Duromax 3 amp charge

[Dw89xj]

Can I just hook the 3amp charge wire to my battery to help it charge or will I need a regulator or something of that nature? It's on a duromax 18hp Honda clone. I'm not having luck finding a ten or 18 amp coil so I'm just using the 3 amp until I get an alternator pulley or come up with something else to help charge the battery. Il be using a car battery so I'm sure I can get plenty of starts on a charge. But I'm going to have lights, radio, and winch also. The winch will probably get a pretty good workout plowing snow this winter. Thanks for any help also if anyone has an alternator pulley to fit a clone or gx engine for sale I might be interested depending on price. They're right around 75 bucks on the Vegas carts site.

[dirtdobber]

Hey Dw,

Just a little google research indicates there's virtually nothing out there as far as info for these charging systems. So, if I were in your shoes, here's what I would do:
1. since it has a single wire charging system, I assume it is a DC circuit, but I would test it just in case. Using a multimeter, set it to DC current and connect to the charging wire (red to charging wire, black to ground). With the engine off, it should read 0 voltage. With the engine at idle, it might read 12 volts and at wide open throttle it should read above 12, maybe 14 or so. I'm not completely sure. The point is the faster the engine spins the more voltage it produces. You should get nice steady readings on your meter as the engine changes speed. This will confirm DC current. At full throttle, note what your voltage reading is. You will need it later.

2. The next thing to decide is whether or not there is a regulator built into the Duromax wiring. The absence of a regulator means you stand a chance of overcharging you battery. The regulator can be as small as a diode built into a connector. To test for a regulator, I would fully charge the battery and read its voltage (let's say 12.5 volts). Run your charging wire directly to the positive post on the battery, and crank it up. run the engine wide open and continuously read the voltage at the battery. You may read your wide open voltage but if so it should only be for a moment. If there is a built in regulator it should keep the engine from charging and thus you should read only the 12.5 volts from the battery. If it reads nothing, then turn on every light, radio etc. to create demand and see if it starts charging.

I'm not an electrical expert, but it seems as though this test might tell something about the system.

[Dw89xj]

That's what I'm finding is there is very little info on the charging system. I have a couple old gm alternators from other projects through the years I could use I just didn't wanna spend the 74 and change for the pulley. I'm sure I'll be fine for the rest of summer and fall but this winter is gonna take it's toll on the battery I'm sure. I'm going to do like you said with the multimeter and do some testing. Thank you for the help.

[ARGOJIM]

Find a Honda part with corresponding series donor, ie gx390.

[Dw89xj]

I was looking at genuine Honda parts a little bit ago, funny you mention it, but it is still cheaper to buy the pulley unless I can luck into a bad one with the right flywheel and all. Oh well I guess one plus of a real alternator is I know it will have plenty of juice and gm alternators are cheap! Lol. For the rest of summer I can probably just let the battery take the hit but when winter is here I will need more power on reserve.