I Have A '95 Harley Sportster 1200 That Wont Charge. The Stater Is Putting Out 43 volts,, I Changed The Regulator (new), New Battery This Spring,, Also New Coil. I Checked The Breakers n They All Seem Good. I Am At My Whits End,,, Any Ideas?

sounds like a bad relay

Make sure that your battery is fully charged when taking doing these test and the bike should not be at idle RPM, it should be at about 2000 RPM or a little better. You should be reading at least 25 volts AC out of the alternator and between 14.5 and 15.0 volts DC across a fully charged battery. If it's getting 13 volts at idle, it will probably come up a bit when you increase the engine RPM. It might take a minute or two for the voltage across the battery to peak out. If it doesn't, check the ground on the regulator, it must be grounded correctly. I usually put a star type lock washer between the regulator and the frame on both mounting bolts to ensure a good ground.

Good Luck
Steve

To check the output of the charging system, first, you must start with a fully charged battery. Then connect your DVOM (Digital Volt Ohm Meter) across the battery. Red meter lead to the positive post and the black meter lead to the negative post of the battery. Put the meter's function selection switch in DC VOLTS, 25 VOLTS OR GREATER scale. Start the engine and bring it to a high idle. Your meter should read between 14.5 to 15.0 volts.

If not, find where the regulator plugs into the alternator. A Big Twin is in the front of the engine and the Sportster is behind rear cylinder. In the stator side of the plug, there are two metal contacts. This is where you're going to check the voltage output of your stator. Put the meter's function switch in AC VOLTS, 50 VOLT OR GREATER scale. Start the engine and insert either meter lead into one metal contact and the other lead into the other contact. Do not allow the leads to touch each other or the engine case. Bring the engine to a high idle. If you're working on a Big Twin, you should be reading at least 30 volts, a Sportster should read about 25 volts. If you don't read this much, your stator is bad, If you do read this much, it's probably the regulator. But, since you said that you've changed the regulator at least once, I'd guess maybe another problem. Make sure you regulator is grounded to the frame. I always put one of those star type lock washers between the regulator and the frame on both mounting bolts. The regulator must be grounded.

Good Luck
Steve

Test the output voltage. With a fully charged battery, connect a digital volt ohm meter across the battery. Red meter lead to positive and black meter lead to the negative post. Put the function selector switch in DC VOLTS, 20 VOLT range or there about. Start the engine and bring it to a high idle. The meter shoud read out a voltage and start to climb. If the battery is fully charged, it will settle down in just a short while. It should read between 14.5 and 15.0 volts. If it's higher than this, the regulator should be changed.

Good luck
Steve

The cells are full? Check the battery with a volt meter - should read at least 11 volts on the DC scale, to be able to start your motorcycle. If it is at 11 volts, you really need to charge it.

If volts are good, check volts on the starter side of the solenoid with the run switch in the ON position and the key in start position. No volts = bad solenoid.

put an multimeter on the battery prion to pushing the start button....wright down voltage of battery, turn bike over via the start button, did the battery drop below 9 volts? if so, go buy a battery from a reputabe dealer that will charge it for a mimimum of 10 hrs @.2a cycle, then retry....if u still have problems order a starter relay kit, test & clean the starter, install new parts & go riding..

Check the stator and regulator and make sure it is not over charging the battery and therefor burning it up. Should be putting out 12 - 14 volts

Get access to the battery terminal posts, star the bike and set the meter to "Volts DC". Touch the leads to the positive and negative posts and see what the meter reads. If the voltage is between 13-15 volts then the bike is charging, if thats the case the bike is charging but your battery is hooped. Start with that and if the bike isnt charging then write back again for trouble shooting instructions.

Check the rectifier, its responsible for charging the battery when running, the fuse too, however the rectifier if it can not be repaired, better to buy a new one......................sodeep