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V-Strom charging system failure

Yep. Shorted to ground = toast. Here's what I'd do:

Get aftermarket stator/alternator.
Adapt a MOSFET type VRR.
Get a quality lead/acid battery.

And talk with the stator supplier about increasing the output.
 
JRok said:
...I recommend buying a MOSFET regulator as said before. Don't buy an OEM replacement because it will just do the same thing your stock one did... burnout. I bought a used MOSFET one off ebay for like $30 and its still working beautifully. It used the same mounting bolts as stock and the wiring was very simple

Here's a guide on what that's all about: http://www.triumphrat.net/speed-tri...-diagnostics-rectifier-regulator-upgrade.html
Click to expand...

That's my thread :laughing

See the last post which I just updated today - actually in this ^^^ case I would advise AGAINST a MOSFET R/R since there is a stator failure - in bikes that are prone to stator failure a SERIES Regulator is going to be much better than a SHUNT Regulator (whether the Shunt is MOSFET or SCR makes no difference as fas as stator reliability goes)

So take a look at that SH755 Series Regulator - very affordable too. Available from any Polaris Dealer source.
It has identical form factor to the Shindengen MOSFET FH012/020 series and uses same connectors etc.

The other commonly available Series Regulator on the market is the Compufire 55402 - more than 2x the price however.
 
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Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I've got a parallel thread in my favorite V-Strom-specific forum:

http://www.stromtrooper.com/dl650-2004-2011-[-wee-strom-]/134089-how-access-r-r-connectors.html

Consensus there seems to be that the aftermarket stators for DL650's are all worse than the OEM, and that things started going wrong when Suzuki went to a 400W stator (up from 375) in 2008.

Then I discovered that Suzuki had a new part number for the 2012 model stator, and furthermore that this part supersedes the same part in the 2008-2009 models. So I ordered one and am hoping they did something to improve its longevity.

Might replace the R/R also, have not decided yet. The SH-775 looks very interesting. Word is that a series type R/R must be mounted in the airstream and the normal location on the DL650 near the radiator won't do, so it looks like kind of a hassle.
 
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rodr said:
.... Word is that a series type R/R must be mounted in the airstream and the normal location on the DL650 near the radiator won't do, so it looks like kind of a hassle.
Click to expand...

Recognize that OEM R/R is SCR type - Shunt.
SCR's used in Series configuration will run cooler than SCR's used in Shunt configuration. Therefor when mounted in the same physical location on any given bike, the Series Regulator will still be cooler than the Shunt Regulator.

However it does make sense that it operates in area where there is available cooling.
With absolutely Zero cooling, the spec rating of the SH-775 is 14A*; with 1m/s cooling it jumps to 27A - overall rating is 35A.

Note that 1m/s is equivalent to moving through air at only 2mph!

14A is ~ a couple of headlights and Fuel Pump.

Since this model is prone to stator failures, the Series choice is a no-brainer - whether you go with the new Shindengen or a Compufire.
That would certainly be my recommendation in your situation.
 
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D'Ecosse said:
That's my thread :laughing

See the last post which I just updated today - actually in this ^^^ case I would advise AGAINST a MOSFET R/R since there is a stator failure - in bikes that are prone to stator failure a SERIES Regulator is going to be much better than a SHUNT Regulator (whether the Shunt is MOSFET or SCR makes no difference as fas as stator reliability goes)
Click to expand...
That thread is the bible for RR upgrades! It helped me a ton when dealing with my RR failure. I actually didn't know you were local, found that triumph link from another forum
 
JRok said:
.... found that triumph link from another forum
Click to expand...

Pleased it could help you. :thumbup

That thread has hundreds of link-backs from other forums from all over the World :teeth

To the OP - the other Series Regulator you could consider would be the Compufire 55402. Great device, costs significantly more however (~ $170).
It has higher power rating than the SH775 and is much more field proven.
I've been recommending MOSFET shunts for the last few years - one of the earliest adopters of this technology as an after-market solution. But it only makes sense where the issue is on bikes with poor SCR R/R reliability but generally good Stator reliability (like Gen 1 SV's for example - stators rarely fail, the R/R is POS); in those circumstances the MOSFET is an excellent value solution; but when stator failure is prevalent, you need a series R/R.
 
