Although the generator is charging, if I drive at night with the lights, wipers, heated screen and using the klictronic the thing wont start the following morning. Is there a higher output generator available? Its a Busa by the way.

thanks
Jason

not using the hot water from the engine for the heater? LEDs for the lights might help also.

Have you put a meter across the battery to see if it's actually charging when everythings on, just incase the battery is rubbish

[Edited on 5/11/08 by Mr Whippy]

should have gone with a CEC!

I doubt there would be a larger generator, certainly not one for a sports bike. *** Had the donor been something like a gold wing which would have stereo system, fridge, kitchen sink, plasma TV fitted as standard would have been ok.

Alternative is to look at reducing the current drain.

LED lamps.
Brighter head lamps that take less amps.
Ensure current generator is working fully.
Ensure recrtifier/regulator are cooled.
Esnure cables a big to carry the current with least loss.
Heated windscreen is gonna sap current big time, not many motorbikes have these fitted and I suspect replacing this by hot air will give you ghe best benefit.

Otherwsie you are stuck - fit plug in side so you can recharge overnight.

What batery are you running with?

*** seems not so; how about 25% more?

at http://www.ricksmotorsportelectrics.com/

[Edited on 5/11/08 by 02GF74]

Not to my knowledge!!!
Is it definately the alternator? It's worth checking the amps in the wire to the battery to make sure you're getting negative(!) charging of the battery (ie battery draining).

Changing the lights to LEDs (where applicable) is a good option.

Otherwise ditching the heated screen and using the excess heat in the coolant system (ie a mini heater) is a good option.

Other option is to try and somehow fit an external alternator. I'm fitting a supercharger to my BEC so I'll have an extra crank pulley anyway and one of the things I'm doing is fitting a bigger alternator....

buy two of these kits and mount them on the wing brackets so they touch the front tyres

saved the day again...

quote:

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Originally posted by Mr Whippy
buy two of these kits and mount them on the wing brackets so they touch the front tyres

saved the day again...

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quote:

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Originally posted by Mr Whippy
buy two of these kits and mount them on the wing brackets so they touch the front tyres

saved the day again...

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Leds and all sounds ok. Fitting anothe alternator is a good idea< Won't he need a bigger battery though to hold the extra charge?

For those with the sensible replies, yes I have checked things are working ok and they are and I have of course got an electric water pump sapping too but no heater.

And for those with very funny but equally unhelpfull comments. I had thought of fitting a towbar and towing one of these.

[Edited on 5/11/08 by Jason Fletcher]

Too much effort fitting a two bar for that.

What about solar panels?

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Originally posted by l0rd
What about solar panels?

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quote:

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Originally posted by Jason Fletcher
Although the generator is charging, if I drive at night with the lights, wipers, heated screen ....

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I thought Locost members were inteligent.. but with more and more rediculus suggestions I am starting to wonder...... It is obvious to anyone with half a brain cell that a wind turbine strapped to the rollbar is the way to go.

quote:

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Originally posted by jimgiblett

quote:

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Originally posted by Jason Fletcher
Although the generator is charging, if I drive at night with the lights, wipers, heated screen ....

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You are making a big demand on a bike generator.

Heated Screen will be sapping the power 13-14amps. Do you need it on all the time or just on start up to clear.

Other than this I guess all the other bits are essential. You may be able to trim a bit here and there but it will be minor.

You could fit a larger battery or just plug in charger each night.

- Jim

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You can work it out if your multimeter has a volt setting by measuring the voltage drop across the main +ve supply cable. Then (if you've worked out the resistance of the main supply cable) you can use I=V/R.

To work out the resistance of the main supply cable apply a measurable amount of load on the cable (eg without the engine running switch on the headlights) to get about 10A (the more the merrier- check with your DVM). Then take the ampeter out of the circuit and measure the voltage drops across the cable (ie put the DVM on volts, attach one lead to one end of the supply cable and one on the other).

Easy

(even easier = buy a 30A ampeter )

quote:

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Originally posted by Jason Fletcher

quote:

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Originally posted by jimgiblett

quote:

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Originally posted by Jason Fletcher
Although the generator is charging, if I drive at night with the lights, wipers, heated screen ....

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You are making a big demand on a bike generator.

Heated Screen will be sapping the power 13-14amps. Do you need it on all the time or just on start up to clear.

Other than this I guess all the other bits are essential. You may be able to trim a bit here and there but it will be minor.

You could fit a larger battery or just plug in charger each night.

- Jim

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Hi Jim

I did not know the screen took that sort of power. I guess I'll have to be carefull how much I use it. I would like to know what the car is drawing when all the things are running but my meter only goes to 10 amps so its dificult to measure properly.

Thanks
J

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quote:

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Originally posted by Mr Whippy
buy two of these kits and mount them on the wing brackets so they touch the front tyres

saved the day again...

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Not exactly perfect for reverse gear.

You could make a braket and fit a starter motor. I am sure you could use some sort of switch to regulate the power to turn it ?

electric water pump too .... no wonder the poor generator is strugling.


You've followed the linky to the uprated gen? From what I could tell. That is gonna set you back over $ 300 so although it will allow you to go a bit further, it won't solve your problem.

[Edited on 6/11/08 by 02GF74]

yes, had a look at that upgrade and I think it might be the way to go. All I have to do now is try and justifie another 200 quid on this locost build of mine.

install a good connector and charge the battery overnight?

Not sure if you have seen these.

Clicky

Another way is to buy the pulley as used on the Rotrex super charger kits and use a car alternator.

On my race engine I am removing the flywheel all together, having a 1/2" alloy plate machined with an oil seal in the middle. A 70a car alternator bolts to the plate and will be driven from a machined multi v belt pulley with machined slots for the cps.
There is quite a lot of room behind the cylinders on the sprocket side of the engine.