Does a motorcycle battery charge on idle?

**invictus43** · 10-18-2009, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by toastman

Looks like Brian is the most knowledgeable here so far.

Donald

That's typical..Brian's wicked smart!

**boooya** · 10-18-2009, 10:36 PM

According to the repair manual on my '08 Bandit 1250 i have a Generator.

**Rob** · 10-19-2009, 09:54 AM

Your manual is no doubt an "engrish" translation from a hard working Japanese, generators are long gone.

**toybm** · 10-19-2009, 10:08 AM

If while idling your battery voltage goes above the static volatage of your battery 12.45 VDC for instance, your battery is charging. So if when idling in this case your battery voltage is measured to be 13 VDC, then yes your bike's battery is charging at idle. Most if not all bikes will charge their batteies to some extent at idle.

**frekeyguy** · 10-19-2009, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by boooya

According to the repair manual on my '08 Bandit 1250 i have a Generator.

suzuki calls a stator a generator.

it does generate electrical power.

**Brian P** · 10-20-2009, 05:59 PM

"Generator" is Engrish ... a wrong translation from Japanese.

It produces alternating current; therefore it is an alternator - the correct English term.

**slowbird** · 10-20-2009, 06:15 PM

Re: Does a motorcycle battery charge on idle?

I was wondering this myself when I was on my trip this past summer.

The Bike wouldn't start one morning and for the rest of the day, until I got to a Canadian Tire and changed the battery, I needed to bump-start the bike.

Everytime I shut the bike off or accidentally stalled I needed to bump start....but the bike ran fine once running. Idled fine too

My lights were fine also but I have an HID headlight and LED signals so they draw less power.

**BrianZ** · 10-20-2009, 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by toastman

Just googling some definitions
Magneto •A device that creates the high voltages required for aircraft engine spark plugs. It combines the functions of an automobile engine's coil and distributor.

Would that mean an ignition system that has a seperate igntion coil not be called a magneto?

Looks like Brian is the most knowledgeable here so far.

Donald

In my experience a magneto system does not require a seperate ignition coil. The HV required to fire the plug is generated entirely by the internals of the magneto.

Magnetos disappeared from motorcycles in the 50's and were replaced by the coil igniton system. These systems initially required a battery to create the primary current in the ignition coil. Later coil igniton systems used a coil inside the permanent magnet flywheel to generate the primary coil current. These were known as "energy transfer" igniton systems using Lucas terminology and are sometimes incorrectly referred to as a magneto igniton.

The breaker points in the coil igniton were replaced by a solid state devices in the 70's leading to the capacitive discharge ignition (CDI) system.

**BrianZ** · 10-20-2009, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by Brian P

"Generator" is Engrish ... a wrong translation from Japanese.

It produces alternating current; therefore it is an alternator - the correct English term.

This terminology is becoming more and more blurred. When referring to the automotive industry most people accept that a generator produces DC and an alternator produces AC however the term generator is being used more and more to describe AC producing machines. For example, the name "generator" is used to describe an emergency back up system to produce AC household current.

**bitzz** · 10-21-2009, 11:28 AM

A MAGNETO is a device that creates AC voltage using permanent magnets.
An ALTERNATOR is a device that creates AC voltage using wound, remotely charged magnets.
An electrical generator is a device that creates electricity.

In automotive or motorcycle nomenclature:
An Alternator is a device that creates AC current.
A Magneto is a device that creates AC current used for ignition. (If you are using a magneto for ignition you need points, or the electronic equivalent to collapse the field in the coil... and yes you need a coil).
A Generator is a device that creates DC current.

You may see that some of the distinctions are blurred.
ie: A Leece Neville or Prestolite ALTERNATOR that is found on trucks have permanent magnet rotors... so they are actually magnetos, but they are called alternators. Let's not confuse the poor mechanics.
As we get further into hybrids the distinction is going to blur even more. What do you call the motor thing in a hybrid that will be the starter, generator, drive motor AND brakes on some future hybrid?

**toastman** · 10-21-2009, 12:47 PM

This is how I understood things to be

Originally Posted by BrianZ

In my experience a magneto system does not require a seperate ignition coil. The HV required to fire the plug is generated entirely by the internals of the magneto.

Magnetos disappeared from motorcycles in the 50's and were replaced by the coil igniton system. These systems initially required a battery to create the primary current in the ignition coil. Later coil igniton systems used a coil inside the permanent magnet flywheel to generate the primary coil current. These were known as "energy transfer" igniton systems using Lucas terminology and are sometimes incorrectly referred to as a magneto igniton.

The breaker points in the coil igniton were replaced by a solid state devices in the 70's leading to the capacitive discharge ignition (CDI) system.

**bitzz** · 10-21-2009, 01:10 PM

All is explained here:
http://books.google.ca/books?id=9N0e...age&q=&f=false

**defect_9** · 10-22-2009, 03:08 PM

you are all wrong.

Magneto is a supervillian dressed in deep red and purple who can manipulate magnetic fields with his mind.

Alternators are beings who can change their form at will.

that is all.
sorry...been cruising the romper room forum too much...