Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all. I have a conundrum. My battery discharges when I run at slow speeds and in heavy traffic with the HL on and it never seems to reach full charge. Recent new battery which holds its charge OK whatever state it is in. I get 14 v at half revs,12 at tickover. When I measure the current- lights on tickover gives -2a discharge ,half revs gives +4a. That is with a discharged battery. No lights I get max 6a. I've changed the bulb to ensure no fault and it Is 60/55w. Any ideas or further tests? TIA. Andy

The headlight bulb may well be the wattage soaking culprit, dependent on your particular model of Enfield.
60 watts /12volts = 5.0 amps.
50w / 12 = 4.2amps
add tail light, indicators, stop light and it all starts adding up

Hi BRI. In would agree but just with head and tail and the fuel pump/coil I should not be discharging the battery. If I take the battery out of the circuit the engine runs with no lights on. Turn on the lights and the engine stalls, ergo, not enough power coming from the alternator or being directed by the reg rec.

RE's alternators have improved from Lucas copies to Japanese copies starting with the Electra models. ISTRC the present models use a 3 phase alternator with 18 coils on the stator (the Electra-X had 12), which should give a very healthy output. The owners' or workshop manual should state the alternator's output. As a cheap experiment try a 36/36W H4 halogen and see if it will charge, but I'd be tempted to try a replacement reg/rectifier next. Meanwhile, please permit me a silly question, but has one of the yellow leads from the stator to the reg/rectifier came adrift?



A.