Charging Issues: By richardthescooter3 (Read 1,501 times)

[richardthescooter3]

Hey guys, went to start my scooter this morning and battery went right down so I got my car around and jumped scoot, (fire right up)volt meter read before start 12.5, check it while running 12.8 (not charging) I told battery into the unto shop and had battery test 12.48, he said battery is good. Where do I go from here

[wheezy]

Begin by checking the output of the R/R, should be red wire feeding the blocking diode (if your bike has one, the Linhai clones do, the 250T's do not). If your VDC is dramatically higher, say 13.5 or 14VDC, then your diode has gone. More likely though, is it will read the same as at the battery. If so, check the three yellows going into the R/R on the AC scale. Check each of the yellows from one to the other, 1-2, 2-3, and 1-3. The VAC should be lower at idle and higher at 5000rpm. Real good is 50-70VAC at idle, and 100VAC or more at 5000rpm. The three readings should also be roughly equal to each other.

If the stator output is too low, it will cause the R/R output to drop as well.

[richardthescooter3]

Thanks wheezy, I do have the blocking diode, So check the R/R first? check that while scoot running? (electric issues I'm no too good on). I know that it will crank right up if jumped and I can let it run, won't charge, turn off and the battery will crank but not enough to start my scooter.

[ellpee]

Mar 13, 2014 9:57:00 GMT -6 wheezy said:

Begin by checking the output of the R/R, should be red wire feeding the blocking diode (if your bike has one, the Linhai clones do, the 250T's do not). If your VDC is dramatically higher, say 13.5 or 14VDC, then your diode has gone. More likely though, is it will read the same as at the battery. If so, check the three yellows going into the R/R on the AC scale. Check each of the yellows from one to the other, 1-2, 2-3, and 1-3. The VAC should be lower at idle and higher at 5000rpm. Real good is 50-70VAC at idle, and 100VAC or more at 5000rpm. The three readings should also be roughly equal to each other.

If the stator output is too low, it will cause the R/R output to drop as well.

FYI, my Roketa is a HONDA clone and does (or did, until I replaced it with a relay) have a blocking diode. And not to quibble, but if you are looking at the VDC going into the blocking diode, I don't see how it's going to tell you anything about whether the diode is good, bad, or indifferent. As I understand it, all the diode does is let juice through to the battery, or not, depending on the charge state of the battery.

So, and now I'm treading on the thin ice of my own electrical knowledge, if you get 13.5 or 14 coming OUT of the R/R, that would be a good thing, as it would let battery+stator keep up with whatever the downstream load is. Of course that 13.5/14 would never get through to the system unless the battery itself falls below that because it can't handle the downstream load, which would trip the diode and let the stator-R/R juice start flowing.

Now if you get anything way north of 14v coming out of the R/R that would seem to suggest a possible overcharge problem, which brings you back to either the R/R or the stator or both.

Of course I'm way at the bottom of the food chain regarding electrical, so any number of people may now chime in saying I've been smoking the wrong herb.

[alleyoop]

Optimum charge from a very good R/R is 14+-14.7 if the R/R puts out 15+ volts to the battery then you have a Bad R/R it is not regulating the DC current?.
Alleyoop

[richardthescooter3]

Thanks guys, I'll check it out at the R/R and see what it putting out, I know I had a 3way plug melt on me before, may look at that area also.

[wheezy]

Mar 13, 2014 10:41:20 GMT -6 ellpee said:

FYI, my Roketa is a HONDA clone and does (or did, until I replaced it with a relay) have a blocking diode. And not to quibble, but if you are looking at the VDC going into the blocking diode, I don't see how it's going to tell you anything about whether the diode is good, bad, or indifferent. As I understand it, all the diode does is let juice through to the battery, or not, depending on the charge state of the battery.

The difference being that there is only a wire between the diode output and the positive terminal of the battery.

Checking the battery and the output of the diode would be the same thing. Rich had already verified that voltage. Next in line would be the input.

And Rich, yes, all those measurements would be with the scoot running. Sometimes it's difficult to hold the leads and work the throttle, you may have to improvise something. I usually jam the leads into the connector.

[richardthescooter3]

ok, thanks. I just installed a mini amplifier, but I hooked to battery and switch to turn off.

[tvnacman]

Was the car running when you jumped it ?

John

[richardthescooter3]

No, but I jumped my scooter before with car never had a problem, had battery tender on the battery all night and scoot would not turn over (couple cranks).

[tvnacman]

Put a volt meter on it and see whst the voltage drops to when cranking .

Just to rule out the stator I would check acv output while idling and at 5000 rpm .

John

[richardthescooter3]

Unhook my mini amplifier, hook battery up reading 12.8 @ 5000 rpms 13.1 what you think?

[tvnacman]

sounds like your charging system is weak . Is your scooter the one with the weak charging system ? what happens when the cooling fan goes on ? I know you have had this scooter a while . I don't know the details .

John

[richardthescooter3]

Update: Had my volt meter set on the wrong settings retested battery without starting scoot 12.89 and climbing started and rev up I'm over 14.25. I think my battery tender came loose or I have short in my mini amplifier (it is a Chinese amp) Thanks Guys

[wheezy]

Awesome!!

It may not be a short in the mini amp, but just too much current draw. Were the Chinese nice enough to give the power specs for it?