How to Test Your Motorcycle Charging System A Comprehensive Guide 2023

Most of the time we don't worry about the state of our motorcycle battery until we find that it is completely dead. When this happens, we will be very anxious to adjust and repair it, especially because this is a very important part of your motorcycle maintenance.

Everyone, even those who drive cars and motorcycles, must replace the battery when needed.

This is a realistic and terrifying task, but how do you know when it needs to be replaced?

If you don't know how long your motorcycle battery has left, will it reduce your stress while riding? Will it make your life more relaxing?

I believe your answer is NO. In other words, anyone would want to know the remaining battery power of their motorcycle in order to guard against any risks.

Let’s talk about how to test your motorcycle charging system.

Briefly Test The Motorcycle Charging System

I have summarized the five main electrical components that often fail in motorcycle charging systems

1. Alternator (or stator coil)
2. Regulator/rectifier
3. Battery
4. The cables between them
5. Fuses and switches

When your motorcycle charging system fails to work properly, it is one of these components that is malfunctioning. All you need to do is check and find the faulty one.

The main change I see on modern motorcycles is that sometimes the stator coil is not driven directly from the engine, but in a different unit (alternator) driven by a belt, just like in a car.

Symptoms When A Motorcycle Charging System Fails

There are a number of significant signs and symptoms of a bad motorcycle charging system.

Any among these can imply something in your charging system is damaged.

• Motorcycle won't begin. This is one of the most distinguishing features, and it is easy for you to discover. When it rotates slowly or you hear a "click" sound, it means that something in the motorcycle's charging system has stopped working.
• The lights slow down when you turn. If your motorcycle is not an antique, this shouldn't happen. When this happens, you need to pay attention to the status of the motorcycle battery.
• The battery warning light is on. This can be easily found on your motorcycle.
  

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These are just the main symptoms I cited, but there are other symptoms. Looking forward to you to discuss with me.

What Will Happen To The Charging System?

Regulator/Rectifier Overheats As Well As Passes Away.

The Reg/rec lives a lengthy and also tough life.

During the motorbike gets on it's sucking in present from the generator, cutting it back to the appropriate voltage, and also converting it to DC so your battery can bill.

What happens to the excess current? It simply transforms it into warmth. That's why the reg/rec has a big heatsink on it (it fumes) and beings in airflow.

All this gets way too much eventually, and also after about 50,000 kilometers (or concerning 1,000 hrs of operation), it's pretty sensible for them to die.

The Battery Gets Old.

Batteries have a life span. Once they get old, or if they're not properly maintained, they pass away. Modern batteries do last longer.

The Battery Gets Fried By Other Components

If your reg/rec isn't regulating voltage appropriately it may be sending excessive voltage into the motorcycle's battery.

Motorcycle batteries run in-between concerning 12 as well as 14.5 V-- any more than this places a lot of tension on them.

A fried reg/rec implies you might see voltages of over 20V when revving high which misbehaves information for the battery.

Stator Coil Has Malfunction

Or if you have a separate generator, your generator may have breakdown-- or the belt could have been damaged.

Loose Wires

Lots of times, people do not understand that they can not simply utilize a screwdriver to screw down the battery terminal cords. You need to make use of a wrench as well as provide it with a minimum of 5 Nm of torque.

The Equipment You Need

This equipment is what you need to prepare in advance.

A multimeter. Anyone is fine, maybe you can knock on the neighbor’s door and ask him to borrow one.

A battery charger. Your motorcycle has to be fully charged before you can do the tests.

Needle-nose pliers. You need to use it to undo a few clips.

Allen keys.So that you can remove the bolts and other parts.

Working gloves. I tell you from my experience that it’s better to prepare a working glove so as not to get oily.

How to Test Your Motorcycle Charging System

Step 1.

You require to establish the present state of holding the voltage that your battery needs to make certain your battery is up for the job.

Making use of the details we have actually talked about thus far, figure out the wellness of your battery.

Go on and set the handle on your multi-meter to VDC (DC voltage).

Put your black cable lead from the meter to the (-) negative terminal of the battery (attempt to touch the real battery terminal, not the cable attached to it). At the same time, hold your red wire lead to the (+) positive terminal of your battery.

This is simply a fixed check. Ensure your motorcycle is not running or on in any way during this check.

What analysis did you obtain? Above 12.4 VDC? Great, now you can go directly to step 2.

Below 12.4 VDC? Then please continue reading here.

Perhaps you obtain 12vdc, 11vdc, 9vdc, or perhaps lower.

If your battery is about 11-12vdc, there is still a possibility that it is a useful battery however it will need to be charged.

If this is you, charge the battery at a low 2-4-amp charge for a couple of hours, after that re-check.

In order to get an excellent diagnostic analysis for your charging system, the battery needs to be charged at or above 12.4 VDC (you can still do this check with a battery below this number, however, 12.4 VDC is the suggested optimal operating voltage).

If your battery is, as a matter of fact, less than 11volts even after you charge it, it might be time to budget out some cash for a replacement.

The opportunity of this battery having some kind of issue is a lot better at this moment.

When your battery beings in a drained state (listed below 12vdc) it will start to eat itself as well as discharge at an increased rate.

When a battery sits for an amount of time, the battery's life as well as capacity to hold a charge will certainly remain to drop till the moment of truth.

