So I'm riding home from work a week ago...

[Semper Gumby]

...and the light seemed kinda dim even with the PIAA deerburner headlamps on and the voltage on the voltemeter on the dash of the Luftmeister says "12".  (yikes) (moves over to rightmost lane and turns off all non-essential electrics).  I slowed down a bit and the GEN light statrs to glow at 3200 rpms.  Not good.  But good enough to get me home.  

The next day I'm thinkin' diode board or voltage regulator and I discover that the Gen light is now out.  So I dissassemble the tach and discover that the bulb is not burned out but just to be sure I swap the High Beam bulb for the Gen light bulb and reassemble.  Still nojoy.  So I get out the trusty voltmeter and discover that there is no voltage coming off the back of the diode board through the blue wire (the one that powers the GEN light and sends a voltage signal to the voltage regulator.  So now I'm thinking Diode Board fer shur.

So I call up Rick (www.motoelekt.com) whom I just saw at the BaldMountain Camp ground the week before at the Georgia Mountain Rally. (Great time hardly any rain at all!!!)  And he wants me to check the rotor.  So I short the the gap between the two rings on the rotor (By the brushes) and WALA the GEN light comes back on.  Baaaaaad rotor.  Guess what? After all this time its under warranty and Rick sends me a re-build gratis.  The new rotor is in yesterday and I'm riding again.  

Life is good.    

[Bob_Roller]

Bill,

That's the Omega charging system system isn't it ?

[Melena]

Yeah, Bill!  Darn rotors anyway.  I just replaced mine with a new one.  I'm going to send my old one to him to rebuild so I have a spare.  I've heard it's good to have a spae one on hand if you're traveling around a lot, like you.  

Glad you figured it out so fast.  Rick is a good guy!   [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[Semper Gumby]

Hi Bob.  Yes it was and still is.

Hi Melena.  I have to say that Rick is one of the good people.  No arguments there!!!

[thrang]

I tend to keep a rebuilt alternator on the shelf and a starter motor in the shed. We've a local auto electrican in windermere who can do the refurbs and the price is pretty resonable about 30 to 40 quid a pop.

[Justin B.]

I've bought a couple of the new aftermarket rotors (one from Euro Moto Electric and another from Rick, they looked identical so I would imagine they were from the same source.  The cost was right at $100/ea and I think to get the old one refurbed was about the same money.

[Bob_Roller]

Is the Omega system rotor, and the OEM rotor the same, or is the Omega an upgraded part ?

So what I'm trying to say, if you had an Omega system, and your rotor failed, would a standard OEM part work ?

I was looking through the Motorrad Elektrik website today, and they have an item, a resistor that allows the charging system to continue to work if the charge lamp in the tachometer fails.

Cost is about $3.50 US, and includes instructions on how to install it in the wiring harness.

[Semper Gumby]

Call Rick but the Omega System upgrades the Voltage regulator, the diode board and the field coil in addition to the rotor.  So a stock rotor would work but the question is for how long.  If you are pulling 400 watts on a rotor rated for 280....     Now if you need to get home and you go easy on the alternator it might be OK for a bit.

Come to think of it I still have my original working rotor and diode board.  The voltage regulator is in the CB350F Honda and working fine which makes my CB350F and honorary BMW?  (It was getting me to the company parking lot with all my bags on the back while the R65 was down.)

my .02c

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I was fortunate back in 1987 or so, when I bought the engine to replace my blown original engine.
The used 1980 engine came with all electrics.  The only major component missing was the transmission.
So I ended up with a spare everything after tearing down the old engine.

I carry the diode board in a small box with the rotor and a removal tool and VOM on overnight trips.