Triumph charging issues

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darthsmidge
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Triumph charging issues

Post by darthsmidge » 26 Aug 2015, 00:32

2012 Street Triple R battery keeps going flat.

The bike seems to be getting some charge into the battery but seems to be fighting a loosing battle against the power drain when riding.

I'm reading only 12.1v when running and climbs a bit when revved but only to 12.3v so I doubt its a duff reg/rec. Battery is brand new so puts out a healthy 12.4v when the ignitions off.

Once its running, the bike runs even when the battery is removed so this means the stator is probably also ok?

I know it ought to be putting out a higher voltage to the battery when running to get it charged but not sure what I should be investigating next.

Any ideas? I'm getting pretty sick of jumping it.

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Cabernet
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Re: Triumph charging issues

Post by Cabernet » 26 Aug 2015, 07:01

Typically, there is 3 wires running between the alternator and the rectifier.
There is normally a terminal connector in between.
With the engine running and the rectifier disconnected, the alternator should kick out around 60Vac across any and all three wires.
Sounds like you may only have 60Vac across two wires.
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Rich696
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Re: Triumph charging issues

Post by Rich696 » 26 Aug 2015, 10:54

The 3 wires from stator to reg can have anything from 18-26 v at idle up to 85v at high revs typical test revs are 5000 all outputs vary from bike to Bike but you also need to do a ohms test on it see if it going to ground check the reg by testing both wiring plugs all three phases on stator plug and see if all readings are close to each other again they vary bike to bike it's a very simple straight forward thing to get to the bottom of with a simple meter and methodical approach regs are more prone to failure than stators. But I've changed 4 this week !! one bike needed a stator and a reg both had nice obvious tell tale marks burn marks on stator windings and at rear of reg the resin was miss shaped and signs melting have fun !!

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Re: Triumph charging issues

Post by Cabernet » 26 Aug 2015, 12:50

Don't know about Triumph, but some bikes suffer the magnets (that stimulate the alternator coils) come adrift. 90's Kawasakis suffered this.
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darthsmidge
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Re: Triumph charging issues

Post by darthsmidge » 06 Sep 2015, 01:06

Ok made some progress. Cheers for the advice, checked the reg/rec and it seemed ok. When checking the stator output it was grounding out so pulled the engine case & low and behold its looking like a smokers lung.
Image

Replacement has arrived fitted and it fired up giving a beautiful 14.4v :D

Unfortunately the bike is now just cranking over but won't fire. I suspect this is just air in the fuel line as I've had the tank off. I hope leaving it overnight will solve this otherwise the fun begins over again. :|
Image
Last edited by darthsmidge on 06 Sep 2015, 19:20, edited 1 time in total.

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lee
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Re: Triumph charging issues

Post by lee » 06 Sep 2015, 10:38

Glad its sorted.
Still a bit fuckin poor that its happened on a 3 year old bike.

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Dooffle
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Re: Triumph charging issues

Post by Dooffle » 06 Sep 2015, 15:15

Won't be air in the fuel lines stopping it starting, as long as the pump is working it will get fuel, more likely to be immobiliser. Might need resetting.
Worth checking the ignition relay as well.

Should shout at Triumph about the stator, should last longer than 3 years bit of goodwill warranty for that.

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darthsmidge
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Re: Triumph charging issues

Post by darthsmidge » 06 Sep 2015, 19:29

Unfortunately its a common problem on Triumphs, no shortage of info online about ruined reg/rec's and stators.

I've just spent the day stripping it down and rebuilding it. Was still cranking over & not firing, its not got an immobiliser so I pulled the spark plugs which looked fine, but replaced anyway to eliminate them.

Now after unplugging/reccomenting everything it seems to start intermmitently. I can't work out where yet, but I think I've disturbed an electrical connector or a wire while replacing the stator. Briding the starter relay fires the bike up straight away but its still running rough.

Might wind up being an expensive trip to an auto electrician or god forbid a triumph dealership.

Trying to avoid that at all costs, I'm now reading the wiring digram trying to work out what it might be :geek:

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Rich696
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Re: Triumph charging issues

Post by Rich696 » 07 Sep 2015, 08:32

First check would have to be the pick up on the flywheel as its down where u have been working

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darthsmidge
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Re: Triumph charging issues

Post by darthsmidge » 07 Sep 2015, 10:33

Good shout on the pick up richie, just had a quick check before work.

The pick up comes as part of the stator coils so its been replaced along with the stator coils.

Original pickup:
Image

New pickup (fitted):
Image

So a bit of googling reveals that the 2006-2008 bikes use a different pickup coil that the 2009-on bikes and I've obviously got the wrong one fitted. I took it out for a spin when it did eventually start last night and it was running rough, misfiring and all that which are symptoms of a dodgy pickup.

I'm waiting on a new gasket set as I tore another one taking the case back off, but once thats here I'll be doing a bit of cutting & soldering to move the pick up coil over and hopefully that'll be me done :D


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