Your battery's wellness is an IMPORTANT element when you are checking your motorcycle's charging system because the analyses you get can fluctuate, offering you false information on your charging system's health and wellness.

Step 2

Now we will certainly inspect the charging output to the battery. Go ahead and also turn your key on to begin your motorbike and also let it idle.

Reconnect your positive and negative meter results in the battery similarly as in the past.

Now you will start to see an adjustment in voltage. Under normal circumstances, a charging system that is successfully charging must review anywhere from 13.2 volts to 13.8 volts DC (or above) at idle.

Part of motorcycle electrical system

Step 3

What you need to do now is to read the voltage output after idling by slowly turning the throttle to about 3,000 RPM and holding it there.

You should see the voltage increase on your meter even better approximately around 14.4 volts (this will certainly vary from motorcycle to motorcycle).

If so, this is great! Your charging system is producing the necessary voltage to the battery throughout a running problem (past still). Your bike's charging system check is complete!

Bear in mind that not all charging systems respond in the very same exact specifications that I have actually defined.

You might obtain 0.2 volts (+ or -) during any type of one of these checks and that is OK! What you are trying to find is the proper battery degree and increase in charge once the motorcycle has been begun and given a little throttle.

The charging system numbers ought to reach their peak at no more than 14.8 volts and also degree out when you give the motorcycle a growing number of throttle.

Why Is It Important To Test Your Charging System?

The Fundamentals

Your motorcycle works either off of a 6-volt (the very early 60s-70s) or a 12-volt system.

One typical mistaken belief people believe is that a 12-volt battery is in fact a 12-volt battery.

They are just called this to distinguish between other kinds of batteries.

Actually, if your battery is examined at a "resting state" (implying no charge or draw is being utilized and it reads 12.0- 12.01-volts), it’s pretty much considered a goner.

At this stage, the only useful energy left in the battery is at around 20-25%, that is unless it has been "Deep Cycled", which can only be done a number of times and also is not usually used for motorcycles.

Thinking about those realities, I directly have recharged multiple batteries at this reading for long charging periods and also was able to still use them for my daily rider.

I'm not stating that they lasted an additional 5 years, but I was still able to get some usage from them.

The bottom line is that in order for this charging system test to be done efficiently, the voltage from the battery must be above 12.4-volts in its relaxing state (12.6-12.78 is taken into consideration 100% charged and also fully functional).

So if it is below this analysis, it's a great time to put a charge on it for a number of hours with a battery charger.

Kinda makes you wish to go out and also test your battery right?

Additionally, before you begin, remember that on the majority of motorcycles from 1990-2017, the charging system has nothing to do with a "no begin" or ignition system problem. These 2 systems are different completely.

Likewise, it is extremely uncommon for a no-charge problem to come from parts like the pulse generator, regulator/rectifier, stator or alternator.

While you ride, your ignition system, headlight, tail lights, signals and horn need the power to operate properly.

These are considered your motorcycle's electrical "LOADS". They burglarize power constantly from your battery during usage in order to remain operating with your motorcycle, which essentially drains pipes the battery.

In order for your battery to stay at its optimal operating outcome for the following time you begin your bike, it has to have some method to have voltage/amperage return back.

It is essential to inspect your motorcycle's charging system and also battery health because there might really be a concern that will certainly not show up immediately (sort of like a front tire blow-out while traveling 60 mph).

Photo this: one early morning you begin your bike as usual and make a quick stop to fill, however when you go to begin your bike back up you unexpectedly realize that the bike will certainly not turn over and all you hear is the dissuading CLICK coming from the starter solenoid.

Now, I'm not saying that a charging system problem will certainly be the only cause of this example, yet it extremely well could be the wrongdoer as to why it took place to begin with. That's why you must check!

Commonly Asked Questions

We discovered some frequently asked inquiries that might help some people new to handling a bike battery. I recognize I had (and also still have) concerns when I have to tinker with the battery on my motorcycle.

• Which type of battery is most generally made use of or recommended for a motorcycle?

Lead-acid batteries or VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid) which include gel cell batteries, and AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat)

• What are some load testers best to make use of for motorcycles?

Schumacher Electric Digital Battery Extender. It is 3 Amp 6/12 volt, perfect for motorcycles and also power sport batteries.

Power-Sports Battery and Electrical System Tester, For 12V systems, Voltmeter mode for starter/alternator testing.

• How to start the motorcycle when the battery is dead?

Whether you left your lights on, have an older model, or didn't have proper storage space, you are likely to encounter a dead battery at least once.

See to it to take a look at the essentials, like gas level, kill button, etc.

The easiest of approaches to pressing start a motorcycle is to sit on the motorcycle as well as have 1-2 individuals push you.

Note: This choice is not offered if you are alone.

In the End

Wish you ride as often as you’d like, Stay away from the trouble of charging

If you want to know more about motorcycles, you can browse 5 Steps To Clean Rust Out Of A Motorcycle Gas Tank.

Or do you want to know How To Lock Helmet On Motorcycle?

Rodney L Herron

Rodney L is a technical writer and product consultant with over a decade of experience in the motor industry. Rodney is a fan of performance machines that run fast and loud and an expert in all things custom. His numerous articles and write-ups are available at our knowledge base. Whether it’s something wrong with your motorcycle or you are building a custom bike, you can trust Rodney’s experience.