Battery getting weak

gballanco

New member

Equipment
ZD 21
Aug 23, 2021
1
0
1
Folsom, La
My zd 21 runs well but if it is turned off after it warms up, it will not restart without cooling off first.
Battery needs to be recharged after running for 2-3 hours. Drops from 12.8 to 11.6. Output from alternator is 18 V.
voltage at battery drops after running a short time from 12.8 to 12.6 but then gradually rises back to 12.8 after the motor is turned off.
How to test the voltage regulator/rectifier?
 

BruceP

Well-known member

Equipment
G5200H
Aug 7, 2016
852
370
63
Richmond, Vermont, USA
Output from alternator is 18 V. voltage at battery drops after running a short time from 12.8 to 12.6 but then gradually rises back to 12.8 after the motor is turned off.
This sure sounds as if the alternator output is not getting to the battery as it should.

A typical charging-voltage (at battery) with engine running is about 13.8v

Before you do anything else, charge the battery at least 6 hours with QUALITY charger. Then you can dive into why it is not receiving a proper charging voltage.
 

Dave_eng

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M7040, Nuffield 465
Oct 6, 2012
5,257
1,042
113
Williamstown Ontario Canada
From what I see you do not have an alternator for charging the battery rather a dynamo which is a completely different item.

forum ZD21 dynamo.jpg


The dynamo is like an old bicycle lighting system where a part rubbed against the front tire. Inside the dynamo coils of wire rotate in a magnetic field generated by permanent magnets. Dynamo failure is very, very rare
.
The dynamo output is alternating current so you need to set a multi meter correctly for the voltage readings to make any sense.

Forum member Lugbolt has prepared a dynamo investigation document which you should follow.

Lugbolt dynamo diagnosis

the books are jinglish, and IMO hard to follow.

thus I have my own tests

the regulator/rectifier has 6 wires. 2 are the same color, they end up at the dynamo. AC. One is a black ground wire. You will also have a +12v from the slow-blow fuse, and a +12v ignition (key on) and then a wire that runs to a charge lamp (if applicable, but it'll still have that wire).

Typically loss of charging performance is fairly easy to diagnose if you have the know-how, and a digital volt-ohm meter that has any quality whatsoever. A $10 one isn't that, just something else to throw into file 13 when it reads wrong.

The two dynamo wires (usually sky blue) are AC voltage, as said. Start engine, disconnect regulator and test ac output at the regulator connector, between the two dynamo wires. Should be 24V+ and I like to see more than 45 or so at full throttle. If it charges anything it's probably ok, they are a foolproof and extremely simple design that rarely fails outside of seized bearings. OK? Move on. Check your ground at the reg connector. One probe of the DVOM (set to ohms) on the ground pin in the connector and the other pin on a good ground, frame, transmission, etc. Must be clean. If you have more than a few ohms of resistance, your ground or harness is suspect

onward. Find your wire that comes from the battery. Backprobe the regulator connector. Now put your DVOM on DC volts. One probe goes to your connector, the other goes to the battery +. Should be under 500mv, or 0.500v. Ok? Move on. More than 0.5v? You have either a harness problem or a bad connection at the fuse, or whatever.

Last wire that will affect charging is what I call the "trigger" wire...it turns the reguator "on" so to speak, via the key switch. That one gets 12v when the key is on. Same as the last test, backprobe the connector with the key on. One probe of the DVOM in the connector and the other to the + battery terminal (use the post not the cable). You want to see less than 0.5v on the meter. If you see more than that, harness, fuse block, keyswitch, etc. Follow your wiring diagram. If you do see less than 0.5v, that circuit is not suspect, and there's a possibity you have a bad regulator.

Ideally you want to test everything AROUND the regulator because testing the reg itself isn't always conclusive. Thus, once you know you have AC voltage from the dynamo, you have good ground, you have +12v from the batt and ignition switch, the only component left is the reg. Process of elimination.

Electrical diag is not all that hard or it can be. It's all what you make of it. Don't put too much thought into it because it'll bite you. It's simple for the most part

speaking of being bit, be careful around the dynamo wires when testing. There's a little bit of voltage there and it's ac voltage, so it can bite you.


I have attached the charging system page from the WSM. Apart from verifying the AC output voltage from the dynamo, leave it alone. Taking it apart will just create unnecessary work and may cause damage.

If after reading all of this info, feel free to ask questions.

Dave
 

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