Charging voltage | Page 3 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Charging voltage

I suspect the plug connector wiring colour scheme of the reg/rectifier is probably designed for another bike.

Okay so if I was a betting man, I would hook the regulator/rectifier up as follows…

Reg/Rectifier green open c connection to ground (on the frame ideally)

Reg/Rectifier Green bullet connector to battery

Reg/Rectifier yellow to Stator yellow

Reg/Rectifier red to Stator pink

Does this make sense?

Btw, I assume no risk. This is what would make sense to me if I was in your position.

If you have concerns, don’t hook up that r/r and buy one with proper wire colours and/or instructions.


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Any idea just how bad it could be if that selection is incorrect? What might I end up frying?
@TK4 @bitzz ??
 
timtune said:
Any idea just how bad it could be if that selection is incorrect? What might I end up frying?
@TK4 @bitzz ??
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Given that its a fairly primitive system, check what the total AC voltage output is from the alternator. I doubt its substantial, some of those old designs used the battery as the regulator, just using any old finned rectifier to go from AC to DC.
 
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timtune said:
Managed to get to the AC generator lead and had continuity on all three coils. On to the next step. My bike shows a selenium rectifer (is the regulator built in?)
Is a check of the BOLD text done at the battery terminals with the multimeter set first for DC and AC? If I got 6V when checking in DC mode do I need to check for AC? (hoping not as I have the bike apart now)

Interestling I found this in the assortment of bits that came with this bike. I suspect I'm following in someone's foot steps.
@Mad Mike is the MOSFET regulator of which you speak? It has "6V" in red marker on one side. If so any idea on how to determine which leads go where?
View attachment 55176
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Yes, that is a regulator. It will replace tge selenium rectifier. You can get them 6 or12v. I usually change them to 12v on older bikes to make it easier to upgrade lighting and make accessories easier. Note: if uou change regulator to 12v, battery, lighting (headlight, signal and meter bulbs) must be 12v, all else stays the same.

Follow the pic above, except for the lead to the lighting coil - I don't think your bike has one.
 
TK4 said:
Given that its a fairly primitive system, check what the total AC voltage output is from the generator. I doubt its substantial, some of those old designs used the battery as the regulator, just using any old finned rectifier to go from AC to DC.
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Ac voltage will be much higher, id expect something around 50vac or more. At idle it eoild make about 10 watts, at 5000rpm it kicks out about 50watts - just enough for lighting.
 
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Mad Mike said:
Ac voltage will be much higher, id expect something around 50vac or more. At idle it eoild make about 10 watts, at 5000rpm it kicks out about 50watts - just enough for lighting.
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Most of those old blisters weren't designed to put out much electrical power at idle. With the lights on you would run at a deficit. When the Honda CB400F came out we had people complaining about batteries going flat, usually from excessive idle time (stop and go traffic, etc.). The cure was to disconnect the front turn signal marker lamps and turn the idle up - voila, problem solved.
 
Mad Mike said:
Yes, that is a regulator. It will replace tge selenium rectifier. You can get them 6 or12v. I usually change them to 12v on older bikes to make it easier to upgrade lighting and make accessories easier. Note: if uou change regulator to 12v, battery, lighting (headlight, signal and meter bulbs) must be 12v, all else stays the same.

Follow the pic above, except for the lead to the lighting coil - I don't think your bike has one.
Click to expand...
My bike has four leads to the rectifier. So I'm thinking I should be connecting all 4 leads from the new reg. You're on board with Robbo's suggestion for the connection? Oddly my upper left lead is red and his shows a green. I would have suspected red to power.
I guess there's one way to find out.
 
timtune said:
My bike has four leads to the rectifier. So I'm thinking I should be connecting all 4 leads from the new reg. You're on board with Robbo's suggestion for the connection? Oddly my upper left lead is red and his shows a green. I would have suspected red to power.
I guess there's one way to find out.
Click to expand...
Yes -- I'd follow Robbo's. What I can't confirm is the type of regulator you have in hand. You can get 'plug and play' options off amazon for about $25.
 
And that’s the biggest problem…with no markings or instructions with that mystery reg/rectifier, we can only say well it might be this or it might be that. It’s a gamble.

