler bulbed) indicators flash quicker too. any help apreciated.

just re-checked my readings and the current and voltage are highest around tickover, but the current is still 2a or less then. cheers.

Just an update i changed out the grounds with new thicker guage wire and now im chargin. get like 13.9 without light on and 12.7 with it on. i took a 150 mile ride at night and had no trouble

good news mate!

Vando

Bringing an oldish thread back from the dead, but it's got the best explanations so I think it makes sense to keep things together...

When I bought my 3AJ, it needed to a bit more power to start it, so the seller and I jumped it off his running car. On the way home, I found the battery wasn't charging. Blipping the throttle caused the lights to dim and some diagnostics with the multimeter showed a dip in voltage as the revs went up. I diagnosed this as a knackered regulator/rectifier which I replaced. I also stuck in a new battery as I was off on a trip and didn't really trust the one in there.

Life was good. The bike started on the button first time, every time. I was in a land of milk and honey.

Last weekend, I ran the bike for the first time since the new year. I've been working on it on and off since then and the battery didn't have enough grunt to fire up the bike. I jumped it of a running car. As I rode over the weekend, it quickly became apparent the battery wasn't charging. The lights dimmed with a blipped throttle and the multimeter said the voltage at the battery dipped too. Same problem as before - looks like a knackered regulator/rectifier.

That's my life story, now the plea for advice...

I suspect that the regulator is not the root of my problems but a symptom. My question is this: Is this trouble somewhere else in the bike's electrics, or is it a result of me jumping the bike off the running car (a common factor in both stories)? Alternatively, did I just buy a duff reg/rec?

If it's bike issues, could anyone suggest where to look next weekend when I get the tools out again before I cook another reg/rec?

Alternatively, if it's me being a fool and knackering the components myself, please be gentle!

Many thanks as ever,
VT

Im pretty sure its the jump starting off a bigger battery which is causing the problems, I had an old honda 400/4 which needed a little battery help, jumped it off a car and the regulator/rectifier started smoking, the bike started though but wouldnt charge.

Mark

deeznuts822,

That's phenomenal. I hope I can just do a clean up and move on/put some new wires in. I'll keep testing around to see if I can get around replacing my stator. Testing, what I believe is the right clip from the stator I get some low resistances or 500 ohms...hardly what we need when it should be .5 ohms.

Truthfully, with the tests I'm done, I'm probably right that the stator is shot. The bike's lights were a lot better after a battery charge, but a couple of long rides later the battery was at 12.7 instead of the 13.3 that the trickle charger brought it up to and then it stopped starting at all.

I got to pull more electrical tape off before I'm sure of the recommended tests here.

I know this is an old thread, but what do you guys think? Trying to kick it over and test the voltage of the battery, it doesn't change. Testing for spark with the spark plug out and grounded does nothing too.

I'd think even a kick should get the battery some power, sure that doesn't rule out rectifier issues, but I do believe I tested the alternator so. . . been looking for a couple weeks but no stators are for sale without a complete engine attached.

Got any of these for a guy's first post?