The major difference between these two being that they produced DC power as opposed to the AC power which a generator produces. something I learn't today. The lowest output version was rated at 180 watts and used only on the /5 models. This power conversion is performed by the regulator. An alternator apparatus, as indicated by reference numerical 10, is disclosed in FIG. The last number is 13.5V, which is “VT” or the voltage that the alternator was held at during the test. A motorcycle alternator produces an alternating current that needs to be rectified or transformed into a direct current to be stored in the battery. Motorcycle Alternator Output Voltage This is a much overlooked aspect of your motorcycle alternator. With the rectifier / voltage regulator unhooked you should be seeing 18+ volts at each of the alternator pins (assuming your meter is good and it's hooked up right :) if you do not, your alternator is BAD. Your motorcycle battery is of course a vital part of your bike. How to determine exactly what's wrong with my alternator? Systems using 70 mm rotors are not worth repairing, their output is too low to convert to 12 volts and many have lost magnetism by now, we offer complete alternator sets to replace these. These components are probably the most mis-diagnosed parts in the … This AC power can be used to power certain elements of your bike, but it cannot be stored by the battery itself. The cost of a bike tune up can run relatively cheaply, somewhere between $60 – $100 and you will save a lot in the long run if you keep a close eye on the health of your battery and alternator. Trending price is based on prices over last 90 days. What is the danger of using ground as the return path in normal use? For some, a constant 13.6 volts is an indication of a problem. Is calling a character a "lunatic" or "crazy" ableist when it is in reference to their erratic behavior? Motorcycle Alternators and Stators: The Basics. Why is SAT so important in theoretical computer science? The alternator has a … Some of the links on this site are Amazon affiliate links. This is the power which ultimately helps to make sure your bikes battery remains charged every time you hit the road. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. The alternator has a rated capacity of 400 watts. There is a hand held unit with a probe that clamps over the alternator output wire. This would of course lead to your bike losing power and your battery eventually dying. This means that is must be converted to DC power in order to be of benefit to your bikes battery. But after the battery still drained I decided to ride around with the multimeter connected, and that's when I discovered that after riding for a while the charging voltage drops mysteriously to plain battery voltage (14 to 12). The object of this test is to see if the stator can produce proper AC voltage per 1000 RPM. Minimum system voltage is 13.5 volts. Next, test current output of each leg of the 3 phase alternator. Is this encounter in Ghosts of Saltmarsh ridiculously deadly? Each coil set is a “phase” of the alternator so when you measure voltage,ohms or current to test one phase of the alternator you would measure the “phase”. As with all new things though, when you take to analyzing how it works, the process is relatively simple when broken down. So, we can say that the battery powers your bike, in very simple terms.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'wanderingbiker_net-medrectangle-4','ezslot_7',108,'0','0'])); What then does your alternator do in relation to this, again in the most basic of terms, what your alternator does is provide power to your battery when the engine is running. It is important that the alternator is capable of delivering the correct voltage and current output. rev 2021.2.5.38499, The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange works best with JavaScript enabled, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site, Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, Learn more about hiring developers or posting ads with us. This stretches back not only to older styles of alternators which relied on metal coils as part of the power production process, but also to older bikes which had a generator, or magneto. This transformation is performed by a rectifier or voltage regulator that also needs to make sure that the voltage charging the battery does not exceed 14.5 Volts. with the regulator unpluged from the wiring harness check to see if current is flowing both ways. It is certainly possible though that you hear a variety of other terms in this field. The recommended regulated voltage varies slightly between motorcycle manufacturers but is invariably between 13.5 and 15.0 volts. The typical output voltage which is recommended for most alternators by leading manufacturers you will find, is between 13.5 – 15 volts power.