If you’re buying a replacement, I recommend this guy. You will get great support and customer service. You will also get a lifetime guarantee and piece of mind.



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Well I have it all buttoned up with the new mystery rectifier connected via marrettes. Have to get it started for the test so I cobbled homemade exhaust gaskets from cork gasket sheet. Two layers wrapped with tin foil. (Hmmm????)
Can't test it until I get back from London later today. I'm somewhat optimistic.
 
Oddly my homemade exhaust gaskets were a much bigger success than the rectifier.
Before I started it I had 6.1V. Fired it up and was getting 5.5V. After blitzing the neighborhood I got home to a reading of 3.5V.

Either the rectifier is shot or incorrectly connected. Not sure if I should reverse a couple wires or just order up a new one from the guy Robbo suggested.
 
timtune said:
Oddly my homemade exhaust gaskets were a much bigger success than the rectifier.
Before I started it I had 6.1V. Fired it up and was getting 5.5V. After blitzing the neighborhood I got home to a reading of 3.5V.

Either the rectifier is shot or incorrectly connected. Not sure if I should reverse a couple wires or just order up a new one from the guy Robbo suggested.
Click to expand...
Order before randomly flipping wires. Don't let the smoke out of your stator. You could probably test the magic cube and figure it out but ordering a known good, known wiring part for <$50 seems like a no-brainer.
 
Starting again with a fully charged battery…

What voltage reading are you getting across the wires at the rectifier?

Ground to the other green
Ground to red
Ground to yellow


Or just buy the good one and be done with it .

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Robbo said:
Starting again with a fully charged battery…
Click to expand...
Not sure if I go back to borrow the neighbors 6v charger again or if it's time to buy my own.......
 
timtune said:
Not sure if I go back to borrow the neighbors 6v charger again or if it's time to buy my own.......
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How bad is the old battery? Two 6V in series with a 12V charger should work. It will be very slow if the other battery is smoked.
 
timtune said:
Not sure if I go back to borrow the neighbors 6v charger again or if it's time to buy my own.......
Click to expand...

Are you planning on keeping the bike or selling it ? If keeping it, time to pony up on a 6v charger.


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Finally Success. Just before ordering the new rectifier from OMP as suggested by Robbo I thought I would do one more test and switch the leads. I went with my gut feeling that the red lead should go to battery and switched it for the green below it.
Was getting 6.3-4V with a little revs (off idle) and 6.5-6V with more. Saw a peak of 6.7V (battery was 6.1V prior to kicking it over)
From what TK4 and others have said from this anemic charging system the above rates as a pass.
So far my E gaskets are keeping things much quieter.
 
timtune said:
Finally Success. Just before ordering the new rectifier from OMP as suggested by Robbo I thought I would do one more test and switch the leads. I went with my gut feeling that the red lead should go to battery and switched it for the green below it.
Was getting 6.3-4V with a little revs (off idle) and 6.5-6V with more. Saw a peak of 6.7V (battery was 6.1V prior to kicking it over)
From what TK4 and others have said from this anemic charging system the above rates as a pass.
So far my E gaskets are keeping things much quieter.
Click to expand...

Great news . What’s next on the list ???


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Well since you ask I'm having trouble getting it run down low w/o the choke on. Putt out the driveway with the choke on and no power throw off the choke and good to go. Slow down at the end of the street to turn around and gotta throw the choke back or stall it.
Had the CV carb apart and cleaned it. Looked fine but for a bit of dirt that I cleaned up well (I thought).

That and the PO said it didn't want to shift 3-4. So far my illegal test and tune rides have been to short to confirm that.

Oh and this far in I think it's worth trying to get proper papers for it.
 
timtune said:
Well since you ask I'm having trouble getting it run down low w/o the choke on. Putt out the driveway with the choke on and no power throw off the choke and good to go. Slow down at the end of the street to turn around and gotta throw the choke back or stall it.
Had the CV carb apart and cleaned it. Looked fine but for a bit of dirt that I cleaned up well (I thought).

That and the PO said it didn't want to shift 3-4. So far my illegal test and tune rides have been to short to confirm that.

Oh and this far in I think it's worth trying to get proper papers for it.
Click to expand...
Idle speed high enough? Checked for vacuum leaks?
 
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