68 FLH charging issues
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 850
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68 FLH charging issues
New build with about 30 miles on it. Original generator showed no charging on lights on solid state voltage reg. Gen not rebuildable. After some other issues (left over paint gunk in tank) I am back up and running and installed the new generator got both lights on the voltage reg. - which its instructions say is minimal charging. I confirmed this with on/off and reved up voltage checks at the battery.
Now the voltage reg. may be bad because I am a newbie with shovels - my first every bike build and did not realize that this type went on the end of the gen with the cap still on it. so the end of the shaft dug out some of the resin on the inside of the voltage reg.
With this thought in mind I measured output at the A terminal of the generator and got 14.X at idle and more with the revs higher.
So I thought I would try hooking up the original mechanical regulator. I did but it did not seem to work either I got full green at the dash light rather than pale green. So I went back to the new generator and possibly Fed up regulator. Now I get negative volts from the generator and no lights from the voltage regulator. All I could think was that the polarity on the generator got messed up. But I tried to re-polarize the generator to no avail. Do I have to pull the generator off the bike to re-polarize - when I initially polarized it, it was not yet installed. Any ideas or help is appreciated. I can ride it around town on the battery and put it back on the tender, but I am really jonesing to ride her in further and further. Thanks in advance
Now the voltage reg. may be bad because I am a newbie with shovels - my first every bike build and did not realize that this type went on the end of the gen with the cap still on it. so the end of the shaft dug out some of the resin on the inside of the voltage reg.
With this thought in mind I measured output at the A terminal of the generator and got 14.X at idle and more with the revs higher.
So I thought I would try hooking up the original mechanical regulator. I did but it did not seem to work either I got full green at the dash light rather than pale green. So I went back to the new generator and possibly Fed up regulator. Now I get negative volts from the generator and no lights from the voltage regulator. All I could think was that the polarity on the generator got messed up. But I tried to re-polarize the generator to no avail. Do I have to pull the generator off the bike to re-polarize - when I initially polarized it, it was not yet installed. Any ideas or help is appreciated. I can ride it around town on the battery and put it back on the tender, but I am really jonesing to ride her in further and further. Thanks in advance
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,928
Likes: 1
From: Desert S. West
Howdy: Even though it's been 10 years or so since I sold my '69 Shovel and 12 more years since my 'ole '65 Pan I remember this headache pretty well.
I went back and forth with the electronic regulators and generators until I learned one can make the other go bad. I replaced both at the same time and if an electronic regulator went bad I would check the generator by installing the old points style regulator. If it was still good I'd just replace the regulator but sometimes I'd have to replace both. Good luck with it. I'm sure someone will chime in with recent info.
I went back and forth with the electronic regulators and generators until I learned one can make the other go bad. I replaced both at the same time and if an electronic regulator went bad I would check the generator by installing the old points style regulator. If it was still good I'd just replace the regulator but sometimes I'd have to replace both. Good luck with it. I'm sure someone will chime in with recent info.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: Ocala, Florida
I've owned a 48El, 56Fl, 66Fl , 75 Flh, 781/2 Fxs, 78 Flh-80, 79Flh and many Sportsters(Dirtbikes) over the past 40 years, currently riding 05 Sporty. In most cases with the pre 70 big twins my problems were with the Generator Brushes. Sometimes the points would stick in regulator. A few times the wiring was shoddy from previous owners. Polarize the Generator EVERY Time you disconnect the battery and run a Franks or similar Modern regulator. Also if your'e gonna ride older Iron invest in "Motorcycle Electrics without Pain" by Mike Arman, the Absolute Best Damn ten Dollars I've ever spent many, many moons ago. And Good Luck
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