[zugre]

Hey can someone help me, i had an issue with my headlight?

Headlight randomly brightens and dimms. You can see on the video i took…

27 June 2022

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At iddle, it dimms and if i rev, it brightens. But also brightens and dimms randomly (not only if i rev), you can see that also on the video.

When im driving i.e. at 4 gear at constant 4k rpm, it randomly dimms and then brightens again all the time and its so annoying for those in front of me…( like i am blinking with long light)

This is happening only when the bike is warm. (At least 70-75c). It is working normaly on start till bike warms up, then the issue appears.

Maybe the problem would be a faulty regulator / rectifier ?! I want to be sure and then buy the new reg rect. Any idea how to test and inspect? Maybe battery check at constant rpms?

 

[TwistedMister]

charging system, inspect it and test it out, pretty easy with a multimeter, parts store for $20, fairly easy testing, you have the service manual? if not youtube can walk you through it, maybe remove the tailpiece then feel around when it's doing it, wires, R/R, stator cover so forth see if something is hot, best to check the stator output make sure it's not putting out way too much.. easy enough.. if you're lucky it might be simple as a battery going out?

 

[BillV]

+1 on a voltmeter. You could start at the battery terminal but I'd like to see something further downstream. Try connecting it to the O/G lead on your dealer mode connector. There's a B/W ground there too. It seems to brighten considerably when revved at first but later stay constant. That may be a voltage regulation issue.

 

[zugre]

Hey, i have the service manual and today bought a new multimeter to test.

1. The first thing to inspect by the service manual/charging system, is battery current leakage.

So i test it out and get result from 0,5 to 0,6mA (as i understand, it should be under 3mA, so i am good)?

2. The next thing to inspect was Regulated Voltage:

here is another video when idling:

Still iddling, fan just kicked in.

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-With ignition off, i get 12,7v.
-At idle 14,3 (14 with fan on)
-After idling for a while, and when the bike is warmed up, the issue with the headlight brightening and dimming comes and also, there are voltage ups and downs when that happens.
i get numbers From 13,8 to 17,7v (manual says: 14.0 to 15.5v at 5 000rpm)
You can see that on the videos here:

Bike warmed, and the issue is here!

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Bike warmed, video 2

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So with that results, seems like battery is good, but there is a charging problem from stator or regulator/rectifier. (I will inspect that parts too)
What do you think?
The battery is fine?
I think the bad r/r is the problem, but we will see...(because issue appears only when bike is warmed up and there is heat).

 

[Beairsto Racing]

If I read your notes correctly, and you're getting up to 17 volts @5000rpm... that's way too high.

 

[zugre]

If I read your notes correctly, and you're getting up to 17 volts @5000rpm... that's way too high.

Yes im getting up to 17.7v at even lower rpms. (2-3-4k rpm rev)

 

[BillV]

+1 on way too high. 17.7 V sounds high enough to put the ECM at risk. It could also hurt your battery.

It's not a big deal but I'd prefer that you use the 20 V range as it might reveal some unsteadiness that's not seen on the 200 V range.

It does sound like your R/R isn't doing its job. The service manual has a bunch of diode tests to do on the R/R. You might as well also inspect the stator's voltage and resistances. You'll need the 200 V range for the voltages.

FYI, incandescent bulb brightness goes up by V^3.5 and life goes down by V^12. So going from 14 V to 17 V doubles the brightness, which we see in your videos, and decreases the life by a factor of 10.

P.S. Is that an aftermarket seat?

 

[zugre]

i just removed and tested the r/r with service manual in front of me. I do all the tests and all the numbers i get was in the range it should be. So it seems like r/r is good…

But maybe the problem is comming after r/r is warmed up, after bike is warmed up… because the issue with voltage and headlight brigtening is there when bike is warmed up. When bike is cold, everyhing is fine. And now i tested a cold r/r. (Can’t test warmed up r/r)

What do you think? Do i need to inspect the stator voltage next or to buy a new r/r?

ps: the seats are not aftermarket, they are the original seats, but modified.

 

[zugre]

just inspected the generator/stator. I disconnect the generator coupler and tested it by the service manual.

I get numbers which are in the good range. So the stator is fine too…here is the test results:

in the service manual there is one more test which i could make and that is: no load performance test-testing the voltage while generator coupler is disconected and bike running at 5k rpm.

