Crap! Voltage Regulator burning?

[dm_gsxr]

Recent work was the Power Commander III + Yosh pipes and engine work (rings, gaskets, and valve shim changeouts).

Farkles are heated grips, air horn, 5 function gauge, accent lights, headlight and taillight modulators. They're all connected through a blue sea fuse box (6 additional fuses).

When I got the bike back, it didn't seem to want to charge the battery. But it's been doing that. The battery was probably end of life by then or at least getting close. Within a few days, the bike refused to start or hold a charge so I got a new battery.

The bike started pretty well after the new battery however the voltage gauge showed mostly a low charge (less than 13 and at times just below 12). I figured a short was introduced when the bike was put back together. The wires for the accent lights had burned through (the right one). I pulled the fuse and the charging seemed to go up but seldom above 12.

When I got home yesterday, I smelled a little smoke. I couldn't find anything but pulled the accent light wires from the side panel in case it was the insulation burning.

This morning I was heading out to get breakfast for the folks coming to help us move in. For the heck of it, I pulled all the fuses from the Blue Sea fuse box before leaving.

On the way, the bike had a substantial drop in power for about a second but it immediately powered back up. Cautious, I slowed down. When I got to the light, I revved the bike a little and it seemed ok but as I pulled in the brake the bike died and the battery was stone cold dead. I called Rita and let her know what happened then pulled off to the sidewalk to check the bike out.

I pulled the seat off and checked the fuse box but nothing seemed out of place. I was moving wires to see if there was something touching and causing grounding and the power going to the fuse box came out of the crimped connector. Figuring the loose wire might have been causing the problem, I pulled both the wires that were going to the fuse box off the battery and screwed the terminal wires back down. The only wires were the two terminal wires and the wire from the Power Commander.

I put the seat and saddle bags back on the bike and jumpstarted the bike successfully. I left it idling on the sidewalk and walked back to get my helmet and gloves. I called Rita and let her know it seemed to be working and that I was heading back. On my way back, the bike died just before I reached it. I turned it around and pushed it back up the hill and tried to jumpstart it again (I put the helmet and gloves in the trunk ) but unfortunately it wouldn't start.

I called Rita and had her ask a friend to come down with jumper cables and the ramp in case I needed to get the bike home. We were able to jump the bike but after 15 seconds or so it'd just die. I had him holding the throttle at 2k and 3k and each time, 10 to 15 seconds after removing the jumper cables the bike would die again. At 3k, Todd pointed out that there was smoke coming from the back left side of the bike

So we pushed the bike onto the back of the truck and brought it home (Rita took a picture so I'll post it once I get it off the camera ).

I put the charger on the bike in the garage and after 30 minutes or so, started the bike. After a few minutes of running, smoke started coming from the back. I removed the rear plastic and tried again. Smoke was pouring from the wires at the top of the voltage regulator.

I shut down the bike.

From a previous history, I suspect the regulator has been going out but I don't know if that's the way it works. Does it slowly degenerate or does it just bail all at once? The farkles have been on the bike for some time, the newest one being a year old.

That of course assumes I'm talking about the regulator too. Everything's packed up so I can't look up the book.

Suggestions? Ideas? Could adding the Power Commander pushed the regulator over the edge?

I don't want to get a new regulator only to have it fail because of the farkles + PC.

Carl

[brennahm]

You have what...90k+ miles on the bike? My money is that you're dying battery killed the regulator.

[MattTLS]

First off, pardon my ignorance, but I don't know what farkles are -- looked it up, and the closest I could find is farkleberry -- a shrub or small tree of the heath family, native to the southern U.S., bearing small, waxy, white flowers and black, many-seeded berries. I'm guessin' this is not what you have on your bike. Or is it?

Anyway, as far as I know, the voltage regulator and rectifier are typically one unit, that is for Suzukis anyhow. And this seems to be the part that wears out earliest in most cases -- and I'd think that would be especially the case when extra 'farkles' are drawing power. I

I probably have an extra regulator/rectifier from a TL that you can use to determine if this is your problem if it'll work -- I'll look up part numbers to see if they might be the same.

