I believe there is only one ground wire on it and I checked that.
But when cruising is does drop down a bit and then go back to 14v.
Shoot I don't know...

 

My only concern now is that I am getting voltage at the regulator plug
(either prong) when going to ground.
Can someone maybe just pull their plug and test that real quick?!!!
Only takes about 3 min. haha
Going for a test ride BRB.
Pete

 

Well,
just took a quick ride to Dunkin Donuts (8miles) and it didn't do it.
Still unsure but I'll keep an eye on it.
Thanks guys
Pete

 

Keep me posted on this. HD replaced my stator and VR 7 months ago because I noticed the gauge dipping from 14 down to 10, sometimes 8 while cruising.
I just noticed it started again today but now I'm out of warranty!

 

I'll keep you posted.
Everything checks good so far (stator/Vr) but haven't ran a load test on batt yet...

Pete

 

Knight 2, did you ever get this figured out? My '08 FLTR has been doing this for several months now. It would do it frequently but under random circumstances. Sometimes when first starting up, other times just rolling down the road. Vibrations or road bumps never caused the meter to go up or down. Finally put a new battery in because 1. It was 3 years old and 2. The radio would shutoff when starting. The new battery seemed to solve the problem because the Volt meter showed good and never dipped for about a month and then just before a trip last week it started to do it again. I've done all the tests I can without a breakout box, all voltages, ohms and no-continuities are as they should be. Frustrated because I've made it home with it acting up and by the time I get my meter and ready to hook up, the meter is good and the idiot lights are out plus voltages read good.

 

Maybe the ground wire got pinched somehow and is not completely grounding all of the time.

 

Try a reverse diagnostic method: start from the meter, then meter + to battery +, then meter - to battery -, turn on the headlight and repeat. The more you load the battery the greater the voltage drop through a potentially bad connection.

 

I just posted on this subject earlier this week. I have a 2012 Ultra Classic and the VR went bad right after I got the bike. Turned out they had some sort of recall so it was replaced by HDMC. 2 yrs later, now, the engine and battery lights began to come on and my volts were all over the place. It would last about a minute then balance out and all would be ok. Happened on / off a few times so I had a friend check everything with a voltmeter and all checked ok. My battery connections were loose though so I tightened them up and everything seemed ok. All seemed fine for about 3 days then it started again but only happened twice. So, I pulled the seat off and checked the connections again and one was SLIGHTY loose but not enough to cause concern for me.


So, I called my buddy back and we discussed it again. Nothing else is going on with the bike at all and the issue seems to resolve itself within a very short period of time. To me, it seems there is something else causing this issue. This is my 3rd HD and the only one I have had any issues with. So, he feels the battery may have a bad cell suggested a new battery so I ordered a new one yesterday. The battery is 2 yrs old and I know they usually last longer but I had another friend who always replaced his at the 2 yr mark and now this buddy says he would change the battery to see if that is the problem.


I don't know. I just feel if it were the VR or stator there would be more problems or different, more serious problems.


I have a hard time thinking these VR's would be this bad, especially when my other bikes never had a problem.


I hate to say this, but I have some buddies that ride Hondas and they never have issues like the HDs do.........................

 

After spending an hour or so reading through the electrical diagnostic manual, there are some other possible places to look. The start switch and the TSM/TSSM module. The voltage that the ECM monitors comes from the start switch and the book says that the modules can also cause the low voltage code to be displayed. The meter is wired in parallel with all the other gauges and instrument lighting, so we will never get an accurate voltage indication on the dash meter. The other 3 small gauges have their own direct input from their respective components. Why HD didn't run a wire direct from the battery to the voltmeter to have a more accurate reading is anyones guess.