Topic: CB 500F charging system

[KurtK]

I love my 500F it does everything well except keep the battery charged.  I have read every post ..;even put on a new electronic regulator and last night with the lights on the engine started to quit from lack of power to the points. (Battery seems good and is about 4 months old)  This morning I unplug-ed the lights in the speedometer and tach which will help, even put a switch in to turn off the tail light.
I even thought about a way to run some kind of small alternator off the tach cable....but this is not going to happen. Turning off the headlight at a stop light gets old!

Has anyone found the solution to these old bikes and their charging issues?

[BVCB650]

Well, if you don't have a dead short somewhere, then your troubles may originate in the stator regein. Have you checked it to see if it is putting out any current? How are the carbon brushes in there?

[tjhva]

Are you getting 14.5 volts @ 2,000rpm?

I put a new voltage regulator and rectifier from Oregon Motorcycle Parts on my bike and it fixed my charging problems.

[bryanj]

They dont charge till over 3,000 revs and not ever if you run a halogen headlight

[BVCB650]

Mine noticably charges at 2000 rpms as evidence from a brighter headlight shining on my garage wall.

[bryanj]

The voltage increase from 2,000 but rarely enough to charge the battery till over 3,000

[TwoTired]

Has anyone found the solution to these old bikes and their charging issues?

Yes.  Fix what you have.

1. Honda never made a Cb500F.  Honda made CB550F models and all the rest were K models, 500 and 550.
2. The CB 500 has no brushes.  Is has an excited field alternator.
3.  There are two repair methods:
  a) keep replacing parts until it stops misbehaving.
  b) Use test instruments to analyze why the system is not behaving correctly. (Got meter?)  First thing, measure battery voltage and report.
4. Do we assume your bike is still in stock configuration, and utilizes all the stock electrical components including bulb wattages?
5. Do we assume you have a DMM and skills to use it?

[Deltarider]

They dont charge till over 3,000 revs and not ever if you run a halogen headlight.

Ours on the European continent do. Later models even came standard equipped with 55/60 Watts halogen lights. Keep it above 3000 rpm. Riding under 3000 rpm, you're abusing that engine anyway.

[KurtK]

I  am charging at 14 volts at 3,000 RPM 

I have a Sylvania 2D1 headlight....   says sealed beam.  I Googled that and can't find out anything about it ...does anyone know?

Could this be my problem?

[BVCB650]

The voltage increase from 2,000 but rarely enough to charge the battery till over 3,000

My 650 has an increased charging capacity over 500/550's. When verified with a volt meter at 2000 rpms, I am CHARGING at 14-15 volts.


http://www.jasonkent.ca/manuals/79%20CB650%20Service%20016.pdf

[BVCB650]

Has anyone found the solution to these old bikes and their charging issues?

Yes.  Fix what you have.

1. Honda never made a Cb500F.  Honda made CB550F models and all the rest were K models, 500 and 550.
2. The CB 500 has no brushes.  Is has an excited field alternator.
3.  There are two repair methods:
  a) keep replacing parts until it stops misbehaving.
  b) Use test instruments to analyze why the system is not behaving correctly. (Got meter?)  First thing, measure battery voltage and report.
4. Do we assume your bike is still in stock configuration, and utilizes all the stock electrical components including bulb wattages?
5. Do we assume you have a DMM and skills to use it?

Thanks for informing about the brushes. I forget although we all have 4 cylinders, not everything is created equal in the different models.

[TwoTired]

Thanks for informing about the brushes. I forget although we all have 4 cylinders, not everything is created equal in the different models.

No problem.
Actually, I should have said that the 500/550 has a >Stationary< Excited field.
The rotor is just spinning magnetized metal.

The 650 has an excited field, too.  But, it rotates.  So, brushes are needed for an electrical connection.  I think the 650, when in good nick, charges way better at idle than the 500/550.  May well have more output at all speeds. (When the rotor isn't shorted, that is.  )

[BVCB650]

Thanks for informing about the brushes. I forget although we all have 4 cylinders, not everything is created equal in the different models.

No problem.
Actually, I should have said that the 500/550 has a >Stationary< Excited field.
The rotor is just spinning magnetized metal.

The 650 has an excited field, too.  But, it rotates.  So, brushes are needed for an electrical connection.  I think the 650, when in good nick, charges way better at idle than the 500/550.  May well have more output at all speeds. (When the rotor isn't shorted, that is.  )

Yea, they did come with something like a 200+ charging watt capacity, about double than 500/550. I can see mine kick in around 200rpms which is basically the fast idle setting.

[bryanj]

The "normal" fault (if there is such a thing) with the charging on the 500/550 is volt drop accross the connectors, bad grounds and occasionally a sticking regulator