[Novafrk]

Hello everyone,

I'm still struggling with the charging system on my CB. I'm beginning to think I have a bad connection at the rectifier complicating things. Here's what I did, I insulated the regulator and I was still getting essentially battery voltage. As I would rev the engine up the meter starts going crazy, 18v, 11v, 0v, 12v, just jumping all around. If I wiggle the connector to the rectifier, it will stabilize for a few seconds/minutes (no pattern found yet).

When I got the bike, the red wire going to the rectifier was fried, I replaced it but I "engineered" a terminal to press into the original harness side connector. I think perhaps my "engineering" might be part of the problem.

Has anyone disassembled a regulator of this type? Can the components be purchased? Can they be rebuilt in essence?

Thanks for the help,

Novafrk

 

[JeyLux]

they can be build quite easily.


this guy makes some good ones from what i understand.

http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/rectifiers.html

 

[Novafrk]

Thanks Jey,

I have his rectifier installed already. He says he has a regulator / rectifier that would work but it's more than I need...

I was actually asking about the voltage regulator... it appears to be encased in an epoxy or something... I was wondering if anyone had had one of those babies apart.

Sorry about the confusion.

Novafrk

 

[tbpmusic]

Thanks Jey,

I have his rectifier installed already. He says he has a regulator / rectifier that would work but it's more than I need...

I was actually asking about the voltage regulator... it appears to be encased in an epoxy or something... I was wondering if anyone had had one of those babies apart.

Sorry about the confusion.

Novafrk

Forget it - look for a new or used one.
I may have a spare (regulator) somewhere, not sure if it works or not.

Want me to look?? 350/450, same part.

bill

 

[Novafrk]

Yes that would be cool Bill.

What time would you like me to stop by Sat? I was thinking 11 ish. I have a 50th wedding anniversary to go to at 1-5.

Eric

 

[tbpmusic]

Yes that would be cool Bill.

What time would you like me to stop by Sat? I was thinking 11 ish. I have a 50th wedding anniversary to go to at 1-5.

Eric

That will be fine, Eric. I'll see if I can dig out the regulator and clean it up.

Incidentally, how did the thing with your mother-in-law work out??

bill

 

[JeyLux]

must be nice to share parts so near by!

 

[tbpmusic]

must be nice to share parts so near by!

I see that Linden is south of Flint a little ways.
I have clients in Howell and Brighton, and make it there pretty regular. I reckon it's about a 3-hour drive from here. That's not so far.

bill

 

[JeyLux]

must be nice to share parts so near by!

I see that Linden is south of Flint a little ways.
I have clients in Howell and Brighton, and make it there pretty regular. I reckon it's about a 3-hour drive from here. That's not so far.

bill

ah!

i'm pretty much in fenton. just north of howell and brighton. i drive though brighton area everyday for work.

who's the clients?

 

[66Sprint]

Eric, First, CLEAN all the connections and make sure they are "tight"......
The voltage jumping around sounds like the REGULATOR went bad from grounding out..... They are NOT repairable....
A (full-wave bridge) RECTIFIER that works well is available from Radio Shack for about $5..... Steve

 

[tbpmusic]

ah!
i'm pretty much in fenton. just north of howell and brighton. i drive though brighton area everyday for work.
who's the clients?

Yeah, I know where Fenton is. Where do you work, exactly??

The Town of Howell, and the Genoa Township Water/Sewer Authority (I think that's the official name) are my clients (or the company I work for actually - Severn Trent).
Both are water/wastewater facilities that use database programs I wrote to keep track of their "stuff". I always stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Brighton (at the big shopping center right off the expressway) when I'm there.

Maybe next time I head up there we could hook up, I'll buy us some lunch or dinner (bring Wifey if you like)??? Though I have to warn you, once she lays eyes on me, she'll dump you. :shock: :? :lol: :lol:

Just kidding of course - I'm old, and invisible to women now.

bill

 

[tbpmusic]

Re: Ping Eric

Yes that would be cool Bill.

What time would you like me to stop by Sat? I was thinking 11 ish. I have a 50th wedding anniversary to go to at 1-5.

Eric

Hey Eric -

Come ready to work.
About a month ago I blew out my hip, I'm hobbling around with a cane for now. At least I think that's what happened - four different doctors don't seem to have a clue.
I need a little muscle to help me get a 450 engine off the bench and into the frame, no way I can do it alone in my current condition.
Would you mind, only take a minute??

bill

 

[Novafrk]

Re: Charging woes continued.

I don't mind at all. Do they go in easier than the 350 twins?

My mother in law has terminal lung/brain cancer. It started in her lung... probably two years ago. I say this because she has been losing weight, been tired, and unable to gain weight for about two years. She never goes to the doctor so... it spread to her brain. She will probably not make it to Halloween... Thanksgiving tops.

 

[Novafrk]

Hey Steve,

I cleaned everything and snugged up the connectors. I've used dielectric grease as well. The four pin connector that goes to the rectifier was harder to clean but I think I've got it, it was damaged from heat as the red wire going into it I had to replace. I pulled the little al spacers out of the rubber mounts on the regulator as this was the only place I could see the regulator possibly grounding out. I don't see how The regulator can ground to the frame the way the rubber isolators are.

