Triumphrat

deathwish · 04-23-2009, 12:14 AM

Oh boy, I didn't read as well as I should have and didn't use 5000 ohm resistor spark plug caps as the instructions said. Yep, it overcharged and cooked the battery but now it appears as though the regulator is done. It now continually drains the battery and when running if I put the multi-meter on it shows no increase in charge. Is this to be expected? I usually can fix about anything but electrics is where I struggle.

GrandPaulZ · 04-23-2009, 12:46 AM

Spark plug caps don't affect the charging system.

A faulty regulator/rectifier can affect the charging, but don't expect to read a positive charge to the battery at anything below 2500 RPM.

If you are running a Zener Diode, you might have had damage to it and it's failing to dump overcharge above 14V. Also, if the Zener is shorted, it will drain off the battery when the bike is off.

deathwish · 04-23-2009, 01:03 AM

I'm just baffled by this one. The instructions on the 180 3 phase stated "battery overcharge may occure if 5000 ohm resistor spark plug caps aren'tused" well the battery overcharged and blew acid all over heck so I was guessing that that may have been the cause since it was so stated. replaced the battery and caps and the multi meter checked that all was fine. ran the bike about 40 miles and drained the battery and shut down. Now with the battery recharged I get no reading on the multi meter no mater what the RPM. I am assuming a bad Solid state regulator but will have to look further.

GrandPaulZ · 04-23-2009, 01:25 AM

Wow, I hadn't seen that warning, but haven't installed one of those units, either.

I'm at a loss as to how the resistor caps on the secondary side of the coils could affect the charge rate of the alternator? Maybe the EFI flakes out the solid state regulator's circuitry?

Wierd.

Caulky · 04-23-2009, 09:58 AM

The spark signal(s) and other noise and interference is induced from the secondary coil winding to the primary circuit, and by radiation.
The 5K Ohm resistance the plug-cap is enough to attenuate the electrical noise, so that the crud on the 12V line will not damage other components or cause over-charging.
This link explains the electrical spark characteristics:
http://www.weaponxperformance.com/te...CHNICAL_V1.pdf

deathwish · 04-23-2009, 01:39 PM

I couldn't get that to come up on my Adobe page. Does it make sense that without the proper plug caps (5000 ohm caps are the screw on NGK motorcycle caps by the way) the regulator could be damaged? whats the chance of a stotor problem from this?

thekeyman · 04-23-2009, 03:46 PM

l fitted a sparxs 210 watt stator and rotor two weeks ago. It came with no instructions or warning about plug caps. Just lucky that l had a pair on. l dont know about the 180 watt stator but the 210 does charge below 2500 rpm , that was why l bought it as l have to do a lot of city riding to get out/in to town. Touch wood its been ok but our club has a fifty mile night run on tuesday, so we will see. Oh and the wiring colours were nothing like the colours on the original, worked it out like "Mission impossible", "shall l cut the red .......!."

deathwish · 04-23-2009, 06:16 PM

Well at one point it showed charge just off idle and when raced up it would go to about 14 volts. It's unfortunate I got the bike done last fall only several days before snow and only got 103 miles on it. Had I gotten to ride it more I would have had this sorted out over the winter. Maybe it's good I got 3 other bikes. Chime in anyone if you have any other ideas.

DerryUK · 04-23-2009, 08:33 PM

Well a battery discharging fluid usually means is is being overcharged ie charging voltage greater than 15.

If you are now not seeing any increase in battery voltage with the engine running at fast tick-over (about 3000rpm) then your charging system has broken. The previous measured 14v was ok.

It would help if you tell what your charging system consists of.

deathwish · 04-23-2009, 09:31 PM

DerryUK the system is the Sparx 180 3 phase system with regulator running point ign. Set up as Positive ground with battery. I should have a new reg. by Monday but am trying to track down as much as I can before i hook up a new one.