- Joined
- Feb 11, 2006
- Messages
- 9,662
- Location
- Jacksonville
- Bike
- GL1800 R1200RT NC700
- 2024 Miles
- 010688
- STOC #
- 6651
Well, I guess I will get the chance to go in as deep as the alternator. Saturday 2/2/13 I was halfway from nowhere out in the middle of the Okefeenoke Swamp when I lost electrical power and the engine quit while riding east on GA 94. Roadside triage presented a dead battery - I had dim lights and fuel pump spun up but when I tried to crank it all it would do was click the solenoid. I checked the battery connections which were tight and then turned to getting help as the bike was not going anywhere with a total loss electrical system and a dead battery and total swamp darkness was 2 hours away.
Literally in nowhere (10 miles from the last crossroad village and 27 miles to the next cross road community smack dab on the FL/GA state line) I was able to raise 1/2 bar on my Verizon phone and contact BMWMOA roadside assistance. I was 72 miles from my house and my coverage with BMWMOA is 100 miles so when the truck arrived we loaded up and headed home. The tow truck came 47 miles west to get me and the driver said the cost to my house would have been about $550 out of pocket. The annual cost for my assistance plan is $46 and was well worth it Saturday. The truck was a flatbed roll back and he had nice clean tiedown straps so the bike rode very easy.
When I got home the battery was showing about 10.5 volts at rest. I hooked up my 1.25 amp charger and in an hour tried the ignition and the bike cranked right up and ran. The voltage output at the battery did not rise from 10.3 volts however and it is clear the charge system is off-line. I left the battery on the charger all night and yesterday cranked it with 12.8 volts at the battery. At 5,000 rpm there is no output from the alternator measured at the battery - it held about 12.25 volts while running.
I have to get an ammeter to continue the service manual troubleshooting, my multimeter does not have ability to check amps but it is clear the alternator or regulator/rectifier has given up and further checks to ID the problem necessitate baring the alternator and examining the wiring harness from the switch to the battery. I have never removed the throttle bodies so now I get that chance. Time to replace all the hoses in the Vee too I guess.
My bike has 117,xxx miles on it. This forum has a few threads on alternator removal/repair so keep tuned for updates. If anyone that has had this or a similar problem I appreciate any tips and moral support. The Honda cost on the alternator is $500 plus. My town has at least two good repair shops and I hope it can be rebuilt for much less as I do not have $500 I can spare after replacing the central HVAC system in my house three weeks ago.
Literally in nowhere (10 miles from the last crossroad village and 27 miles to the next cross road community smack dab on the FL/GA state line) I was able to raise 1/2 bar on my Verizon phone and contact BMWMOA roadside assistance. I was 72 miles from my house and my coverage with BMWMOA is 100 miles so when the truck arrived we loaded up and headed home. The tow truck came 47 miles west to get me and the driver said the cost to my house would have been about $550 out of pocket. The annual cost for my assistance plan is $46 and was well worth it Saturday. The truck was a flatbed roll back and he had nice clean tiedown straps so the bike rode very easy.
When I got home the battery was showing about 10.5 volts at rest. I hooked up my 1.25 amp charger and in an hour tried the ignition and the bike cranked right up and ran. The voltage output at the battery did not rise from 10.3 volts however and it is clear the charge system is off-line. I left the battery on the charger all night and yesterday cranked it with 12.8 volts at the battery. At 5,000 rpm there is no output from the alternator measured at the battery - it held about 12.25 volts while running.
I have to get an ammeter to continue the service manual troubleshooting, my multimeter does not have ability to check amps but it is clear the alternator or regulator/rectifier has given up and further checks to ID the problem necessitate baring the alternator and examining the wiring harness from the switch to the battery. I have never removed the throttle bodies so now I get that chance. Time to replace all the hoses in the Vee too I guess.
My bike has 117,xxx miles on it. This forum has a few threads on alternator removal/repair so keep tuned for updates. If anyone that has had this or a similar problem I appreciate any tips and moral support. The Honda cost on the alternator is $500 plus. My town has at least two good repair shops and I hope it can be rebuilt for much less as I do not have $500 I can spare after replacing the central HVAC system in my house three weeks ago.