 

[66Sprint]

IF you HAD to replace the red wire, the rectifier has had excessive current through it....Probably burned out at LEAST one of the four diodes......Replace the unit.... As for the REGULATOR, it is usually a washer on top of the isolators that pinches hard enough or otherwise presses into the housing that shorts them out.... ONCE they have been shorted and run, they are junk...... Sounds like you need BOTH components..... I feel your (wallet's) pain.....Steve

 

[JeyLux]

ah!
i'm pretty much in fenton. just north of howell and brighton. i drive though brighton area everyday for work.
who's the clients?

Yeah, I know where Fenton is. Where do you work, exactly??

The Town of Howell, and the Genoa Township Water/Sewer Authority (I think that's the official name) are my clients (or the company I work for actually - Severn Trent).
Both are water/wastewater facilities that use database programs I wrote to keep track of their "stuff". I always stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Brighton (at the big shopping center right off the expressway) when I'm there.

Maybe next time I head up there we could hook up, I'll buy us some lunch or dinner (bring Wifey if you like)??? Though I have to warn you, once she lays eyes on me, she'll dump you. :shock: :? :lol: :lol:

Just kidding of course - I'm old, and invisible to women now.

bill

Ah, i know all those places.

I work in Novi. Michigan Custom Machines. I do E.E. work. I used to do a lot of database stuff a few years ago when i worked at the state government.

 

[Novafrk]

Well the rectifier is new, having been replaced after I replaced the wire. The original one checked bad, so the money has already been spent there. The regulator thing is throwing me for a loop. So the jumping volt readings is typical of a regulator that has been run grounded to the chassis?

 

[66Sprint]

Yes, typical.....

 

[Novafrk]

Re: Charging woes continued.

OK gang, wrap your brains around this...

Tonight I removed the factory coils and wired in the two automotive ones... while I was taking out the right side, (blue wire) I noticed that the wire was rubbed bare and was grounding to the bracket the coils mount in... interesting I thought and moved on. After I get everything connected, tucked out of the way and double checked for proper installation, I fire up the bike. WOW!!! Cold (61 deg ambient) full choke first kick it fires... awesomeness right! I hop on it and buzz down the drive way... out of habit I put the left turn signal on... it's flashing! I gas it up to 5k it's still flashing! They would only flash with the bike not running before tonight. So I zip around the block... OH so very nice... shut the bike off, flip up the seat and put the meter on it, and say what the hell hit the starter button... BOOM!! If the starter made one revolution I'll smooch you buttocks. Even more strange... the readings aren't jumping around, steady as a rock! I rev it jiggle wires and can not get the meter to do the funky chicken dance. I rev it and the voltage slowly goes up... we're only talking hundredths of a volt but still the right direction. It did drop half a volt when I put the high beam on and wouldn't climb so something still isn't right. I'm still guessing the regulator... like Steve said with a bad rectifier before that surely fried the regulator. But still! Progress on all fronts! It's running smooth and idling fine...

So does any of it make more sense now?

 

[tbpmusic]

Re: Charging woes continued.

OK gang, wrap your brains around this...

Tonight I removed the factory coils and wired in the two automotive ones... while I was taking out the right side, (blue wire) I noticed that the wire was rubbed bare and was grounding to the bracket the coils mount in... interesting I thought and moved on. After I get everything connected, tucked out of the way and double checked for proper installation, I fire up the bike. WOW!!! Cold (61 deg ambient) full choke first kick it fires... awesomeness right! I hop on it and buzz down the drive way... out of habit I put the left turn signal on... it's flashing! I gas it up to 5k it's still flashing! They would only flash with the bike not running before tonight. So I zip around the block... OH so very nice... shut the bike off, flip up the seat and put the meter on it, and say what the hell hit the starter button... BOOM!! If the starter made one revolution I'll smooch you buttocks. Even more strange... the readings aren't jumping around, steady as a rock! I rev it jiggle wires and can not get the meter to do the funky chicken dance. I rev it and the voltage slowly goes up... we're only talking hundredths of a volt but still the right direction. It did drop half a volt when I put the high beam on and wouldn't climb so something still isn't right. I'm still guessing the regulator... like Steve said with a bad rectifier before that surely fried the regulator. But still! Progress on all fronts! It's running smooth and idling fine...

So does any of it make more sense now?

Ok, sounds like you're chipping away at it.
Obviously the bad coil wire was not only affecting your starting, but your running as well.
I'm assuming the battery was freshly charged, right??
But if it doesn't stay charged up, you'll be experiencing more start/run problems.

So we need to get the charging system straightened out and I think you'll be in good shape, dude.

Just a note of caution about depending too much on voltage readings, because voltage is only half the story with these things.
Amperage is also critical, and that's not so easy to measure as voltage.
Don't mean to be a wet blanket here, just speaking from experience.
You should be seeing somewhere around 3-4 amps with the lights on, maybe 2 with lights off.
A voltage somewhere around 12-13 volts will be fine, as long as you're getting the amps.

bill