Hitchcocks Forum

My 1999 Indian built Bullet has been showing zero (or possibly minimal) charge on the ammeter for a while so it looks as though I've been running it on the battery. More recently it occasionally shows a healthy charge rate for a few minutes before returning to neutral. It happily shows a discharge when kickstarting.
Troubleshooting shows only battery voltage (12v) at the battery with engine running, except if and when the ammeter is showing positive charge when it shows 13v-ish. The alternator appears to be producing current, checked by a bulb across the phases.
The bike was fitted with a Boyer Powerbox to replace the original voltage regulator and rectifier some years ago. This feels quite warm after running but I expect this is normal. There are two alternator phase inputs and two DC output terminals, which show 12v. There is a second box marked 'Export' with 3 connections marked battery, earth and load, which I'm not sure what it's for.
My feeling is that the Boyer Powerbox is on the blink.
Any comments or advice?

Check all the wire connections in the light switch on the casquette (that's if it has the old Lucas style type). I has exactly the same symptoms with my 99 500 for a good couple of years and I just couldn't fathom it. It would stop and start charging several times in a week, then charge normally for months, then stop charging for months, leaving me stranded a couple of times with a flat battery. It turned out to be loose wire in the lightswitch. Don't ask me which one as I'm not electrically minded but re tightening all the wires stopped it and it's never returned.

Fambo
If the ammeter is not showing discharge yet the bike is running (i.e. using charge) then the charging system must be working. My 1996 500 also shows no charge most of the time but, same as yours, shows discharge during starting because the coil is being powered yet there is no charge from alternator. My guess is that all is OK. Test it by leaving the headlight on for a while. Then after starting there will be a period of plenty charge before it drops to zero. Mine shows discharge (-ve amps) when the indicators are on, another useful test. Good luck
ChrisD

Thanks for the advice folks. I have checked and fiddled with as many connectors as possible but the fault persists. The ammeter functions correctly. It seems that the Powerbox only gets hot when the fault is apparent pointing the finger at itself and I'm happy with that diagnosis. (I initially thought that like a Zenner the heat was a way of dispersing excess energy but it remains cool when functioning normally). Incidentally the other box marked 'Export' is the indicator flasher unit.