So how much electrical power does Ulysses have to spare? The shop manual says the alternator outputs 32A at 3,500 rpm and the voltage is just over 14V, so it adds up to about 450W. How much power does Ulysses need to function? Motorcycle Travel book by Dale Coyner says that on average a fuel injected bike consumes 300-350W of power. The breakdown that he gives adds up to about 250W though - 60W for the fuel pump, 60W for the cooling fan (I don't think the cooling fan on Uly runs all the time though, does it?), 50W for the ignition, 25W for the ECU, 55W for the headlight (110W if they are rewired to both go on with the high beam on). Well, maybe another 10-20W for the tail/license plate/instrument panel lights (stop lights too, but they are used rather intermittently and they are LED's - right?). Am I forgetting anything? I guess blinkers and horn can be taken out of equation. Oh, yeah, heated grips is probably another ~25W (based on the fact that my heated Gerbing gloves consume 21W) Because if 250W is a pretty accurate number Uly has up to 200W to spare - does that sound about right or I am being overly optimistic? Thanks!
how much power to spare
- Thread starter Yan
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Yes, I am trying to see what accessories I can safely add. I currently have Gerbing gloves (21W) and jacket liner (~80W), plus the PO rewired the headlights so that when I turn the high beam on both low and high beam stay on. That is ~150W of extra load (if driving with high beam on), so I want to know if I am taxing the system or not yet. I do have a regulator for the jacket liner, so it's actually drawing less than maximum 80W (most of the time anyways), but I still want to be sure I am not causing any damage to the alternator.
When I run the low and high beam lights plus additional spot lights (Hella 55 watts each) I installed, the warning light comes on after about 20 minutes of driving, when I come to an idle. Hope this helps you determine that adding 110w consumption will overlaod the charging system and indicate low voltage.
DrogeN Omen
Well-known member
watts are not the problem, you have 180watts free but only about 14amps free so you need to make sure you use the least amount of amps as possible.
check out my aux lights. 55watts each at 4amps each total 110wats 8amps, so i have 70watts & 6amps free to add other stuff maybe low power heated handle grips or something.
http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-For...ods/Cornering-lightsroad-side-ilumination-mod
here is a diagram i have.
hope it helps.
check out my aux lights. 55watts each at 4amps each total 110wats 8amps, so i have 70watts & 6amps free to add other stuff maybe low power heated handle grips or something.
http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-For...ods/Cornering-lightsroad-side-ilumination-mod
here is a diagram i have.
hope it helps.
TheyCallMe
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- Aug 2, 2009
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Fan turns on when you are riding sometimes.. mostly if you are going slower speed through town or something. Its thermostatically controlled, so when the engine gets to a certain temp it pops on. Majority of the time its off though, especially on cooler days.
Amps times volts equals watts. If you could increase the voltage the alternator puts out you could get away with fewer amps to do the same work. That might be easy to do on an old bike with carbs and points, but somewhat more difficult to make work on a new fuel injected bike.
konarider94
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- Sep 12, 2009
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i assume you have been riding like this for a while already? if so and it hasnt killed your battery yet i assume its doing just fine at keeping the battery charged. its not like the accessories run directly off the charging system, the battery can handle short spikes over what the charging system can handle. ie the starter.
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