scooter voltage regulator. Scooter voltage regulator: check, circuits and home-made RN Malfunction of the generator relay on the alpha moped

The relay-regulator, or voltage stabilizer, plays an important role in the operation of modern scooters, the main task of which is to stabilize the voltage. At a moped speed of 60 km per hour, the generator is capable of generating voltage up to 35 volts, and without its stabilization, this can lead to the failure of all moped electronics, including the battery. The article will tell you what a voltage regulator is and how to check it on a scooter.

Relay-voltage regulator for a scooter four-pin

What is a voltage regulator used for?

The relay-regulator stabilizes the voltage of the scooter generator at the desired level, preventing it from increasing or decreasing the indicator more or less than the norm. This prevents on-board voltage surges from going beyond the established limits (depending on the boards, this is 12-14 V) and spoiling the work of consumers whose resource is designed for no more than 13 V.

That is, this part takes over the impulses that occur during the operation of the scooter (turning on the headlights, the starter button) and transfers the resulting thermal shock to itself. In this case, all the heat that could be deposited on the contacts is generated in it and removed through the device.

In addition to voltage stabilization, the relay also converts AC to DC, which is necessary to charge the battery.

Moped manufacturers install charging relays with different parameters on scooters and select them individually for each. Depending on the controller circuit, the connectors also differ. Chinese models usually have 5 terminals (dad), Japanese models have 4.

Scheme and principle of operation

The operation of the stabilizer for all models is almost the same and consists in distributing the current supplied from the generator for its stabilization and further distribution to consumers.

The operation of the stabilizer is almost the same for all models.

The main peripheral consumers of the scooter include:

• battery;
• indicators;
• light bulbs;
• sensors;
• concentrator;
• other nodes;
• starting enricher.

How does a stabilizer work? The main principle of its operation is to perform the function of a transformer, which lowers the voltage to an optimal level acceptable for the operation of electrical appliances, and also stabilizes the network and prevents unexpected power surges.

In the event of a malfunction of the relay, the scooter devices fail, wear out quickly or burn out.

To avoid these problems and their undesirable consequences, you should know the basics of the correct operation of the electrical circuit and the voltage nodes of the scooter (Figure 1).

The pinout diagram of the voltage relay and the taps of the main models of scooters

The pinout of the relay-regulator is standard for all Chinese-made scooter models.

Scooter relay-regulator pinout

The stabilizer has an aluminum case and plastic contacts, each of which has its own wire. Each pin has a different wire color. This makes it convenient to connect the device to the wires if the plastic connector is worn out. It is necessary to connect the wires to the contacts according to the electrical diagram (Figure 3).

Electrical diagram for connecting the relay-regulator

Signs that you need to check

If the battery on the scooter often runs low, and it is still quite new, this means that there is a malfunction in the relay-regulator. As practice shows, it burns out quite often. If the device is faulty, the battery stops fully charging and loses its capacity. This means that you won’t be able to start the scooter from the button, you will have to start it with a kickstarter.

Another characteristic sign of incorrect operation of the device may be the frequent burnout of incandescent bulbs. By themselves, they are durable and have a good strength resource, but are quite sensitive to voltage drops. This happens because the optimal voltage in the scooter network is considered to be 12-13 V. Increasing this value even by 2 V reduces the life of electronics and components by 2 times.

The greater the deviation from the norm, the greater the likelihood that something will burn out in the scooter. Therefore, when starting the scooter from the starter, during a power surge with a faulty relay, the bulbs usually burn out.

The symptoms of a regulator malfunction are identical for all models of Chinese scooters. They are especially typical for charging relays for scooters of Chinese models with an engine capacity of 50 cubic meters. Therefore, before making a decision to replace something in electronics, testing of systems and devices should begin with a relay-regulator.

For all models of Chinese scooters, the signs of a regulator malfunction are identical

How to check PP with a multimeter on a moped?

Checking the relay-regulator on a Chinese scooter is carried out using a multimeter with a voltmeter function. For this purpose, a simple DT-830 (or equivalent) is usually used. It is better to carry out diagnostics and measurement of the output voltage on the removed device.

