Podtronics Lifespan

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I got back from a club meeting and I checked my battery voltage. 13.0v. Seem high. Is my regulator shot? It's a AGM battery not one of those lithium things.
 
Lead acid (including gel, AGM, flooded and drycell) are 2.1 volts per cell, so you should see around 12.6 volts at rest.

I would expect around 0.2 volts more form a battery that’s fresh off a charger.

So you are in the ballpark, maybe a little high.


I’ve never seen the regulator side of a combined reg/rec fail, although of course it’s possible.
In my experience though, it’s usually one of the rectifier diodes that goes first.

You get the opposite symptoms when that happens, as you are effectively running with a half wave rectifier, so your battery charge will lessen until your electronic ignition gets upset.

The assimilator doesn’t pick up an issue like that as it’s only ‘looking’ for about 6.5 volts from the AC output from the stator.
 
So that reading was with one of those Battery Tender gizmos. My cheap multimeter was reading much higher. 13.8v.

My brother’s BSA just had a similar problem with overcharging and he suspects the Podtronic too.

What else would cause the battery voltage to be so high?
 
I turned in the bike and ran the high beam for a while. Got the voltage down to 12.6v.
 
It's just a load. Takes high voltage to ground. You could tie it in anywhere. But it would be a really bad idea. God knows what the Podtronics would do with it.
 
A good battery just off a tender should be in the range of 12.7 to 13.2. Run both beams on the headlight, light up the brake light, let the battery rest for 10 to 20 minutes and you should measure 12.7 to 12.9, a new battery might go 13.0.

Start the engine, at an idle you should measure 12.5, give or take With the headlight on at 2500+ RPM you should see 13.9 to 14.2 with high beam and rear running light. If so you're good. The directionals really suck the voltage down, no worries unless you forget a lot to turn them off.

Point is that your charging system with the accessories you run with should be at least 13.7 when at 2500+ RPM. If your battery isn't new disconnect it after a ride and measure the voltage, write down the reading. Next day measure again, having left it disconnected, it shouldn't be more than .1 volts down.

Get a good quality multimeter, they remove a lot of judgement and usually pay for themselves quickly.

Best.
 
Don’t install a zener alongside a Podtronics (or any other reg/rec) definitely not recommended.

Sith the zener, there are two voltage thresholds:
12.75 volts is the breakdown voltage - it will shunt about 15% of the current to ground until it meets the next setpoint.
14.3 volts is the reverse voltage, where it will dump all current to ground.
They don't put the behaviour very succinctly in the documentation.
Podtronics Lifespan

With the Podtronics, the thyristors (SCRs) will shunt somewhere between those two figures.
It varies, by the manufacturer, but typically it’s between 13.2 amd 13.5 volts.
 
There's nothing wrong with 13.8 volts.
Measure any car electrics with engine running and it'll be 13.8 - 14.2
My brother's Harley holds 14.2.
My Shindengen regulator tops out at 14.5.

Podtronics Lifespan
 
Your meter may not be accurate; you did say:

My cheap multimeter was reading much higher. 13.8v.

See what it reads on your car battery, assuming it isn't an EV, maybe a few others if the reading(s) are significantly above 13.2, vehicle(s) not running you will see evidence that you have a small, hand held, boat anchor.

You can get a Fluke digital multimeter for under $150.

Fluke Fluke 110 Plus True RMS Clamp Meter Digital 600-Volt Multimeter
Item #772343Model #FLUKE-110 PLUS-LW

How much is not guessing worth to you? Think about how much time you have already invested in this thread...

Best.
 
Your meter may not be accurate; you did say:



See what it reads on your car battery, assuming it isn't an EV, maybe a few others if the reading(s) are significantly above 13.2, vehicle(s) not running you will see evidence that you have a small, hand held, boat anchor.

You can get a Fluke digital multimeter for under $150.

Fluke Fluke 110 Plus True RMS Clamp Meter Digital 600-Volt Multimeter
Item #772343Model #FLUKE-110 PLUS-LW

How much is not guessing worth to you? Think about how much time you have already invested in this thread...

Best.

It’s accurate enough. I was just surprised at how far off the Battery Tender meter was. Made that note in case anyone else uses one of those.
 
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