Author Topic: battery or regulator?  (Read 2188 times)

Offline elbandtioCA

  • Board Homesteader!
  • ***
  • Posts: 74
battery or regulator?
« on: June 29, 2008, 08:04:27 PM »
the bandit has been running pretty well for a few months now but I'm noticing that the lights dim when I rev up the engine.  I did run the battery totally dead about a month ago and it acted weird for at least a few hours before I seemed to get it charged again.  But I'm wondering how I can tell the difference between a faulty regulator and a bad battery?

I put the voltmeter on the battery and found this: when it is idling I get about 14.2 volts going into the battery, but when I rev it to 5k and hold it there, the voltage drops to about 12.  This doesn't seem right.  The manual give instructions on testing the regulator using a "suzuki pocket tester" but the note says that a normal voltmeter won't give the same readings.  Any advice on how to test, or what problem I'm looking at?

thanks!

Offline interfuse

  • Site Supporters
  • Board Homesteader!
  • ***
  • Posts: 1336
Re: battery or regulator?
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2008, 01:16:39 AM »
I tested my RR last week because my headlight was dimming and then it burned out. Here's the results:

With the lights on and the bike not running the voltage was 12.2v with the bike/lights off 12.8v. At 5k rpm 13v

When I changed the headlight I found the locking mechanism on the bulb had loosened and it probably shook the shit out of the bulb until it burnedout. The RR tested the same as it ever did...

not sure what it means to you.


Mike

'91 GSF400
It's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow.

Offline r_outsider

  • Site Testing Volunteer
  • Board Homesteader!
  • ***
  • Posts: 140
Re: battery or regulator?
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2008, 09:24:03 AM »