[MattTLS]

As I rather expected, the 'Busa and TL regulator/rectifier part #s are different. The TL unit has seven wires splitting into two plugs -- four to one of them (two red, two black/white tracer) and three to the other(all gray).

For the 'Busa, it's part # 32800-33E21. $161.21 at RonAyersMotorsports.

Here, it's $109 along with some easy to understand information http://www.electrosport.com/technica...stem-works.php

You're welcome to bench test mine to see if it could be made to work for testing purposes on your bike. My guess is that the two red wires could be connected and the two black/white wires could be connected as well. I just don't know exactly how you'd make certain that these would be ballpark similar in power rating (? don't know if that's really the right way to put that).

[Bashed]

Farkles are crap people put on thier bikes they want, but don't necessarily need. IE; heated grips, air horn, headlight modulators, gauges, all stuff that will put a strain on your electrical system. The powercommanders don't really pull that much power to run, I would suspect the other devices and or a weak battery/regulator due to overuse and or time. You stated the wiring was/is burned and bad connections, all of which will cause the other componants to work harder to achieve the desired results, your stuff working. You might need a stronger stator to power all the crap, sorry, farkles you deem necessary on your ride. I would revaluate your entire electrical system, seems your wants are writing checks your system cant cash.

[rforsythe]

Cue Bash with a nice Top Gun reference.

Yeah, reg/rect's will occasionally fry, especially if they get too hot (not uncommon). Loose connections = bad. Dying battery = bad. Those + a lot of current draw = more bad.

Check all of the connections and make sure everything is snug and tight. Things do vibrate loose over time. Also oxidation can wreak havoc, so pay close attention there and wire-brush any connectors that even look like that might be going that way. Once you've done all this, put a new reg/rect on there and go ride!

Also you might consult Henry Towne, he distance-tours on a Busa and has a bunch of extra shit wired into his as well. He could tell you if the stock setup is up to the task or if he had to upgrade anything like wiring, stator, reg/rect, etc.

FWIW the reg/rect is a part that does break from stress over time, and heavy-duty variants (not necessarily the OEM part) can be had on a budget. Given your propensity to long trips and crappy conditions that would suck to be stranded in, you might consider carrying a spare.

[dm_gsxr]

Thanks for the replies.

Farkles (as mentioned) are extra bits you use to power gear. Since I tour, I have plugs for things such as a GPS and the AutoComm (helmet speakers for the iPod and cell phone). I also have a 12V plug, headlight modulator, taillight modulator, gerbings plugs, heated grips, and the LED lights.

Thing is, I haven't used the GPS in some time as the plug lost the screw. I found a replacement but not in time for the trip to Alaska.

The AutoComm is only used on trips as is the 12V plug which again would have been last years trip.

I do have a Voltage meter in line and I keep an eye on the draw, keeping the charging system up above 12 in the winter and above 13 in the summer. So until recently, I don't think I've been having an overdraft problem But that's why I was asking about the draw from the Power Commander (heck, if you want something useless compared to the other gear, the PC fits that description).

The wiring is crimped to connectors and splices are soldered and heat shrink tubing wrapped. The fuse box connector is the first time something has come lose.

I will be going through the connectors and making sure everything is still good and tight.

Carl

[MattTLS]

Carl,

Got the bike's electrical gremlins sorted? I found some opinions on another site about electrosport.com that I linked to earlier -- sounds like you might want to stay away from them -- people are saying it's junk.

Here's another link that may be useful
http://www.triumphrat.net/maintenanc...r-upgrade.html

[dm_gsxr]

I went ahead and ordered a stock replacement. Sucker for punishment, I guess It should be in today.

I will be using my book (found it over the weekend) and check all the bits before connecting up the extras, then check again as I add the extras back in (each one has its own fuse so connect the new fuse box, check, check the wiring, fuse it, check it again, etc...)

I still found the information in both places good. Hopefully the stator isn't gone too.

Hey, what's the name of the bearing company you used by the way? I still need to replace the steering head bearings on my project and wanted to get in touch with them.

Thanks.

Carl

[MattTLS]

Hey, what's the name of the bearing company you used by the way?

Rocky Mountain Supply -- there are locations in Fort Collins and Greeley -- possibly more around