How to check charging?

[fjman]

I'm not really much of an electrician. How do I check the charging system of a bike with a voltmeter? 

[oldktmdude]

  Connect positive lead of the meter to positive battery terminal, connect negative lead to earth or negative battery terminal, set meter to read 20 volts DC. Take a reading of the meter with the engine not running. Should read around 12.5 volts. Start engine and take another reading. This should read higher than the first reading, around 13 to 13.5 volts at idle. Increase revs and reading should rise to around 14 to 14.8 volts. Regards, Pete.

[fjman]

thanks for the reply i'll look into it 

[fj1250]

Do the lights get brighter when you rev the engine above, idle?
then it's charging!

MC

[fjman]

no they dont get brighter

[TheRadBaron]

If the lights don't get brighter when the engine is revved, that points to the charging system not charging.  A voltmeter would still be a better way to verify, though. 

[rktmanfj]

If the lights don't get brighter when the engine is revved, that points to the charging system not charging.  A voltmeter would still be a better way to verify, though. 

Perhaps to troubleshoot why it's not charging, otherwise, what's the point?     

If it's not charging, it's not charging.

Randy T
Indy

[srutherford]

Spo my bikes lights are supposed to get brighter as elms increase? I thought I had a problem shwew