GN250 charging problem

[GN1NiteStnd]

My GNs has slowly been going down hill for a while. Usually it starts as soon as you hit the starter button, but lately I have to get people to crash start it. Three times in about two months it has died while I was slowing down at an intersection, the lights on the dash get real dim before it dies. I had heated handle grips on my bike, but took them off a month ago thinking that was the problem. People have been telling me that the alternater is playing up, cause the battery is completely flat when it dies. Ive had it charged back up after each incident which keeps it going for a shorter and shorter period.
Does anyone know how much the alternater it suposed to take?
Though I doubt im running too much electricals.

I also need a GN manual, the link to download one in the older post doesnt work anymore.


Any thoughts guys?

[MSTRS]

How old is the battery? They don't last forever eh. Is Froggy stumped?

[GN1NiteStnd]

The battery was replaced just after the cold duck.

[GN1NiteStnd]

Frogs going to go over the bike with a multimeter tonight. He was also thinking of taking off the spotlights, and replacing the headlight bulb with something abit brighter, but he doesnt know how strong the bulb can be without putting too much stress on the electrical system.

[MSTRS]

In that case, you need to find out what voltage (if any) the charging system is putting out. It should be around 14v. If that is OK then you have a short or bad earth somewhere.
The brighter bulb would be fine but may have to add a relay too.

[Steam]

I had the exact same problem, and it turned out the stator was stuffed. (The copper windings which generate the electricity.) It's bolted inside the side-cover on the left hand side. Just got a new one from the wreckers, it's easy to replace yourself and quite interesting to see inside.

[GN1NiteStnd]

Hi guys, froggy here.

Samantha got it all wrong. Yes there is a charging problem on said gn, the alternator is producing current so its down stream from there. I have fixing that under control.

What i asked her to ask you was
1. Does anyone have a wiring diagram for a gn250.
2. What should the alternator output be (in watts)

If anyone can help, please do.
Froggy.

[MikeyG]

I've got an electronic copy of the GN250 workshop manual. Resoloution isn't great but most pages are legible.

25MB file so hard to email but PM me and I can send it on a CD or something.

Manual has wiring diagrams and details on alternator output, testing, etc

[Paul in NZ]

Number one rule - don't assume the battery is OK untill you have tested it properly and don't try and diagnose anything untill you have a good battery fully charged.

[thehollowmen]

I've got an electronic copy of the GN250 workshop manual. Resoloution isn't great but most pages are legible.

25MB file so hard to email but PM me and I can send it on a CD or something.

Manual has wiring diagrams and details on alternator output, testing, etc

You have no idea how long that took to scan.

The other half of the project (putting it in pdf, orientating the pages and making it pretty and telling me what pages to re-scan) piked so... it is sitting in haitus as a zip.

[thehollowmen]

I've got an electronic copy of the GN250 workshop manual. Resoloution isn't great but most pages are legible.

25MB file so hard to email but PM me and I can send it on a CD or something.

Manual has wiring diagrams and details on alternator output, testing, etc

You have no idea how long that took to scan.

The other half of the project (putting it in pdf, orientating the pages and making it pretty and telling me what pages to re-scan) piked so... it is sitting in haitus as a zip.

[thehollowmen]

reuploaded
http://rapidshare.de/files/33650929/GN250.zip

[merv]

Regulator/rectifier is another likely candidate and needs to be checked out - hopefully that manual tells you what the correct readings off the reg/rec should be.

[FROSTY]

a much simpler possibiliity is that the spotlight/headlught combination is draining the battery faster than its able to charge. Just a thought.
Id suggest doing a calculation of how many amps are being drawn out of the bike by the spot/tailight brakelight to be sure it isnt more than the system can handle
That said I dont dissagree with the above posts.
Alternator windings,reg.rec unit would be my first two suspects.
ohh and a thought.If it is the alternator windings rather than just getting it rewound --why not see if you can get a higher output winding put in to cope with the heavier drain

[Turtle]

I sell these things new and have had to replace a few reg/rectifiers..Thats the 1st thing i would check if you know yr battery is good.....good luck

[BASS-TREBLE]

On the note of overloading the electrical system. Has anyone had heated grips on a GN without problems?
GN1NiteStnd, how long did you have your heated grips on your bike untill you took them of?

[smudge]

had problems with the regulators shorting, which in turn would short out the stator, I don't know why it happened or if it was ever sorted, that was back in the early 80's. I think when the battery started to die it may have been the cause. You need to make sure the battery is fully charged, then measure the output with a voltmeter, if everything is hunky dory you should have around 14.6v at the battery with the engine running and revving a little, around 3000rpm or so I guess. Do that first then let us know...

[Squiggles]

did ya buy the $38 dollar chinese or the $45 Jap battery? :lol:

[bimotabob]

Hi

I remember when I worked at a wreckers that it was common to have charging problems on 1980's GN's.
They had some strange wiring where a stator wire went through and looped
the headlamp switch, when the switch failed (very common) I think they
often damaged the stator.
Suzuki meant well with this but extra wiring and switches mean extra problems
and we all know the 1980's had enough problems already.
Cheers

[terbang]

They have the same charging system as the GS's, the old kind. Go to HERE (http://www.thegsresources.com/garage/gs_statorfault.htm) for a good method of testing your charging system. Some of the numbers may be different but you can get that from any Ginny manual. If the R/R is nuked then the Stator windings will follow suit in time if you continue to operate the bike.

[Chill]

How long do batteries usually last? I think mine is on the blink after 2 years/13,000kms, had a feeling the headlight was getting dimmer and now it won't start sometimes