Charging System Wiring Improvement

[magg]

This topic may have been raised in an earlier post, if so my apologies for recycling old news.

For those NC30 owners that do not achieve the magical 14 volts across their battery, only managing 13 volt or so, and cannot find fault with the stator or rect/reg, I suggest that the problem could be the voltage drop in the wiring system.

My bike has been a victim of this conundrum for some time, but because I only make long journeys of some hours the battery charge has been maintained. Those that make frequent short journeys may eventually suffer from an undercharged battery because of many starts and low charging voltage.

The wiring system loss can be be confirmed by measuring the voltage directly at the output of rect/reg. If the voltage measured is 14 volts or more then the wiring loom losses are responsible for the reduced voltage at the battery.

Easy fix is to remove the loom wires at the rect/reg output connector and replace them with new wires that run directly from to the battery. An inline 30A fuse should be included to protect the battery in the event of a rect/reg fault. This arrangement ensures that the full output voltage from the rect/reg gets the the battery.

In my case the battery voltage prior to the wiring change was barely 13 volts and could dip lower with increasing engine rpm. With the change to the wiring as outlined above the battery voltage is now 14.5 volts.

[bikemonkey]

Good work!

Only thing is I can't visualize anything from words, perhaps a piccy?

[Cammo]

That does sound like a practical solution, I might do some checks and give it a go.

[lizard821000]

awsome, if it works should do a write up with pics, sounds easy enough but some of us here are usless with electrics.... me for 1

[magg]

As requested pic attached.





The inline blade fuse holder came with suitable gauge wire and only needed to add battery terminal and OEM spade terminal at rect/reg end. Recycled OEM spade terminal because it is an odd size that I did not have handy. Other lead is easier still, just heavy gauge wire and OEM spade and battery terminals.

[porndoguk]

what did you do with the original loom just tape the ends up?

I guess doing the above and spliceing the cable would do the job right? The volt drop does make sence and an earth upgrade would certainly go a long way in maintaining the efficincy of a poor charging system

[magg]

Yes, just taped up original loom. Splicing will certainly work but my preference was to connect the charging system output directly to the battery with a minimum number of connections.

You could splice into the -ve output lead from the rect/reg and connect this wire to chassis or the -ve battery terminal. It would give similar results but will use some of the original loom.

[magg]

I should add that this improvement I suspect can be applied to other manufacturers and models.

[Neosophist]

I should add that this improvement I suspect can be applied to other manufacturers and models.

I posted something on similar lines up a while ago, I believe Rick O now makes an earth kit based on it.

Bikes are built on budget. The wiring is the smallest grade they can use. I read a study one time that said even if the wiring is adequate a slightly larger grade will give more light from the headlights.

Since the bike earths through only a handful of points on the frame I built more ground wires from the major components diretly to the earth-strap on the battery or the frame.

I also did the lowbeam relay mod and replaced the wires to the highbeam bulbs. I cant remember off hand but i think ti was 2mm square wire I used (it will carry 200watt) and was noticable thicker than the stock wire.

bike runs and starts and idles great and the headlights are incredibly bright from standard bulbs. clear crisp white color.

check all your plugs too, any corrosion will increase reistance and rob power.

[bikemonkey]

What gauge wiring are we talking here?

And would this be suitable for the fuse holder and wires?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300640459432? ... 858wt_1270