Another alternator hits the dust and not under warranty

[rockinrog]

Originally Posted by GB

Chances are your warranty will run out before the stator fails. Joel Wisman reports seeing dead stators in the shop he worked at as early as 20K to as high as 50K but he's never seen any F800xx bike go more than 50K miles on the original stator. Obviously BMW figured out that the lack of oil cooling is prematurely killing stators, hence the redesign of the rotor with more openings to permit oil to cool the stator. Since there is no recall, owners are left to foot the bill when the stator fails beyond the warranty.

knock on wood. Over 50k here on the original

[MikeMike]

Originally Posted by GB

so I'm inclined to think the original design was flawed, and is basically a ticking time bomb in every F800xx. At least on this forum, we have figured it out, know the symptoms and the fix.

Just like the fuel pump controller.
On bikes prior to the black powdercoated version of the FPC, it isn't a question of "if" but "when".

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by JRWooden

The newer bikes have a different model Shindengen R/R which does regulate at a higher voltage which is good for the battery and should reduce heat load in the stator if I'm thinking about it correctly ...

Does anyone know if the new unit P/N: SH541SC is a still an SCR-Based design or if it got upgraded to a MOSFET?

I did not think that was verified...... I knew there were a few sporatic models that had higher voltage...... But I did not see anything that indicated that this was fleet wide.... But yet again, I have been low on espresso lately....

[WayneC1]

Joel posted quite a while back that he checked with contacts in BMW NA and they looked at spares in stock and the manufacturing No's showed stock had been updated and appeared to be Shindengen with higher output, I was unclear at the time whether the spares were the FET units or not, It suggested at the time checks other than look at spares in warehouse may also have been done. if I find time I may go back and find the post to xcross check but dont hold your breath, now where is the caffiene to get through the day

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by WayneC1

Joel posted quite a while back that he checked with contacts in BMW NA and they looked at spares in stock and the manufacturing No's showed stock had been updated and appeared to be Shindengen with higher output, I was unclear at the time whether the spares were the FET units or not, It suggested at the time checks other than look at spares in warehouse may also have been done. if I find time I may go back and find the post to xcross check but dont hold your breath, now where is the caffiene to get through the day

I actually do remember reading that as well. I am not holding my breath how ever.

[JRWooden]

Originally Posted by MikeMike

Just like the fuel pump controller.
On bikes prior to the black powdercoated version of the FPC, it isn't a question of "if" but "when".

How'd I miss this one ???
This is the first I've heard of the powder-coated FPC ................

[JRWooden]

Originally Posted by ebrabaek

I did not think that was verified...... I knew there were a few sporatic models that had higher voltage...... But I did not see anything that indicated that this was fleet wide.... But yet again, I have been low on espresso lately....

I had thought the higher voltage was tied to the new P/N, but .........
I switched to beer at about 4pm ........... don't count on me for anything other than a grin ...

[MikeMike]

Originally Posted by JRWooden

How'd I miss this one ???
This is the first I've heard of the powder-coated FPC ................

Another unannounced little "improvement" over the original. Sorry for the hijack but all's fair when it comes to Spandau's hijinks with parts.
I'll start a thread with my "stalling problem solved" experience.

[GB]

Originally Posted by JRWooden

How'd I miss this one ???
This is the first I've heard of the powder-coated FPC ................

dood, a cottage industry has sprung up around the fuel pump controller issue which first appeared in the 1200GS.. inmate burnszilla (among others) makes and sells a fuel pump controller bypass cable so when it craps out, you can plug that cable in, and power it off the accessory socket and ride on... pour more sugar in my kool-aid please, it needs it!

[MikeMike]

You are a sucker if you pay for a Burns cable and the suggested heavy duty battery pigtail.
Take a look at the stock wiring, it handles the current fine and is by no means thick or heavy duty, at all.
First, the stock wiring is easily spliced into to make a bypass that will work with your ignition, the Burns cable does not, you have to unplug it to stop the pump.
Second, with your old controller you can build your own bypass cable for a future spare.
One supplier is hardly a "cottage industry", it is only one supplier.
Koolaid won't get you home. Using a good bypass workaround will get you home. Take a look at how many controllers have failed. The old silver colored ones.
Learn the bypass or send money. Your choice.

[GB]

There's more than one person making that bypass cable.. I've seen at least 2 others. For people who don't have the time or the ability to make their own, it's a good option. I never bought one.. I just bought a Japanese bike instead I got tired of trying to keep up with the latest issues, I just want to ride a reliable bike that supposedly has "no character". My kool-aid's gone sour.

[ebrabaek]

Originally Posted by JRWooden

I had thought the higher voltage was tied to the new P/N, but .........
I switched to beer at about 4pm ........... don't count on me for anything other than a grin ...

Ha ha....

[MikeMike]

Originally Posted by GB

There's more than one person making that bypass cable.. I've seen at least 2 others. For people who don't have the time or the ability to make their own, it's a good option. I never bought one.. I just bought a Japanese bike instead I got tired of trying to keep up with the latest issues, I just want to ride a reliable bike that supposedly has "no character". My kool-aid's gone sour.

Ok, I hear you and understand the "character" bit. I haven' t seen other cable offerings, but it proves the old saying about there being a sucker born ever minute and two to take him.

[JRWooden]

Originally Posted by GB

dood, a cottage industry has sprung up around the fuel pump controller issue which first appeared in the 1200GS.. inmate burnszilla (among others) makes and sells a fuel pump controller bypass cable so when it craps out, you can plug that cable in, and power it off the accessory socket and ride on... pour more sugar in my kool-aid please, it needs it!

I was fortunate enough to find a "donor" FPC from which to swipe the plug, and have made my own bypass cable that goes from the gerbing jack at the side of my seat into the fuel pump.

The new news to me was that BMW had finally come up with a re-designed FPC ....
well if not re-designed, at least one that doesn't have that crappy raw aluminum finish that shows burn marks so easily ....

[goldentaco]

Originally Posted by WayneC1

GoldenTaco, the Shindengen really is the best option at this time for the 650GS, it is still a shunt regulator but faster acting and with less internal power consumption and hence less heat than a stock VR because of the FET components

The compufire sounds good but we are pushing it beyond it's stated maximums. All the reports are good though and so for the F800 in particular where stator temperatures are in serious need of lowering it is the best choice. There is another unit mentioned in the thread out of Roumania which is higher in max ratings but no one has used it as yet

In terms of reducing engine load, while we have permanent magnet alternators the ability to do so is relatively limited with the serial VR being about it other than fitting a lower output stator.

On the cars they have brush type and you can reduce voltage to the excitor coil easily and in addition to that some have a clutch arrangement which is used to disconnect the alternator under various conditions like acceleration. You will see over at bimmerforum and elsewhere people retrofitting firmware to do at least some of this. BMW's figures on fuel saving and increased engine output are a little surprising

Thanks Wayne,

I'm anxiously awaiting my Mosfet RR's arrival. For the last year I've been charging at about 13.1-12.9 at 5000 RPM. Idle seems to charge around 13.3 I've been wanting to add aux lights but reluctant because of that. Hopefully now with a fully operation charging system I can breathe easy.


J