A Relay alternative?

wiredgeorge wrote:

Ron, you wrote, "RPM needed to have the stator overcome electrical demands and begin battery charge aprox 1200."

How did you decide the stator was meeting demand? Is that where it makes 12VDC?

Put a DC clampmeter over the pos lead of the battery, turned on the key and the meter read -7.5A meaning the lights ect, were drawing that current. Then started the bike and read a + current reading meaning the battery was being charged. At the RPM the meter read zero amps I would say the stator is supplying the exact current that the motorcycle needs to neither charge or discharge the battery. This was about 1200 RPMs with the headlight on. Lower than 1200 RPM showed a negative amp meaning battery was discharging, higher than 1200 read a positive amp meaning it was charging to some extent. That's how I did it. I think it's a valid test.

1200rpm is a really good "break-even" point on the battery current. I consider anywhere below 1700 or 1800 to be decent.

I find you need at least a positive .1A or .2A to begin charging the battery. For some reason the battery can take a little current and doesn't really seem to charge, in my limited un-scientific observations.

Oh, also, if the battery voltage initially goes up, but then steadily goes down while holding the same RPM for a long time, it could be a connection heating up. All the connections (and fuses, in some cases), should be checked and cleaned, and all the wires should be checked for heat.

Post edited by: loudhvx, at: 2007/06/28 11:09