Check algorithm:

1. It is necessary to unscrew the fairing with the central phase and find a device with 4 wires on the frame: red, green, yellow and white.
2. Then start the scooter and check the voltage at idle: measure it between the green and red wires, setting the multimeter to the limit value of 20 V.
3. If the multimeter display shows the figure 14.6-14.8 V, this is the norm. For stabilizers on Chinese mopeds, this is the standard operating voltage. If at idle the multimeter shows a value of 15-16 V, this is a high voltage indicator. This indicates a malfunction of the relay-regulator.
4. Then you need to check the voltage supplied to the lighting lamps. An alternating voltage is supplied to the central lamp of the low (high) beam, so the multimeter should be switched to the alternating current measurement mode with a parameter of 20 V.
5. Next, we measure the voltage between the green and yellow wires (green is the moped's common electrical network). If the multimeter shows a mains voltage of up to 12 V, then electrical appliances are working without additional load.
6. If at idle this value is 16 V and higher, and with a sharp increase in engine speed it jumps to 25 V - the device does not stabilize the voltage and, therefore, does not work. With such indications, the device must be replaced with a new one.

Using a multimeter, they check the relay-regulator on a Chinese scooter

On 4T scooters, the relay-regulator is checked using a tester. Usually a mechanical tester is used for these purposes, although there are also electronic models.

In order to take a measurement, you need:

• switch the device to the KiloOhm mode and remove the regulator;
• then put the probes on the first pair of leads (AB). The tester should show a value of no more than 18 kOhm;
• after that, we change the position of the probes on the terminals in the opposite direction (VA) and measure the voltage again - the arrow on the device should show 0;
• then we install the probes on the next pair of leads (SD) and measure the readings on this pair;
• interchange the probes (DS) and measure the indicator again;
• the rest of the measurements have no contact and are not checked. The indicator when checking them should be zero.

In this way, regulators are checked on popular Japanese models with small engine sizes from brands such as Honda (Leard, Dio, Tact), Suzuki, Yamaha.

Replacing a faulty relay-regulator on a scooter is not difficult

How to replace a faulty relay-regulator on a scooter?

If the charging current is not supplied to the battery contacts when the generator is working properly, the stabilizer must be changed. Replacing it yourself is not difficult.

To do this, do the following:

1. Place the scooter on the center stand.
2. Find the location of the device in a specific moped model. If you can’t find it right away, you can use the instruction manual.
3. Remove the cladding. Depending on the model of the moped, the stabilizer can be located on the front (under the front plastic), in the back, or under the seat. In this case, the underseat space is removed along with the seat.
4. Unscrew the device from the seat, retaining the fasteners. As a rule, the relay is attached to the scooter frame with a bolt, less often with a self-tapping screw.
5. Disconnect the connector chip and secure the new regulator with a fastener. The installed device must have a pinout and connector similar to the replaced one, and be suitable in terms of parameters for this particular scooter model.
6. Connect the relay-regulator on the scooter to the standard connector and assemble the remaining spare parts in the reverse order of disassembly.

How to make a relay-regulator with your own hands?

To make a relay-regulator with your own hands, you need a diagram and a little knowledge. The model of a home-made regulator is based on the principle of disassembling the generator and outputting a separate end of the wire from the ground.

As a circuit, you can take the connection diagram of the relay-regulator (Figure 3), and on its basis assemble a single-phase generator.

To collect the stabilizer you need:

• disassemble the generator and remove the stator from the engine;
• then you need to unsolder the mass from the generator, solder a separate additional wire to it for winding and bring it out. This wire will be one end of the winding. The second end is the generator wire;
• after removing the wires, you need to assemble the generator in the reverse order.

With such a device, the generator has 2 wires (there should be 3 in total). You can connect the stabilizer as follows:

Do-it-yourself relay-regulator manufacturing scheme

At the end of the process, you need to connect the yellow wire from the old regulator to the “+” terminal in order to get a constant voltage on the boards of the network. Check the received voltage regulator on the scooter. On this, the process of creating a home-made device can be considered complete.

The relay-regulator is a very useful and necessary thing for the normal operation of the moped. However, it requires attention and constant monitoring of its work. Therefore, if the device is out of order or its performance is unsatisfactory, it is better to replace it with a new one, the cost of which today is from 300 to 500 rubles.

