How do I test a voltage regulator?

[mystahagy]

Hey ya'll,

Well I know that the voltage regulator is bad on the bike, and md86 had an extra that is probably good so he sent it to me. To test it I have a variable DC power supply up here at work, but I'm confused as to where to hook up on it and what to look for. It appears to have 3 connections for either input or output, and 2 solder connections in the middle for the other end of the circuit. This middle portion appears to be a diode of some sort. Which is in or out, what range of voltages should I send through it, and what range should I recieve on the other side? I suspect the third connection is a bleed of some sort for higher voltages? Hmm.... what ya'll think.

Dennis

[trinc]

a voltage regulator has an input, output & adjustment( or ground ).

the adjustment input is to vary the output voltage. i'd imagine the kat ( all car/bikes/truck ) have a fixed rate regulator.

testing ? apply a voltage on the input and see whats on the output . how high of an input ? the greater the voltage drop by the regulator the hotter it will become.

of course testing without a load may provide inaccurate results.


tim

[mystahagy]

Fortunately I work at a place where we build larger scale rectifiers for cathodic protection. For resistance I would be able to apply up to 1 ohm I think. But also, I don't even know which is input and output..... is the input those two solder points? Also if that's the case, it would appear that neither point is noted as positive or negative.

[md86]

Well , the book says once you hook up the circuit (however THAT is . I can't scan the pic) , you put 12v to it and the test light should be on . Then you pump the voltage up to 14.5 and the light should go off . the input LOOKS like it's the connection all by itself on the right side (one conn is on right side , two conn are on the left side) . There's the power source going stright to the input with one lead of the volt meter on it , then there's a test-light coming off of the connection all the way to the left with a swithc after it and the other voltmeter lead . And it LOOKS like the "middle" connecter has a wire attached to the same line as the light (right after it) . Make any sense at all ?

[md86]

Let's see how well this works ....

[mystahagy]

hey thanks for scanning that. hopefully I'll get to set that stuff up tomorrow and test it out.