Podtronics Compatibility

Hi Guys, here is one that has me and my friends stumped.
Have been riding with mates over the summer on their Commandos, , one has a 1973 Roadster running a Podtronics unit with a MB9U Motobatt AGM battery and after a year with the new Podtronics unit, has starting giving him trouble.
We have charged and load tested the battery all tests are fine.
We have checked the DC output from the alternator and although not 14+ Volts it certainly puts out 13 +

We fully charged the battery using a 10AMP electronic charger (this was after the problems first arose) and he gets about 3 to 4 hours riding before it quits on him.
We tested all earth paths, all excellent.
After it quits , he leaves it for 1/2 to a hour gets a restart out of it only for it to quit again 1 hour later with the battery back to 10 Volts.
My thoughts are on a dicky Podttronics, perhaps failing when getting hot. it is mounted in the same position as where the genuine rectifier was.
Is there any history of the Podtronics and a AGM style battery not being compatible?
Regards Mike

A friend in the pretty parts of NY state, had similar issues that turned out to be battery related not the podtronic or alternator which he suspected at first till two set of the mat batteries made him switch back to regular sealed gel type. Seemed was more a vibration related failure than charging spikes or bad chemistry. I know the basic sealed alarm type batteries are pretty resistance to bouncing and crashing.

I know that on my Combat with a Podtronics I cannot charge it with the main fuse connected. I have to either disconnect the battery or the fuse. If you don't, the podtronics unit zaps the charge.

Didn't know that. The most confusing thing of all is a "slow short", a baffling possibility.

I never realized this either or have not experienced this charging issue.

If you need to charge your system often, then perhaps feeding the charging system through the ign. switch. Or maybe something is wired wrong, but it seems too straight forward for this.

It's not a bad idea to pull the fuse when charging anyway.

I'm using the same podrtonics reg/rect on Trixie as was on Peel with key switch wiring left alone but charges and holds charge just fine on rather small batteries no problemo and no measurable drain with meter. I kept the 2MC cap inline to allow running w/o battery, which Peel flings have tossed out taking side cover with it [never found it again] and didn't even know till pulled into a village and let rpm drop to low. I couldn't kick fast enough to restart boyah, so farmer pulled us to 20's mph and got on home blipping as needed on the extra slow parts. To charge a flat battery I just hook clips to battery with key off and forget about it.

Thanks Les, the charger I have is of the similar type, although the owner of the bike in question , might not have the same. I charged his battery here and he had no problems after that for two days. It was only after he had a gap of a couple of days then went on another two day ride did it occur again.
Mine I use for my gel battery(full car type) for my motorised kayak and the Motobatt MB9U unit I have in my bike, although after 2 years, haven't had the need to charge that one, however the kayak one gets plenty of use.

I will check today on his charger, he is another city 3 hours away.
Yes had the fuse disconnected while charging here at my place overnight, our usual practice.

His charging doesnt go through an ignition switch as such, he has the normal toggle switch in the headlight, uses first postion for ignition on, second position for lights on, KISS theory.
Will get to the bottom of it eventually
Thanks for the replies
Regards Mike

I had this same problem, or so I thought, with my Power Box

turned out I had a fractured alternator wire and so no charging juice was getting to the unit

test: hook up voltmeter and then verify volts actually go UP when you raise the idle ! mine did not

1up3Down, did that and although output is not 14 + volts, I suspect the output is not quite enough over time. Should know at days end after further testing
Regards Mike

Mike, after I fixed the alternator wire I rightfully assumed my charging problem was solved, NOPE

yes, voltage went up when I raised the idle but my ignition still cut off not far from home...

I finally broke down and bought a new battery, problems all solved, even though my batt only 3 years old!

turned out it could only hold a charge for a short while

time for a new battery for you?

I had problems with a podtronic in combination with a RITA and a 3WA assimilator.
When turning off the ignition, on some occasions there was a circuit from the battery via podtronics and 3WA to the frame: the ignition indicator light stayed on!
Very strange indeed!
I didn't get my finger behind it, but it looked as if switching off power to the rita caused a ripple causing one of the diodes in the podtronic to open?
With the rita disconnected, no problem.
I replaced the 3WA with a Mk3 assimilator, problem solved.
No apparent damage to the Podtronic.

Update on this thread, same battery, same alternator, removed the Podtronics unit, refitted the old rectifier and zener diode, end of problem so far?
Regards Mike