If you have a “Chinese” model, then there is nothing to think about - lift up or completely remove the footrest (if any), where you will see a rectangular hatch right under your feet. Unscrew the two screws on the hatch behind which you will find your battery. It's more difficult with the Japanese. The Japanese battery can be placed anywhere. Starting as in the “Chinese” - under your feet and ending with special niches in the front of the hood and even under the seat.
On some Japanese cars the battery is hidden behind the front of the engine hood. If an external inspection of your “Japanese” does not reveal any hatches or covers, do not be too upset about this: lift the saddle, remove the seat tank and 100% you will find your battery there
What does the Ampere-hour (Ah) characteristic mean in the battery labeling?
It is Ampere-hour (Ah or Ah), and not Ampere per hour (A/h)! The nominal capacity of the battery is measured in Ampere-hours - this is one of the main characteristics. For example, if you discharge a battery with a current equal to 1/20 of its capacity (at 12 Ah the current will be 0.6 A), then the battery will discharge to a voltage of 10.5 V in 20 hours. This is a technique that is understandable only to specialists. So a 12 Ah battery with a discharge current of 1 A will be discharged in 10 hours, and with a discharge of 12 A - in 35 minutes. This relationship is nonlinear. The battery capacity is not constant; it depends on the state of charge, temperature and age of the battery. The older the battery, the lower its capacity and starting characteristics.
Features of electrical equipment
Unlike domestic motorcycles and mopeds, Alfa already in its basic version has a number of advantages:
- Electronic 12V ignition;
- Electric starter;
- Electronic tachometer on the instrument panel.
For reference: electronic ignition ensures trouble-free engine starting and stable operation in all operating modes. A simple circuit and the ease of replacing failed components with your own hands greatly simplifies the use of the vehicle.
Energy sources
The moped uses a circuit with a battery power source. The manufacturer does not recommend its operation without a battery, and the wiring diagram for the Alpha moped is additionally equipped with a relay regulator (see also the wiring diagram for UAZ 31512).
The six-coil generator also copes well with its duties:
- Maintains voltage throughout the entire engine speed range;
- Ensures that the headlights and headlights work while driving.
For reference: the factory instructions do not allow the installation of additional lighting fixtures. It is also prohibited to use headlight lamps on a moped that exceed the power specified in the technical documentation.
Control and management bodies
The presence of informative devices makes the operation of the moped quite simple, which attracts many buyers. Moreover, which is typical, a fairly large number of beginners decide to buy a two-wheeled vehicle, choosing Alpha mopeds.
The equally simple operation of the moped also contributes to its popularity. All the main functions of the vehicle are displayed on the steering wheel, and their status is displayed on the instrument panel:
- Speed mode;
- Engine speed;
- Battery charge state;
- Daily and total mileage (see also Ural motorcycle wiring diagram).
Why do you need to maintain electrolyte levels?
Maintenance-free or low-maintenance lead-acid batteries use an electrolyte that is a solution of sulfuric acid and distilled water. During operation, water evaporates and the concentration of sulfuric acid increases. Concentrated acid can cause accelerated corrosion of the internal elements of the battery, which leads to the formation of sediment, which can subsequently lead to short-circuiting of the oppositely polarized plates.
Alfa moped wiring diagram: features of domestic operation
With the development of trade relations between Russia and China, in addition to traditional knitted goods and consumer electronics, various auto and motorcycle equipment began to be imported en masse to our country. And since the domestic motorcycle industry was experiencing a decline, the new items were to the taste of motorcyclists and began to be purchased en masse for their own needs.
Of particular interest is the ALPHA moped with an air-cooled engine, which is sold in the Russian Federation as “Alpha 110cc” or “Alpha 49”. The numbers in the name indicate the engine displacement:
- 49 cc four-stroke air-cooled engine. cm, power 4.5 hp;
- 110 cc four-stroke air-cooled engine. cm, power 7 hp.
Mopeds, due to their external resemblance to motorcycles, differ from scooters, although they represent a separate class. However, the combination of technical parameters, ease of do-it-yourself maintenance and low operating cost have made this moped a sales leader on the Russian motorcycle market.
