KrZy8 Gen2 - Charging Circuit

[dcarver]

I'd love to have that posted to Bin of Facts but don't have the horsepower to do so.

I prefer the asphalt, but the pvc loom works too. It just gets brittle faster over many heat cycles.

BTW, still working GREAT!

 

[dcarver]

The 8 AWG marine wire isn't needed, 10 AWG is optimal. Yes, you can run larger wire, but I'm not sure it's worth the effort. The weak link still *appears* to be the connector. KrZy8 is running strong, charging wise, more than 600 miles after the 'fix'.
LAF, get the harness from Jack at roadstercycle.com, with 50 amp breaker, install and be happy. Plug n' Play.

Wrap the wire with some kind of protector... I used Napa asphalt loom. Cheap, durable, a good fix.

If that doesn't work, (it will!) then go for more...

This post should be at the top of the thread!

I knew once I installed that #$^%% meter I'd be coming back to this thread looking for an upgrade / repair path.

I have contacted Jack about his harness and hope to have it in route soon.

His web site shows they are now wrapped in a pvc loom. Will this be sufficient or should I order asphalt as well?

If needed, what size?

I hope to do this once, with no parts delays.

Thanks for the great info

Cut and pasted into the first thread to save peeps alot of reading time. Good idea, Tx!

 

[JamesK]

Thanks again Don for the leg work on this, my fix has been working great from the past 20k miles, with a solid 14.1 generally displayed. I see 13.9-14.0 on the Datel with the Solkets on after a few seconds when they "warm up".

 

[FJR Flyer]

Just installed Jack's harness a week or two ago. Seeing solid 14.0V versus the 13.5V max previously. PVC seems to be adequate, and the harness build quality is top notch. Jack has great customer service, as well.

Final question - I just wrapped the stock R/R connector with electrical tape. Anything else required?

 

[Chuck35]

Just installed Jack's harness a week or two ago. Seeing solid 14.0V versus the 13.5V max previously. PVC seems to be adequate, and the harness build quality is top notch. Jack has great customer service, as well.
Final question - I just wrapped the stock R/R connector with electrical tape. Anything else required?

+1 Jack is great to work with. He even talked me out of pissing away 100 bucks.

My harness is on the way. What has to be removed to complete the install?

edit: progress

Got it installed today. Voltage is better as expected.

The old R/R wires proved an irresistible option to power an FZ-1 fuzeblock I have been meaning to install for months.

They fit perfectly into the tool tray under the front seat.

Thanks to dcarver for sharing his pain, and joy with KrZy8's charging system.

 

[FJR-RemingtonRider]

Well, I just jumped and purchased the Harness, and Jack shipped it.

Installed it prior to rolling out to South Dakota on Saturday.

New Shorai batter was settling at 13.2 holding and bike running at speed it would go to 13.6.

While cranking it would dip down to below 10v sometimes.

Installed Harness

Settling 13.3V bike off.

Bike running at idle, it's at 13.8V

Bike in motion and rolling down the street it's a solid 14.0V all the way to South Dakota.

Now when the temps dropped to 64 degrees, it went to 14.1V solid the rest of the way.

When cranking now, it dips down to around 11.2V

I am happy with that, and I am going to keep the Shorai, bike starts smoothly now....no hesitation.

thanks DC for this remedy.

 

[RadioHowie]

Yeah, I'm resurrecting an old, but VALUABLE thread...with a question --

Is there any good reason, or benefit, to upgrading a Gen I charging system with the roadstercycle.com harness and R/R kit???

 

[Fred W]

Not that I can see.

Seems the weakest link in our 1st gens changing system s the stator wiring. No need to try and pull more current out of that thing unless you fancy a new one.

 

[Chuck35]

If the Gen 1 has the same loss in the connectors / wiring as Gen 2, how would fixing it pull more current?

 

[RadioHowie]

Not that I can see. Seems the weakest link in our 1st gens changing system s the stator wiring. No need to try and pull more current out of that thing unless you fancy a new one.

If the Gen 1 has the same loss in the connectors / wiring as Gen 2, how would fixing it pull more current?

Let me clarify....not to pull "more" current, as in overstressing the stock stator, but to insure the battery is getting 100% of current/voltage it's supposed to.

I have NO electrical accessories on my '04...just wanna make sure the battery is getting what it's supposed to be getting, i.e., >14.0 volts. Don't know that it ain't, just shotgunning an ideal out to the collective

 

[Chuck35]

I had installed a volt meter in preparation for heated gear and lights. After installing the meter I found less than optimal voltage getting to the battery.

Now, with Jacks Harness I rarely see less than 14.0 with everything powered.

 

[dcarver]

I too am happy to report KrZy8 remains at 14.2 solid...

