| Author |
Message |
    
Doug Geange
New member
Username: Dodge03
Post Number: 1
Registered: 05-2006
Posted From: 161.184.182.116
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 - 01:09 am: | 
|
Can anybody steer me in the right direction to see if the charging system on my 1991 Conquest is actually putting out. All seemed great until I reconnected two auxillary lights that the previous owner had installed. While riding one night i noticed the charge gauge drop to zero and before i knew it the battery was stone dead. Not sure how to check for output off the charging system. After charging the battery the charge gauge was reading great again but after the machine had sat in my shop for a week the battery had gone flat once again. Am I fighting a bad battery that won't hold a charge or is the problem a little deeper. P.S The lights have been disconnected but the battery does not charge. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks for the help in advance. |
Erich Kelter
Member
Username: Fisherman
Post Number: 46
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 74.119.175.102
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 - 09:16 pm: |
|
Take the battery out or disconnect the ground, then charge it for 12 hours or until your charger turns off. Let it sit a full 24 hours and check the "resting" voltage, it should be 12.65 volts for a fully charged good battery, if you're getting down to around 12 volts after letting it sit idle for 24 hours, the battery is on its way out. As for charging, when the motor is running just above idle, it should show about 13.5 to 13.75 volts across the battery. |
philip w.cox
Advanced Member
Username: Philipatmaxfour
Post Number: 323
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 199.246.2.9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 26, 2007 - 01:31 pm: |
|
Erich, Assuming that the ignition is turned off,can you explain the reason for disconnecting the ground to the battery before using a battery charger? I think that you must know something that I don't because my R.I. manual says the same thing. Thanks W. Philip Cox |
Richard L. Runyard
Intermediate Member
Username: Fuzzman
Post Number: 53
Registered: 08-2006
Posted From: 138.163.0.43
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 26, 2007 - 02:31 pm: |
|
I'm not an expert but I've heard of this happening on quads. Sounds like the same amperage draw was more than the stator could handle and you may have burned it out.
Stator - windings in your alternator |
Rogersmith
Advanced Member
Username: Rogersmith
Post Number: 276
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 70.234.147.196
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 26, 2007 - 06:33 pm: |
|
Also, a good time to check the battery for a bad cell is when it fails to start. If you see about 10 volts, thats an indication of a bad cell. Also you can pull the vent caps, put it under a load, and look for smoke coming out of a cell. Of course don't do anything unsafe like use a lighter or flame for light while looking, hehe. And protect the eyes, etc. A weak celled battery will work fine and then suddenly fall on it's face. You can also check each cell with a voltmeter, attached to old screwdrivers, metal rods, nails, dipped into adjacent cells or cells to adjacent posts. Should have 1.5+ volts each. Point is, to check it when it's weak. When fully charged, a weak cell may show ok. |
Dave Keeso
Intermediate Member
Username: Argomag
Post Number: 83
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 74.100.0.11
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 26, 2007 - 10:25 pm: |
|
check the regulator- that went on me once and i didn't know and ended up swapping out the battery thinking that was the problem- after getting the battery, it still wouldn't charge even after a 3 hour run- turned out to be the regulator- when the engine was cold it would work and after a while warming up it would crap out. I replaced it and am going on the 5th year on that regulator |
Erich Kelter
Member
Username: Fisherman
Post Number: 47
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 131.137.245.198
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 28, 2007 - 10:21 pm: |
|
Doug and the rest of the guys, sorry for not getting back quicker. Removing the ground from the battery, then charging and leaving the ground disconnected for 24 hours will give you a true reading of the resting voltage of the battery. If the battery has both terminals hooked up and there is any load at all, (sometimes as small as a bad voltmeter) there may or will be a slow discharge and you won't get a true reading and you'll end up with a scenario like Dave's above(his was the regulator). |
Doug Geange
New member
Username: Dodge03
Post Number: 2
Registered: 05-2006
Posted From: 209.162.162.231
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, April 30, 2007 - 11:32 pm: |
|
An update, charged the battery on a trickle charge for about 12 hours. At the end of the charge the battery was at 12.5 volts. I let the battery sit for 24 hours - still at 12.5 volts - let it sit for another 24 and low and behold - still reading 12.5 volts. Reinstalled the battery and fired the rig up. Noticed the volt meter was reading 12.5 volts and no change with an increase in engine RPM. Checked the voltage across the battery with the engine running - steady at 12.5 volts. I then disconnected the voltage regulator plug and checked the DC voltage and it read zero. This is the red wire from the voltage regulator and what appears to be a white wire from the flywheel. As was suggested it may be the stator or the voltage regulator but still unsure how to check either. Is there a resistance check for the voltage regulator or a way to check the stator. Thanks for the input on this and I am sure one of you guys has the know how to proceed with this one. Thanks for your input so far, all suggestions are greatly appreciated. F.Y.I: This machine has an 18 H.P Kohler. |
Erich Kelter
Member
Username: Fisherman
Post Number: 48
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 74.119.175.102
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 08:08 pm: |
|
Doug, try this link, then scroll down to the bottom of the page, it gives pretty easy instructions with pictures. It also shows how to check the stator I just put in "testing voltage regulator kohler 18hp" in the main search engine.
http://members.aol.com/pullingtractor/starter.htm |
Doug Geange
New member
Username: Dodge03
Post Number: 3
Registered: 05-2006
Posted From: 161.184.206.28
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 12:12 am: |
|
Erich, Thanks for the link. I checked both the stator and the voltage regulator tonight and it looks as if the voltage regulator is the culprit. Very easy to troubleshoot with the correct info. Once again, thanks for all your help folks. |
isaac eisenman
New member
Username: Tropicjungleboy
Post Number: 8
Registered: 03-2005
Posted From: 201.224.139.175
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 08:30 am: |
|
doug:
before discarting the RECTIFIER ( device that transform 12 v.ac from charge magneto to 12v.dc), check for blown fuse |
Doug Geange
New member
Username: Dodge03
Post Number: 4
Registered: 05-2006
Posted From: 72.13.175.17
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 08:55 am: |
|
Looks to me that the unit is a sealed unit. Not sure what fuse you are referring to but correct me if I am wrong. Two wires from the stator connect to the voltage regulator (rectifier). I checked the regulator at the first plug d/s of the regulator - I did not see any fuses before this point. It was there where I saw no voltage reading. |
isaac eisenman
New member
Username: Tropicjungleboy
Post Number: 9
Registered: 03-2005
Posted From: 201.224.139.175
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 09:29 am: |
|
doug: did you read on pre-rectifier check point with AC current tester?? ( not dc, since dc current is avaliable AFTER rectifier). you shoulg get between 12.5 and 14 v.dc on this check point. tester must be aplied ( red/black cable) on those two wires from stator, not to frame. frame is going to be good check point only AFTER rectifier. |
Doug Geange
New member
Username: Dodge03
Post Number: 5
Registered: 05-2006
Posted From: 72.13.175.17
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 03:10 pm: |
|
That's exactly what I did. Pre rectifier was checked with meter on the AC setting - one probe to each wire off the stator, DC check was done post rectifier positive probe attached to the wire off the rectifier and ground lead to vehicle chassis. This is the point where there was no voltage detected leading me to believe the regulator is shot. Thanks |
Shop Talk: Tech Tips and Q&A section