For reference: in China, several manufacturers assemble the ALPHA model. Among them are Horse, Chong Qing Bull, WONJAN, Omaks and a number of others. Companies such as AVM and SMoto also assemble mopeds in Russia. At the same time, the wiring diagram of the Alpha moped is identical, regardless of the location of assembly.
What to do if the electrolyte level in the battery has dropped?
You need to purchase distilled water and add it to the battery. The electrolyte is dilute sulfuric acid. During the operation of the battery, only a slight evaporation of water occurs, which needs to be topped up. Under no circumstances should you add new electrolyte, only distilled water! It is necessary to periodically check the density of the electrolyte with a special device, a hydrometer; carry out the check in accordance with the instructions included with the battery!
Noise when charging battery?
While charging the battery, the electrolyte enters into a chemical reaction with the lead plates, and its constituent acid releases gas (hydrogen) in the form of bubbles. Those. what you hear is the process of slight gas formation in the battery. Visually it looks like boiling.
Explain the differences in the designations of the CTX12-BS and YTX12-BS batteries?
The first letter in the marking indicates the manufacturer's identifier. Different manufacturers use different letters. For example, YX12-BS stands for Sprint plant, CTX12-BS stands for Exide, GTX12-BS stands for Delco. These designations are valid for most lead acid, AGM and gel batteries. But there are exceptions.
Operating principle of a gel battery
The gel base is created using various additives in the form of silicon added to the electrolyte. Due to this, the electrolyte turns into a thick gel. Considering that when driving a scooter its inclination constantly changes, with the installation of a gel battery, you don’t have to worry that the current supply will be interrupted. The gel better fills the space between the plates inside, which helps to significantly reduce their wear during severe discharge. Studies of a gel battery when driving a scooter showed the result that with prolonged and frequent inclinations, the charge level decreases by 25%. Although many manufacturing companies indicate in advertising information that such a battery will work upside down, this is not the case. Just a publicity stunt. Knowing and following all the rules for using a gel battery, it is quite possible to extend its service life to ten years.
Diagram of the internal structure of a gel battery
What is sulfation and what causes sulfation?
Sulfation is an electrochemical process that occurs in a battery during discharge. The discharge can be different, starter and long-term, with low current.
In case of prolonged discharge with low current (current leakage during inactivity) or undercharging from the generator, the plates are coated with lead sulfate. This process is reversible, called desulfation (occurs during the charging process).
There are a number of reasons leading to sulfation:
- Frequent or constant undercharging, battery operation in negative balance (gives out more than it receives).
- Long-term storage of the battery in an undercharged state. The voltage is below 12.5 Volts.
- Deep discharge. A discharge below 10.5 Volts is especially dangerous. Then sulfation becomes irreversible. The battery loses a lot of its capacity and cannot be charged.
Many people mistakenly believe that sulfation occurs during overcharging, overheating and high loads at low or high ambient temperatures. But that's not true. Under these conditions, the active mass of the plates floats into slurry and the gratings warp.
How to prevent sulfation?
First of all, you need to keep your motorcycle's electrical system in good working order. The battery must renew the charge lost when starting the motorcycle. If you do not plan to use the motorcycle for a long time, you must disconnect the negative (-) terminal from the battery. In case of irregular use of the motorcycle, charge the battery with a special charger. Elimination of sulfation is possible by charging the battery for a long time with a low current. In the best case, sulfation can be dealt with by a charger that has a pulse current charging function. There is also irreversible sulfation, in which the battery cannot be charged. The case of such batteries usually has swelling and gets very hot when trying to charge.
Basic charging rules
In order for the battery to last as long as possible, you need to know how often to charge it, what to use and what parameters of the supplied electricity to set.
Regularity
The frequency of battery recharging depends on its type and operating conditions.
Recharging is performed as the power source discharges. How often is difficult to say exactly, since much depends on driving style, operating conditions and type of battery. Lead-acid batteries, for example, are charged once every 1.5 - 2 months. If the battery has been used for a long time, recharge it every month. Gel batteries are charged 1–2 times a season.
All batteries are prone to self-discharge, that is, they discharge on their own. This process accelerates in the cold, so when you put the motorcycle in the garage, the battery is removed and brought into a heated room.
You should not discharge a motorcycle battery below 30% - this will negatively affect its condition. To check the charge level, use a voltmeter, which is connected to the battery and set to 20 V. The red probe is attached to the “plus”, the black probe to the “minus”. If the measuring device shows 12.3 V, the battery is charged. If 11 - 12.2 V - you need to recharge. Below 11 V – urgent recharging is required to “save” the power source.
