Making sure I'm not imagining things...

Jimmy Bottlehead

Hi lads.

Bike died on me there Wednesday night. She was slow to start, took her out for a good spin to charge her up and she just died at a traffic lights.

Thought the battery might be the cause but she couldn't even be hill started. Dropped it into mechanic (I got a full service and brake rebuild done three weeks ago) and they initially thought it was the regulator rectifier.

Called today and they now think it's the windings, Part of the charging system. It was hard to hear, so would wiring make a lot more sense?

Never heard of windings before... has to be wiring, right?

Special Circumstances

An alternator would have windings - the mass of copper wound around it rather than any wiring to or from it... If ya get me.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Special Circumstances wrote: »

An alternator would have windings - the mass of copper wound around it rather than any wiring to or from it... If ya get me.

I don't, as I'm fairly clueless at any in-depth mechanical stuff!

rat_race

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

I don't, as I'm fairly clueless at any in-depth mechanical stuff!

Basically, the "windings" is just a tightly wrapped wire, in little blocks, and maybe 8-12 of these blocks are placed in a circular fashion. These sit bolted into the alternator cover on the left or right hand side of your engine (usually left, I believe -- look for the roundy flat vertical part on your engine, about 20cm in diameter).

When the bike is moving, a magnet essentially turns in the middle of these windings (think of a shaft, turned by the engine), and it's this that causes A/C electricity to generate in those wires.

The regulator rectifier takes this electricity and turns it into D/C electricity, so it can be used by the bike/battery.

The windings can "burn out" and therefore prevent the bike from generating electricity, or cause it to do so much less efficiently. That would mean the battery would quickly drain as it would not get to recharge. Your lights would have no power, and you sparks wouldn't ignite.

Also, regulator rectifiers can break, which means that even though the alternator is generating electricity, the regulator rectifier can't pass it on, so it is essentially wasted energy and the same thing occurs.

To check the windings, they should be able to test the output from the alternator. The might need to take the alternator cover off; not a huge deal.

Jimmy Bottlehead

I believe that he said the windings were burned out alright... the rough quote a few days ago is about €70 for parts, same for labour. Sound right??

rat_race

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

I believe that he said the windings were burned out alright... the rough quote a few days ago is about €70 for parts, same for labour. Sound right??

Probably, yep.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Sad as I am to hear that, at least I know now it's fair. Cheers!

rat_race

Jimmy Bottlehead wrote: »

Sad as I am to hear that, at least I know now it's fair. Cheers!

How old is the bike?

Jimmy Bottlehead

1994 Super Four.