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Voltage drop @ speed

1K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  wspollack 
#1 ·
2003 Burgman650 is having great charge at idle, but at highway cruising speed, voltage drops from 14 >10. Is this a normal gas saving feature or have I a problem?
 
#2 ·
Sounds like a problem.
Someone will know better, but i'd check if the voltage drop depends on engine RPM (so, revving it on the stand and see), on consumption (remove front light fuse and ride it) or heat (of the Voltage Regulator or the generator .... but i don't know how to check it).

The most common problem is the Voltage Regulator, anyway, as it is a stressed and not well designed part.
 
#3 ·
Are you taking the readings from an aftermarket voltmeter you have fitted? I am guessing you are. Take readings at the battery at idle then rev it to 5k rpm then check it again should be around 14 5v if it is all is well. Voltmeters unless they are good quality expensive units will give false readings. Put it this way if the bike is riding fine for long periods the charging system is likely ok as your battery wont last long as it powers the whole system. For peace of mind check it at the battery terminals.
 
#4 ·
Do as noted above first. I had a bike that exhibited a similar symptom that turned out to be a bad stator, but you want to make sure you have an actual problem.
 
#5 ·
It's been my experience -- and this pretty universally the case -- that the alternator puts out more juice at speeds well above idle RPM. So something is wrong, IMO.

On my '07 and '08 Execs, I specifically changed out halogen bulbs in aftermarket lighting to LED bulbs, to save wattage. I discovered on my '07 Exec, after adding extra halogen lights, that my voltmeter (a multi-LED, multi-color, one) showed insufficient juice when those lights were on, and my heated gear was on high, and the bike was idling. When I took off from a stop-light, however, the meter indicated sufficient output. So, I changed out the bulbs (and turned down the heat to Med or Low, when in stop-and-go traffic).

So that's how I confirmed that, yep, you should get more output when NOT at idle RPMs.
 
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