Another charging system question

[Rourko]

I have a related question. My charging system with this mod puts out 14.5 - 15 volts. How do I know if the voltage regulator is actually regulating the voltage once the battery is charged? The reason I ask is because I checked my battery the other day and the fluid levels were quite low. Is it cooking my battery?

If you bought the regulator from NAPA that I recommended with the yellow, orange, green and black wires, then you do not need the nylon screw mod.

You either have a bad (new) regulator or there is something wrong with the wiring.

There are just three wires involved here. The black, brown and green wire in the regulator plug. Check that each one of those wires is going to where it is supposed to.

1. Black wire goes to frame ground.
2. Brown wire comes from the common brown wire from the ignition switch. Check that you have battery voltage on the brown wire when you turn the key on.
3. Green wire goes to the brush with the green wire. Check for continuity from the green wire in the regulator plug to the brush with the green wire.

The other possibility is that the plug for the regulator is just not making contact.[/QUOTE]

 

[XSLeo]

Rourko. If your reg is working well the headlight won't get noticably brighter when revved. What is the barrtey voltage at idle, 2500 rpms and 5000 rpms?
To high an output can ovecharge your battery and cause the water to evaporate from the battery at an excessive rate. The water will evaporate out of a battery even when just setting.
You need to check and add water at regular intervals. How much and how often do you add water. That's dustilled water you add, bottled or tap water has minerals that are not good for a battery.
Leo

 

[Rourko]

At idle, its about 12.5 - 13 volts. It peaked out at around 15 volts at 3000. I hadn't checked fhe fluid level in a while so maybe it just evaporated. I know its putting out voltage but that doesn't mean its regulating it. Now that the battery is full of fluid and fully charged, the regulator should put out less voltage right?

 

[XSLeo]

Not really. The regulators job is to maintain the battery voltage at about 14.5 volts.
At idle the engine speed limits the alternator output somewhat, so the voltage will be a bit lower than at higher rpms. On my 75 at anything much over idle the volts climb to 14.5 volts and stays there as long as I keep the rpms up. If your regulator wasn't regulating it would either not charge or over charge. As your is staying at about 14 to 15 volts then it's working.
I mounted a volt meter on my bike, so I can moniter the charging system at all times. I reccomend this add on. You can do as I did and by a cheap one, $4.99 at Harbor Freight, and build a mount Or spend more and get a nicer unit that is designed to mount on a bike.
Leo

 

[Rourko]

Ok, great, thanks for the info Leo. I'll just have to keep a better eye on the battery fluid level. Be safe out there.
Rourk

 

[aaronrkelly]

Thanks for the regulator replacement advice and wiring - my old mechanical unit was allowing spikes up to 16.3 volts.

$28 at the local parts store and about 15 minutes of wiring and soldering - runs perfect......14.5 volts rev'd up. Also brought my idle voltage up a bit as well.

Great information.

 

[XSLeo]

The old mechanical regulator can't switch as fast as the new solid state regulator. This faster switching keeps the voltage a bit higher.
Doing the rectifier mod, either the Radio Shack bridge rectifiers or Ebay three phase rectifier is a more efficient rectifier than the old selenium rectifiers, more of the voltage is gets converted and not lost.
Leo