Author Topic: charging problem solved (I think)  (Read 2121 times)

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txpilot

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on: August 07, 2008, 06:42:30 am
First I would Like to thank everyone for all of their help. So after alot of following wires I figured out that my rectifier was bad so I bought a bridge rectifier from radio shack with a 50V max. After hooking up the Alternator wires to it I tested it with my voltometer and saw that it wasn't putting out more than 14 volts so I just conected the brown and black wires straight to the rectifier and everything seems fine. The needle is going into the green only one problem. I know the rectifier is putting out at least 12-14 volts but the ammeter needle is barely going into the green about that same as before (which made me think there was a charging problem) so to try and trouble shoot I used by 12V battery charger and hooked it up to the brown and black wires goig to the front of the bike and the needle only went the same amount into the green just a hair. So what does all of this mean? My ameter is messed up. Is my battery going to get charged now?


GreenMachine

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Reply #1 on: August 07, 2008, 02:03:15 pm
Gauge is only good as it is calibrated...I bet some of our gauges deflect more than others..You would think that a depleted battery (after a few weeks), the anmeter gauge would deflect across the positive side in a manner inducive to a battery requiring charging vice just barely moving into positive territory...I thought I might have something similar happening but an overnight 2 amp trickle charge did the trick...I had previously gotten lazy with a 4 hour trickle charge with same results (next day/dead battery)  ..This time I made sure that gauge on the charger dropped to below its meter indication indicating a full charge...so far so good...Some gauge indicating more a state vice exact measurement...Enfield gauges fall into this category...
Oh Magoo you done it again


PhilJ

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Reply #2 on: August 07, 2008, 02:07:14 pm
Did you take a voltage reading across the battery with the new rectifier?
If your battery is charged it is not drawing much current, therefore, the ammeter will not show much deflection. Measure across the battery with engine just above idle. You should see between ~13.8 - 14.1 VDC. Your battery will be charging when it needs it.


txpilot

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Reply #3 on: August 07, 2008, 04:52:32 pm
I guess I was tired lastnight but the rectifier is putting out 19volts at max RPM but nothing has burned up yet so it should be ok right? I checked the battey and it reads 11.6 at max so what is going on? Is the battery just charged up and not using much juice?


mtrude

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Reply #4 on: August 07, 2008, 06:07:05 pm
Hello , The regulator controls the amount of voltage , the rectifier turns AC from the alternator into DC for the battery. The regulator may be bad.  The 19 volts at the rectifier output will go into the regulator and be applied to the battery as needed.  There is some loss in the process. A fully charged battery is about 13 volts. I think the charging rate is about 14 volts. Have fun, mtrude


txpilot

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Reply #5 on: August 07, 2008, 06:09:01 pm
I bought a bridge rectifier from radio shack and bypassed the regulator. The rectifier is putting out 19 volts max put the battery is only reading 11.6 when running. Where is the voltage going?


PhilJ

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Reply #6 on: August 07, 2008, 11:16:15 pm
You don't want that kind of voltage going in a battery. It'll cook it, boil the electrolyte  out. It should go from the alternator to rectifier to regulator. A battery is called 12V but fully charged it will be about 13.8 for a fully charge battery in good condition. A battery reading 12V is really considered dead. Each cell in a lead acid battery is 2.25 VDC fully charged.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2008, 11:20:31 pm by PhilJ »


txpilot

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Reply #7 on: August 08, 2008, 06:06:00 am
thats the problem all of the voltage isn't making it into the battery. I'm trying to find out where it is going.



mtrude

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Reply #8 on: August 08, 2008, 01:57:32 pm
Hello, after re-reading the posts, I believe we have drifted away from/complicated the original problem of "not charging" by introducing too many variables, new rectifier, different connections, no regulator, etc. I think since nothing has changed you can try this
If you are sure the old rectifier is faulty,
Reconnect the new rectifier into the harness as it should be, not just the brown and black,
reconnect the regulator
check all connections including grounds against a wiring diagram to make sure they are where the should be. Make sure the ground behind the battery box is clean and tight.
charge up the battery and check, 11 something volts is totally discharged, fully charged as noted above will be 13 something.
The ammeter should can be checked for some function in the starting process, does it "flip" when you check for TDC when using the compression release?
Start the engine and check from the alternator back, Is it putting out voltage? How much, is the voltage getting to the rectifier? How much, How much out of the Rectifier? is it getting to the regulator? how much out of the regulator? Are the connections good to the battery? A systematic, methodical search should show where the problem is.  Checking a system that is as designed is easier than one that is not. As an after thought, does you bike have the key position that does not allow the system to charge? Maybe that should be checked too. Good luck, have fun, mtrude