The scooter generator is one of the most important parts of the scooter, its malfunction indicates the impossibility of continuing to move, the spark simply will not appear. But if you are in doubt whether your generator is working or the cause of the scooter malfunction is in another part, it is strongly advised to check the generator. Many do not know how to check the generator on a 4t scooter, because this refers more to an electrician, which scooters hardly understand. Also, the verification problem will be in the absence of the main tool - a multimeter tester.

Experts identify several reasons for the failure of the generator:

• the formation of a short circuit;
• mechanical failure or broken wires;
• a significant decrease in the magnetization of the rotor.

Main malfunctions

Before the process of checking the generator for serviceability, consider the main malfunctions. Practice shows that the generator breaks down most often on Chinese scooters, where the most common failure is a rotor that loses magnetization. The rotor often loses magnetization precisely because of the fall of the scooter, that is, there is a direct blow. Also, in the presence of a nearby magnetic field, the rotor is discharged.

Checking with a multimeter

To check the charge on the generator, you will need to use a proven method, the main task is to find out the output voltage. First of all, completely disconnect the generator from the scooter, then use the control device and start the engine. After starting, you can check the output voltage, the working generator should show at least 5V with the engine running.

The second stage is to check the output voltage of the switch, this will already require a multimeter. The verification process begins by connecting the commutator to the generator stator, this is done using the wires of both parts. After that, it is required to disconnect the wire related to the switch unit from the ignition coil winding terminal. The next step is to connect two leads - one goes to the engine ground, the second to the main wire on the ignition coil. This main wire is connected to the switch.

After that, you will have to set the voltmeter to the main “constant current” mode and spin the engine with a kickstarter. By these actions, we can find out the output voltage of the switch to the ignition coil. Then connect the switch wire to the coil. Under normal conditions, the output voltage of the scooter should be 200V. For many, such a check may seem too complicated, because most of the terms are unfamiliar, and not everyone can use a multimeter, but if you really want to, you can try and check the generator on a Chinese scooter.

Voltage test

Using a multimeter, it is possible to find out the presence of voltage and its indicators, so you will have to start the procedure by removing some parts of the plastic located in the engine area. On the scooter, you will have to find a large bundle of wires, which is located on the engines. Locate the wire that should be connected to the generator. The next step is to measure the performance of the circuit, the main task of which is to feed the generator coil with electricity. Important: before this test, you will have to disconnect the wiring from the generator, after which you can check the resistance. In normal operating condition, the generator should produce a resistance of 80 to 150 ohms. A deviation from the norm indicates a malfunction of the generator and the need to replace it. In some cases, the presence of the wrong resistance lies in the wiring that has a malfunction. This can be determined by removing the generator and checking the resistance of the coil separately, if it gives optimal data, the reason is in the wires, in particular their short circuits.

Detecting the above malfunctions is not an easy task, most of the scooter owners are not able to check the generator for serviceability, which is why they turn to specialists. With financial opportunities, it is easier to buy a new generator, so you decide how to solve this problem yourself.

Voltage regulator or as it is also called a relay-regulator. This part of electrical equipment is very important and it is on it that the durability of the battery and other electrical appliances depends. The relay performs the function of a voltage stabilizer at the level that the generator produces, then this voltage goes to all the scooter devices that use it.

If the voltage regulator was faulty or absent on the scooter, then the voltage would jump and all devices would quickly burn out. The regulator keeps the voltage within certain limits, preventing it from rising and falling too much, usually within 12-14.5 volts. For example, incandescent lamps suffer significantly even from a voltage increase of 2 volts.

The generator can also produce 35 volts, and the regulator drops this voltage to 12 volts. To charge the scooter battery, you need direct current, it is the regulator that turns the alternating current into direct current. Therefore, the state of the scooter voltage regulator must be watched very carefully so as not to cause trouble.
One way to understand that the relay-regulator has failed is that the light bulbs burn out quickly. They themselves have a fairly high resource and durability, but at the same time they are sensitive to voltage drops.
By the way, when starting the scooter from the starter, there is a strong voltage surge that can also harm, but the regulator on the scooter corrects this situation again.

Different manufacturers of scooters put different relay-regulators, since each model needs an individual one. Depending on the voltage regulator circuit, the connectors may also differ.

The voltage regulator relay on a Chinese scooter differs from the Japanese one even in the number of terminals. So, in Chinese there are 5 (dad), and in Japanese there are only 4.

But the general principle of operation of the voltage regulator in all is almost the same and performs the role of switching voltage using a powerful thyristor, turning the voltage on and off from the generator.

