Datel readings

[Duster19]

Here is a list of electrical farkles I have on my bike 2004 with aftermarket stator upgrade.

*Battery is less then a year old (Westco model)

1. PIAA which run at 110 watts

2. Tourmaster liner 100 watts

3. Gerbings G3 gloves 27 watts

4. Escort (figure less then 2 watts)

5. Garmin 2730 (figure less then 2 watts)

I just installed a Datel volt reader. I have it hooked up to my Fuzeblock and grounded to my ground block. I was told I wouldn't get a exact measurement from this (Warchild), I think he said it would be about .5 off.

Here are the list of readings I was getting last night after testing it out.

1. Cruising speed (4k rpms) 13.9 - 14.0 volts

2. Warmed up and at idle 12.5 volts

3. Cruising speed and turning on the Piaas drops from 14.0 volts to 12.5 volts

4. Haven't tried it with my heated gear yet.

Do these numbers seem about right. I thought if it was running under 13.3 volts I'd be draining my battery. Which I did last weekend during a Dam Run. I had my liner and gloves on high to med all day and when I stopped for gas the bike would not start. Had to push start it.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts,

Dave

 

[Ignacio]

Do these numbers seem about right. I thought if it was running under 13.3 volts I'd be draining my battery.

No, it's actually 12.6 - 12.8 volts for a fully charged 12v battery (2.10-2.13 per cell). Technically, anything smaller and you'd be in a deficit situation...however, in my experience a cruising voltage of 13.3 on the Datel is happy one. Personally, if it starts getting 13.1....13.0 or below and I'd be concerned.

If you were running PIAAs and showing 12.5 for a length of time....I'd suspect that was your issue. Them halogen bulbs...especially if they have the high wattage ones popular in the PIAA 910s are watt suckers.

 

[SkooterG]

Waaaay too many watts for a Gen I with the stock alternator! You only have about 100-125 watts to play with.

There has been a lot of discussions on this topice before. You need to find ionbeam's post............

 

[Ignacio]

Waaaay too many watts for a Gen I with the stock alternator! You only have about 100-125 watts to play with.

He has the the upgraded stator my gerbil tickling friend.

Here is a list of electrical farkles I have on my bike 2004 with aftermarket stator upgrade.

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

I had my liner and gloves on high to med all day and when I stopped for gas the bike would not start. Had to push start it.Thanks in advance for your thoughts,

You might want to try riding at higher revs -- say, around 4K+?

Check alternator out-put v/s revolutions -- specs.

You're welcome.

And, good luck....

 

[Duster19]

Okay, so what's the verdict with my numbers.

Is 12.5 with Piaa's too low? I'm assuming that my heated gear (liner and gloves) crancked up for my Dam ride was about the same as riding with my Piaa's on (I didn't use my Piaa's once for the Dam ride, just heated gear). I will be testing out heated gear tonight to see what I was actually running at last weekend.

So, Matt what I'm hearing from you is my 12.5 reading is going to be draining my battery.

Dave

 

[Ignacio]

So, Matt what I'm hearing from you is my 12.5 reading is going to be draining my battery.

Yes!

 

[Duster19]

So, Matt what I'm hearing from you is my 12.5 reading is going to be draining my battery.

Yes!

Well, that sucks. Is there something I can do to help this out? Do you think my battery is still good or should I have it checked?

Dave

 

[Zorlac]

"however, in my experience a cruising voltage of 13.3 on the Datel is happy one. Personally, if it starts getting 13.1....13.0 or below and I'd be concerned."

Would staying in this range keep a stock gen 1 stator from getting toasted?

 

[Duster19]

[quote name='Ignacio' post='568945' date='Apr 10 2009, 09:35 Well, that sucks. Is there something I can do to help this out? Do you think my battery is still good or should I have it checked?

I just looked and you say you're at 12.v at idle with no load? That's not right. If so, I would suspect something's not right with the alternator upgrade. IIRC, Warchild had a similar issue and traced it to a hard to see issue with the connectors.

Put a multimeter across the battery terminals and make sure it's consistent with the Datel.

A battery could be an issue, but it's a device to hold reserve and would affect the underlying low voltage issue.