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'wanderingbiker_net-box-4','ezslot_5',109,'0','0'])); The stator on most modern bikes, which we will explain in a little more detail within the next section, typically peaks around 12-14V. Position lamps take about 1/2 amp. When it comes to modern bikes though, they definitely consume a lot of power, and thus do have an alternator, even if it does function in slightly different ways than on your car. For a 12V system, apply a 18V from a DC power supply from the T1 side, and adjust R4 to precisely set 14.4V across the output terminals. You could, but finding something that can dissipate ~400W is not easy, especially if you are only doing it once or a couple of times. Since an alternator’s output can vary both up and down from 13.5V in real-world situations, it’s actual output limits will vary from the idle and rated numbers. 2. For this reason, it is important to get your bike tuned up regularly. It only takes a minute to sign up. The rotor became 2.8 ohms, the stator had a change in resistance, now was 0.8 ohm sections, & the stator assembly is 12 31 1 244 641. A cylindrical body 12 is attached to a first end 16 and a second end 14. But, as you’ll see there’s no special skill needed. Basically then, one would not function without the other, and nor would your bike. The output from the alternators on most modern bikes is three-phase. What happens if a prosecutor refuses to file charges? By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Why would turning on the A/C affect my alternator output voltage? A motorcycle alternator produces an alternating current that needs to be rectified or transformed into a direct current to be stored in the battery. Alternators are capable of putting out some very high voltages; in many instances more than 75 volts AC can be generated, which is more than enough to fry everything in the system. Ideally, the GM alternator should be putting out anywhere between 13.5 and 14.5 volts. to supply the regulator rectifier; Green = Ground. For some alternators, it’s normal to see as low as 13 volts. My regulator was bad and it was not charging the battery. A bad diode will show up on the meter. This process happens when your bike is running. how fast does the alternator charge the battery? They'll hook the bike to a load tester & load test both your battery & charging system, then they can tell you how healthy your battery is (how close it can come to pushing labelled cranking amps), and how many "excess amps" your alternator can push out before your voltage sags below a set threshold. This transformation is performed by a rectifier or voltage regulator that also needs to make sure that the voltage charging the battery does not exceed 14.5 Volts. Mikuni Carb Identification: How to tell which one you have, 10 Best Motorcycle Jackets and Reviews (Awesome Protection/armor), 119 Motorcycle Quotes and Sayings(Biker Wisdom), 10 Best Motorcycle Battery Reviews(with comparison chart), 10 Best LED Lights for Motorcycles: 2020 Reviews and Ratings. The answer is not as simple as you may think.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'wanderingbiker_net-box-3','ezslot_3',106,'0','0'])); All motorcycles nowadays will almost certainly have an alternator. Unlike changing the windshield wiper blades or changing a headlamp light bulb, this is one check-up that drivers are reluctant to do.They rather go visit a garage or dealer. Any suggestions what I can use for the BA rheostat? Measure the resistance of the BA rheostat, apply a bit of Ohm's law, and voila, your excess capacity." The battery doesn't charge.. I want to determine the available capacity of the alternator for adding additional loads. •. Over the years of course there have been many different types of alternators on bikes. I started this site along with two other friends and fellow roadhogs, Lee and Normberg. If an elliptically-shaped aerofoil gives the optimum lift distribution, why aren't propeller blades designed around this ideal? German word/expression meaning something like "breakfast engineer"? "Quantum protectorates" and the limits of grand unified theories, Can a virus that causes forced evolution exist. This is what will keep your battery charged and your bike running every time you take to the road. If your motorcycle service manual gives the peak amps for your alternator, than you can compute watts by multiplying peak amps by 14.4 volts. Regulator/Rectifiers. An even simpler motorcycle shunt regulator using the shunt regulator IC TL431 can be witnessed below, the 3k3 resistor can eb tweaked to chnage the output voltage to the most favorable level. A voltage regulator helps regulate the voltage that an alternator provides. The motorcycle battery produces DC current which a traditional alternator will use to create magnetic fields and ultimately convert the energy to AC, This is then used to keep your battery powered.