AFAIK the strom motor is basically identical to the SV motor. Are you running lots of aftermarket equipment? Did you TEST the OUTPUT VOLTAGE of the alternator? Not the resistance. Without doing that, it's a waste of time.

Sv RR's are either total shit ( gen one) or partial shit (gen two) even a cheap GSXR late model regulator is far better. The stock alternators seldom go out, and a used one will probably last you ten years. I've had ONE alternator failure in dozens of electrical situations. Multiple RR failures.

The previous poster knows more about SV/Strom electronics than anyone else. Listen to him.
 
I'm going largely on past experiences of V-Strom owners on stromtrooper.com. Stator failures are common on the 2008-2009 650's - if anyone knows that, these guys do. I'm satisfied with the resistance test in this case - how can it work when it's shorted to ground?

I'm not running any extra equipment at all. My understanding is this is actually harder on the stator, as the unused current gets shunted back to it (using the stock R/R).

I started noticing the problem when returning from an all-day spirited ride with the Hun. Revs were up quite a bit from my normal riding style, so I'm guessing this extra current is what put it over the edge.
 
You need to check the output of each of the three pairs of stator leads. You could have a short between the windings (and not between the windings and ground) that would lower your output.
 
Oh, and it's best done under load. If you can find a 1 ohm resistor with a sufficiently high wattage rating, wire it up in parallel with the test meter leads.
 
ST Guy said:
You need to check the output of each of the three pairs of stator leads. You could have a short between the windings (and not between the windings and ground) that would lower your output.
Click to expand...

Since I know there's a short between windings and ground I don't care. :laughing

But yeah, otherwise the output test would matter.
 
The 08-09 uses a different stator to the earlier model (which shares the same as the SV)
I'm less familiar with the VStroms - can only imagine they wound it differently to be able to utilize more accessories (speculative) - if so, the problem is this would produce more current at lower rpm however potentially becomes a problem at higher rpm. Stator design is a balance between trying to get enough current at idle without having it destroy itself at higher rpm. The stator cooling on the SV is excellent and have to believe the VStrom would be the same. So the only conceivable difference would be in the output power.

My understanding is this is actually harder on the stator, as the unused current gets shunted back to it (using the stock R/R).
Click to expand...

Makes no difference to the stator current whether you run more or less load on the bike itself - for example if you turn off the lights, the R/R will shunt additional current through the SCR's to attain regulation - however this does not add current to the stator - merely moves it from the system load to the R/R. It will certainly make the R/R run hotter if you reduce the system load but will not change the stator load AT ALL. Think of it like a diverter valve - current is flowing out of the stator and gets switched either to the load or to the shunt - both paths return to the stator. If one leg goes up the other goes down.
So - if the system load goes down, it can lead to R/R failure (as it will work harder, shunt higher current and get hotter) but will have no affect on the stator.

Here is some data from one of the GS guys who measured the stator current on his bike with Shunt vs Series

(reproduced from GS Forum - http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=209843)
Here are some test results comparing my old shunt SH-232 R/R to the series SH-775.

Disclaimer- I have no idea how accurate my ac current clamp meter is at frequencies above 60 Hz; I know it's accurate on 3 phase 60 Hz stuff. I suspect it might be pretty good at 120 Hz (1200 rpm), but at 400 Hz, who knows.
On the good old SH-232;
at 1200 rpm, stator line current = 6.5 amp ; R/R output 12.8 volts DC
at 4000 rpm, stator line current = 11 amp; R/R output 14.2 volts DC

On the SH-775
at 1200 rpm, stator line current = 6.7 amp; R/R output 13.0 volts DC
at 4000 rpm, stator line current = 6.8 amp; R/R output 14.2 volts DC

With the SH-775, turning off headlight, resulted in an immediate drop of stator line current to 3.5 amp at 1200 rpm.
Click to expand...

