How's my voltage? - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

yammi1 · 11-08-2012, 07:18 AM

I have a 78 panther 5000. My voltage reading on my speedo, tach, temp gauge and electric start wires all read 10.7 idle to 11.7 revved. My headlight reads pretty steady at 15 and fluctuates to 30. The light I thought was normal but why the difference between light and accessory wires? Thanks

**kccats** · 11-08-2012, 05:02 PM

If you have electric start, those should be 13.5 v DC! the others could be AC?

ExciterRob · 11-08-2012, 06:55 PM

If I am not mistaken, the reason you can have separate voltage readings is because there is one set timer f windings :n the magneto for lighting and the other connects to the ignition/ charging system. The battery will help keep the voltage at a constant, as well as the voltage regulator. The 30 volts you are reading seems to be a little high. Have you had any issues with premature lamp failure? Also, both systems are a DC voltage.

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**RJ Gleason** · 11-09-2012, 09:17 AM

Ac voltage unless there is a rectifier for charging a battery.

**kccats** · 11-10-2012, 07:42 PM

Wouldnt there be 2 seperate readings, the tac reading should be AC?

yammi1 · 11-10-2012, 08:09 PM

I was blowing lights last year. Changed regulator and it fixed the problem. I tested ac on all wires above. No dc on sled. Today I ended up hooking up my warmers to my electric start wire and they work great. I'm gonna hook up a led strip to one of my other acc. Wires tomorrow. The voltage issue was worrying me about cold grip warmers but not the case. Thanks for the help everyone.

yammi1 · 11-13-2012, 04:20 PM

So I wired my led strip to one of my acc wires and they lit like a Christmas tree. No flickers either. It's nice when things work out.

ExciterRob · 11-23-2012, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJ Gleason

Ac voltage unless there is a rectifier for charging a battery.

Thanks RJ, I forgot that all sleds don't have batteries for starting. Oversite on my part!

Blaine1 · 11-24-2012, 07:41 AM

The stator puts out AC voltage....AC voltage to the lights and AC voltage to the CDI/ECU box. Now, if you have a battery the voltage runs thru a rectifier before it goes to the battery to produce DC voltage for charging. Also, the CDI/ECU rectifies the AC voltage so the voltage coming out of the CDI/ECU is DC voltage going to the coils. The AC voltage coming from the lighting side of the stator goes thru just a regulator and it stays AC for your lights, hand warmer ect...and as stated above should stay in that 9-14volt range. When the voltage starts to get higher than about 17 or 18 volts...then you start blowing lights ect...at 30 volts lights usually last seconds or possibly only a few minutes before they blow.

**BC_Dan** · 11-24-2012, 08:41 AM

but they sure are bright for a second!

Blaine1 · 11-24-2012, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BC_Dan

but they sure are bright for a second!

LOL true...for one second you can see all the way to China!