Got what seems to be a strange situation on a 1996 xlh 883 hugger. Being money is tight I'm trying not to replace what I don't have to. When checking the stator resistance between terminals I get 1.5 ohms. I also get the same when checking each side of plug to ground. With engine running I get 18v A/C at idle and up to 80v A/C at higher RPM. Test light lights when checking stator terminals to ground when engine running though one side is brighter than other. What gets me is the low resistance to ground but still getting voltage output in the normal range. With engine running and regulator hooked up, charging voltage can only reach 12.7v. Battery standing voltage is 12.57 and running and reg disconnected volts are around 12.25. Can I assume the regulator is ok and only stator replacement is needed. Do these symptoms sound similar to anything anyone has experience and could shed some light. I'd greatly appreciate some advise.

 

Read through this.....it's not mine and I don't know who wrote it but it is correct

Electrical - Charging System testing
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Step 1. First and foremost load test the battery. Most places like AutoZone will do it for free. Even if it measures over 12.5 vdc it can still be bad
under a load. Battery is typically rated at 19 amp hours and 270 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA).
Start the engine and measure DC Volts across the battery terminals, the regulator should be putting out 14.3 - 14.7 vdc at 3600 rpm and 75
degrees F.
Step 2. To check the regulator unplug it from the stator. Take a test light and clip it to the negative terminal of the battery and then touch first one
pin and then the other on the plug that goes to the regulator. If you get even the slightest amount of light from the test light the regulator is toast.

To do this with a meter: black lead to battery ground, red lead to each pin on the plug, start with the voltage scale higher than 12vdc and move
voltage scale down in steps for each pin. Any voltage is a bad regulator.
Step 3. On the other part of the disconnected regulator plug. Set the multimeter for Ohms x1 scale and measure for resistance across the pins of
the stator. You should read something around 0.1 to 0.2 ohms for the TC88 32 amp system.
Step 4. Then check for continuity between each pin on the plug and frame/engine ground. The meter needle should not move (infinite resistance)
(digitals will show infinite resistance) if the meter needle does move (indicating continuity)(digitals will show some resistance), recheck very
carefully. If the meter still shows continuity to ground the stator is shorted (bad).
Step 5. Set the meter to read A/C volts higher than 30 volts (the scale setting for voltage should always be higher than the highest voltage you
expect or you may fry the meter). Start the bike, and measure from one pin to the other on the plug (DO NOT cross the multimeter probes! - touch
them to each other). You should read roughly 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm.
Step 6. If the battery was good under load test, if the stator is NOT shorted to ground, and the stator is putting out A/C voltage, then the regulator
is bad (most likely even if if passed step 2).
Generally the following is true:
22 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.2 to 0.4 ohms.
32 amp system produces about 16-20 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.
45 amp system produces about 19-26 vac per 1,000 rpm, stator resistance is about 0.1 to 0.2 ohms.

Battery: Turn ohmmeter to the DC Volts setting that can read 12V or more. With your motorcycle off, read from Positive to Negative making sure
the Red is +, Black is -- If battery is good you should get about 12.5 to 13.5 volts
Charging: Using same multimeter range, start the motorcycle and run RPM's up to above idle. Voltage should increase to several volts above initial
reading, usually to about 14.7 V Voltage should not go much higher than 14.7 V. If voltage goes a lot higher when you rev the engine, you could be
overcharging due to a voltage regulator problem. If voltage doesn't change, your motorcycle is not charging.
Stator: If your motorcycle is not charging, you need to check the stator. Locate the plug for the stator on the front of the engine block. Switch the
multimeter to OHMS range on the lowest setting, usually 10 ohms. With the motorcycle off, read between the 2 pins or holes in the block. These
should show continuity. If your meter is accurate you could read 1 to 3 ohms, but cheaper meters will not be that accurate. As long there is
continuity it passes this test.
Now change the setting on the multimeter to the highest OHM range like 100K. Touch one probe to a pin or hole in the engine, the other to the
engine case or a metal bolt on the engine. The meter should not move. Try the other pin the same way and it also shouldn't move. If you get any
reading the stator is shorted and must be replaced. This requires special tools and you should consider taking it to a shop. If you get no movement
on the meter, it's not shorted out so you need to check for output.
To check for output, change multimeter to AC Volts setting over 100 Volts. With the alternator plug disconnected, start the bike. Use the probes
(not polarity sensitive) to read between the pins or holes in the engine block. You should read about 20V per 1000 rpm's. At idle expect about 25V,
as you rev the engine it will increase to 60 or 70 Volts. If it does your stator is OK, if you get no output the stator is bad and you will need to
replace it or take it to a shop.
Voltage Regulator: If your stator is not shorted to ground and has the proper output, your regulator is most likely the culprit. If your stator checks
out OK but battery voltage does not increase when the motorcycle is running, the regulator isn't doing its job and needs to be replaced. It's an easy
swap, just make sure you bring the old one with you to make sure they give you the correct unit. If the battery voltage goes too high when you rev
the motorcycle the regulator isn't limiting the voltage and again it needs replacement.