850 charging prob revisited

[Ken Oh.]

Got my second regulator installed and still have the same problem although not as bad. Ampmeter shows 12-15 amps with a new battery. I can push gently on either coil and switch current on and off so don't think it's stuck. The longer it runs the higher the reading till it's pegged. The meter has been replaced and is a 15 amp meter. Is this charge rate high? If so where do I go now?

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 09:53:28 05/17/10) Got my second regulator installed and still have the same problem although not as bad. Ampmeter shows 12-15 amps with a new battery. I can push gently on either coil and switch current on and off so don't think it's stuck. The longer it runs the higher the reading till it's pegged. The meter has been replaced and is a 15 amp meter. Is this charge rate high? If so where do I go now?

ounds high & sounds like regulator contacts not stuck, which would leave us with a regulator that is not properly regulating. To help verify that, I would connect a good/trusted voltmeter across the battery posts and read the voltage before start up (after overnight sit) and again while running at speed and a 3rd time after running at speed for perhaps a half hour. First will be a bit over 6v (6.25 to 6.5 maybe), 2nd about 6.75 to 7.6, and 3rd same range as 2nd but comparing actual values measured, the 3rd will be fractionally higher than 2nd. Now, if it truly isn't regulating, then the 3rd measurement may be 8 volts or even more & electrolyte in battery boiling/fizzing/maybe wetting top of battery via escape from vent holes.

 

[RodinNS]

I might be inclined to check/replace all of the wiring between the gen/reg/battery... possibly with a larger gauge then is presently fitted. If you've gone through two regs and the same problems exist, odds are, something else is causing the problem.
If changing the wiring didn't help then I'd probably go back and look at adjusting the reg cutouts.
Just speculating...

Rod

 

[JMOR]

(quoted from post at 11:32:47 05/17/10) I might be inclined to check/replace all of the wiring between the gen/reg/battery... possibly with a larger gauge then is presently fitted. If you've gone through two regs and the same problems exist, odds are, something else is causing the problem.
If changing the wiring didn't help then I'd probably go back and look at adjusting the reg cutouts.
Just speculating...

Rod

od mentioning wiring causes me to say, 'pay particular attention to the ground wire between generator & regulator'.

 

[souNdguy]

I'd agree.. check the wireing.. especially the grounds at the vreg.

soundguy