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Battery problems/ generator?

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cfrods

Member
Every time I start my bike the battery pushes acid out the over flow tube. The bike is a 55 shovel pan with a generator what should i check to see if the charging system is working right?

Thanks Brian
 
cfrods said:
Every time I start my bike the battery pushes acid out the over flow tube. The bike is a 55 shovel pan with a generator what should i check to see if the charging system is working right?

Thanks Brian
Click to expand...

whats the volts/amps/ohms reading at each major point?
 
Over charging will do that. Check the battery voltage with a meter to see what you get. Probably be in excess of about 13+ volts in your case. A bad regulator will cause that.
 
As Glider says, it sure does sound like it is overcharging by a bunch. Hook a voltmeter across the battery and see what the voltage reading is @ 2000 RPM. If it appears normal, then you most likely have 1 shorted cell.

I am assuming the charging system is a generator and the bike was not converted to an alternator.
 
Yes the bike has a generator, and regulator, but Im not sure if it is wired correct or not. the regulator has not markings to identify the three wires and the generator has not markings that i can find to identify the two posts.
 
all generators i have seen. posts are marked on body clean area. use chalk rub chalk /dust on area should show indentations have F&A stampings. get schematic, goggle it, or u mite find it on this forum or check your manual.the older electrics are pretty straightforward,,, good luck..
 
cfrods said:
but Im not sure if it is wired correct or not.
Click to expand...

So it hasn't been working and now suddenly a problem developed? That is how I read into your problem. Is it something that was just built up/ put together and now your in the de-bugging stage of the charging system?

If it has been working up until now, my guess would be the wiring is correct.(?)

The more info we know, the better we can help you.
 
As far as i know it has been working, But about one year ago i lost the bottom end and had to have it rebuilt several more problems along the way do to a bad motor rebuild i finally am back to putting it back together. At this point I am trying to do it myself and dont have much knowlage about HD motors or charging systems. If this problem excited before I was unaware of it.
 
I see. Well the safest thing to do would be to make sure those (3) wires are hooked up properly along with the generator. That may be hard since there are no labels on the regulator. Like Ultrat said earlier about the F&A (field/armature) posts,, take a good close look. There will usually be only 1 letter. Maybe a B or A or F something like that. If no luck with that, I am afraid your going to have to get a Genuine manual and look it up. Troubleshooting or changing parts at this time without knowing if the wires are even going to the correct nodes is just spinning your wheels.

You may luck out and another member may have the same bike or setup as you and will chime in with some needed help...

Once you get that wiring down, I am sure someone here will be able to get you rolling again.
 
I have seen in the past if the battery is weak the the regulater will shunt extra power to the battery to top up the power in it but if the cells are low on fluid then it boils the more it boils the weaker it gets the more charge the regulator puts in

Brian
 
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