Quote:
Originally Posted by ckrug4
Is there an upgrade for charging system or an add on generator for hawk? I want to add some light but as is it barely runs the turn signals. I'm changing to LEDs where I can to drop wattage. I have stock battery, maybe it just sucks, idk
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Add some lights? I'm no electrical genius, but my experience is that a weak battery makes the alternator work too close to it's peak output just trying to charge the damn thing. A good battery will recharge to max in a few minutes after starting a ride. Then the alternator just kind of loafs along running ignition and lights. Only when you are sure the battery is accepting a charge at a normal rate, should you begin looking elsewhere. The best way to reduce the load on the alternator would be to change to a LED headlight, brake and tail light. I don't think that the turn signals are on long enough to effect this one way or the other. But the head and tail light are on all of the time, so that's where you can do the most good at reducing the load. I learned this the hard (read: expensive) way with my GMC big truck. I was replacing it's 125 amp alternator every 6 months until I went to an alternator guy who knew his stuff. That truck used four batteries. When he tested the batteries only two of them were good. So he put in another alternator, disconnected the two worn out batteries, told me to replace them before winter, which I did. I drove that truck almost a million miles on that alternator after that.