Subject: RE: Gen Warning Light
Author: murp-@aol.com
Date: May 10, 2001, 11:45 PM
Post ID: 1706678748
Keith,
The generator warning light is not (and should not be) grounded in the
speedo assembly. One side of the light is connected to the battery
through the ignition switch (when the ignition is turned on), and the
other side is connected to a reference voltage output of the generator.
When the generator is not turning, or not turning fast enough to produce
a voltage close to the battery voltage, the voltage drop across the bulb
causes it to light. When this reference voltage rises, the light goes
out.
The first (and easiest) thing to check is the charging voltage. Just
connect your voltmeter across the battery, and check that the voltage
goes up to 14V or so as you rev up. If it does, there is nothing wrong
with your generator, but you need to figure out why the reference
voltage out of the generator is too low. I would check that voltage at
the D+ terminal on the voltage regulator, which according to my
schematic is connected to the generator with a grey/red wire. This is
also the same point which is connected to the gen warning light via a
red wire. If this doesn't increase to around battery voltage as the bike
is revved, but the battery voltage increases, then something is wrong in
the generator. The first thing to check here is that the generator is
well grounded and all connections are clean. Beyond that, you will need
to get inside the generator.
Hope this helps,
Brian
'74 Eldo
'78 T3
Keith Ruff wrote:
| Back to electrical demons here. The Gen light on my speedo lights up with the key on, then gets dim but does not go off when the bike is started and run. I checked the schematic and see that the red wire coming from the generator is the wire that drives this light. The wire goes into the gen, so I'm not going to bother checking it at that end. I plan to make sure the light is seated properly in the speedo assy so it is getting a good ground, and also will put a meter on the battery terminals to make sure the battery is being charged as the engine is revved. Other than these 2 checks, is there anything else I can check to see why the gen warning light does not go off? This seems to be a fallout of having the bike dismantled for service (engine/trans out), didn't have this problem before. Appreciate any advice. Thanx! Keith Ruff 71 Police Amabassador - NJ |