Maximum electrical capacity of the bike?

icedfusion · Nov 22, 2022

Being in the process of purchasing a machine from a member here, I intend to use it for a trip to Norway with my daughter. As a result, I will be adding an Amplify to power 2 lots of heated clothing at some point, plus the additional USB chargers/installation of some denali lights.

I have seen, if it is true or not, that the alternator can put out 510 watts - so assuming 12v system, this is about 43 amps.

I am going to assume that the 2 suits (gloves/jacket/trousers/socks for daughter and jacket/gloves for me) will draw approximately 20amps.

At what point will the draw of power be more than the battery can handle -there must be a point, but should I start worrying when I am getting close to 43 Amps or 30amps? Have no idea what the actual bike itself draws - anyone any ideas?

Cheers!

Bem · Nov 22, 2022

Still no reply from the masses??
Heres my take, but a pinch of salt might be in order.
Your two suits are more likely to be c.300w so after say 50w headlight and 15w tail, 42w indicator, there does not seem to much headroom left for brakelight or extra lights or topping up the battery or sounding the horn.......
But what do I know?
And what time of year are you going to Norway?
I think you should spend a bit more on quality clothing.

Quattroformaggio · Nov 22, 2022

You've got too many assumptions and unknowns there.

Connect an ammeter to your bike and find out what the maximum current draw is with everything switched on while riding.

Then find out what the load of the electrical gear is and add it.
There will be some sort of spec sheet or label somewhere.

Only then will you know.

Remember too that it's not just a case of the battery capacity, but that of the alternator too...if it's constantly at full load trying to charge your battery you'll probably fry it.

knutk · Nov 22, 2022

icedfusion said:
Being in the process of purchasing a machine from a member here, I intend to use it for a trip to Norway with my daughter. As a result, I will be adding an Amplify to power 2 lots of heated clothing at some point, plus the additional USB chargers/installation of some denali lights.

I have seen, if it is true or not, that the alternator can put out 510 watts - so assuming 12v system, this is about 43 amps.

I am going to assume that the 2 suits (gloves/jacket/trousers/socks for daughter and jacket/gloves for me) will draw approximately 20amps.

At what point will the draw of power be more than the battery can handle -there must be a point, but should I start worrying when I am getting close to 43 Amps or 30amps? Have no idea what the actual bike itself draws - anyone any ideas?

Cheers!

I think you worry too much.

It's not stated at what time of the year the ride is planned. But I will share my experience with heated gear:

I use heated gear at the start and end of the season. At temperatures exceeding + 10, I find it is not needed, but at temperatures below + 5 it is a blessing. We are now talking april and october. But even then, the gear needs to run at the very most at 60% output. For a jacket and pants, this means probably a total of 60W / 14V = 4,5A. for each rider. Heated socks and gloves? Add another 2 A. And this is in spring and fall. In the summertime, even going all the way north, you will need to turn down the heath even further.
Thus, the bike is quite capable of powering your heated gear with power to spare... ( Unless you want to turn your riding gear into a rolling sauna

)

BobT · Nov 23, 2022

Quattroformaggio said:
You've got too many assumptions and unknowns there.

Connect an ammeter to your bike and find out what the maximum current draw is with everything switched on while riding.

Remember too that it's not just a case of the battery capacity, but that of the alternator too...if it's constantly at full load trying to charge your battery you'll probably fry it.

Don't fit an ammeter as that is so 1960s and can cause problems in itself. Go the modern route and fit a voltmeter. If the voltage is above the voltage of the battery then it is putting some charge into the battery, the more you switch on the more the alternator will output till has nothing left to put some charge into the battery.
The battery has one function, to start the bike. you will not fry it unless there is a fault in the system somewhere. The alternator at full load will still be regulated to a maximum voltage (around 14) so it cannot fry the battery.

JJH · Nov 23, 2022

icedfusion said:
Being in the process of purchasing a machine from a member here, I intend to use it for a trip to Norway with my daughter. As a result, I will be adding an Amplify to power 2 lots of heated clothing at some point, plus the additional USB chargers/installation of some denali lights.

I have seen, if it is true or not, that the alternator can put out 510 watts - so assuming 12v system, this is about 43 amps.

I am going to assume that the 2 suits (gloves/jacket/trousers/socks for daughter and jacket/gloves for me) will draw approximately 20amps.

At what point will the draw of power be more than the battery can handle -there must be a point, but should I start worrying when I am getting close to 43 Amps or 30amps? Have no idea what the actual bike itself draws - anyone any ideas?

Cheers!

Your assumption is wrong. Most bikes put out over 14 volts. JJH

icedfusion · Nov 23, 2022

Thanks for the replies - if the voltage is higher, then the actual maximum load will be less. However, what I will do is wait until I have the bike then start measuring the voltage to see if I get any drops as and when I plug things in.

Intend to go to Norway in July, so it will be summer time - just wanted to ensure that if the heated clothing was needed (mainly for daughter) that if I was plugged in too with all the additional other items I wouldn't be overloading the system.

Cheers!

knutk · Nov 23, 2022

icedfusion said:
Thanks for the replies - if the voltage is higher, then the actual maximum load will be less. However, what I will do is wait until I have the bike then start measuring the voltage to see if I get any drops as and when I plug things in.

Intend to go to Norway in July, so it will be summer time - just wanted to ensure that if the heated clothing was needed (mainly for daughter) that if I was plugged in too with all the additional other items I wouldn't be overloading the system.

Cheers!

Rest assured, nobody use heated gear in july, unless you go alle the way up north....

Quattroformaggio · Nov 23, 2022

BobT said:
Don't fit an ammeter as that is so 1960s and can cause problems in itself. Go the modern route and fit a voltmeter. If the voltage is above the voltage of the battery then it is putting some charge into the battery, the more you switch on the more the alternator will output till has nothing left to put some charge into the battery.
The battery has one function, to start the bike. you will not fry it unless there is a fault in the system somewhere. The alternator at full load will still be regulated to a maximum voltage (around 14) so it cannot fry the battery.

If you'd read properly you'd have seen I was talking about possibly frying the alternator if it was constantly maxed out....no mention of damaging the battery.
The ammeter suggestion was because he doesn't know, and seemed to want to know, the bike's maximum current draw, which a voltmeter will be bugger all of use to find out.

Maximum electrical capacity of the bike?

icedfusion

Active member

Bem

younger than some, older than others

Quattroformaggio

Registered user

knutk

Registered user

BobT

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JJH

Well-known member

icedfusion

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knutk

Registered user

Quattroformaggio

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