Need a little help...bike has cut out

[theoneandonly]

would a Police spec alt do the job ?
bikes have always run close to the limit , power wise .
1995 , punter complains fzr1000 exup needs charging every week .
running bike lights on inds on , brake lights on @ t/over = -7amps.
once over 3k rpm it went positive , but he rode in London all week in the winter.

my Cali Metal , Blairgowrie to London , snow on the ground !
heated suit ( top and bottom ) on full power , lights on , m-way most of the way @ 70+ , at High Wycombe , suit went off . stopped for a fag , turned off lights ,bike running , suit came back on , wound the suit down to 3 ( from 5 ) switched to 20w side light on M25 , suit stayed on all the way home.

 

[Slipperyeel]

So the voltage regulator is part of the Alternator, = ergo you need a new alternator = Kerching

This is a voltage regulator

They normally just bolt into / onto an alternator

View attachment 462497


I had a car alternator fail years ago - mega money to relace the whole unit,

Took it to an alternator specialist £20 odd quid for the regulator

One of the easiest ways to maximise your repair £200 needs a new alternator mate when a £20 part will fix it

It may be the VR is integral and dosent come as a stand alone part , wouldnt surprise me

Hello Santa.

As corrected earlier, I should be talking about regulator/rectifier... And yes, it's integral to the alternator...which is actually quite common/normal these days.
I am in no doubt there might be a cheaper way to do all this, but I'm kinda stuffed and I really want to get home!

And yes, kerching! Don't remind me!

Saying all this. How would anyone know the regulator/rectifier is on its last legs? Are there symptoms?!

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[Slipperyeel]

would a Police spec alt do the job ?
bikes have always run close to the limit , power wise .
1995 , punter complains fzr1000 exup needs charging every week .
running bike lights on inds on , brake lights on @ t/over = -7amps.
once over 3k rpm it went positive , but he rode in London all week in the winter.

my Cali Metal , Blairgowrie to London , snow on the ground !
heated suit ( top and bottom ) on full power , lights on , m-way most of the way @ 70+ , at High Wycombe , suit went off . stopped for a fag , turned off lights ,bike running , suit came back on , wound the suit down to 3 ( from 5 ) switched to 20w side light on M25 , suit stayed on all the way home.

That is a good idea! But why do l isn't a higher rated alternator fitted to bikes, especially litre+ bikes that will have the excess power to run then
Maybe it's cost?

Interested in your story. Sounds like you weren't far away from the alternator giving up .

I know the heated gear will be a high draw on the system, but honestly, I had the idea it was well inside its capacity. It is. Just not 'well' inside it!

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[MrC99]

Heated seat - 20W
Heated jacket - 106W
Heated trousers - 48W
K7 dashcam - 7.2W
Garmin XT - 10W(max - i have stated a max here)
OEM Aux lights - 110W
Phone on charge - 5W

Notice you have a lot of comfort stuff on here - do you have heated grips as well?

 

[seahorse]

What's your heated jacket? 106W sounds a lot.

 

[theoneandonly]

That is a good idea! But why do l isn't a higher rated alternator fitted to bikes, especially litre+ bikes that will have the excess power to run then
Maybe it's cost?

Interested in your story. Sounds like you weren't far away from the alternator giving up .

I know the heated gear will be a high draw on the system, but honestly, I had the idea it was well inside its capacity. It is. Just not 'well' inside it!

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cost

taking out more than i'm putting in , Gerbing has a built in system , so you don't run battery flat

Cali has a 30Amp battery , it's big .

 

[adventuredon]

I agree. Much the same as my thinking. But I would have expected the alternator to cope ok with all that?

Accessories connected (directly to the battery) :

• Heated clothing
• Heated seat via the PDM (set to fuse at 10A)
• Dashcam
• Phone on charge (plugged into the OEM accessory socket)
• Satnav via the BMW loom connection

It has the fog/marker lights always on. I guess they count as an accessory?

Maybe a poor earth also stretched it to the limit also?

A few if's! Interested in thoughts on the list above. It's that lot expecting to much of a 60A alternator?







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you have so many accessories, you'd be better off in a car..

 

[Santa-2512]

Might not help the OP

but i found this website

Denso - BMW R1200 & R nineT Alternator ; 12 31 7 712 825, Re-Manufactured. Denso # 101211-8921

Re-manufactured Denso 60 amp alternator BMW R Series ; 12 31 7 712 825. 2006-2014. Vehicle Manufacturer: BMW Application: BMW R nineT, R1200R, R1200GS, 'Hex-Head'

www.euromotoelectrics.com

Not sure what shipping and taxes would be, but potentially looks way cheaper than a new unit would

 

[Slipperyeel]

Notice you have a lot of comfort stuff on here - do you have heated grips as well?

I don't agree. I don't think it is A LOT of accessories. Apart from the heated seat which is a 'nice to have' which item on the list is excessive - in your mind?

The figures given are all max possible draw from each device. Therefore rarely happens at all. The phone is only topped up by the bike, not charged continuously. Heating gets turned to the lowest optimum because it just becomes too hot otherwise.

Heated clothing is never dialled past half way, far too hot otherwise.
My headlamp is led. So actually less than the standard draw on the system.

If that list was being demanded 100%, above 3k RPM, there is an excess of power for all this stuff. It's at idle it will struggle.

