Just wanted to share what I found out about my V65 charging system.
It’s a 1991 ex-Italian police bike and I found out it’s fitted with a Saprisa(?) combined rectifier/regulator.
I removed all the warning lights and huge rubber instrument pod soon after I bought it, and it’s been charging OK, so no issue with not having a charging bulb.
Having re-built it I found it wasn’t charging. I added an earth from the body of the reg/rec but not sure that was the fix.
I thought I had re-fitted the wiring connector properly but checking again it needs a VERY firm pressure to get it to fit properly - I had to remove it from the bike to seat the connector fully. Then I found the female spade connector for the 12v output was sloppy, so gave it a slight squeeze to tighten it up.
Now getting a healthy and steady 14.3 volts across the battery when I rev the bike.
Phew - what a relief!!
ta
stuart
whilst sorting out my V65SP In did notice the rear light was a bit dull, so the wiring into the light holder was cut back by about a few mm and the spade connectors (3?) were replaced with new ones, the increased brightness was very noticeable, an other small job maybe worth doing.any bike which has been off the road for a while might benefit by a renewing of all old spade type connectors be it lights, alternator or whatever.it is easier to sort out in your own place than on the side of the road.
The charge indicator on any permanent magnet alternator is only that, an indicator. On the excited field rotors like the Bosch, the light is a part of the charging circuit, removing it will stop the system from working. All spade connectors are sprung contacts, and lose their spring with use, thus giving a high resistance connection. On some you can squeeze the spring bit with pliers to tighten them, but otherwise replacement is the only option. If they get bad, and thus hot,you can end up with the insulation melting, resulting in a dead short to a frame member or something. I’ve seen smoke rising from a bike due to this.
Brian UK2014-02-12 10:16:14
Worth sticking to the all metal connectors with a ‘rubber’ sleeve rather than the insulated ones.
As Bob notes above it’s a cosy job in the garage with a soldering iron and/or proper crimp tool.
Steve
Good article well worth checking ALL of them yearly, I have replaced the altenator connectors more than once as it gets very hot in there …If your older bike does NOT have the later plastic spacer behind the altenator cover get one and fit it, I found all the altenator feed wires insulation fried the first time I went in there… Oh yes IF you replace the wiring inside the altenator get wires with insulation made for high temperature, NOT ordinary auto wire or it WILL melt causing major issues… like FIRE
And when you have cleaned or replaced all the connectors, give them a spray with a proper electrical contact lubricant such as Servisol. And then go round the bike spraying some into every switch and connector you can find. It will pay dividends later.
I got some of the contact grease that BT use… keeps contacts corrosion free.