Interpreting those results, shows that the stator design is producing just barely about enough current at idle to satisfy the load - that is why the current is the same with either type of R/R - in the series case is running pretty much wide open and in the shunt case is shunting very little. i.e. all of the generated current is going to the load. The output voltage is not quite at peak, so both R/R have output not quite satisfied by the stator.
As the rpm increase however, now both R/R types have to start working:
- in the case of the Shunt unit, the excess current is diverted back through the Shunt and the current goes up (note that the system load would not have changed however the stator current goes up dramatically!!)
- with the Series R/R, the stator current is virtually unchanged because instead of shunting back excess current, it operates differently by only allowing through enough to satisfy the load. It is drawing virtually exact same current from stator at 4K as it is at idle.
The final piece of data shows what happens when you turn off the lights (i.e. reduce the load) - the stator current goes down with the Series R/R. Not shown, but in the case of the Shunt R/R, this would make no difference, it would remain the same.
 
Thanks D'Ecosse. Somewhere I read about "shunting excess current back to the stator" but I guess what they meant was "causing the stator to generate excess current". That would have been with the stock RR, demanding whatever the stator can produce and absorbing the excess.
 
D'Ecosse said:
The 08-09 uses a different stator to the earlier model (which shares the same as the SV)
I'm less familiar with the VStroms - can only imagine they wound it differently to be able to utilize more accessories (speculative) - if so, the problem is this would produce more current at lower rpm however potentially becomes a problem at higher rpm. Stator design is a balance between trying to get enough current at idle without having it destroy itself at higher rpm. The stator cooling on the SV is excellent and have to believe the VStrom would be the same. So the only conceivable difference would be in the output power.



Makes no difference to the stator current whether you run more or less load on the bike itself - for example if you turn off the lights, the R/R will shunt additional current through the SCR's to attain regulation - however this does not add current to the stator - merely moves it from the system load to the R/R. It will certainly make the R/R run hotter if you reduce the system load but will not change the stator load AT ALL. Think of it like a diverter valve - current is flowing out of the stator and gets switched either to the load or to the shunt - both paths return to the stator. If one leg goes up the other goes down.
So - if the system load goes down, it can lead to R/R failure (as it will work harder, shunt higher current and get hotter) but will have no affect on the stator.

Here is some data from one of the GS guys who measured the stator current on his bike with Shunt vs Series

(reproduced from GS Forum - http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=209843)


Interpreting those results, shows that the stator design is producing just barely about enough current at idle to satisfy the load - that is why the current is the same with either type of R/R - in the series case is running pretty much wide open and in the shunt case is shunting very little. i.e. all of the generated current is going to the load. The output voltage is not quite at peak, so both R/R have output not quite satisfied by the stator.
As the rpm increase however, now both R/R types have to start working:
- in the case of the Shunt unit, the excess current is diverted back through the Shunt and the current goes up (note that the system load would not have changed however the stator current goes up dramatically!!)
- with the Series R/R, the stator current is virtually unchanged because instead of shunting back excess current, it operates differently by only allowing through enough to satisfy the load. It is drawing virtually exact same current from stator at 4K as it is at idle.
The final piece of data shows what happens when you turn off the lights (i.e. reduce the load) - the stator current goes down with the Series R/R. Not shown, but in the case of the Shunt R/R, this would make no difference, it would remain the same.
Click to expand...

Good stuff! 'Never thought about they type of RR having an affect on the stator. Now that I see those results and understand what's going on, a more conventional series RR would be the way to go as long as it can handle the current and can stay cool enough. Relocating the VRR where it can get more cooling air and maybe adding some cooling fins would certainly help. And using a VRR with a higher watt rating than what the stator puts out would be helpful as well.
 
D'Ecosse said:
Since this model is prone to stator failures, the Series choice is a no-brainer - whether you go with the new Shindengen or a Compufire.
That would certainly be my recommendation in your situation.
Click to expand...

Alright ya talked me into it. Just ordered a SH775. Not sure exactly how and where I'll wire it up yet, but will figure out something.

Meanwhile Bikebandit is taking their sweet time with shipping my stator and gaskets. They say it's in stock, you order, then it's not in stock. :mad
 
rodr said:
Alright ya talked me into it. Just ordered a SH775. Not sure exactly how and where I'll wire it up yet, but will figure out something.

Meanwhile Bikebandit is taking their sweet time with shipping my stator and gaskets. They say it's in stock, you order, then it's not in stock. :mad
Click to expand...

You want used I have several
 
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