[retiredrider]

My 2009 DL1000 with 21,000+ miles had a stator failure last week. Looks like the stator coils have an internal short. The voltage output at the stator is less than 10 volts.

The OEM R/R had been replaced due to the factory recall. Less than 30 days later, the stator went out. Strange!
I'll be going with a Rick's Motor Sport replacement stator and the OEM R/R.

Does anybody have any experience with the Compufire 55402 series regulator? This looks to be a better replacement for the OEM R/R.

 

[realshelby]

Before you make the purchase of the Ricks Stator you might do a little research on the reliability of those units. Information about a popular aftermarket R/R can be found here:

Shindengen MOSFET FH012AA regulator/rectifier

 

[OydnaR]

I'd go with oem stator and aftermarket MOSFET RR

stators only go cause of the weak oem RR, there replacement for the recall is still a SCR type R, destined to failure by design

fwiw, Electrosport aftermarket stators have a bad rep

 

[lharrell79]

I put a Rick's on my R6 about 3 years ago, and it was no bueno. The harness was soldered on the wrong side of the stator, forcing me to bend the harness 180 degrees to make it fit. Furthermore, it only lasted 2 months before the solder holding the harness to the windings came undone.

I ended up pulling it back out, and resoldering the harness in the right direction. The original solder job from Rick's was poor. There was a little drop holding each of the 3 harness wires. However, after I repaired it, it worked great. Gave me around 13.5V idle, and 14.3V at 5000rpm.

Would I buy another Rick's? No! I'll stick with OEM.

Lucas

 

[DougInKY]

I put a Rick's stator on my Pacific Coast about 6 years ago along with a R/R from him. Hooked right up no problems. Both the stator and R/R are still doing just fine.

 

[greywolf]

There have been more reports of problems with non OEM replacements or rewinds.

 

[danketchpel]

I'd go with oem stator and aftermarket MOSFET RR

+1

The MOSFET R/R is working great on my bike, very close regulation.

I wish somebody did make a high quality higher output stator but for now that doesn't seem to exist. I'm looking for the same thing for my KLR with the same results.

I'm not sure what the problem is with reliability, it's not rocket science to wind stators. To make higher output stators it's just more steel plates in the core and more wire. As long as you have the physical room in the cover it shouldn't be an issue. If there's not enough room in the stator cover then you are stuck......... unless you go with realshelby's external alternator approach, but that is a pretty drastic modification.

 

[OydnaR]

+1

To make higher output stators it's just more steel plates in the core and more wire. As long as you have the physical room in the cover it shouldn't be an issue. If there's not enough room in the stator cover then you are stuck.

physical room

thats the problem with most aftermarket stators, they claim more output, they only way to get more windings is use thinner gage wire and or thinner insulation, short of exotic alloy wires, thinner means more resistance more heat, and quicker meltdown

the only way to make a reliable high output stator would be to go high tech with the core metal and winding wire $$$$

 

[Rick]

I still have This Stator to sell.

 

[richw]

Like everything there is a difference in wire and insulation quality

Teflon like insulation could be both thinner and better

 

[PTRider]

The wire used in motor or generator windings is coated with a very thin polymer film "enamel" for its insulation. There are higher quality enamels such as polyimide (good to about 240°C), but the thickness is all about the same.

Magnet Wire - Winding Wire

 

[cbrxxcess]

First thing I would do is go back to the shop and let them know it failed so soon after their "fix". You never know they may get Suzuki to replace it. After all they can say no and you are out nothing.

 

[OydnaR]

The wire used in motor or generator windings is coated with a very thin polymer film "enamel" for its insulation. There are higher quality enamels such as polyimide (good to about 240°C), but the thickness is all about the same.

Magnet Wire - Winding Wire

that's part of the problem, the wire you would need to reliably and substantially increase output is likely made out of gold plated silver

not really much potential for improvement over stock with what's commercially available

 

[danketchpel]

that's part of the problem, the wire you would need to reliably and substantially increase output is likely made out of gold plated silver

not really much potential for improvement over stock with what's commercially available

What would help is being able to wind the stators with a flat ribbon the way JBL winds their studio monitor series speaker voice coils. It increased the wire density in the same given space by eliminating the air gaps between the round wires. But winding such ribbon in a multi-pole stator would be extremely difficult. I think it could be done if you wound each pole separately and then connected them using buss bars in the correct configuration.

To truly up the output though you still need more steel or a higher performance alternative. I'm not sure if the magnets on the flywheel can be upgraded to rare earth types for improved performance also.

 

[retiredrider]

Just an update on the stator problem. The first staor failed at 21,300 mile. The second stator just failed at 34,000 miles. Replaced the OEM R/R with a MOSFET type. So far that one is still ok.

Suzuki seems to have a problem with no known cure. After reading many posts, it seems that owners are just throwing more parts and $$ at the problem and not solving the problem.

Being retired I can't afford to replace a stator every riding season. Maybe it's time to sell.

Any thoughts or suggestions ???

 

[greywolf]

Make sure the magnets on the rotor haven't come loose.

 

[richw]

I tried and failed to find square 16 gauge wire comercially available
I would have had better heat conduction and could have had an additional layer or 2 for improved performance.

I would have to make it a custom order for hundreds of pounds.

 

[JRWalker]

Any thoughts or suggestions ???

http://www.stromtrooper.com/851279-post7.html

 

[greywolf]

http://www.stromtrooper.com/851279-post7.html

That's just nonsense. I don't know what drives JR's love of premium fuel, but it's mistaken.

 

[retiredrider]

I’m posting this to summarize my thoughts.

I’ve been blessed in that I’ve been able to ride for 48 years. In that time, only 2 stator failures,both with a 2009 DL1000 V-Strom. The first stator failure was at 21,300 miles (OEM stator and R/R). The second failure was at 34,000 miles (Rick's Motorsport Electrics stator and FH012AA Shindengen MOSFET R/R
along with an Eastern Beaver connection kit).

Bad luck, I don’t think so.

Bad parts (OEM and aftermarket), I don’t think so. Just think of the hundreds of thousands of bikes and the millions of miles ridden with oil cooled stators and shunt type R/R that have no problems.

Bad design?

My electrical options are few: a heated vest (45 watts), heated grips (22 watts) and two 3 watt LED running lights and a Datel volt meter. .

Living in the middle of no where, most of my riding is 2 hours or more at 55-65mph. Very little stop and go city driving. I change my oil and filter every 5000 miles (OEM filter and Shell Rotella T6)

It seems to me that the failures are heat related. With the stator output at maximum power all the time, the only way to cool the stator down (using an OEM R/R or aftermarket MOSFET R/R) is with the engine oil. The service manual shows that the stator area receives a misting or spraying of oil.

Before I replace my stator, I’ve got four questions:

1. When removing the stator cover, how much oil should drain out?

2. Where is the location of the oil delivery tube/line or spray nozzle that feeds the stator? Maybe mine is some how blocked.

3. Does the oil drain back to the sump?

4. Should I switch to a series type R/R (Compufire 55402)?

Found this on the internet…..it must be true (LOL)

The ultimate solution to reducing the heat generation in the stator is to use a Series Regulator rather than a Shunt style (which pretty much all production motorcycles use - even those with MOSFET R/R).
Shunt regulators return excess current back to the stator, so they always run at full load, regardless of what the bike's load is. In simple terms, the shunt R/R puts a short across the stator to regulate the output voltage; the series R/R opens the connection to the stator, so produces no current at that point. Net result is the stator will run considerably cooler because it is generating significantly less current.

Thank you all for your time, ideas and comments.