You are right to mention heated grips. I forgot these.

Maybe I should redo the list, dividing between OEM and add-ons...

In my opinion, these bikes (litre+ bikes) should have a system that can easily cope with heated clothing at least. It's an essential piece of equipment if you're 'touring'.

In my case, with a 14yr old bike, not all those earth connections will be ideal, so an additional creeping load on the system. I understand much better what has gone on here and I suspect the alternator was on the way out and -8° + heated gear (not on max!) and seat and grips threw it over the edge. Just glad it did it here and not in Switzerland!!!

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[Slipperyeel]

Might not help the OP

but i found this website

Denso - BMW R1200 & R nineT Alternator ; 12 31 7 712 825, Re-Manufactured. Denso # 101211-8921

Re-manufactured Denso 60 amp alternator BMW R Series ; 12 31 7 712 825. 2006-2014. Vehicle Manufacturer: BMW Application: BMW R nineT, R1200R, R1200GS, 'Hex-Head'

www.euromotoelectrics.com

Not sure what shipping and taxes would be, but potentially looks way cheaper than a new unit would

Thanks Santa. Bookmarked! But actually I'm after a 100A alternator now



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[Slipperyeel]

you have so many accessories, you'd be better off in a car..

Cheeky bugger, see above! I don't think it's a lot. Apart from the heated clothing, most/many people are running the same accessories on their 2 wheeled cars

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[DrFarkoff]

Thanks Santa. Bookmarked! But actually I'm after a 100A alternator now



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So to save me reading a couple of pages of "Stuff "?

What is your status now ??

Bike okay ??

Headed Home???

Overthinking the situation???

 

[Udders]

If these alternators are the same units used on cars ( I know the 1150 ones are ) then you should be able to power a LOT more stuff than you’ll ever get on a bike shirley?
If they can happily power a cars electrical system with all the gadgetry in one then a bike will be a piece of piss to power.
Glad the fault has been found anyway.

 

[Hann]

Instead of guessing or estimating how your charging system is doing just install a voltmeter to monitor the battery voltage whilst running where you will be able to see in real time how it is coping.
Charging voltage is normally around 14.1 - 14.4V.
With the load of all your electrical accesories it will probably be much lower than this at moderate engine speeds but should recover at higher speeds.
If it still struggles at higher speeds reduce the load!
Your jacket at over 100W seems a lot?

 

[Slipperyeel]

So to save me reading a couple of pages of "Stuff "?

What is your status now ??

Bike okay ??

Headed Home???

Overthinking the situation???

Hey Doc. Thanks for asking.

I collect the bike at 2. After the infamous lunch break. They were very confident about this timing. In fact he said it will be ready this morning some time, but he wants to run checks to be sure it's all ok. They have appreciated the journey ahead of me, but I guess it buys then a little headroom too.

Will update when I'm back on the UK side

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[Slipperyeel]

Instead of guessing or estimating how your charging system is doing just install a voltmeter to monitor the battery voltage whilst running where you will be able to see in real time how it is coping.
Charging voltage is normally around 14.1 - 14.4V.
With the load of all your electrical accesories it will probably be much lower than this at moderate engine speeds but should recover at higher speeds.
If it still struggles at higher speeds reduce the load!
Your jacket at over 100W seems a lot?

I've already thought of this and rather than it seeming a bit over the top, I can now see that these bikes actually need a volt meter! As you say real time monitoring will be super useful.

The 100W for the jacket is max possible - so I listed the max draw from every accessory (I omitted/forgot about the grips!). So the 23A is a max possible.
In reality, the jacket is only ever1/3 power maximum. More is too much.

I have emailed W&S for more info. But I've thought further and I'm going to plug the jacket into my power supply unit at home and get a real life reading of usage at the settings I usually use.

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[Slipperyeel]

If these alternators are the same units used on cars ( I know the 1150 ones are ) then you should be able to power a LOT more stuff than you’ll ever get on a bike shirley?
If they can happily power a cars electrical system with all the gadgetry in one then a bike will be a piece of piss to power.
Glad the fault has been found anyway.

I share you thinking! But I'm guessing the giant battery in a car is able to manage the deficit?

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[Udders]

Possibly the answer?

 

[The Other PaulG]

Saying all this. How would anyone know the regulator/rectifier is on its last legs? Are there symptoms?!

I have just been helping a mate whose Vespa 250 was blowing headlight bulbs. I put a meter across the headlight bulb and it was showing 17 volts at tickover, rising even further above that as the revs rose.

That's the 'reg' bit of a reg/rec failing and no longer limiting the outputted voltage. Blowing bulbs (in his case), or fuses, might be a symptom.

I have never known why, but they do seem to have a limited lifespan. Look up a buyers guide for pretty much any 80s bike and you'll often see the comment 'reg/recs can fail...'

 

[Santa-2512]

Hello Santa.

As corrected earlier, I should be talking about regulator/rectifier... And yes, it's integral to the alternator...which is actually quite common/normal these days.
I am in no doubt there might be a cheaper way to do all this, but I'm kinda stuffed and I really want to get home!

And yes, kerching! Don't remind me!

Saying all this. How would anyone know the regulator/rectifier is on its last legs? Are there symptoms?!

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My symptoms were the headlights going bright and then dim and then back to bright dim etc etc as i drove along