Charging time
It depends on many factors. Typically, charging is completed when the voltage reaches double the number of “cans” - 10. When bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the electrolyte, the current is halved and the battery is charged for another 2 hours.
A dry-charged power supply is charged within 9 – 10 hours. A new battery requires less - 3 - 4 hours.
Selecting a charger
There are different charging devices available. In terms of practicality, they are divided into automatic and manual. Automatic ones are easy to use - they themselves select the current strength and monitor the voltage.
Manual ones, they are ordinary ones, are also good, but you will have to monitor the charging progress. A multimeter is used for these purposes. If there is no device, the degree of recharge is determined by the state of the electrolyte.
To charge a gel motorcycle battery, you need a special charger with a current and voltage regulator. These are universal devices that can also be automatic or non-automatic.
Charger for gel batteries.
Many people are wondering whether it is possible to charge a 12 Volt motorcycle battery using a regular car charger. The power supply for a car is characterized by a high capacity, and the charger supplies a current that is unacceptable for charging a motorcycle battery. If there is a current regulator, you can charge; if not, the battery can easily be damaged.
Why do batteries differ in size?
The dimensions of the battery depend on the number and size of lead plates. This, in turn, determines the battery capacity (Ah) and the power output. Sometimes batteries with the same capacity also have different sizes, this is due to different standards of motorcycle manufacturers.
How tight should the battery terminal bolts be?
The bolts on the battery terminals should be tightened as securely as possible, but without fanaticism. Since weak terminals can lead to problems with starting the engine, oxidation of the terminals, burning and melting of contacts, sparking (and, as a result, an explosion of the battery).
What is battery acid and is it caustic?
As we already wrote above, battery acid (electrolyte) is nothing more than dilute sulfuric acid. It is very dangerous and requires very careful handling using protective equipment, such as special gloves, an apron and safety glasses! Avoid contact with skin, eyes and clothing!
Electrics and electrical equipment of a scooter
Fuel gauge and indicator. The speed at which switching from later to earlier ignition occurs depends on the stabilization voltage of the zener diode, so it can be adjusted within a wide range, changing the stabilization voltage from 3.3 to
The difference between them is the number of wires wound and the colors. It is not electrically connected to the generator and there are 2 wires coming from it: white-green and red-black.
In order not to confuse it with another wiring element, we are looking for a spare part with ribs, since the relay-regulator requires cooling and they will definitely be on the metal case.
This is what the relay regulator looks like. This is the main task of this voltage regulator relay. Need to try.
After the turn relay, the turn signal switch is installed. I can’t say about the polarity of the pulses. It is shown simplified, but sufficient to understand the principle of its operation as part of the system.
Also connected to the regulator is a yellow wire coming from the generator. There are 5 wires connected to the CDI module.
According to the diagram, this is the right position. When selecting, it is necessary, as already mentioned above, to use zener diodes with a direct current-voltage characteristic, like a conventional diode. Serves to control the front and rear turn signal lamps. The difference between them is the number of wires wound and the colors.
The starter is used to start the engine. This relay is very similar to the Minsk or Voskhod motorcycle switch. Electrical wiring Alpha, Delta
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How to store a battery in winter?
If the battery will not be used for a long period of time, for example in winter, it must be disconnected from the motorcycle, tested and recharged if necessary. It is better if a charged battery is stored at a low temperature, then the electrochemical processes in it slow down and self-discharge occurs more slowly. During the winter, it is necessary to carry out several low-current charging cycles to compensate for self-discharge. It should be charged when the battery warms up in a warm room. This will extend the battery life and eliminate any unpleasant surprises in the spring.
Precautions when working with acids.
Batteries contain poisonous and extremely corrosive acid. To prevent personal injury, damage to clothing or the motorcycle, the following operating procedures must be followed when refilling, checking the specific gravity of the electrolyte, removing, installing or carrying batteries:
Be sure to wear appropriate protective clothing (an apron or similar protection), safety glasses, a face shield and suitable gloves.
If acid gets on your clothing or body, you must immediately neutralize it, then rinse with clean water. As a neutralizer, you can use a solution of baking soda or soda ash or household ammonia.
