Serious Electrical Issue, help asap 4 bikeweek

[atpgtr]

So I have had a drain on my battery for a while now, and I have been jumpin it all the time because I was real lazy. Now i'm paying for it.

I have found the drain being the alternator at about 160milliamps. (I don't know if you all have this issue of random harnesses not connecting into anything but I do) I thought the ignition was supposed to cut off all electricity, but there is a drain on the alternator even when I have disconnect the ignition wiring harness...
I kept following some wires and there is a power wire runnin straight to the alternator and the to an empty harness. It is a very ugly splice job (can post pics) that doesn't look like factory splicing. Therefore, the alternator is always good to go and the field magnet is being charged.
I am ready to replace the alternator, no prb, but I need to find out why it is draining, and what the hell is up with this wiring (if i'm crazy or not).

Thanks to all, and I can post any pics necessary. I am trying to have the kat put all back together to ride down to daytona from VT in blacksburg, VA.

P.S. Over the summer I blew a head gasket and didn't have all the tools at school, so I took it to the most credible bike shop in the area and they F'ed up the bike reaaaallll bad, like I took it back to them 5 times after they "repaired" the bike. All the bs was stuff they broke/messed up.

[steves]

Well, there are wires on all the bikes for supporting the Cali model fans, although my suspicion is that it might just be time to replace the battery.

[arsenic]

agreed

[atpgtr]

nah been thru 3, and just bought a new one last night and charged her up.
The drain is being pulled from the alternator

[arsenic]

then get a new alternator?

[steves]

nah been thru 3, and just bought a new one last night and charged her up.
The drain is being pulled from the alternator

okay, so if it's not the battery then it's probably the rectifier/regulator... which is built into the alternator. Meaning that it's running, and producing voltage, but not properly being passed back to the battery.

[Black_peter]

OK first off things are backwards. The Alternator generates power it does not consume it. I think the only way the alternator is going to be a drain is if it is really a connector that is shorted.

Now if your alternator is busted then you're using the battery to to start and run the bike with nothing to charge it. So it will drain in a few days of riding (or faster who knows)

I'm curious how you tested to decide the alternator was the "drain".

[arsenic]

[md86]

Now if your alternator is busted then you're using the battery to to start and run the bike with nothing to charge it. So it will drain in a few days of riding (or faster who knows)

Faster . Ask me how I know ...........
My old Shadow had a dying battery . I drained and filled it , and got about 10 miles down the highway before it crapped out AGAIN . Yeah , I totally forgot to hook the alternator back up .

[Black_peter]

Faster . Ask me how I know ...........
My old Shadow had a dying battery . I drained and filled it , and got about 10 miles down the highway before it crapped out AGAIN . Yeah , I totally forgot to hook the alternator back up .

Here's your sign...

[Newbie2it]

Here's your sign...

LMAO... I looked for the MD sign and found these Tho I dont think those were the ones you were refering to. Anyhow I'm being a little Cause its late night for me Yes 9:00 Am is my sleep time and I am going to bed so.....

[DumbLuck]

two of the things i've found over the years are that, one, one wireing harness fits many different bikes so there are always dead end leads. It's just too expensive to make one harness for one bike. (exactly why drive up ATM keypads have braile on them for example). number two being that the only real way (besides misswiring) that an alternator would see battery voltage (they produce AC voltage btw, not DC) is for the Regulator/Rectifier to be bad. If one of the diodes (one way electrical gate) were bad you might see DC voltage down at the alternator.

a regulator/rectifier is pretty simple to troubleshoot with just an Ohm Meter. if it is the R/R, and there is an open circut between the alt and battery, batteries do not appreciate AC voltage.

charging system trouble shooting overall is fairly simple if you understand general electrical principles. Most repair manuals will give testing procedures, and the general tests can be used across most bikes, with particular specs (voltage, resistance, etc) being the only real difference from bike to bike. Good luck

[md86]

Here's your sign...

Yeah , I know . It was my first bike , and I had not CLUE what I was doing . I've learned much since then . Pushing the bike somewhere and walking a lot tends to motivate you to learn ....

[Black_peter]

If one of the diodes (one way electrical gate) were bad you might see DC voltage down at the alternator.

Good stuff D/L..
However I'm not sure that the failure mode of the diode is to allow bi-directional DC or that it would allow unfiltered AC.

Good old Don has a nice page about it:

http://www.dansmc.com/electricaltesting.htm

[DumbLuck]

Good stuff D/L..
However I'm not sure that the failure mode of the diode is to allow bi-directional DC or that it would allow unfiltered AC.

Good old Don has a nice page about it:
http://www.dansmc.com/electricaltesting.htm

Thank you Peter. I put a '80 Suzi GS450L back into running shape that the PO in his infinate wisdom jumped with a 100 amp boost. Most everything was toast. Two of the diodes in the Regular/Rectifier had continuity in both directions. One of these diodes was the battery charging lead, so the battery did see whatever AC voltage the stator was putting out while cranking. When all was said and done, the battery was shot, the stator was way out of spec Ohm wize, and of course the ingniter was toast also. The PO had bypassed the fuses he'd popped in his efforts to start the skoot which is probibly what let to the gross additional damage.