Slow drain in generator or regulator
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Georgia
Slow drain in generator or regulator
I know I have a problem with a slow drain somewhere because after a full charge and left alone for a month, give or take, I may have to charge it again to get going. Battery is D.S. and only a season old with few miles on it.
The reason I suspect the gen or reg is after pulling the trickle charger off with full charge and going for an hour ride, it wouldn't start again. It was so dead that when I jumped it, it died again on it's own. Thought I'd let it idle for a few minutes to get some juice back but it insisted on trying to die again. I'm sure the charging system is not working but not sure why.
I have H.D. and clymer manuals and will begin to tear into checking them out, I'm just looking for some advise and or personal stories to confirm possibilities.
Thanks guys
Rich
The reason I suspect the gen or reg is after pulling the trickle charger off with full charge and going for an hour ride, it wouldn't start again. It was so dead that when I jumped it, it died again on it's own. Thought I'd let it idle for a few minutes to get some juice back but it insisted on trying to die again. I'm sure the charging system is not working but not sure why.
I have H.D. and clymer manuals and will begin to tear into checking them out, I'm just looking for some advise and or personal stories to confirm possibilities.
Thanks guys
Rich
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 11,068
Likes: 1,476
From: Texas! Ya mean there's someplace else?
RE: Slow drain in generator or regulator
How old is the battery?
Brushes/commutator. Regulator.
If you're going to ride an older ironhead with the Bosch (kick start) or Delco-Remy (electric start) regulator, do yourself a favor and pull 'em off, put 'em on a shelf, and get an Accel (or other brand) solid state regulator. They will take care of your generator and battery far better than the old electro-mechanical type.
Also, if you ride a lot, pull the generator down yearly, clean it, inspect the commutator, and replace the brushes.
Brushes/commutator. Regulator.
If you're going to ride an older ironhead with the Bosch (kick start) or Delco-Remy (electric start) regulator, do yourself a favor and pull 'em off, put 'em on a shelf, and get an Accel (or other brand) solid state regulator. They will take care of your generator and battery far better than the old electro-mechanical type.
Also, if you ride a lot, pull the generator down yearly, clean it, inspect the commutator, and replace the brushes.
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Tourer
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From: Georgia
RE: Slow drain in generator or regulator
Accually, it is a sollid state regulator (sorry, forgot to mention that). The battery is one year. And yes, I polorize the generator every time I disconnect something from the charging system as the manual says (forgot to mention that too). I did have to put on a new starter last year because the previous one burnt up. Could that have had any negative effect on either the gen or reg? The starter, solonoid, and batt were all replaced at the same time when I did some re-wiring, along with 3 new circuit breakers.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 11,068
Likes: 1,476
From: Texas! Ya mean there's someplace else?
RE: Slow drain in generator or regulator
Time to do some checks from the manual. But you probably aren't going to have all you need (very few shops have this stuff unless they specialize in genny-era bikes) to do them. Here's a couple checks you can do with just a multimeter, but some of the procedures will need "tweaking" for use with a solid state regulator.
Using a volt meter, with the engine off, touch the red wire to the battery positive terminal, and the black wire to earth (ground) and look for a reading of 11.0 -12.5 VDC. Start the engine and check that the volt reading goes to about 12.5-13.5 VDC. If you don't see a pretty good increase when you start the engine, and more increase when you rev the engine up a bit, something ain't right!
Unhook the battery lead from the BAT terminal on the regulator and measure the voltage at the terminal with the engine running. The volt reading should be about 12.5-13.5 VDC, and will vary with engine rpm. If it doesn't vary or doesn't read in that range, touch the volt meter lead to the regulator GEN terminal. It should read about 15-18 VDC, once again varying with engine rpm.
If it doesn't read that, disconnect both the GEN and the F terminal wires at the regulator. Connect the volt meter lead to the ARM wire from the generator, short the F wire from the generator to the case of the generator, and look for 25-40 VDC. Do not do this for longer than 10 seconds, or you'll fry the generator or regulator!
Don't forget to flash the field whenever you unhook any leads on the generator. Touch the positive battery terminal to the A terminal on the generator by briefly shorting the BAT to GEN terminals on a Delco regulator or B+ to D+ terminal on a Bosch regulator. Never touch the "F" or "DF" terminals! If you have the solid state regulator, then flash the field by touching the positive battery terminal directly to the generator "A" terminal.
