Charging system - issues?

[barryg]

I was out on the bike on Friday, dropped in to Palm Beach Triumph for a chat, the bike wouldn't start when I went to leave. Ferrkkk!! Still, if it had to drop me, that was as good a place as any, I suppose.
Took it into the workshop, Charlie took the battery out (it's only a year old) and onto the charger for half an hour, put it back in and it fired right up. He put it on the meter, only charging about 13V and goes down as you rev the motor.
So.....charging system problem somewhere. As I couldn't leave the bike, he loaned me a new battery (Yuasa) to get me home while he charged up mine, which was good of him.
I can't leave the bike now as I'm off to NZ for three weeks and they don't want it sitting there all that time, so I'll take it back when I get back and leave it for them to figure out what's on the fritz.
My question is - what is more likely to have gone, the voltage regulator/rectifier, or the stator, or even the alternator?
Anyone have any insight on possible problem or had this happen?
Thanks
Cheers
Barry

[crashmasterd]

A couple of guys have had stator issues with these bikes. I'd start there. It sounds like your dealership is pretty cool that way, so probably they will sort it for you

Come to think of it with the symptoms you mentioned (lower voltage with higher RPM) it sounds even more like a Stator issue.

Good luck, and **** you for going to New Zealand.

[vinnyf]

Happily, the whole system can be checked in just a couple of minutes if you're familiar with the system. But I'd (respectfully) disagree with Crash - the most common failure on most bikes is the rectifier/regulator, but it could be anything related to the system. Again, a quick check will tell right away. Have a great trip!

[barryg]

OK, back now from NZ (altho' I think my body clock is STILL somewhere out over the Pacific).
I had the battery charged up on the Optimate and thought I'd put it in to the bike on the weekend so that I could get home early from work and run the bike up to the shop yesterday. I hooked up the cables, turned the key and pressed the starter, and ................. zip! Feck! The headlights go on, but otherwise, no sign of life, no noise from any relays, no instrument lights or numbers, nothing. I put the battery on a meter, and it shows 10.9v, so it's fried, I guess, maybe just from the run before it died on me (it's only a year old, BTW).
This sounds so like the regulator/rectifier that was a problem on VFR's. My question today, then, is can the r/r be tested off the bike? How? I do have a meter, but maybe the dealer has something.
I'll call him but just thought I'd get some thoughts from here.
(The major problem, of course, is I have no way of getting the bike to the dealer unless I put a new battery in (which I'll have to do anyway) and taking the chance of frying that in the course of a 5 mile ride).

Cheers
Barry

[cheapbastard]

hey Barry, shoot Mrbiff a pm, I can't remember, but I believe he may know how to test the r/r and stator separately.

[barryg]

Thanks, mate.

Barry

[barryg]

Update
had a great PM from MrBiff, for which I'd publicly like to thank him very much. Great info simply explained. He suggested the likely culprit is the stator, or maybe the voltage regulator.
It turns out it's the voltage regulator gone pfffttt. Just waiting for a new one from Triumph, should be here tomorrow. Plus, of course, I need a new battery.
I thought I'd finished with this sort of thing when I sold the VFR
Thanks, all, for the help.
Cheers
Barry

[turboLT]

I thought I'd finished with this sort of thing when I sold the VFR

I thought the same thing and replaced my stator last weekend. Cheers!

(don't forget to check the charging voltage with the new R/R)

[JW69ers]

Seems i have simular problems with my 06. What's the desired voltage at the battery when the system is charging?
I allready replaced regulator and battery ...
BTW my dealer sold me an aftermarket regulator unit for way less then Triumph OE part, according to him these aftermarket things work better ... we'll see. Seems i got nothing left but change the stator ...

[MrBiff2You]

Read...Look at pictures...PM with questions

http://www.thespeedtriple.com/Forums...p?topic=8529.0