 

[RadioHowie]

Don, so I don't have to re-read 16 pages of admittedly valuable information, did you just go with the by-pass harness...or did you put in the Mosfet R/R as well???

 

[Chuck35]

I was going to get the RR with the harness, Jack advised against it as mine was only 1 revision behind.

How often will a vendor advise you against a purchase?

 

[dcarver]

Don, so I don't have to re-read 16 pages of admittedly valuable information, did you just go with the by-pass harness...or did you put in the Mosfet R/R as well???

Howie, I bought the Mosfet RR but did not use it. The OEM RR (data set = 1) had higher output across the RPM range. Not much, but about .1 vdc. So I used it.

 

[Fred W]

Sorry I wasn't very clear in my earlier reply. Posting from the iPad stripped a paragraph break after the first sentence (since restored), which changed the meaning some.

I do not see that our 1st gens have the same problem with the charging system wiring. I do have a Datel meter monitoring the battery voltage (highly recommended) and it has always been an appropriate 14.1 - 14.3 Volts at idle with no accessories drawing any additional load.

When I do hook up a large load, like when running two sets of heated gear (jackets and gloves) and then also trying to run my (inefficient) heated grips, the voltage does dip then, but that is due to the output of the alternator dropping, not a drop on wiring harness resistance. That voltage drop is the bike's way of telling me I've already asked for too much current. THat's what I meant about trying to pull more from the poor 1st gen stator.

 

[RadioHowie]

Thanks, guys...

 

[Brodie]

Don

Belated thanks for the research you did on this issue.

I did my bike last summer. It had gotten to the point of 13.6 ~ 13.7 volts at cruising speed (4k rpm). With a Shorai battery standing voltage at 13.3 volts, I was concerned that it wouldn't be much longer before it couldn't keep the thing charged.

Now it's running a solid 14.0 with 14.1 when the weather gets warmer. The Shorai is gone, I got tired of abusing the starter motor when the temperature gets below 40 degrees. I can now run my slow cooker while out on a trip.

It's nice to have a warm meal waiting for you when you set up camp.

Brodie

 

[TomInPA]

Not that I can see. Seems the weakest link in our 1st gens changing system s the stator wiring. No need to try and pull more current out of that thing unless you fancy a new one.

If the Gen 1 has the same loss in the connectors / wiring as Gen 2, how would fixing it pull more current?

Let me clarify....not to pull "more" current, as in overstressing the stock stator, but to insure the battery is getting 100% of current/voltage it's supposed to.

I have NO electrical accessories on my '04...just wanna make sure the battery is getting what it's supposed to be getting, i.e., >14.0 volts. Don't know that it ain't, just shotgunning an ideal out to the collective

I have done the direct wiring from the R/R to the charging circuit on other bikes, but have not see a problem with my 2005 FJR. Without a voltmeter, you're really just shooting in the dark. Install it, and determine if you have a normal running voltage less than 14 VDC before moving on to the next step. My Gen I shows a good 14.1 - 14.2 with the Clearwater Kristas, GPS, Autocom and Radar Detector running. Voltage drops from electic heated gear varies with the load.

The point is the baseline voltage does not suggest a major benefit on my bike to directly wire the charging circuit. Early in this thread, I looked at the wiring schematic of the Gen II and saw there were at least 3-connections and relays before the current reached the battery, and the battery was being charged via the wiring harness rather than through a direct path. It was easy to deduce the source of the losses (resistance), although Don did an amazing job of documenting it.

 

[villajuan81]

Just want to say thank you for this forum and to Dcarver for doing all the work. I just recently got my 06 FJR about a month ago and it's been fine (took it to Austin and back) until i took a weekend trip to Hot Springs, AR about 4 hrs from home. Had to get a new battery and even the new battery wasn't charging...

I've been constantly researching this forum and reading alot about similar issues with wiring and electrical problems. I was kind of getting depressed thinking i bought a reliable bike but now my bike is going to give me constant issues like my former 2002 zx12 did. I hope that doesn't happen. But anyway, it's good to know there are some fixes for some of the issues plaguing the FJR.

I checked the stator ohm and volt output and the R/R and it all seems to check out. The battery wasn't charging but up to 12.3/12.4V (even when reving the engine to 5kRPM. and that's with no farkles connected (all i have is factory installed grip warmers, radar detector and phone charger using the 12V outlet) other than a non working audiovox CCS ( need to look into that eventually). I took apart all the front fairings and disconnected the headlights, and now the battery is charging to 12.9v-13.1V. Plug the headlights(stock lights) back in and it drops to 12.3 again. So it seems i have the same situation as Dcarver did just alot worse, if i'm correct.

Just ordered a R/R harness bypass yesterday from Jack @ roadstercycle.com in hopes that it will cure my charging situation.