DIY Stator - 6th Gen

I've got one, that's also what alerted me (of course I thought it was just my battery).

Welp, suffice to say, I think i'll try just using the rick's stator/rectifier connector and hope for the best. At least they have a warranty.

 

So its been almost two weeks since I replaced the OEM Regulator/Rectifier and Stator with a Rick's Motorpsorts Electrics set and so far so good. At first, the bike had a bit of trouble starting, as when I turned the engine off the voltage would sink low enough to cause some hiccups, but after a few days this went away. I pulled the fairings off (ostensibly, to clean them) and I checked the connection (I decided to use the plastic connector that came with the parts) and it seems to be doing just fine.

 

Update: DISASTER. After going with a ride with my friend we parked at another friend's house. I noticed some smoke coming off the bike and after hopping off sniffed around and smelled some burnt plastic. We were there for a small house party and I didnt think too much of it, telling myself i'd take a look afterwards. After the party, it was late so I decided to take a look back home. I hopped on the bike, turned it on, and instantly noticed smoke coming from near the R/R. After some difficulty due to a stubborn clip I managed to remove my fairing and, after quickly unwrapping the half-melted electrical tape i'd put around the R/R connector, I discovered this (to my absolute horror):

I'm about to go to bed, but the current dilemma is this: Do I solder the wires together and (possibly) fix it, but also likely void my warranty? OR, do I warranty my R/R, replace it, and hope this doesn't happen again (and not wrap it in electrical tape this time)? Anyway, I want to die. This bike is my only method of transportation and I have work tomorrow.

 

Take photos, then cut the connector out, soldier the lines together, contact Rick's for their opinion on what they will do to honor the warranty.

You will want to keep the melted connector in case Rick's wants it sent to them.

 

Have you checked the stator is not fried? its easy unbolt the cover and look inside - it will only cost a few bucks for new gasket.


There is an immense thread on here with so many 6th Gens suffering electrical gremlins -
https://vfrworld.com/threads/how-to-fix-common-regulator-stator-failures.39277/

In short all four elements of the charging system (Battery, Loom, RR, Stator) must be in good order and a fault in any one can quickly inflict damage on some or all of the others. That is why it is dangerous to assume that you can stop looking for damage once you find a single faulty component - it may have already killed other components. That is why it is worth repeating "the Drill" after any faulty components are replaced - as there my be others.
At first sight it looks like part of the loom has failed - but ask yourself why? The loom is designed to handle normal current flows - so it means there is a pretty good chance one or more electrical components have sustained damage. If you recently replaced the RR my money is on the stator is the villain here.

https://vfrworld.com/threads/how-to-fix-common-regulator-stator-failures.39277/

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

I ended up having to yank out the stator-side wires because the plastic connectors were literally melted together. After performing some tests with a multimeter I've come to the conclusion that only the RR was damaged. I am, however, somewhat confused as to the cause - I think the stator was generating too much power for the plastic connectors to handle (my voltmeter told me I was hovering around 14.1-14.4 volts while riding) and the heat from that, coupled with my foolish decision to wrap the connectors in electrical tape, ended up melting it after riding the bike particularly hard for a little while. I will reach out to Ricks ASAP to warranty my RR out, and when I receive a new one, i'll solder the wires together instead of using the connector. I do find this a little strange though - I've heard of this happening, but after only a month seems kind of surprising.

(P.S, I had replaced both the stator and RR simultaneously with new parts from Ricks.)

 

I'll have to run these tests at some point - at least the ones I can run, without the RR attached to the bike.
Also, I would've gone with OEM parts, but I am constantly tight on money and it would've cost an extra 200 bucks.

 

14.1 - 14.4 volts is precisely what the R/R should be putting out while above a high idle.
I don't think that wrapping the connector with electrical tape would cause any issues unless it was trapping moisture in the connection.
Mello dude has, in innumerable posts on this forum hammered the fact that a poor connection is what produces the heat that will melt the plastics and eventually the wire itself.