Looks Like I need a new alternator

[brew1brew]

Hey guys, I have a little tale to tell and looking for confirmation on my conclusion.

So when I got the Phat Girl back from Maxim honda I had some new LED blinkers and tail light to put in. So after fiddling and checking things are right I shut every thing off and went to bed. Saturday morning I got up and decided to take the Phat Girl out to run some errands. Powered on hit the start button and got "click, click, click . . .". So I thought "well she sat at Maxim for a month without being ran" and hooked it up to the tender over night. So the VTX ran errands for me that day. Sunday the Phat Girl fired up and ran fine.

I rode her all week, yesterday I get off work went out to start the Phat Girl up and go "click, click, click . . . ". Got a jump from a coworker and she would start but would die when I give her gas. bought a new battry and if fired up and took me home. I once again put her on the tender.

This morning I took her up to Maxim Honda and rode to lunch, ate a good burger,  and rode home. killed the Phat Girl when turning her around and went to start her and got "Click,  click, click . . .".

So after doing a little reading here I charged up the battery and fired the bike up and put a multi-meter on the battery and I get 12v when reving up to 2500-3000 RPMs without the needle moving. I also checked it at the top of the 50amp fuse with the same result.

So it looks like I need a new alternator, but I wanted to double check with you guys to make sure there isn't something that maybe got disconnected during the repair. Also I found serveral sources for both valk and wing alternators for $125-$160.

[Valkpilot]

Hey guys, I have a little tale to tell and looking for confirmation on my conclusion.

So when I got the Phat Girl back from Maxim honda I had some new LED blinkers and tail light to put in. So after fiddling and checking things are right I shut every thing off and went to bed. Saturday morning I got up and decided to take the Phat Girl out to run some errands. Powered on hit the start button and got "click, click, click . . .". So I thought "well she sat at Maxim for a month without being ran" and hooked it up to the tender over night. So the VTX ran errands for me that day. Sunday the Phat Girl fired up and ran fine.

I rode her all week, yesterday I get off work went out to start the Phat Girl up and go "click, click, click . . . ". Got a jump from a coworker and she would start but would die when I give her gas. bought a new battry and if fired up and took me home. I once again put her on the tender.

This morning I took her up to Maxim Honda and rode to lunch, ate a good burger,  and rode home. killed the Phat Girl when turning her around and went to start her and got "Click,  click, click . . .".

So after doing a little reading here I charged up the battery and fired the bike up and put a multi-meter on the battery and I get 12v when reving up to 2500-3000 RPMs without the needle moving. I also checked it at the top of the 50amp fuse with the same result.

So it looks like I need a new alternator, but I wanted to double check with you guys to make sure there isn't something that maybe got disconnected during the repair. Also I found serveral sources for both valk and wing alternators for $125-$160.

Since Maxim worked on electrical stuff, I'd check all connections first, starting with the negative battery cable both at the battery and where it attaches to the alternator.

One-who-shall-remain-nameless among us has all his work done at Maxim and I've had to rework their electrical fixes more than once.

[brew1brew]

They should not have had done anything electrical, they reaplaced a bunch of stuff on the front end, but no electrical. I aded led blinkers/brake light and chaged the flasher.

but I will double check all the conections to the alternator before I go spending more money.

[Red Diamond]

If all your connections are good and you want to check your alternator without removing the seat or side cover, just start it up and watch the headlights at idle. Bleep the throttle a little, the headlights should brighten up, if they don't the alt is probably dead. At 2500 RPM's, you reading should have been around 14.1 not 12.

[Valkpilot]

They should not have had done anything electrical, they reaplaced a bunch of stuff on the front end, but no electrical. I aded led blinkers/brake light and chaged the flasher.

but I will double check all the conections to the alternator before I go spending more money.

Sorry, I misunderstood.  I thought you took it to them for the electrical work.

But now you know how I feel about their electrical competence! 

[5_19]

A 50 amp fuse connects the alternator output to the electrical system!

[Rocketman]

It sounds like you've got everything accounted for.  50A fuse, connections, and no voltage rise with RPMs. 

You have a dead alternator.

Mark

[hubcapsc]

Also I found serveral sources for both valk and wing alternators for $125-$160.

I got (haven't received yet) a real clean looking 97 alternator from a wrecked bike with 22K on it for
$90... is $125-$160 rebuilt prices?

-Mike

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I put one of these on my interstate after being left 22o miles from home. Easy to install and works great.It's pretty cheap too. Signal Dynamics flush mount voltage indicator.

[brew1brew]

I put one of these on my interstate after being left 22o miles from home. Easy to install and works great.It's pretty cheap too. Signal Dynamics flush mount voltage indicator.

Bubbles, where did you mount the LED?

I got the new Alternator, it was a little bit of a bear to get the original out, but I got it. I did tear the rubber cover on the Alternator cable, so I ordered a replacement cable that has the rubber cover on it, $5.00 or so.

[hubcapsc]

I put one of these on my interstate after being left 22o miles from home. Easy to install and works great.It's pretty cheap too. Signal Dynamics flush mount voltage indicator.

Bubbles, where did you mount the LED?

I got the new Alternator, it was a little bit of a bear to get the original out, but I got it. I did tear the rubber cover on the Alternator cable, so I ordered a replacement cable that has the rubber cover on it, $5.00 or so.

I plan to try and pay close attention to just how mine twists out when I do it, I reckon
it will twist back in the same way. They go in and out easy when you do it right. The hard
part is where you're sitting there for an hour cussing and trying over and over again until
you do it "right" by mistake or luck, and then, just like that, it is in (or out)... I think these
people who can take one in or out in 5 minutes aren't doing it by mistake or luck.

Have you put your new one in yet?

-Mike

[brew1brew]

Yes, it's in. Like I said, I tore the rubber cover on the alternator cable to the 55amp fuze. So I'll have to swap that out when the new cable comes in, but otherwise it's all good.

The big thing was getting all the hoses and cables behind it out of the way then figuring out how to twist and angle it was just a matter of time finding the combo.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I drilled a hole in the side of the tach area so the light doesn't shine in your eyes and mounted the rest behind the flairing.