[singhg5]

@GHG - that was a handy video by Ricks Motorsports Electric and it got me going.  Good find.

Set the multimeter to DIODE mode and first tested OUTPUT circuit of RR as follows.

I.   -Probe of meter on Output (Red wire) of RR
     +Probe of meter on Yellow wires Y1, Y2, and Y3 of RR
      Readings were 384, 385 and 386.

II.    +Probe of meter on Output (Red wire) of RR
         -Probe of meter on Yellow wires Y1, Y2 and Y3 of RR
         Readings were 1,1,1 - meter readings did not change at all from original number - means too much resistance.

I. and II. show that OUTPUT circuit of RR is ONE-WAY and working

Repeated the same procedure with Ground Circuit of RR.  There was no response on the multimeter in either direction. There was resistance both ways of Ground Circuit.

@Rich - I gently tugged the wires coming from RR at both ends to see if they were still attached - thanks for warning.

[singhg5]

The above readings are different from those in the video of Rick, who showed that both Output and Ground Circuits of RR have resistance in one direction and flow of current in the opposite direction.

But my heart kept saying CHANGE ALL THE FUSES, change the fuses .....
So I kept going. 

Opened all the clam shell fuse holders and looked at them.  They all seemed to be fine. But my heart said check them !  So I tested the first one with multimeter by setting it to Ohms (resistance) mode.  But first disconnected the wires at battery terminal.

Wow, there was complete blockage of current in the first fuse !  I checked the spare in same fuse holder and it showed 1.2 ohms resistance - confirming that fuse1 had burnt though I could not see with naked eye in bright sunshine/shade outside. Its filament looked intact. 

Later I took a picture, magnified many times and then I could see a very small break in the middle of filament.

[singhg5]

Replaced the burnt fuse with a new 20 amp glass fuse and started the motorcycle.  Yeh ! the battery is charging .  Repeated again - still good.

Went for a 10 mile ride with a stop in between and checked voltage at the stop and after coming back - so far so good !  Felt really nice to be able to ride it again.

So the symptoms are gone but is it cured ?

Can anyone take readings on their RR and tell me if they get same results as me or they get results shown in the video by Ricks Electric (link is in GHG post).

Motorcycle engine stops in rain - was it water in tank ? moisture in switches ? spark plug cap not firmly seated ? week battery ? is ground terminal clean and attached to frame ? battery not charging ? wires disconnected somewhere ? alternator not working ? rectifier gone kaput ?

OH, by the way checked the fuse  , !

[jartist]

I had really strange electrical symptoms that turned out to be high resistance in the ignition switch.  It's location would make it vulnerable to water intrusion.  I'll bet your fuse was it though.  Maybe there was an intermittent closing and opening of the circuit when the ends of the broken element met and separated.

[mattsz]

Singhg5 - just curious: what fuses are those?  I don't have that style of fuse anywhere on my 2011 bike.  Did RE make a change, or did you?

[gashousegorilla]

  That's great singh, glad you found it ! Interesting to see that you have glass fuses on your bike. Sometimes the chrome cups on either end of the fuse vibrates loose on those , and you can't see a broken element inside the tube. I'll try and get you those readings tonight.

 And BTW..... if you had made that video, it would have been much better. 

[ROVERMAN]

Little bit of "better late than never" here Singh. I went to start my 03' Iron barrel the other night and when i keyed up i had no neutral light or ammeter movement. After checking for battery voltage i popped open the electrics box and fiddled with the fuse holder. Low and behold, boom, boom, on came the lights! I am soon to leave work with a new in-line modern mini fuse holder plus spare fuses, problem will be solved later tonight. Glad you got yours sorted, cheers.
Robert & REnfield.

[Arizoni]

Singh
I don't know if my message got thru the PM system here or not but in answer to your request that I test my G5, I can't with the Craftsman multitester I have.  It doesn't have the diode test function.

As you might recall, I had one of those funky glass tube fuses blow for no  apparent reason.  I replaced it with the spare but I also replaced that one with some equal ampreage fuses that were made in the USA and I haven't had another problem with them.

