My virago xv535 is having consistent charging problems. I have changed the stator, put a new battery in but the bike will not run when the lights are on. Do I need to change the rectifier? or is there another likely solution?

That happened to me last year on my virago 1100. Battery would fully charge, but not hold once in the bike. It was a brand new battery from GP Bikes. I took it back to the store and they checked the charge with their machine, which is better than mine. The battery was a lemon. They replaced it and the new one worked perfectly. But what a pain for a few weeks to figure out it was the battery and not the bike.

Hi
If the battery is not being charged then it will get drained due its power being used to run the engine & lights

Ride Safe
Bike-Doc

Have you checked the main fuse from the positive terminal to the wire harness? I'ts contained in a white long clamshell type enclosure.

Hi and welcome to FixYa,

Charging problems could either be a stator issue or a failed rectifier/regulator combo. To check:

• measure the battery voltage with the engine off;
  
• start the bike and measure it again, it should be slightly higher;
  
• rev the bike, the voltage should rise as the RPM increases;
  
• measure the voltage by pairs on the 3 white wires from the stator;
  
• there should be AC voltage that increases as the RPM ncreases.
  

This of course presumes that the wiring, connectors, terminals have been checked, cleaned and tightened.

Good luck and thank you for asking FixYa.

Hi and welcome to FixYa,

Offhand, even if the the stator / charging coil is defective or for that matter even the regulator, the bike should start and run on a fully charged battery. The only problem would be that the bike would die eventually. If haven't been tried, have the battery load tested not just voltmeter test.

Please postback after the load test. Hopefully by then, I would have the wiring diagram.

Good luck and thank you for asking FixYa.

If battery is running down. The engine may not be charging the battery. Check charging system. If running on battery, the bike will run fine for awhile then die as the battery can no longer provide spark to the engine. If charging system is less than 13.0 volts could be a ad stator or regulator. Make sure the battery posts are clean, a bad ground can cause problems too.