Regulator diagram on a Japanese scooter:

How to check scooter voltage regulator?

To check, you need to stock up on a multimeter that has a voltmeter function. It is needed to measure the voltage at the output of the voltage regulator.

To measure the voltage, you first need to get to your destination. To do this, you need to remove the front fairing. As a rule, it is screwed on with several nuts and rivets (for example, on Honda dio 3 nuts and 4 rivets). Remove the fairing carefully, it is easy to damage. There we need to find a small box in which there are 4 exits (some scooters have 5 exits). The outputs have the following colors: green , red , yellow and white .

In order to measure the voltage, the scooter must first stabilize in operation, that is, the idle speed must be stable. You can put it on the bandwagon, start it and wait for stabilization. If, or does not hold idle, then read the article:. If all is well, then you need to measure the voltage between the red and green wires. We set our measuring device to 20V, constant voltage measurement mode. If the voltage is within 14.6 - 14.8 then this normal voltage of the relay-regulator. If the regulator is faulty, then this value can fluctuate even by 5V or more in any direction. If the value is less than 14.5V, or exceeds 15V, then the regulator is faulty.

Now you need to check the voltage supplied to the lighting. Since an alternating voltage is supplied there, we also set our multimeter to measure an alternating voltage of 20V. To measure the voltage supplied to the lighting, you need to measure it between the green and yellow wires. As a rule, the norm for lighting is the voltage in 12 volt, most incandescent bulbs are designed for just such a voltage. + - 0.5 volts is allowed. Do not forget that the scooter is idling and if you add speed, the voltage will rise, but it is not even permissible for the voltage on the regulator to rise to 13+ volts. If the regulator is faulty, the voltage may rise higher. For example, up to 15-16V, but even 13 volts of voltage is harmful for incandescent bulbs. The regulator is clearly defective. Especially considering that this is at idle speed of the engine.

If you see that the voltage regulator is not working, then you need to urgently replace it. Otherwise, very soon other devices will be added to it that simply could not withstand the high voltage.

A 4t scooter voltage regulator relay can be bought for 500 rubles.

If you do not understand what and how to check, or have additional questions, you can ask them in the comments or find the answer in the video:

Do-it-yourself voltage regulator for a scooter

You can make a relay-regulator with your own hands, this requires a little knowledge and a scooter voltage regulator circuit. We will make a voltage regulator for a Chinese scooter with our own hands. The cheapest option is to take a shunt voltage regulator. The nuance is that for proper operation it is necessary to disassemble the generator and remove the wire from the ground with a separate wire.

It was decided to make a do-it-yourself voltage regulator for the reason that the Chinese counterparts are so lousy that there are simply no words here. We look at the photo diagram of the Chinese voltage regulator:

We will assemble a single-phase generator according to this scheme:

In order to make a relay-regulator, you must first disassemble the generator and remove the stator from the engine. Now we see this picture:

The photo shows the mass that needs to be soldered, and we need to solder a separate wire to the winding to it. Then it needs to be brought outside. It is this wire that will be one end of the winding. The other end is a white wire.

Voltage regulator, or as it is also called, relay-regulator, has a clear purpose on modern scooters. The voltage regulator stabilizes the current supplied from the generator so that it can then be distributed to the main consumers, such as light bulbs, sensors, relays, batteries, indicators, starting enrichment, etc.

Simply put, the voltage regulator on a scooter is a kind of transformer in the electrical network, which lowers and stabilizes the voltage to a level that contributes to the normal operation of all devices and has certain limits beyond which power surges are unacceptable.

Consider an example when scooter light bulb constantly burns out. We buy a new one, then another one, without thinking that in fact the life of an ordinary incandescent bulb on a scooter is quite long, and the reason for the frequent replacement of the bulb in the voltage regulator.

The principle of this is quite simple. Let's assume that any electrical appliance of the scooter is designed to operate from a 12-13 V AC mains. In this situation, any device will serve its allotted time without any problems. With an increase in voltage, even by 2 V, the service life will be halved. The higher this threshold rises, the less likely it is for any electrical appliance to work properly and for a long time. This is obvious, and therefore, in these situations, you should immediately check the voltage at the approach to electrical appliances.

