Alternator output went up???

Cruising without stress the bike was putting circa 13.6 volts out. Push it over 120kms and the read out would drop to 13.4.
Yesterday we had a naughty thrash up falls creek. I noticed on the return down bill ride the alternator was showing 13.9/13.8 and on the flat home it settled at 13.7/13.8. Is it the last hurrah before the alternator craps out or is it perhaps the regulator dicky-any ideas. Otherwise she runs a treat.

What's on the dash is a result of the elektrikery used by Guzzi. On my bike, I add 0.8 V to the dash reading and yes it goes up and down somewhat. On a good day, I will see 13.0 V on the dash, when first started, 12.2 V is normal.

I find the best time to read the dash readout is around 2,000 RPM. Over this, there are some electrical harmonics happening, and the readout being LCD, is fairly slow and cannot read an instantaneous number successfully.

These harmonics come from the ignition coils as they make and break, and fire off the HT to the plugs, so the system has a ripple on the nominal 12 V rail. I think also the regulator charges up the battery and then backs it all off a tad, when deemed to be charged.

I use a LiFePO4 battery, too, which has a higher requirement for a full charging level - ideally 14.2 V.

I am about to replace the large wire coming from the alternator to improve this situation (we all know MG put the smallest wire possible into these bikes, that's why many of us suffer startus interruptus) with a larger CSA to assist in getting better numbers for the battery (on the dash too).

What Tony said. The dash is as slow as a wet week in it's calcumulations. Accuracy of the voltmeter is questionable, wiring is less than stellar, harmonics, quantum static, et al, can all cause inaccuracies in the displayed voltage.

Attach multimeter to battery. Observe volts at various revolutions. Ponder.

Clean your carbohydrate!

Also you have to take what Tony says about electrickery with a grain of salt, or should that be a grain of ant. He has 3 5 permanently fried black ants IN his dash. I suspect they have been nuked by one of his ray guns.

Ok guys thank you for a great timely response. So first I will check to see if there are any fried ants in the works then basically muck around with my multimeter.
I had an early multistada (air cooled ) and by putting a larger earthing strap on her made a significant starting improvement.

GHTE wrote:

I had an early multistada (air cooled ) and by putting a larger earthing strap on her made a significant starting improvement.

Also applies to Guzzi's.

Actually, one of the best mods you can do is re-attach the earth strap to one of the 8mm crankcase/gearbox mounting studs.

The original is held by a pissy 5mm screw, you'll find it above the starter motor, under the starter motor cover. Drill the eye out to fit the 8mm stud, located just above and to the left of the original location.

Thank you Ghezzi, I am about to change fan belts so I will do both operations at the same time.
Good advise-cheers Mmate.

I resemble those remarks. Might also be pissed - flaming ingrate kids...

Maybe the shake cracked some of the birt / oxidation from one or more contacts?