Look at the wattage on those PIAAs. Are they 55 watt or 110 watt bulbs....you say 110 at the top, but is that each or total? If each.....you're burning 220 auxiliary watts on the lights alone. If you're doing that in addition to the low beams you're talking 330 on lumens.

The Piaa's are 55 watts per bulb. A total of 110 watts.

Dave

 

[Ignacio]

The Piaa's are 55 watts per bulb. A total of 110 watts.
Dave

Hmm....just seems more likely there's an issue with the upgrade alternator.

One of the reasons I stuck with the stock one and hate electrics.

 

[SkooterG]

I would also get a digital voltmeter and compare battery terminal readings at various rpm with your Datel to see what (if any) drop, or error it has by running it off the fuzeblock. And since you seem to have electrical capacity issues, you may want to reconsider hooking up that Datel directly to the battery terminals.

With an aftermarket stator (Electrosport?), you should have enough watts to run MOST of those items concurrently. Figure approximately 200-225 watts available.

Still, IIRC Electrosport stators have not necessarily had the best track record. Paging ionbeam..........

 

[Ignacio]

Would staying in this range keep a stock gen 1 stator from getting toasted?

Actually, it's probably the other way around. A happier alternator is going to be one with little load and showing more in the 14.2 to 14.5 volt range.

We've been talking minimum voltage with maximum loads here.

That said, I retain a stock alternator and done a bunch of the last 90,000 miles with 13.1....13.2 showing and have not fried one yet.

 

[SkooterG]

Hmm....just seems more likely there's an issue with the upgrade alternator.
One of the reasons I stuck with the stock one and hate electrics.

Agree with dorkboy.

I still have my Electrosport stator in the box it came in from 2 or three years ago.

 

[Zorlac]

Would staying in this range keep a stock gen 1 stator from getting toasted?

Actually, it's probably the other way around. A happier alternator is going to be one with little load and showing more in the 14.2 to 14.5 volt range.

We've been talking minimum voltage with maximum loads here.

That said, I retain a stock alternator and done a bunch ofthe last 90,000 miles with 13.1....13.2 showing and have not fried one yet.

Understood.That's what I was looking for, Thanks.

 

[Ignacio]

I still have my Electrosport stator in the box it came in from 2 or three years ago.

Ditto.

The risk of messing with something stock that is obviously underpowered......but also seemingly bulletproof by Yamaha was probably the smartest thing I did in the '07 IBR. I too left my Electrosport on the bench...and eventually sold it to Warchild....who had problems before he finally sorted them out.

Then when I saw this thread during the '07 IBR it made me ill to watch, but glad I didn't change it. Man, Gen II owners do have the good life in the alternator department!

 

[Warchild]

I just installed a Datel volt reader. I have it hooked up to my Fuzeblock and grounded to my ground block. I was told I wouldn't get a exact measurement from this (Warchild), I think he said it would be about .5 off.

Lots of variables involved in what kind of voltage drop you would experience taking your readings off the Fuzeblock, which is why I recommended to you to not go that route! Taking your Datel readings directly off the battery will always reveal The Truth, whether good, bad or indifferent.

 

[Zorlac]

FWIW, if the loaded drop at the fuse block isn't more than a tenth or two, the indicated voltage would look worse than the actual battery voltage giving the rider (and stator) that amount of safety margin inherently.

 

[Duster19]

I just installed a Datel volt reader. I have it hooked up to my Fuzeblock and grounded to my ground block. I was told I wouldn't get a exact measurement from this (Warchild), I think he said it would be about .5 off.

Lots of variables involved in what kind of voltage drop you would experience taking your readings off the Fuzeblock, which is why I recommended to you to not go that route! Taking your Datel readings directly off the battery will always reveal The Truth, whether good, bad or indifferent.

I know, but it was just easier for a NON electrical person to hook up one positive wire and one ground wire. Now that I have the hole cut and the Datel in place I'll try to figure out how to get it so it's switched and not on permanently (using the Fuzeblock allowed me to do this part easily). I'm suspecting I shouldn't run it off of an already used relay switch???? I'm learning, and think if I got another relay switch, I could go from battery to switch and from switch to Datel and then back to relay, with a ground in place.

You guys that know all this tech. stuff are the ****..

PS. Great write up in CW. Went and got a copy yesterday to show the wife how we know someone who is FAMOUS