Current Leakage - From Where!?

Anyone sensible while be out on their bike in this weather!
You have me convinced on the leakage.
Just checked charging (@5000 rpm).
No lights - 14.5v
Lights on main - 12.8v
In fact with no lights even at idle it is around 14v.
I am thinking this is a little low - reg/rec time? Big bucks?
(And ride with no lights in the mean time, hi viz vest dusted off)
A chunk of my commute probably happens around 3-4.5k rpm, so with lights on I guess I was never really charging the battery?
Should I now also check the unregulated voltage, rule out the alternator?

Yes, at 5000 rpm, 12.8 volts with the lights on is too low - it should be more like 13.5. Time to go trundling through the connections. Are the light bulbs differant from OEM? I'm not sure on the specs of the original bulbs, but differant ones may be drawing more energy

(just wondering, what year SV is it? if its 1999-2002, what voltage reading do you get when just the little "side light" is on, not the main dipped of full beam?)

In fact recently (week or so ago) fitted a Philips Xtreme power H4. But this should be 12v, 60/55w same as OEM?
Its a 99 SV. Think connections OK since leakage within limits (assuming haynes manual is wrong), possibly reg/rec?
With side lights, dunno, will check when back from B&Q run demanded by other half. Personally, I think that a leaking bath comes lower on list of priorities than sorting bike, but there you go.

You can check the unregulated voltage, but its always the recitifier. The voltage should stay pretty much constant what ever the bike is doing.

Alot of people including me use a longer lasting rectifier from a different bike, the are known to be more reliable (mosfet). About £40 for one off a 2009 firblade is what me and 5short5 used. A little bit of extra wiring is needed, have a read.

Cheers fellas, bath sealant beckons, will check out the link later. If nothing else I have learned that removing the seat cowling is less of a faff than I expected.

No when yer screws are all lock tighted like mine were lol