Hey my 79 kick shovel chop isn't charging and I know what I need to do to fix it, my question is how long can I last? It's remained at 12 for a couple weeks,but when revved it's not going up past 12. I'm gonna buy a new alternator but want to put it off as long as I can. Is it a matter of just having no lights if the battery dies or will she not run? My connector pins are messed and that's why I suspect it's not charging. Like I said I will replace it eventually but want to ride it out for a couple weeks. I check the battery charge every time I ride and so far it's stayed at 12. I have zero accessories, no signals or horn. Only a head lamp and tail light.

 

12v ??? with a Digital volt meter??
Get a Digital meter...and charge your battery with a 1AMP or so Charger according to how much charge it needs...IE a 20 AH battery at 12.0 Volts is Dead...20 Hours on a 1 amp charger.
12.6V on flooded cell and 12.7 or 8 V on a AGM is 100% charged...12.3 is basically 50% charged.
Ya getting my drift?

 

Sorry it's reading 12.4 as of now. I had my meter set wrong. Last year when I new it was charging it would go to 14 when revved but at idle be around 12 volts.

 

And as you probably can tell I don't know much about the electrical.

Thanks

 

this a true "shovelhead"

 

Yeah with a 4 spd ratchet , duel plug heads and dyna coil.

 

 

If you have the right tools it will only take a couple of hours to replace the alternator. Why risk getting stranded. If your 79 still has the electronic ignition it will fail to work when the voltage drops below a minimum level. Get the service and parts manual, a clutch hub puller and the large socket for the compensator nut.

 

Yeah as soon as I posted it I thought about that and am fixing it sooner than later.

Thanks for the help

 

Okay so I had my meter set wrong. Bike Running with the meter on the battery it's reading 13.4-13.65 ish. With the bike not running the meter at the battery reads 12.77 I have yet to check the charging system but I think that means it's charging right? I haven't had it die on me this year. It did last year but it was a wire that broke.

This sound right? I'll actually check the stator and alternator this weekend.

Thanks again