Looks like I'm singing...

[Valkorado]

the alternator blues.  My high tech Battery Bug voltage and alternator monitor started barking at me today.  Battery is new this season and good.  I had recently given the ol' Bullet a rare real water wash.  I'm always careful with H2O around the alternator but I'm wondering if some got under the cover.  Anyway, I can see that with engine running the battery is not taking a charge.

Guess I'm going in.  I have two alternators, both used.  I'm thinking I'll gamble with one of them before springing on a new one.

I remember reading a thread fairly recently (this season?) here where someone moved the center panel out of the way a bit without having to fully remove it and said that made the alternator removal and installation much easier.  Of course I can't find it now.  

I have manuals and know about removing the negative cable, etc..

Anyone have any other tips to make this maddening job easier?

[Chrisj CMA]

Did you check the 55A fusible link first?  If that’s blown you have no alternator.

[Valkorado]

Did you check the 55A fusible link first?  If that’s blown you have no alternator.

I'll check it but the bike is starting and running fine, would it do so if that fuse was blown? 

I know that the Battery Bug says around 13v when starting (I keep the batteries on a smart trickle pulse charger) but after I start the bike the Battery Bug shows 0% charging and the voltage starts dropping. It usually shows 14.2 - 14.4 when running.

[Chrisj CMA]

Did you check the 55A fusible link first?  If that’s blown you have no alternator.

I'll check it but the bike is starting and running fine, would it do so if that fuse was blown? 

I know that the Battery Bug says around 13v when starting (I keep the batteries on a smart trickle pulse charger) but after I start the bike the Battery Bug shows 0% charging and the voltage starts dropping. It usually shows 14.2 - 14.4 when running.

Yes. It would start and run fine. But there would be no charging from the alternator

[Valkorado]

Thanks Jeff.  Checked the fusible, it was OK.  Unhooked the Battery Bug and rehooked to the battery.  It reset itself and shows a charge now.  I'm back in business!  

I'm singing a happy song now.

[gordonv]

Was this my post you where referring too?

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,107156.0.html

Glad to hear it's working. Any idea why it would work after connecting to the battery? You had it connected to the alternator 1st?

[Valkorado]

Was this my post you where referring too?

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,107156.0.html

Glad to hear it's working. Any idea why it would work after connecting to the battery? You had it connected to the alternator 1st?

I'd pulled the the leads from the battery posts a couple days earlier to set up some LED strips.  When reinstalling the Bug I didn't use proper sequence (positive then negative) which threw it outta whack.

I was prepping for alternator change.  I have that "dodged a bullet" feeling!