Need info on Touring Alternator Output

I've been looking at replacing my GL1800 with a R III Touring as a Tug for either my current or a larger Sidecar.

Given that we use the Hack year round there is a need for enough Electric Power to run two sets of Heated Clothing as well as the Sidecar Electrics which also has a 100W Heater for those really cold day to keep the dogs warm too. Then there will be all the other electric do-dads like GPS, radio & mp3 player, extra driving lights etc. :wink:

So far all I have been able to find is the capacity for the standard Rockets with 37A @ 2,000 to 41A @ 6,000 RPM. That limited Alternator output just won't handle it for our use.

Does anyone know if the Touring has a larger stator or if anyone is making one???


Jerry with Sharlene on the back and 3 Heelers on the side.

Amps

37 amps at 2,000 rpms
41 amps at 6,000 rpms

Your 100 watt heater would consume about 7.5 amps @ 13 volts. Given this, 200 watts would take 15 amps. 400 watts would be around a 30 amp draw.

How I figured my load was not exceeding the minimum output by 80%.
Min output is 37 amps, and 80% of that is 29.6 amps. If you took 80% of the max output, that would be 33 amps to use for acc. The other 20%(8 amps) is used for charging the battery and ignition system.

How many amps or watts do you require?

By the way, what is the output of the Wing you ride?

Hey, Jerry Roebke, welcome to the forum. Hope you find what you're looking for.

Jimbeamrye said:

Your 100 watt heater would consume about 7.5 amps @ 13 volts. Given this, 200 watts would take 15 amps. 400 watts would be around a 30 amp draw.

How I figured my load was not exceeding the minimum output by 80%.
Min output is 37 amps, and 80% of that is 29.6 amps. If you took 80% of the max output, that would be 33 amps to use for acc. The other 20%(8 amps) is used for charging the battery and ignition system.

Click to expand...

Don't forget the normal load the bike uses for the computer, fuel pump, ignition, injection, and the 10 amps the two headlights use. And a big one is the fan.

If I have a chance tomorrow, I will make a measurement and post it.

Tom

iron works mag. just did an article on this. ironworksmag.com april 2008--page 64. -----john

Add a 2nd gel battery in the sidecar and isolate the sidecar electric to it with only a one way feed from the alternator to the 2nd battery.

Did this on a friend's ride and he has no problems with the stock alternator.

HEAD

Ok, I got the chance to make some real life measurements on my 2005 Rocket standard.

To make the measurement, I removed the left side cover and exposed the alternator DC positive output wire from the regulator. I placed a clamp on DC ammeter on the brown positive output wire and started the bike. The initial current was around 33 amps. After about 10 minutes, the battery was up to full charge from the start and the current fell to 16 to 18 amps. When the fan came on, the current went to 25 - 26 amps.

So there, if the altenator is rated at 37 amps, then it should be able to source about 20 amps of accessory load maximum. I would say that this should be backed down to 15 amps to be safe and not lead to a dead battery.


Tom

Thanks for all the input.

The new Touring only has one headlight and I plan on adding two 55 watt driving lights to that for country roads at night. That alone is another 110 watts not counting the extra tail light and clearance light on the sidecar. Some folks disconnect the right side lights and let the sidecar lights take their place which may have to be done in this case.

Our heated gear and grips runs from 120 to 200 watts depending on how high they are turned up to.

So the extra driving lights and heated gear alone without the sidecar heater will require 300+ leaving almost none to run the bike with.
It looks like the Touring isn't going to be useable for us in the winter at all unless someone comes up with a higher capacity stator. It would still be a great summer rig with just enough DC power available for GPS and J&M equipment though.

The one option that is possable but not the best is to run an alternator off of the sidecar wheel as well as mechanical complication. It has been done but the extra drag on the side that isn't very predictable.
That isn't a route that I would want to go if it could be avoided because of it's limitations to highspeed charging only with the need for a deep cycle battery as well as side-drag.

Do the heaters run at 100% duty cycle? I would say you have about 220 watts (15 x 14) to work with. Not only the stator but the regulator need to be changed to increase the capacity. Maybe even the wiring will need an upgrade (it lools like a 10 guage wire from the regulator).

Tpm