Consider the pinout of the voltage regulator of Chinese scooters and mopeds:

For each contact, the color of the wire that fits it is indicated. This is very useful to know, especially if for some reason the plastic connector itself has broken and you don’t know what to connect where, or something has been soldered there. There are a lot of such questions, so I decided to post them so that they don’t ask again.

Now let's look at the diagrams and pinouts of regulators on Japanese scooters:

Here we see the main pinout, as well as the layering scheme. I think everything is very clear.

How to check scooter voltage regulator.

For this we need a tester. In our case, it is mechanical, but you can also use electronic. The main thing is that the tester shows correctly and does not represent a cheap toy.

Measurements will be carried out on the Honda scooter regulator. These are also used in most Chinese scooters and mapeds. So, we switch the measuring device to the KiloOhm mode. We remove the relay-regulator and begin measurements. For convenience, the contacts are marked with letters:

We put the probes of the device on the terminals AB, while the tester shows 18 kOhm.

After that, swap the probes (BA) and look at the readings, the needle should remain at zero. It is important.

Now we install the probes on the outputs of the LED and observe the readings of 33 kOhm.

We swap places on the DC, we get 42 kOhm.

All other measurements do not have contact and are not called. The indicator must be zero.

Thus, you can check the correctness of the voltage regulator of the scooter (in our case, these are Honda Dio, Honda Lead, Honda Tact scooters and scooters with similar regulators). Cardinally other devices may differ in readings, so this must be taken into account.

The voltage regulator on a scooter is also called a regulator relay - this is the most important part of the entire electrical system of a scooter, which, in addition to providing basic functions, helps the battery to work longer and better. But the main task of the regulator relay is to ensure a stable supply of current that comes from the generator. After the current has entered the relay-regulator, the part begins its correct distribution to all necessary devices, including light bulbs, a battery, sensors, indicators, and others. According to its purpose, the relay can be compared to a transformer that receives and distributes electricity. Without it, the current will simply go in the wrong amount, which threatens the instant failure of all devices. Depending on the model of the scooter, the relay prevents the generator from producing a voltage greater or less than the norm; in more frequent cases, this norm ranges from 12 to 14.5 volts. All current consumers (headlights, turns, sensors, etc.) are designed to use up to 12 volts.

It is also worth considering that initially the scooter generator produces an average of 30 to 35 volts, but at the start of operation, the 4t scooter voltage relay-regulator allows you to reduce this figure to an acceptable 12-14.5 volts. Another important task of this part is that it receives alternating current from the generator, turning it into direct current. If the voltage relay breaks, you are threatened with rapid wear of all electrical appliances, the bulbs will burn out over time and you will have to change them until they receive direct current in the maximum allowable amount.

What does a relay controller look like?

This detail is outwardly quite small, it looks like a small aluminum radiator. It works great with a thyristor, which has a flat surface and is located under the heatsink. The task of the thyristor is to normalize the voltage during jumps above or below normal. The relay-regulator is located in the front of the scooter under the front plastic, it is easy to find due to its noticeable appearance. Considering the part of Chinese 4t scooters, the characteristics of the part and its type are selected according to the scooter's instruments, location and characteristics. We strongly recommend that you buy a relay exactly for your scooter model, otherwise the connectors will not fit.

Checking the Regulator Relay on a Scooter

If you notice that the bulbs on your scooter often burn out, even after replacement, this happens after a certain period, most likely your relay regulator has broken. But before replacing, you need to make sure of this by checking the part with a tester. To do this, take a mechanical or electronic tester. First of all, you need to configure the device by turning on the KiloOhm mode. Next, you will have to remove the relay from the scooter and measure the indicators at the conclusions that are marked in the picture below.

First of all, we measure the indicators of the AB terminals with a probe, they should show 18 kOhm. Next, we swap the probe and check the conclusions of the VA, the tester should show 0 kOhm, that is, do not react in any way. If the tester starts to react, most likely the relay is broken. After that, we check the conclusions of the LED, the indicator should be within 33 kOhm. By swapping the conclusions on the DS, the voltage should increase slightly, for example, to 42 kOhm. In other cases of ringing the conclusions, changing them (BP, DV, etc.), the tester should not respond to the action, the mark should show about ohm.

Important: this relay test example was carried out on a Japanese Honda brand scooter, so if you own any of the Tact, Dio or Lead models, feel free to check the serviceability in the above way.