DRZ-400 charging problem SOLVED!

[G-Force Junkie]

A quick note for you DRZ owners. Been struggling with an intermentent problem on my dads bike for nearly a year now. It started last summer on a duel sport ride. After a long, hot, gnarley section the bike started loosing electrical power. First the starter goes out (adding the kick starter has been a life saver), followed by the headlight dimming, then the backlight on the gauge cluster goes out followed by the lcd digits on the gauge cluster. At this point it dies completly. After towing it out and tearing it apart at home we find NOTHING wrong. Stator is putting out power, regulator/rectifier test fine. All wires and connectors in good shape, not breaks, no high resistance or shorts. Replaced the battery twice. Once the battery was charged, everything worked fine. It would work fine for months then it would happen again. Sometimes to the point of total discharge and the bike would not run, other times it would have the same problems, but then fix itself without explination Well this weekedn, aproximatly a year after the first incident, it happens again. After tearing it apart again we find the problem. The connector between the stator and regulator/rectifier! Undetectable from the outside, the contacts inside must have become corroded or built up alot of resistance which lead to the inside of the connector melting. As it heated up and cooled, it would act as a swith...sometimes working, sometimes not. The damage was almost undetectable to the eye even with the connector unplugged. So check yours out, its along the frame on the left side just infront and left side of the airbox. Its a two wire connector, one wire is black, the other red and black. We cut the connector out and hardwired the connection and saw a +.3 volt increase in charging voltage at idle. Clearly the damaged connector was making poor contact when it was working, and with heat deterioated to the point of not charging the battery at all.

[Skidder51]

Thanks for the infoI'm sure all of us DRZ owners will try to remember this if we have a problem like this. Good write up.

[RBrider]

That is good information. Thanks, RB

[snoid]

thanks gfj

[Britmick]

Couls anyone post photos of this?

[ThumperDRZ]

I bought dielectric grease to squirt in all of the connections. I have only did it to a few.......Thanks for the info - Time to get the grease back out.

[AKLEW]

Originally Posted by Britmick

Couls anyone post photos of this?

I know this is an old thread, but it would have helped me if I found it a week earlier! I just encountered the same situation. It baffled me for a week. Every connector looked ok with no corrosion and all the wires were intact and finally, it just worked. I thought it was just a bad connection somewhere and that all was well because my voltmeter showed that the battery was charging. Well 4 days after it was charging "fine" (today), it cranked over very slow while out on the trails. Luckily I just finished a hill climb, so I pop started it and high tailed it home! I started tearing connectors apart and this is what I found right off the voltage regulator...

[dunno_where]

Hey guys and girls,

Had the same problem with my 05' DRZ 400 E. Had a dead flat battery and was convinced it was the battery, though after some tests narrowed it down to that bloody two pin (red and Black) wire plug from the rectifier/regulator. My plug wasn't FUBAR but it was slightly corroded was enough to put the show on hold. (charging the battery)

I was getting up and down voltages on my digital and anologue multimeters. scrathcing my head for bloody weeks. Finally decided it couldn't be anything else, and said "F**K it.. i'll cut the plug and hard wire it." No problems since.

I have however done a run to teh local Super Cheap Auto. I bought a 12v socket outlet on a lead with water tight bung, inline fuse, connectors and a Solar Power Trickle Charger.

Wired the outlet direct to battery, NOT through the key, and tucked it up between the airbox and the battery frame. The Solar Power Trickle Charger has a 12V cigarette plug with red flashing LED. Plug the charger in during the daytime and the battery is helped to maintain its charge. The red LED flashes when the solar panel is in contact with sunlight.

When not charging, airbox cover goes back on and outlet is held tight by the cover and the frame. BOB's-YOUR-UNCLE!

This has significantly increase the battery charge between rides. This idea works great for small boats, cars, utes and most other things.

Any questions... just ask.

[D.T.]

Connectors on ALL bikes, esp ignition and R/R, the frequently fry or corrode. You can't reallly predict when or where. Dielectric grease is your friend, but not a cure all.

[turbo99]

Hello, This post helped me out so much. I was about to buy a new battery when I thought I would look to see if anybody had posted about this issue on this particular bike. Mine was to the point it would not stay running. I opened the plug and sure enough corrison had taken over. I cut them out and saldered the wires toegther and my charging works better then before, and my lights much brighter. Thank you for the Post, you saved me some money on a battery!

[redirt]

you may want to check out the drz400 section of thumpertalk (http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=25) especially the FAQ section for some good tips.

[Plane Dr]

This is the free power mod. It has been around for a very long time.

[Jamie]

Bump for a real helpful thread. Just found the same problem with a buddy's DRZ thanks to this.

[Stretch67]

The same thing happened to my 2005 Tiger.

[ScottCloran]

any pics showing where this is exactly. Dont want to be messing with the wrong wires.
Seems i have the same issue. Just got this bike from a guy (old man) only has 260 miles on it.
but he says the battery keeps dyin.he replaced it 2 times he said.and the one it it is new. i put it on charger for a bit it starts. ride for a lil while shut it off
then it wouldnt start till i charged battery.
is this the same problem