(I cant do that test today because it is a two man job, but if i must, i will test that tommorow too)

 

[TwistedMister]

the video first start, the reading should be a 14.5+ when idling, you are reading 13.5 ish, low there..

and what about that battery? how old is it and what is it?

you should run Yuasa only, AGM.. very important here.. maintenance free, they are a bit more, $85.00 usd or so but it's what the bike wants, you are dropping to low 11v with key on which tells me its not got a lot of good solid cold cranking amps, inexpensive batteries can strain charging systems as well, best to go with the stock AGM Yuasa..

then if you want to do yourself a favor and beef her up and smooth her out more a Ricks stator and a Roadstercycle mosfet R/R and a direct to battery mod with the inline circuit breaker, this way she get to hot or puts out too much as we see here the breaker will flip till its cooled down and back to spec, won't harm any components.. if your stock stator specs out its good, they are decent stators I spose? but mosfet is best if it doesn't have one already, the inline circuit breaker is nice too..

 

[BillV]

It's probably OK but you didn't check the stator resistance to ground. It should be high.

The diode tests check the R/R diodes but not the voltage regulator. I continue to suspect it as the R/R has already failed the voltage tests. You might be right about it acting up when it gets hot. The underside of the R/R is potted in a black epoxy compound. Do you seen any evidence of damage to it that might be associated with local overheating?

The brown in the seat goes well with the black bike. Whoever did that knew what they were doing.

 

[zugre]

It's probably OK but you didn't check the stator resistance to ground. It should be high.

The diode tests check the R/R diodes but not the voltage regulator. I continue to suspect it as the R/R has already failed the voltage tests. You might be right about it acting up when it gets hot. The underside of the R/R is potted in a black epoxy compound. Do you seen any evidence of damage to it that might be associated with local overheating?

The brown in the seat goes well with the black bike. Whoever did that knew what they were doing.

As you said “checking stator resistance to ground” After i check ab bc ac resistance, also checked with red probe on a,b,c and black probe to (-)terminal on battery and i get nothing, there was default ‘0L’ on multimeter display. Are you meaning to this?

about the diode tests: yes it is only that test in the service manual, can voltage regulator be checked?

Hm, like you said, the underside of the r/r on all the photos i am seeing on the internet have that black epoxy compound,

but when i removed my r/r out, i did not see any black compound like this on the photo. On that spot there was gray smooth surface like mirror. I dont see any evidence of damage or overheating. Only some dark..like oil dirt..spot right behind the r/r, on the engine block. Not sure what was that.

 

[zugre]

the video first start, the reading should be a 14.5+ when idling, you are reading 13.5 ish, low there..

and what about that battery? how old is it and what is it?

you should run Yuasa only, AGM.. very important here.. maintenance free, they are a bit more, $85.00 usd or so but it's what the bike wants, you are dropping to low 11v with key on which tells me its not got a lot of good solid cold cranking amps, inexpensive batteries can strain charging systems as well, best to go with the stock AGM Yuasa..

then if you want to do yourself a favor and beef her up and smooth her out more a Ricks stator and a Roadstercycle mosfet R/R and a direct to battery mod with the inline circuit breaker, this way she get to hot or puts out too much as we see here the breaker will flip till its cooled down and back to spec, won't harm any components.. if your stock stator specs out its good, they are decent stators I spose? but mosfet is best if it doesn't have one already, the inline circuit breaker is nice too..

About the battery, i have some LP battery which i bought on 3th month of 2019. Gel 9ah battery(for my bike i need 10ah but back in time i could not find 10ah so i put 9ah) i bought it cheap about 35-40eur (yep, yuasa was 85eur and MF(my oem first battery was 115eur)).
-the bike is running and starting well.

the stator and r/r are oem from 2009

 

[BillV]

"there was default ‘0L’ on multimeter display. Are you meaning to this?"
Yes OL is a high/infinite resistance, which is what it should be.

I think your R/R should be 32800-47H00. I'm used to the black epoxy on the underside but after looking at several on ebay (lots of mislabeled parts there), I now believe that yours should look like this. The eighth image shows the underside as a metal plate. This is new to me. But you can see that it's a Shimaden SH811AA.

Per the service manual, the voltage regulator test is the regulated voltage inspection that you performed above, and which failed.

I personally don't have a problem with your battery but opinions vary. The only thing that I'd avoid is a cheap battery from China.

P.S. Search for "What are the symptoms of a failing voltage regulator?" Note too high a voltage and dimming/pulsing lights.

