POLL: stator / alternator failure on F800GS/F650GS twins please vote!

I was offering written help really. I'm in CA now, not NA.

I have the tool and expensive loc tite at home. Did my '09 with a brand new rotor off Ebay. Some shop ordered the kit on warranty and only changed the stator. :eek1 I got the rotor for $150 shipped then traded for the tools required. And yes Woody, thanks for the heads up on that!

The info is on this thread IIRC. I used a plumbers torch as it was all I had, and it worked.

Good luck.

Joined the club today, stator shorted to ground, charging some with all optional equip off, so I did make it home.

I will confess, I may have contributed. I left the gps on, and ran the battery low, bike wouldn't start, and had to meet some people, so I gave it a quick charge, and jumped the bike at the starter, so left with a pretty discharged battery, plus it was cold, so had the grips on high, along with high beam and aux led lights.

Luckily I have a stator, I ordered one a few weeks ago to pack on trips, just in case. Figured better to pack a spare than loose 2 or 3 days, and pay dealer $$$ someplace. So looks like I don't have a spare anymore.

Just an FYI,,,,unless you are using a series-style regulator like the CE-605 or the Compufire unit, your stator is always running at maximum output for the given rpm. What this means is that you did not cause your stator to short to ground by using your heated grips when the battery was not fully charged,,,with the stock OEM regulator/rectifier the charging system is ALWAYS running wide open regardless of demand or load.
It would have failed anyway due to the insulation on the coil wires breaking down from age, heat, and vibration. The only way that I know of to make these things live longer is to have them run cooler, and the only way that I know of to do this is to regulate the voltage with a series style R/R because it switches the current on and off based on demand, thereby allowing the coils to unload and cool. You might want to check out JR Woodens thread on his testing and comparison of these regulator rectifiers Vs. the OEM shunt style units with thermo-couplers and his oscilliscope.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=890729
All the best,
THUMPER>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hey Mr. Foggy, I thought I sent you a warning about this stuff. Maybe not, can't remember. My stator side case runs almost 100F. cooler with the CE-605 regulator. Although my 605 did drop a leg last summer but they replaced it, no charge. I'll carry the stock one as a spare next trip.

RBMann

You did, that is why I ordered a spare to take to NC with me. Guess I need to look at the Regulator too.

Thanks Reaver, any written help, advise or tips would be great.

RBMann

Mine bit the dust at 37K yesterday. Had previously voted "no failure at 20K. Thank God I was on the way home from the airport, not the other way around. All the usual chaos with the instrument cluster going nuts just before the bike went dead and quit. Sucked the battery down to 11.5V.

By the time my kids showed up with my tools, it was getting dark. Kudo's to the folks at Mountain Motorsports who let my bike spend the night there on the battery tender. Was able to nurse it the 30 miles home under power the next morning - but just barely.



Silly question, but any need to drain the oil before pulling the side cover?

Anyone have experience with Motorrad Elektrik out of Alabama? They were recommended by the local Atlanta BWM shop as someone who could rewind the stator.

Yes drain the oil.
Try Custom Rewind in your area. They do great rewinds.

OK, the saga continues. To date (on my 2009 F650GS) we have: BMW stator failure at Apr-2015 at 20,800 miles. Replace with Electrosport stator, it fails Mar-2014 at 31,000 miles. That's in warranty, so Electrosport replaces it. The replacement fails Nov-2015 at 44,600 miles (technically it's still failing - only one of the circuits has burned out, so I still get system charging at above 2,000 rpm). This time I'm going to try a Rick's Motorsport stator. At this rate I'll have spent as much as BMW charges for its replacement generator (with a 1-yr warranty) by the time I hit 100,000 miles. I just wish the stators lasted as long as the tires do...

I must be some kind of Luddite...but I can't vote in the poll. I was going to update the results seeing as I'm in the process of another failure.

no one wants a scots angry opinion. thought the UK parliament made that clear :0)

I tried to update my vote as well to the multiple category with no luck just now...

Might be time to look into a series regulator. On my '09 F650GS w/Electrosport stator, the stator cover ran a significant amount cooler after switching the regulator. I do have an updated flywheel to install this winter. When I open it up I am hoping it doesn't look like bacon again.

Just found the CE 605 thread. Yes, that seems to be the next step. With the new stator it might have the problem licked.

I've said this before, but it's now a longer thread............

I now have almost 50K miles on my 2009 F650GS twin with the original shitty non-ventalated flywheel and original OEM stator.

IMHO you either need the new vented flywheel or a series regulator ... if not you you have a reliability issue that ... if you're like me...
will surface at the worst possible time.

this is what I believe is keeping me alive:
http://advrider.com/index.php?threa...em-series-style-regulator-r-r-project.890729/

I also recommend some form of voltage monitor...

Hi JR,,,,,,I absolutely concur/2nd your position,,,,,,,,,I have no doubt that if I was still running an OEM or for that matter any other shunting reg/rect instead of the CE-605 Series style I would have been through multiple stators by now,,,shoot,, I was even cooking stators using the new MOSFET style regulators. I will admit that the MOSFET's did provide improved charging and rock steady regulation but still cooked stators just the same as the OEM units.
Wish I would have known about Jack @ Roadstercycle and the CE-605 a lot sooner, unless something better comes along this is the ONLY Reg/Rect that I will use on any 3 phase permanent magnet charging system.
All the best,
Thumper>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ok. I guess the problem is solved. It was the yuasa battery after all. I have a new battery now and the voltage is stable @13.7 with the heated gear and grips on. The Battery must have been drawing to much current. It did not seemd so when charging with the solar panel tough.

Back again after buying a Rick's Motorsport stator and a CE 605 regulator, andinstalling both. The only real bother I had was finding & fabbing a mount plate for the regulator, which took some time and searching. ADV threads clearly explained the whole process (damn I love the Internet). It's now been in and operational for a week. The voltmeter stays totally stable and the stator housing stays cool enough for bare skin contact (of course the weather this week has been 40 degrees and raining and dark, with high beams and heated grips and clothing turned on, but that ain't gonna change for another 4 months). So for now I'm giving 5 stars to the series regulator solution. The regulator itself costs $180, which is a lot nicer than BMW's solution, which is currently running about $1250.

I'm gonna just leave this here which I'm in no way affiliated with......


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bmw-F800GT-...ash=item280ba592a4:g:vQUAAOSwl9BWGSck&vxp=mtr

Why is the poll closed? I just made it to 40K miles and haven't died yet!