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'wanderingbiker_net-medrectangle-3','ezslot_8',105,'0','0'])); Naturally this is a very simplified explanation of how the alternator on your motorcycle functions, but there is no doubting the necessity of having an alternator in your motorcycle for the purpose of powering your battery and the other distribution of power it provides based on your bikes features. It does function with some differences to what you may have been used to with a car. 1. This is a much overlooked aspect of your motorcycle alternator. A saying similar to "playing whack-a-mole". The later 6 volt alternators (RM18 & RM19) can be improved on by fitting a solid state voltage regulator, either 6 or 12 volts. It turns motion into current. We are also participants in other affiliate programs and may earn a small commission if you purchase through our links. This provides enough power to keep everything running in good stead for your next ride on the open road. it should not. It was suggested, "... that to figure out the actual capacity, get a Big Ass (tm) rheostat and hook it across the battery, set to max resistance, with the bike running at say, 4500 rpm. For others, it’s normal to see as high as 16 volts for long stretches. If an alternator diode fails, the amount of ripple voltage increases markedly. Advantage of RS-232 over 20mA current loop. This is really the basic function performed by almost every motorcycle alternator on the market, with a few natural twists and tweaks to output levels and other features as the technology continue to develop. Two test methods can be used to test the alternator without disassembly. How to check the alternator voltage output is one more simple check-up you can do on your own. Brake or indicator lamps take about 1.5Amps. Access to alternator output for powering a custom device, 2007 Mercury Montego V6, Need to test the alternator output independent of the wiring harness and computer. And is it as bad as I think it is? A motorcycle voltage regulator should keep the voltage within 13.5v and 14.5v at any given engine RPM. Hi, I'm Teddy! The generator itself is located in or on the engine, and on most bikes there is a separate regulator-rectifier unit located somewhere on the frame. Why do banks have capital requirements on deposits? next what you want to check is the regulator. The highest output version was rated at 280 watts, used in the /6 and well into the eighties. Would it be possible to run Discord on Macintosh System 7? This is particularly true with a new bike, or if you yourself are new to riding. If the voltage dips below the optimal range, then the regulator kicks in to get the alternator to make more voltage. The only issues which you can run into is if there is not enough power being generated. One way is to use auto lamps as loads - adjust the quantity to provide the needed current draw. I checked DC voltage at the battery last week and it was good, over 14. The likelihood is that you never run it at full capacity (400 W). The maximum output was a bit lower, but started at lower rpm. Alternator capacity and electricity flow, Isolator relay, wire gauge and auxilliary battery. I had the same problem with my 05 c90. It is equally important that the system is neither under- nor overcharging. At least once every 5,000km is recommended. @KevinWhite Battery load tester comes to mind...almost any auto shop will have one handy & it's, Visual design changes to the review queues, Opt-in alpha test for a new Stacks editor. reference voltage. The capacity is often limited by the losses. But a heater load test is best. The opposite happens when voltage levels read too high. The typical output voltage which is recommended for most alternators by leading manufacturers you will find, is between 13.5 – 15 volts power. The LTspice simulation below shows that the output is regulated at about 14.1V with a 190mV ripple (due mainly to the hysteresis value of U1's circuit). 5. The motion and kinetic energy produced by actually rising your motorcycle also helps the alternator to generate and distribute this power. site design / logo © 2021 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa. In the most basic of terms, a motorcycle alternator works by producing AC power. Keep reading to learn about motorcycle alternators, stators and the differences between these two devices. First end 16 and a second end 14 the lowest output version rated. Regulator was bad and it was not charging the battery and electricity flow, relay... = ground week and it was not charging the battery last week and was! 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Service, privacy policy and cookie policy and distribute this power keep the voltage within 13.5V 14.5v... On this site along with two other friends and fellow roadhogs, Lee Normberg... By actually rising your motorcycle alternator output voltage this is a hand held unit a! Is 13.5V, which is “ VT ” or the voltage dips below the optimal range then! To determine exactly what 's wrong with my alternator output voltage which is “ ”!