Defective battery or charging problem or other?

[mike the bike]

The large current reading is, I  guess, the drain on the battery from the starter motor.   There should be a reading as it's charging, but yours isn't.
You could check the ac volts on the yellows and report back.

Well done on buying a clamp meter, they're more useful.

[Bryanj]

OK there should be continuity between the white and green wires in the multi block to engine when disconnected but NO continuity to engine case. Numbers between yellows are fairly irrelevant unless you spent £100's on the meter as cheap meters are inaccurate at low resistance readings , if all 3 pairs are same its ok.

Connect the block connector back up and with lights and kill switch turned off put neg of metter to neg of battery them pos of meter to pos of batt and note reading then move pos of meter to white wire going to engine, note reading it should be same as battery voltage.
Report back your readings for further instructions

Dont want to be rude but played this game on the US board and people have a nasty habit of wandering off on a tangent and not reporting what was asked for.
Long distance electrical diagnosis is a swine

[Moorey]

Might be a stupid question but are you sure it is a dc clamp meter as  very few of the cheaper end clamp meters are.  The ads for them are very misleading. Saying they are ac dc when in reality that only applies to voltage readings.

[billdn]

Thanks for replies all, please forgive stupid questions, you're dealing with an electrical ignoramus here!
Mike - you mention checking ac volts across yellows -how would I do that?
Bryan  - would this be with ignition off or on and testing white wire when block reconnected just push probe into block where white is? Also kill switch in kill position or not engaged ?
Moorey - see attached pics of meter -don't know if it's right type or not!
Once again thanks for help and patience!

[billdn]

I.T. idiot too forgot to add pics of meter!

[Bryanj]

Ignition on kill off mate, does meter say dc amperes accross the top of dial?

[mike the bike]

Select an 200v ac range.  One probe on the chassis/engine/batt neg,  the other probe on each yellow in turn.

[Bryanj]

No the ac voltage is between each of the 3 pairs of yellow leads

[billdn]

Bryan - yes says dc amperes on dial , pic is sideways but when clicked on comes right way up, dont know how to stop that happening

[billdn]

May have no bearing on matter but "suspect" battery is holding charge perfectly, so now have 2 !

[billdn]

Bryan - sorry for delay in carrying out test you mentioned but done today. At start with nothing on battery read 12.6v, ignition on read 12.2v and with probe on white wire read 11.06v so not the same as battery. Looking at wiring diagram it would appear this is connected to voltage regulator.


Mike- suggested testing 3 yellow wires with meter set at 200vAC - they read nothing either with ignition off or on.

She who must be obeyed has had her jobs done for now so hope i can be bit quicker for next stage!

[mike the bike]

Did you check the ac voltage yellow to yellow as well?  If you've got no voltage on the yellows then you need to check the exciter coil.  It should have 12v across it.

[SteveD CB500K0]

The three yellows are the output of the alternator. You do have the engine running don’t you?


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[Bryanj]

You have a bad connection somewhere between battery +ve and reg output.
Test for battery voltage at black wire at regulator if that is lower that battery go to black in headlamp then black at ignition switch then red at ignition switch.

[Bryanj]

Reason for testing this way is if you do not have full battery voltage into the field coil (whie wire) you will not get the full output of the stator, you will get an output but not full output.

And your clip on ammeter is fine but they are not that accurate, should show you if its charging tho'