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DC voltage is usually the most accurate mode of any multimeter, so this is surprising to hear. Have you checked the internal batteries on each of the meters? The reason I ask is I've never seen much variation on DC voltage readings from HP benchtop, to Fluke handheld, to the throw-away meters from Harbor Freight that they sometimes gave away for a few bucks. But, if you have a cheap meter with a marginal power source (battery), then that might explain the widely varying readings. However, since you have 3 meters, its not likely that all 3 would have weak batteries, but I guess its not impossible either.
It probably depends on a lot of variables. I was giving you the voltages I've checked with my voltmeters over the years as an electrician as well as what the utility promises (actually, they promise very little - only a range of voltage). Here, 4 to 6 houses are served by one pole mounted transformer, and any user's large motor can create a dip in the voltage seen by the other houses on the same t-former. I should measure my house's voltage when I fire up my Unisaw to see what happens.
Good point. No idea when I last checked the batteries in the testers. Two are digital and I haven't seen a low battery warning but it can't hurt to check them.
So how do you check a 9v battery when you don't know if your DC meters are any good.....
Not an ST1300.As for the bike's charging question, I have not had to have any dealings with an ST13 alternator.... my observation is that voltage regulators should not allow more than 14.5V, almost all hover at 14-14.2 while cruising (say 3000 rpm or above). Condition of battery can affect this, maybe want to load test your battery first (free service most places unless you have a tester). What you watch for on your bike voltmeter is excessively high voltage (~15) or excessively low voltage, which could indicate a regulator issue, assuming the battery is good.
Yuasa says fully charged battery at rest is 12.9V for an AGM, 12.5 is 50%. This is after fully charged and surface charge dissipated. A typical Battery Tender maintains a battery at 13-13.2V after full charge is reached.
Hope that helps a bit.... older Yuasa chart attached.
Doesn't matter, multimeters are of no use for testing batteries anyway.So how do you check a 9v battery when you don't know if your DC meters are any good.....
The tounge tester is only reliable to tell you if the battery is dead or has some juice.
I found the small battery testers unreliable and always use a multimeter to see the actual voltage.
No load voltage test results of a battery doesn't give you much information of value other than a guess as to its condition, same as with testing a vehicle starter battery.
Issue is, how would you know what SoC battery is when testing it with unknown multimeter? Is it 75%? 85%? or 95%???I have a few multimeters, none of them Fluke class. Two from CanTire I bought 10-15 years ago have been steady and agree. Some cheapies and small that I take on the bike for emergencies, but they aren't far off the good meters at 12V range. I bought a $60 one from China since I needed one with RMS, and it is very good, my favourite now. All my decent ones agree within a tenth or two.
I also install voltmeters on every bike I've had (at least the last 8), to monitor power usage/charging. Not expensive, and cheapie ones of those can vary, yet most surprisingly accurate. A Datel or the knockoff would be the good reference.
Just sayin, check batteries and test leads, perhaps use same test leads on each to see if consistent.... all should be close.
As for the bike's charging question, I have not had to have any dealings with an ST13 alternator.... my observation is that voltage regulators should not allow more than 14.5V, almost all hover at 14-14.2 while cruising (say 3000 rpm or above). Condition of battery can affect this, maybe want to load test your battery first (free service most places unless you have a tester). What you watch for on your bike voltmeter is excessively high voltage (~15) or excessively low voltage, which could indicate a regulator issue, assuming the battery is good.
Yuasa says fully charged battery at rest is 12.9V for an AGM, 12.5 is 50%. This is after fully charged and surface charge dissipated. A typical Battery Tender maintains a battery at 13-13.2V after full charge is reached.
Hope that helps a bit.... older Yuasa chart attached.
That's a neat bit o' kit. Not that I'm in the market but I didn't see any pricing. Are they a distributor or do you call for bulk purchasing.
'zackly!
Very true if the battery is suspect or indeed the problem, but I am not trying to test the battery. If the charging system is not functioning correctly or there is a parasitic drain a new battery won't correct that.
This is not for my ST1300. It is for a vehicle with an alternator controlled by the vehicles computer system. From what I am learning they vary the output considerably even to the point of where it can be almost nothing under certain conditions which could lead the ill informed, such as myself, to believe that the alternator is defective when it may not be. I haven't had time to see if I can find any specifications or credible diagnostic testing procedures.
