CB550 charging issues

[dietzzd]

So after many unsuccessful and short riding attempts, I've discovered that my '77 CB550's charging system is an issue. I had a "used" stator put on my "broken one" at my local shop but now my battery won't hold a charge and I just put a new one in not 6 weeks ago!?!?

Is this some sort of regulator or alternator thing or just a defunct battery?

Thanks.

[Easy Rider 2]

Originally Posted by dietzzd

Is this some sort of regulator or alternator thing or just a defunct battery?

If the battery really won't hold a charge, then the battery is bad.

If you measure the voltage at the battery and run the bike from idle to about 3-4K RPMs and the voltage never goes above 12.5 or so.......then your charging system is still bad. It is fairly easy to test a stator and if it's good, then the regulator is about all that's left. On a bike that old, the rectifier might be a seperate unit too.

If you have been running your new battery up and down for 6 weeks because the bike isn't charging, then both things could be bad.

[The_AirHawk]

To end the recurring-problem of the weak-ass Honda Reg/Rec and it's propensity to "break" the stator when it dies, google "Eastern Beaver" and "Switchmode-Rectifier" or something like that.