 

[zugre]

I think your R/R should be 32800-47H00. I'm used to the black epoxy on the underside but after looking at several on ebay (lots of mislabeled parts there), I now believe that yours should look like this. The eighth image shows the underside as a metal plate. This is new to me. But you can see that it's a Shimaden SH811AA.

yep, that is exactly like my r/r.

I personally don't have a problem with your battery but opinions vary. The only thing that I'd avoid is a cheap battery from China.

After i see stuff like this, i will avoid them too!

P.S. Search for "What are the symptoms of a failing voltage regulator?" Note too high a voltage and dimming/pulsing lights.

I know...from everything i readded and watched on the internet and forums, it seems like a bad r/r, but i wanted to test it and be sure

 

[zugre]

the video first start, the reading should be a 14.5+ when idling, you are reading 13.5 ish, low there..

and what about that battery? how old is it and what is it?

you should run Yuasa only, AGM.. very important here.. maintenance free, they are a bit more, $85.00 usd or so but it's what the bike wants, you are dropping to low 11v with key on which tells me its not got a lot of good solid cold cranking amps, inexpensive batteries can strain charging systems as well, best to go with the stock AGM Yuasa..

then if you want to do yourself a favor and beef her up and smooth her out more a Ricks stator and a Roadstercycle mosfet R/R and a direct to battery mod with the inline circuit breaker, this way she get to hot or puts out too much as we see here the breaker will flip till its cooled down and back to spec, won't harm any components.. if your stock stator specs out its good, they are decent stators I spose? but mosfet is best if it doesn't have one already, the inline circuit breaker is nice too..

"there was default ‘0L’ on multimeter display. Are you meaning to this?"
Yes OL is a high/infinite resistance, which is what it should be.

I think your R/R should be 32800-47H00. I'm used to the black epoxy on the underside but after looking at several on ebay (lots of mislabeled parts there), I now believe that yours should look like this. The eighth image shows the underside as a metal plate. This is new to me. But you can see that it's a Shimaden SH811AA.

Per the service manual, the voltage regulator test is the regulated voltage inspection that you performed above, and which failed.

I personally don't have a problem with your battery but opinions vary. The only thing that I'd avoid is a cheap battery from China.

P.S. Search for "What are the symptoms of a failing voltage regulator?" Note too high a voltage and dimming/pulsing lights.

hey, we have another k9 1000 in the house, so i take that battery and tested it out on my bike.

Now bike idles with 16v-17v and if i rev a little, it goes up to 18v lol (with my battery, idles at 14.3v and goes up to 17.8v at 5k rpm), and most important thing is that issue with headlights comes again after bike warms up...i does not test it at 5k rpm...its too high voltage...(service manual says: 14.0 – 15.5 V at 5 000 r/min)

so, battery is not the problem. I will order new r/r
it must be r/r !!

 

[TwistedMister]

did you order good yuasa AGM maintenance free?

 

[BillV]

I agree that it must be the R/R.

It doesn't matter for you but it appears that the units with black epoxy on the underside were made by Kokusan Denki (RS41), now part of Mahle, and the ones with the stainless plate were made by Shindengen (SH811AA). I can't tell but wonder if Kokusan Denki got out of the R/R business and Suzuki switched to Shindengen. The Shindengen FH20AA is a superior MOSFET type but you have to deal with the connectors and mounting hole spacing. This indicates that there are some complications with testing a newer type R/R. It's tough to tell what you're getting with an off brand R/R, for example this and this.

 

[zugre]

did you order good yuasa AGM maintenance free?

This morning i tested a year old battery, agm, like bike wants (FT12A-BS 12 V 36.0 kC (10 Ah)/10 HR)
from another k9 1000 which works perfectly on that bike. On my bike, charging problem is there again.

So, why do i need to order a good yuasa AGM maintence free now?

 

[zugre]

I agree that it must be the R/R.

It doesn't matter for you but it appears that the units with black epoxy on the underside were made by Kokusan Denki (RS41), now part of Mahle, and the ones with the stainless plate were made by Shindengen (SH811AA). I can't tell but wonder if Kokusan Denki got out of the R/R business and Suzuki switched to Shindengen. The Shindengen FH20AA appears to be a superior MOSFET type but you have to deal with the connectors and mounting holes.

That is why i posted a new thread about what rr to buy. Im from europe and i does not know what rr would find. Can u tell me some good r/r manufacturers like ricks motorsport (oem style)…also what means “mosfet” word?