Ammeter ?

[Mick D]

Hi

Put the multimeter across the ammeter connections and see if it concurs with the ammeter - if it does the issue is not the ammeter.

Regards Mick

[ajscomboman]

It sounds like the regulator is doing its job to me by maintaining voltage and balancing the load. As I suggested before, is your battery fully charged? If it is you dont want any more current squirting into it.

Steve

I agree it appears the magic box is doing what it should but the ammeter says otherwise. I'll do what Mick has suggested and see what the readings are. Certainly got me scratching my head this one. Absolutely everything wiring wise checks out and works as it should except the bloody ammeter.

[Eamonn]

Just confirm you're using filament bulbs and not LED (lower current requirement)...

[ajscomboman]

Yep filament lamps being used. Connecting the ammeter to the multi meter on the 10a setting it registers only 0.02 on the meter lights ablaze and shows a 4 amp discharge. The ammeter swings both ways when tested with a charger and connections reversed. Looks as though I'm going to have to open up the primary. Bit of a faff with swept back pipes.

[Rob Harknett]

I have had a few mystery electrical problems. In particular on a bike that's not been used for a while. Nuts and bolts rust causing bad earth points. Like, mudguard / rear lamp nuts and bolts causing the rear lamp / stop lamp not working. Oxdised / dry joints on connectors, bullet connectors the worst for this. Bad joints also on the old tapered hollow connectors in headlamp shells. Fitted an ammeter once that played up and discovered it was earthing via the U fitting.

[ajscomboman]

Wish it was that simple Rob. I've ruled out the alternator as it passed the light bulb test with flying colours. I'm going to pop the seat and carry out a 10a DC test and if that checks out it's got to be up around the ammeter. Either way I'm not too unhappy as I will not have to pull the primary side apart. The other 2 items are relatively cheap to fix in comparison.

[Mick D]

Hi Rob

Have you tried disconnecting the ammeter and running the circuit through the multimeter? Do you see what you would expect when doing so?

Regards Mick

[dave16mct]

It's because you're in the southern hemisphere, come up north and the ammeter will swing the right way.
Dave.

[ajscomboman]

Tearing my hair out now! Disconnected the leads from the stator to the harness, started the bike and put a headlight bulb across each of the stator wires in pairs and every pair lit the bulb and when revved it lit up more and more brightly till I could have easily blown it, lit up and down with revs so the alternator is banging out plenty of juice. Connected it back up to a 2 lead 12v set up and then placed the mutlimeter in line from the regulator box, fired the bike and at 2000 rpm it's kicking out 4-5 amps however it doesn't seem to kick much higher when revs go to 3000 so down a little on output amps. Connected that back up and went to the headlight and placed it inline to the ammeter and same amps.

Connected the headlight back up fired the bike and same with lights on, a 4 amp discharge showing! Rev it and barely moves. Swap out the filament lamps for total LED replacement and same, very small discharge and when revved the needle barely moves. So I've had enough for today and will go out the garden tomorrow and take my frustration out on the grass!

[Mick D]

Hi

Do you have a wiring diagram of how your bike's wired you can post? It's possible your ammeter could be wired incorrectly into the circuit.

Regards Mick