[gashousegorilla]

@GHG - that was a handy video by Ricks Motorsports Electric and it got me going.  Good find.

Set the multimeter to DIODE mode and first tested OUTPUT circuit of RR as follows.

I.   -Probe of meter on Output (Red wire) of RR
     +Probe of meter on Yellow wires Y1, Y2, and Y3 of RR
      Readings were 384, 385 and 386.

II.    +Probe of meter on Output (Red wire) of RR
         -Probe of meter on Yellow wires Y1, Y2 and Y3 of RR
         Readings were 1,1,1 - meter readings did not change at all from original number - means too much resistance.

I. and II. show that OUTPUT circuit of RR is ONE-WAY and working

Repeated the same procedure with Ground Circuit of RR.  There was no response on the multimeter in either direction. There was resistance both ways of Ground Circuit.

   Pretty much the same results as you Singh.  Except my readings were 368 or 369 on the positive diode board. And also nothing either way on the negative diode board.   Sooooo ...... we either both have bad negative diode boards, or that guy in the Video is just wrong.

[sparklow]

Basically when you test a rectifier you are checking for the ability to pass current one way only through the diodes of the device. Singhg5 test of his unit shows proper one way current flow.

[gashousegorilla]

   Yes.... I understand that. But as bias is reversed on the negative diode board, why is there nothing ? I would think you are sending a small amount of current from your meter through the negative diode board as well.  Something one way... nothing the other.

[gashousegorilla]

   I'll tell ya, this does have me perplexed. As it relates to the test on the negative diode board on mine, and apparently Singh's. My bike IS charging like crap. Would someone else out there with the diode function on their meter, be willing to give there's a quick test ?

  Here is the link :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDx3zgOLShY


 And something a little more in depth:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3mqG7f7qu8

[singhg5]

   I'll tell ya, this does have me perplexed. As it relates to the test on the negative diode board on mine, and apparently Singh's. My bike IS charging like crap. Would someone else out there with the diode function on their meter, be willing to give there's a quick test ?

Here is the link :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDx3zgOLShY

And something a little more in depth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3mqG7f7qu8

@GHG: 

I was watching the same video this morning by Smallengine and liked it the way he presented so nicely.  Good that you have put the link here.

As far as charging is concerned, my battery is charging at idle and its voltage increases by opening the throttle - saw it go up to 13.26V with throttle opened by 1/3rd. 

I have checked battery voltage at least 5 times during and after a few rides and battery voltage has not declined - it is stable and holding well to normal values as a charged battery.

Question is, are batteries getting charged to half the potential of alternator output or is the RR designed that way ?

What voltage are you seeing at the battery terminal when the throttle is opened ?

We need a few more people to test their Regulator/Rectifiers to verify the results and confirm whether our RRs are OK or half-functioning. 

Can anybody also check the battery voltage at idle and open throttle ?

EDIT - I went on youtube and looked at my old video on alternator output on G5 and to my pleasant surprise the battery voltage reached 14.25V when throttle was opened !!

I will test battery again today to see if it reaches same level of charging - will be back later to update.
 

[gashousegorilla]

  I think you are absolutely correct Singh. I am seeing generally the same numbers as you are now.  Which I think are too low for three qtr. throttle. I think You SHOULD be seeing numbers in the fourteens. These aren't old Honda's or Triumphs, with there antiquated separate point set regulator and stand alone rectifiers. I would expect to see low numbers like ours in that case.   That is why I have been converting those old bikes to a modern Solid state units. And seeing numbers in the fourteens.  And I guess I haven't picked up on this earlier, Until you mentioned it, because I almost religiously use a battery tender.....

[singhg5]

Singhg5 - just curious: what fuses are those?  I don't have that style of fuse anywhere on my 2011 bike.  Did RE make a change, or did you?

These are 20 amp glass tube fuses from the 20^th century that came with my bike, which was made when UCE EFI was just born. I prefer blade type fuses used in C5.