Voltage indicator

[josephjhaney]

I think I know the answer to this, but I figured I would ask. I hooked up a voltage meter to the power lead on the tach, and the ground, it's reading a volt below what I got on the battery, but I an fine with that. When I started the bike. The reading didn't change. I think when I last did some stuff under the left scoop, I might have unplugged the regulator by accident. Would that explain it?

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[wildweasel_pt]

No. Voltage drops due resistance in connectors and I would not trust much Chinese meters.

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Regulator is behind left rear footpeg

 

[Dragmaxster]

Regulator is behind left rear footpeg

footpeg bracket

 

[maxrom]

No. Voltage drops due resistance in connectors and I would not trust much Chinese meters.

I would say his issue is wrong path connectiion
It must be connscted to the nearest off battery as possible, even ground, if it been taken from head light would give wrong reading.

Also, it as to be compared with a good VOM ; if there is a difference it will stay the same for life (so it can be ajust in our head !!)

I did install Chineese meeter on both; My 1998 Vmax(3 years now) and 1986 mody Venture (this year) and Speedcostsmoney Vmax (3weeks ago), they work well.

They are digital with tenth of volt graduation
It react to; hight/low beam, rad fan actuation even fasher before i get them LED (now consomption is to low for reading) many of my elctrical test last winter in the basement.

My mody Venture have a poor charge system (13.9 volt) with Odisey batery so it secure me to see everything is not droping without knoing it.

 

[josephjhaney]

Ok, so my thinking was that there would be some measurable difference between not running and running regardless of where the connections were if the regulator was working properly. Is that correct? Or am I missing something?

 

[maxrom]

Ok, so my thinking was that there would be some measurable difference between not running and running regardless of where the connections were if the regulator was working properly. Is that correct? Or am I missing something?

Correct,
You should take comparative reading with a good VOM directly connect to battery post, and then compare diiferent test.

But, the best is a good switched connection nearest the battery.

unk:

 

[PMaxx]

Do you have a brand or part # for this cheap digital voltage meter? I've been curious what my bike charges at under load.

 

[wayne z]

You have it right. Should see a voltage drop between high idle and engine kill. If there is no drop, there's no charging. One can normaly observe the drop by noticing the dimming of the headlamp beam when killing the engine or sometimes just changing from fast to slow idle. Light dims and brightens with rpms = working charging system.

 

[maxrom]

Do you have a brand or part # for this cheap digital voltage meter? I've been curious what my bike charges at under load.

The one have on my Venture;
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/391006090058?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

here`s similar one of my Vmax
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/New-White-2-...ter-/221709351311?hash=item339ee8398f&vxp=mtr

 

[josephjhaney]

This is the volt meter I purchased. Rode the bike in today, revving the engine had no effect on the meter. Held at 10.6 to 10.5 the whole way in, would blip lower when I pulled the brake, or used turn signals. I'm thinking my regulator or the actual generator is hosed.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NZV7K3G?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

 

[josephjhaney]

Update, on the ride home, the voltage just kept dropping, charging the battery now, barely made it home. Will check the connections and the regulator once it's charged. I'm thinking the regulator is hozed. Zero charge going into that battery.

 

[Bill Seward]

I've got an 85. I did the upgrade to a MOSFET regulator, and get 14.5 to 14.6 volts at the battery. I also added headlight relays, which directly power the lights from the battery. With the excellent charging voltage I'm getting, the light is intensely bright. I run a Chinese voltmeter also from EBay connected to low beam, and read 14.0 to 14.1 volt, losing about .5 volt due to headlight draw. The. MOSFET mod is well documented here, and is simple to do. You ought to seriously consider it if you need to replace your regulator. The regulator and connectors totaled about $60.00 on EBay, and the job took an hour or so. Be sure to use heavy wire, solder or Posi Lock the 3 stator to regulator wires, and connect regulator output directly to battery (fuse the positive wire with a 30 amp fuse in a good quality fuse holder if you'afraid of smoking the wire. I didn't, but plan to soon.) Go to Easternbeaver.com to learn all about headlight relays... Also, consider the COPS mod. Read about it on this forum. Removing the rear cylinder coils gives you a nice place to mount the MOSFET regulator under the seat.

Do these mods and you will get a modern charging system, amazingly bright lights, and a better spark than the bike made when it was new. I figure all 3 mods cost me less than a hundred fifty dollars, and took 3 or 4 hours total.

 

[josephjhaney]

I ordered the new version of the regulator today. I am pretty sure that's the issue. I am going to take a look in a few.

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[josephjhaney]

So, hot the old rr off, I would say it's toast.

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[maxrom]

I've got an 85. I did the upgrade to a MOSFET regulator, and get 14.5 to 14.6 volts at the battery. I also added headlight relays, which directly power the lights from the battery. With the excellent charging voltage I'm getting, the light is intensely bright. I run a Chinese voltmeter also from EBay connected to low beam, and read 14.0 to 14.1 volt, losing about .5 volt due to headlight draw. The. MOSFET mod is well documented here, and is simple to do. You ought to seriously consider it if you need to replace your regulator. The regulator and connectors totaled about $60.00 on EBay, and the job took an hour or so. Be sure to use heavy wire, solder or Posi Lock the 3 stator to regulator wires, and connect regulator output directly to battery (fuse the positive wire with a 30 amp fuse in a good quality fuse holder if you'afraid of smoking the wire. I didn't, but plan to soon.) Go to Easternbeaver.com to learn all about headlight relays... Also, consider the COPS mod. Read about it on this forum. Removing the rear cylinder coils gives you a nice place to mount the MOSFET regulator under the seat.

Do these mods and you will get a modern charging system, amazingly bright lights, and a better spark than the bike made when it was new. I figure all 3 mods cost me less than a hundred fifty dollars, and took 3 or 4 hours total.

Thank`s a lot,
will get info to see if it can work on my 1986 Royal Venture wich not charge as it should do
Regards

 

[Bill Seward]

It should work fine. On a venture there's more places to mount the regulator, and a MOSFET unit doesn't get hot so it doesn't have to be in a coming air stream.