Electrical Draw
Discussion
Morning!
I’m having a bit of a blonde moment this am, so open to suggestions!
It’s actually on a motorbike, it’s an old enduro/adventure type bike and I’m trying to find out the electrics draw with the engine running.
I know the maximum outbput if he charging circuit, I’d like to know what the bike uses when it’s running to see how much is left over.
The reason being, the lights are woeful!!
I’d like to add another couple of led spots to it, and don’t want to over do it!
To give you an idea of what we’re playing with, the out put of the generator is only 196w.
Any help much appreciated!!
I’m having a bit of a blonde moment this am, so open to suggestions!
It’s actually on a motorbike, it’s an old enduro/adventure type bike and I’m trying to find out the electrics draw with the engine running.
I know the maximum outbput if he charging circuit, I’d like to know what the bike uses when it’s running to see how much is left over.
The reason being, the lights are woeful!!
I’d like to add another couple of led spots to it, and don’t want to over do it!
To give you an idea of what we’re playing with, the out put of the generator is only 196w.
Any help much appreciated!!
FiF said:
My initial advice when folks complain of poor lights is always first of all to check what voltage is actually being delivered to the lamp end of things.
Yes - voltage is the thing to check - at the lamp, and at the battery. This will tell you whether it is a wiring issue, or the battery voltage too low (which would imply too much load / insufficient charging current).Good afternoon
When you state the lights are woeful, do you mean that the lights are renowned for being bad on your model of machine, as in the lights were bad straight from the factory as new.
If you do mean the above and wish to add extra lights to improve your night vision, you will need to connect a Ammeter in series with a battery terminal and its cable with the engine running and the charging circuit charging and then switch the original lights on, you will then need to apply a current draw to the battery and that current draw will need to be something similar to the current draw of the new lights you are thinking about adding.
You could add a current draw by connecting 1 or 2 headlamp bulbs to the battery.
Now with engine running and charging circuit charging + added current draw across the battery to the value of what you intend adding - Take a look at the Ammeter to see if the charging circuit is capable of covering the total current draw, you will need to rev the engine well above tick-over and keep it there while checking the charging
When you state the lights are woeful, do you mean that the lights are renowned for being bad on your model of machine, as in the lights were bad straight from the factory as new.
If you do mean the above and wish to add extra lights to improve your night vision, you will need to connect a Ammeter in series with a battery terminal and its cable with the engine running and the charging circuit charging and then switch the original lights on, you will then need to apply a current draw to the battery and that current draw will need to be something similar to the current draw of the new lights you are thinking about adding.
You could add a current draw by connecting 1 or 2 headlamp bulbs to the battery.
Now with engine running and charging circuit charging + added current draw across the battery to the value of what you intend adding - Take a look at the Ammeter to see if the charging circuit is capable of covering the total current draw, you will need to rev the engine well above tick-over and keep it there while checking the charging
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