Battery not charging - why?

[vifferman]

In the process of testing everything it looks like the problem was a bit of corrosion in the plug points of a joiner that links the alternator/stator to the Regulator/Rectifier.

A not uncommon nailment, that sometimes nails the R/R and/or battery

If it had been a rectifier needing replacement the genuine Triumph part was just over $700 !!!! - they reckoned they could have wired in an aftermarket version for under $300.

It's nonsense, y'know.
NONE of the bike manufacturers make their own R/Rs, yet they ALL whack a fooking great markup on them just to say they're "genuine" parts. That's $400 in this case, for what may well have been exactly the same item, which has no more of a warranty or anything than the 'aftermarket' (usually Shindengen) item.

[warewolf]

Don't forget that bike manufacturers add significant margin to parts in order to offset the cheap sale of whole bikes. Plus they are working with much lower volumes of each part than a specialist, with increased packaging costs (to print their bike brand on the box).

On the plus side, you can buy from your bike dealer without having to do any research or shopping around yourself, and the part will be suited to the task.

[Skinny_Birdman]

It appears that Electrex make R/Rs for Triumphs, although their website doesn't seem to say for which models. I would be surprised, therefore, if it required 'wiring in'. Certainly the Electrex R/R for my Blackbird was plug and play, of better quality than the OEM part, and cost about $180 via the UK. Mind you, the old $NZ was a bit stronger then.
Here's one on e-bay for 90 quid.... which works out to about NZ$250, which, with postage works out to about.... well, you might save a few $$$ in the event.

[vifferman]

Certainly the Electrex R/R for my Blackbird was plug and play, of better quality than the OEM part

Really?
That wasn't the case with the Electrex R/Rs for VFRs - they turned out to be VERY unreliable. Electrex started out very confident they could improve on the Shindengen R/Rs, but it wasn't as easy as they thought (which is weird, because there's not actually a lot to an R/R).

[Skinny_Birdman]

Well, I must admit that I only kept my 'Bird for another 8000miles, but I believe other owners, such as KB'er Blackbird swear by theirs, and I've never heard of a problem with the Blackbird model. I did a reasonable amount of research before I bought mine, not wanting to go to all the trouble for a lemon. I could of course be wrong though... I was once.

[cooneyr]

From what I've read, keeping plugs clean and conductive is key to not frying R/R's (plus other electrics). The Africa Twins and Super Tenere's were a bit notorious for frying R/R's but it seems that the plugs on them were complete rubbish (not sealed so water, dust crap gets in and they don't fit very well). Supposidly a poor connection (high resistance) makes the R/R think the voltage to the bike (not from the engine) is to low so it allows a higher voltage i.e. greater than it should be, which starts cooking things.

Both my bro and I have replaced the R/R plugs on our S10's cause there were looking very very cruddy and buggered after 60,000 odd kms (other plugs were fine). Be worth checking next time you have access.

Cheers R

[vifferman]

From what I've read, keeping plugs clean and conductive is key to not frying R/R's (plus other electrics).

Yup.
Occasional checking, cleaning and coating with dielectric grease is a good idea for all bikes: the R/R plugs, any other plugs in the charging circuit, the battery cables, and the earths/grounds.