Does your generator light glow softly?

[Milo_357]

Does your generator light glow softly when the bike is running?  Any ideas why?  The brushes on my bike are fine, double checked them.  Maybe it's  a problem at the pos terminal of my battery.  I need to doublcheck it.

I you have a thought, let me know.

Dell

[Bob_Roller]

No, the GEN light should be extinguished with the bike running above 1500 rpm or there abouts .

I don't have my guide from Motorrad Elektrik, here at work, but from what I can remember, you probably have an issue in the charging system .

Have you done any work on the charging system recently ?

First thing I would do, if you have, is to go back and recheck all of the connections .

If you don't find anything, you need to start troubleshooting the system .

From what I can remember, you probably need to check the diode board for a failing/failed diode .

[tvrla]

Connections, definitely! Grounds especially! And check the three-wire-bundle from the alternator to the diode board.

Sometimes wires get corrosion build-up at the point where the end is crimped to the wire. You won't be able to see it, but an ohm meter might be able to catch it. In critical areas like this, I prefer to solder the connections to ensure there's good contact.

Do you only see the glow at night, or during the daytime as well?

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Does your generator light glow softly when the bike is running?

Only when I have a Nora Jones CD playing on the stereo in the Man Cave.   [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]

But like the other guys said, it's all about connections!

[nhmaf]

Mike - that was a good one!
 

But seriously, if you think that it is VERY VERY dimly glowing at night, it could simply be being backlit by the headlamp or other instrument lighting.   But, if it is glowing enough to be noticed in the daytime, then yes, something isn't right.   It could also be the connection at your voltage regulator - check that out as well.

[raypond]

I had the same thing - a very faint glow only visible riding on country roads at night. Thoroughly going over all the earths and cleaning them fixed it.

[montmil]

This little ditty from Rick Jones and his terrific book, Classic Boxer Charging.

"A very faint glowing of the charge lamp (noticeable only on the darkest of nights), is fairly common on older machines and generally does not indicate an actual problem. This faint glow is usually the result of a voltage drop, in parts of the system, caused by an increased resistance, due to old age or poor connections."

Ricks continues to say that, "Very often, an ignition switch with loose or dirty internal contacts can cause a persistent dull glow". "If the light is glowing enough to be seen in the daylight (at road speed), then there probably is a charging problem. Most likely it will originate in the diodes".

Milo, didn't you recently change out your ignition switch? Did you refit a new or used unit?

I would recommend buying Rick's book to anyone tinkering with their Airhead. It's gold.

[donbmw]

This little ditty from Rick Jones and his terrific book, Classic Boxer Charging.

"A very faint glowing of the charge lamp (noticeable only on the darkest of nights), is fairly common on older machines and generally does not indicate an actual problem. This faint glow is uaually the result of a voltage drop, in parts of the system, caused by an increased resistance, due to old age or poor connections."

Ricks continues to say that, "Very often, an ignition switch with loose or dirty internal contacts can cause a persistent dull glow". "If the light is glowing enough to be seen in the daylight (at road speed), then there probably is a charging problem. Most likely it will originate in the diodes".

Milo, didn't you recently change out your ignition switch? Did you refit a new or used unit?

I would recommend buying Rick's book to anyone tinkering with their Airhead. It's gold.

I go along with all of the above. On my 82 R65 I had a glowing light only could see at night and this went on for years. Check all  conection from grounds to gen, diode board and others. Replaced brushes all with no efect. When I upgraded to the 450 Watt alternator this went away.  I have had the same thing on my 75 R90 and replacing the wire harness from the gen to  diode board had it go away.

Don

[marcmax]

I had the same issue of a very faint glow only at night on country roads away from any other light source. Mine ended up being a faulty voltage regulator.

[Milo_357]

This little ditty from Rick Jones and his terrific book, Classic Boxer Charging.

"A very faint glowing of the charge lamp (noticeable only on the darkest of nights), is fairly common on older machines and generally does not indicate an actual problem. This faint glow is usually the result of a voltage drop, in parts of the system, caused by an increased resistance, due to old age or poor connections."

Ricks continues to say that, "Very often, an ignition switch with loose or dirty internal contacts can cause a persistent dull glow". "If the light is glowing enough to be seen in the daylight (at road speed), then there probably is a charging problem. Most likely it will originate in the diodes".

Milo, didn't you recently change out your ignition switch? Did you refit a new or used unit?

I would recommend buying Rick's book to anyone tinkering with their Airhead. It's gold.

Yes, Monte, I did!  BOTH switches caused the glowing effect, though if I recall with the original switch the goal went away as the bike warmed up.

Rick must be on vacation, or he's just avoiding me, 'cause I've called him several time & emailed.

Was last week Bike Week in Daytona?  Maybe he was there.

Thanks for the read from the Book of Rick.  

Dell

[montmil]

Was last week Bike Week in Daytona?  Maybe he was there.

This year's Daytona 200 was fantastic. No repeats of the tire fiasco and injuries of 2011. No red flag stoppage for tire changes all around. No finger pointing or any he said she said crap.

Rick is a one-man band. Bet he was there.

Y'alls got TV in TN? Some sorta video recording device?

[Milo_357]

Y'alls got TV in TN? Some sorta video recording device?

We dun got this new fangled stuff called "Beta", and uf course the wunderful "rabbit ear" up here.  Was Bike Week on the boob tube?

[montmil]

Y'alls got TV in TN? Some sorta video recording device?

We dun got this new fangled stuff called "Beta", and uf course the wunderful "rabbit ear" up here.  Was Bike Week on the boob tube?

That's funny, Dell [smiley=ROTFLMAO.gif]  Speed Channel.

[marcmax]

Living nearby I got to watch it live. All I have to say is those guys have 'em big enough to go bowling with the way that they ride. Never in my wildest dreams......

[Milo_357]

Monte, et. al.

Put the orginal starter switch back on.  The glow went away after the bike warmed up.

Now, to the pesky headlight problem!