Problem with Geely 50cc scooter's alternator? Please help!
If you have a friend who wears a hearing aid with a telephone pickup coil, the test is very easy. Have your friend switch the hearing aid to the telephone position, then listen to the engine while it is idling with the clutch disengaged. Accelerate the engine and let it return to idle. Your friend should hear a rapid ticking noise from the spark plug and a whine from the alternator that goes up in pitch when the engine runs faster. If he hears the ticking but doesn't hear the whine even at low speed, have him listen closer to the battery or alternator. If he still doesn't hear it, the alternator is probably not working at all. (I use this technique quite often to find ignition or alternator faults.)
If you have a voltmeter, measure the battery voltage when the scooter is not running. It should be at least 11.8 Volts. Start the scooter, and with the clutch disengaged, speed up the engine while monitoring the battery voltage. It should increase with engine speed, up to 14 Volts. (Do not run the engine for a long time at high speed with the clutch disengaged. Lack of cooling airflow or overspeeding may damage the engine.) Alternatively, turn on the headlight and see if it gets brighter with increased engine speed. If the battery voltage stays low and the headlight doesn't work or is dim at any speed, the alternator is bad.
The usual failure modes causing low or no output are a faulty regulator, worn brushes, or failed rectifier module. It is sometimes cheaper to repair the alternator than to replace it, if you know how to take it apart and put it back together. (The biggest trick is to use the brush access holes to pin the brushes away from the commutator during assembly; once everything is together, remove the pins to let the brushes contact the commutator. I use a pair of small nails for the pins.) You may be able to purchase a rebuild kit from an automotive or motorcycle parts store.
Note: if most of your scooter operation is at low engine speed, the alternator may not turn fast enough to fully charge the battery. If it is not practical to occasionally run at a higher speed, you may need to obtain a 12 V battery charger (at least 1.5 A output) to fully charge the battery when the scooter is at home. Also, if you receive an empty new battery and have to pour the acid in to use it, follow the directions and let the battery sit for several hours before charging it, then install it. If you don't do this, the new battery won't last very long.
×