Here's a quick regulator check: Disconnect the rubber regulator connector and connect an ohm meter between the battery and generator wires (orange and tan wires on the regulator). Reverse the ohm meter leads and connect again to the orange and tan wires. One way should read a low resistance, and the other way should read a very high, or even infinite, resistance. If these readings aren't right, get a new regulator.
Using a volt meter, with the engine off, touch the red wire to the battery positive terminal, and the black wire to earth (ground) and look for a reading of 11.0 -12.5 VDC. Start the engine and check that the volt reading goes to about 12.5-13.5 VDC. If you don't see a pretty good increase when you start the engine, and more increase when you rev the engine up a bit, something ain't right!
Unhook the battery lead from the BAT terminal on the regulator and measure the voltage at the terminal with the engine running. The volt reading should be about 12.5-13.5 VDC, and will vary with engine rpm. If it doesn't vary or doesn't read in that range, touch the volt meter lead to the regulator GEN terminal. It should read about 15-18 VDC, once again varying with engine rpm.
If it doesn't read that, disconnect both the GEN and the F terminal wires at the regulator. Connect the volt meter lead to the ARM wire from the generator, short the F wire from the generator to the case of the generator, and look for 25-40 VDC. Do not do this for longer than 10 seconds, or you'll fry the generator or regulator!
Don't forget to flash the field whenever you unhook any leads on the generator. Touch the positive battery terminal to the A terminal on the generator by briefly shorting the BAT to GEN terminals on a Delco regulator or B+ to D+ terminal on a Bosch regulator. Never touch the "F" or "DF" terminals! If you have the solid state regulator, then flash the field by touching the positive battery terminal directly to the generator "A" terminal.
Here's a quick regulator check: Disconnect the rubber regulator connector and connect an ohm meter between the battery and generator wires (orange and tan wires on the regulator). Reverse the ohm meter leads and connect again to the orange and tan wires. One way should read a low resistance, and the other way should read a very high, or even infinite, resistance. If these readings aren't right, get a new regulator.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Georgia
RE: Slow drain in generator or regulator
I know it's been a while, but...
Something sure ain't right.
Strike 1. Does this not also reflect bad on the regulator or still only the generator?
Strike 2.
Strike 3. Generator on order very soon.
If this is the only way to check the regulator, than it looks likeit is good for now.
Thanks for the insight and suggestions.
Rich
ORIGINAL: pococj
Using a volt meter, with the engine off, touch the red wire to the battery positive terminal, and the black wire to earth (ground) and look for a reading of 11.0 -12.5 VDC. Start the engine and check that the volt reading goes to about 12.5-13.5 VDC. If you don't see a pretty good increase when you start the engine, and more increase when you rev the engine up a bit, something ain't right!
Using a volt meter, with the engine off, touch the red wire to the battery positive terminal, and the black wire to earth (ground) and look for a reading of 11.0 -12.5 VDC. Start the engine and check that the volt reading goes to about 12.5-13.5 VDC. If you don't see a pretty good increase when you start the engine, and more increase when you rev the engine up a bit, something ain't right!
Unhook the battery lead from the BAT terminal on the regulator and measure the voltage at the terminal with the engine running. The volt reading should be about 12.5-13.5 VDC, and will vary with engine rpm.
If it doesn't vary or doesn't read in that range, touch the volt meter lead to the regulator GEN terminal. It should read about 15-18 VDC, once again varying with engine rpm.
If it doesn't read that, disconnect both the GEN and the F terminal wires at the regulator. Connect the volt meter lead to the ARM wire from the generator, short the F wire from the generator to the case of the generator, and look for 25-40 VDC. Do not do this for longer than 10 seconds, or you'll fry the generator or regulator!
Here's a quick regulator check: Disconnect the rubber regulator connector and connect an ohm meter between the battery and generator wires (orange and tan wires on the regulator). Reverse the ohm meter leads and connect again to the orange and tan wires. One way should read a low resistance, and the other way should read a very high, or even infinite, resistance. If these readings aren't right, get a new regulator.
Thanks for the insight and suggestions.
Rich
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