If acid gets on the skin, the affected area should be thoroughly rinsed with water. If it gets into your eyes, rinse the affected area with cold, clean water for about 15 minutes, then seek immediate medical attention.
If battery acid gets on any parts of the motorcycle, it must be neutralized with a soda solution and washed with clean water.
When acid and water are mixed, heat is generated. If you need to prepare an electrolyte with a specific specific gravity, SLOWLY and little by little pour the concentrated acid into the water (not water into the acid), stirring the solution constantly. If the electrolyte becomes noticeably warm, allow it to cool. Be sure to use non-metallic containers and/or funnels (exception may be lead or lead-lined containers). Do not store acid in places where the temperature is too high or in direct sunlight.
When charging serviceable acid batteries, it is necessary to unscrew all plugs, because Gases and heat are released when charging. There are times when batteries explode!
What is a voltage regulator relay for Viper, Delta, Alfa mopeds:
Need a spare. And here you can get confused.
The starting of the starter is controlled by the starting relay. Among them is the famous Delta moped.
Or “raise the white flag and call SOS” - call a “tow truck” on your mobile phone. It comes from a relay regulator or battery if the engine is turned off through the ignition switch and the horn button
You can even play around a little and adjust these steps to the graph of the break in the ignition timing change curve.
When the engine is idling and at low speeds, the amplitude of the pulses coming from the induction sensor is less than the stabilization voltage of the zener diode VD4, therefore only later pulses of negative polarity pass to the input of the triac VS1, for which the zener diode is connected like a regular diode in the forward direction.
Green is the common wire. And if you look at the number of wires of such a relay-regulator, we see four of them. ALPHA TIDY! HOW TO CONNECT THE DEVICE ON ALPHA! INSTALLATION OF MOPEDS
Precautions when working with batteries
Batteries constantly produce explosive hydrogen, especially while charging. To avoid the potential risk of fire when working near a battery, the following guidelines should be followed:
Do not smoke near batteries.
Keep sparks, short circuits, or other sources of ignition away from the battery.
When disconnecting/connecting current-carrying cables, be sure to first turn off the consumers, turn off the ignition, and turn the key to the off position.
Ensure proper ventilation of the battery charging area.
The charger must be turned off in the following cases: a) when connected to a battery; b) when disconnected from the battery.
The ground wire (-) must be disconnected from the battery first and connected last.
Alfa Moped Connection Diagram
Ignition coil T1 with spark plug FV1 is located outside the switch and is shown conditionally.
One of the contacts, of course, is common.
Ignition coil 2. Dashboard alpha modification
It is worth noting that the high-voltage wire is connected to the cap without soldering.
To protect against dust, dirt and accidental short circuits, the coil is covered with a rubber cover.
On a scooter, the common wire is minus -.
The relay regulator on Chinese scooters is installed in the front part under a plastic fairing. There are other voltage regulator relays, where the colors are even more changed, but more about that later.
They are supplied with power from the battery.
Location of the main elements of the Alpha moped
Good to know
To protect the terminals from oxidation and the appearance of a white coating, they need to be cleaned, securely fastened and only then lubricated with grease (technical Vaseline, Litol, Solidol, etc.) or protected with a special acid-resistant mastic.
The battery being serviced must have a special tube for removing gases; it must be taken outside the motorcycle and not closed; it serves to remove gases and condensate during operation.
You can insert the battery into a rubber or plastic box that is slightly higher than the battery. Then, if the electrolyte suddenly spills out, it will not get on the frame and other parts of the motorcycle.
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How to check, replace
Checking is carried out using a multimeter. This device is used in electromechanics and is sold in hardware stores. There are models without a sound signal - they do not differ in appearance, and therefore you have to ask the sellers. Without a sound signal or “ringing” it is inconvenient to constantly look at the panel, but it is possible to carry out the check. Sequentially, starting from the battery to the ignition circuit and generator, all the wiring of the Alpha moped is checked. The multimeter has two probes: red and black. Red ones need to touch the plus, and black ones need to touch the mass or ground.
Thus, the wiring of the Alpha moped is a complex and vulnerable place for this vehicle. However, this is exactly what will help toughen the motorcycle owner in the face of eternal breakdowns and make him a real ace in the electricity of his motorcycle.
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