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By Doc
These electrical troubleshooting tests apply to all stock Harley-Davidson
charging systems from shovels to twin cams. This does not apply
to magneto type ignitions without batteries. If you have any questions,
contact Doc at kvella@lexco.com.
1) Battery Specifications:
|
Voltage |
%
Charged |
Hours
charge time required |
| 12.8 –
13.0v |
100% |
None |
| 12.5 –
12.8v |
75% |
3 – 5 hours |
| 12.0 –
12.5v |
50% |
4 – 7 hours |
| 11.5 –
12.0v |
25% |
At least 10 hours
(Verify state of charge) |
| 11.5 or less |
0% |
20 hours |
2) Regulator inspection:
The regulator base must have a clean, tight connection for proper
grounding. Check by using an ohmmeter with one lead on a known good
ground, such as a battery cable, and the other on the regulator
base.
3) Regulator Bleed
Test:
Be sure regulator is connected to battery. Unplug regulator connector
at engine crankcase. Use a trouble light and touch one probe to
a known good ground and the other to the regulator pins, one at
a time. If the light glows, replace regulator.
4) Milliamp Draw Test:
Be sure accessories are not wired so they stay on at all times.
Check for this by connecting an ammeter between negative battery
cable and battery terminal. With ignition switch and all lights
off, there should be no more than three milliamps current. Note:
An excessively dirty battery can cause a static surface drain.
5) Total Current Draw
Test:
If the battery runs down during use, the current draw of the motorcycle
components and accessories may exceed output of the charging system.
To check for this condition, place a load tester induction pickup
or current probe pickup over negative battery cable. Disconnect
the regulator from the stator at the connector on the crankcase
and start the motorcycle. With the ignition and all continuously
running lights and accessories turned on (headlight on high-beam),
read the total current draw. Compare this reading to the reading
obtained from the Current and Voltage Output Test. The current output
should exceed current draw by 3.5 amps minimum. If not, there may
be too many accessories for the charging system to handle. Reconnect
regulator after test.
6) Current Output
Test:
a) Connect load tester negative and positive leads to battery terminals
and place load tester induction pickup over positive cable between
circuit breaker and regulator (dc output cable)
b) Run the engine at 3000 rpm and increase the load as required
to obtain a constant 13.0 volts. The current output should be 26-32
amperes. Make note of measurement.
7) Voltage Output
Test:
After removing the load, read the load tester voltage meter. Voltage
to the battery must not be more than 15 volts. If voltage is higher,
regulator is not functioning properly or connections are loose or
dirty. Do not leave any load switch on for more than 20 seconds
or overheating and tester damage are possible.
8) Stator Check:
a) To check for grounded stator, turn off ignition and disconnect
the regulator from the stator at the terminal in the crankcase.
b) Connect and ohmmeter on RX1 scale between crankcase and either
stator socket. There should be no continuity across either test
points. Any other reading indicates a grounded stator which must
be replaced.
c) Check the resistance using an ohmmeter set on the RX1 scale.
Resistance should be 0.1 – 0.2 ohms across the stator socket
pins. If the resistance is lower, the stator is damaged and must
be replaced.
9) AC Output Check:
To test AC output, disconnect the regulator and connect an AC voltmeter
across both stator sockets. Run the engine at 2000 rpm. The AC output
should be between 32-40 volts AC (16-20 per 1000 rpm). If the output
is below specifications, charging problem could be a faulty rotor
or stator.
10) System Check:
· Accessories on for long periods when bike is parked and
not running.
· Accessories on when bike is ridden very slowly for long
periods.
· Battery self-discharge and/or accessory draw because bike
was not ridden for a long period.
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