Regulator power drain

[macdee]

Maybe carl can help
http://vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=28771

[VTRDark]

Just seen this thread. Bare in mind that when I wrote the Regulator Rectifier Charging System Diagnosis Checks that it was aimed towards the standard Shindengen (SH) type R/R. The tests will be the same but voltages will be a little higher if a later style MOSFET.

As for the one mounting hole that is fine as long as the R/R is secured and it earth's to the chassis/subframe along with the ring connector. Though two mounting points would be better If you want to do a really solid job then you could run the earth directly from the battery. Not only is this a more direct route but this has the possibility of also eliminating power surges, shorts, feedback through from other components that earth to the chassis, especially if your battery has multiple earth points. You could also apply some thermal compound paste/grease between the metal plate behind the R/R and the subframe.

(:-})

[templ8]

I've found that getting a good earth is the key to a decent charge voltage on the storm, mine was in the high 12's until I drilled another hole just for the earth, now it's around the 14.2v mark.

Don't forget to scrape the paint off back to metal around the hole.


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[Pistonguy]

Run the ground wire with the ring connector directly to the negative battery post? Ill try that, and was also thinking of just drilling a hole and using a through bolt to secure it tightly so the backing plate is snug on the frame. I sincerely appreciate all the helpful comments. I am a new forum member, but have had my firestorm(superhawk) going on six years now. Its always charged terribly and been completely unreliable for over a couple years and i cant wait to get it sorted.


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[Pistonguy]

I've found that getting a good earth is the key to a decent charge voltage on the storm, mine was in the high 12's until I drilled another hole just for the earth, now it's around the 14.2v mark.

Don't forget to scrape the paint off back to metal around the hole.


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So i have mounted my regulator just like this, and also bolted my ground through the spare hole exactly as pictured. On fast idle i am now noticing 13.2-13.7 and climbing volts, however, the regulator is getting EXTREMELY hot even just running for a few seconds at idle and revving in the driveway. Any ideas?


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[VTRDark]

This is normal as they do get hot. This is known as shunting. What is happening is that the stator is producing more charge than the battery can cope with so any excess voltages rather than getting thrown into the battery and frying it (overcharging) it gets thrown/shunted out as it gets converted to heat.

(:-})

[Pistonguy]

Hot enough to burn your hand after about 45 seconds?


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[Pistonguy]

Im gunna double check my grounds tommorow, and do a ac volts test from the stator while running tommorow


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[Pistonguy]

I think the stator is good. From the connector at the main harness it shows about 20-25 ac volts at idle, the rises up to 50-55 at about 5-6k rpm. Regulator still getting superhot. I am going to order a mosfet regulator tonight and hopefully it will be ok. My current regulator is still only showing a max of 12.7-12.9 dc volts while running(tested at battery terminals), even with solid grounds. So hopefully that will fix my issue once and for all and i can start working on modifying fun stuff!


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[firestorm_al]

If the stator is OK and the R/R unit seems to be OK but is getting overly hot then the fault is usually at the 12V DC side of the R/R unit. If there is no DC load on the R/R then it has to shunt all the regulated DC and that will make it run hot and eventually burn out (the most comon cause of failure).

If the ground connections are good and you have good continuity at the green wire connection from the R/R to the bike chassis then the next suspect is the +12V connection from the R/R unit to the battery.

With the bike running check the votage between the green wire and the red (red/white) wire at the R/R plug. If that is 13.5V+ then you have a problem with the wiring from the R/R unit through to the battery. The Red/White wire from the R/R runs from the R/R plug to the main starter relay. The connector there would be a good place to check for corroded pins, also check continuity from that connector to the connector on the R/R.

If it does look like there is an issue with the wiring from the R/R unit to the battery then what you can do is to cut and insulate the Red/White wire from the R/R plug and replace it with a 10AWG wire from the +12V pin on the R/R unit directly to the battery +ve terminal via a 30A Maxi fuse.

Here is another fault finding guide which may be of use - http://www.vtr1000.org/workshop/fault-f ... iagram.pdf
Diode testing guide - http://www.vtr1000.org/workshop/diode-testing-guide.pdf

Al.

[Pistonguy]

So i know that the charging system shares a fuse with the odometer cluster. I have a drain while off so i pulled the fuse. Would this somehow cause a disruption from the regulator to the battery? Should i just pull the fuse while bike is off and replace when on?


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[Pistonguy]

And AL youre saying just cut the power wire leaving the regulator, and run a fused wired bypassing the starter fuse and block on the opposite side of the tail? Everything looks good and clean over there, but i have been burning up regulators


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[firestorm_al]

And AL youre saying just cut the power wire leaving the regulator, and run a fused wired bypassing the starter fuse and block on the opposite side of the tail? Everything looks good and clean over there, but i have been burning up regulators


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I would not cut anything unless you have got to the route of the problem.

Which fuse are you pulling?

The Odometer fuse is fuse A (10A). The main fuse that diconnects the bike and charging system from the battery is on the starter relay (30A).

[firestorm_al]

The battery on a modern bike is there to to start the bike and provide backup power to any electrical systems when the bike is not running. When the bike is running the R/R supplies power to the bike and charges the battery. In order to do that the voltage goes above 12v (usually between 13.5 - 14.5) to flow current back to the battery and charge it.

The 30A fuse is really there to protect your battery from a short circuit in the wiring of your bike. Removing that fuse will isolate the battery from your electrical system. If you want to see if your bike is running off the R/R unit then, after you have started the bike, carefully pull the 30A fuse.

If the bike stops then the R/R is not supplying power to the bike and therefore not charging the battery either. You want to get your volt meter reading the output of the R/R while you are doing all this and keep a note of the output voltage.

Al.

[Pistonguy]

Just the odo fuse (10a). The starter fused block does have a very small amount of white corrosion on the connectors but not enough to be a problem. I just tested the voltage of the green and red wires from the R/R connector and they are only 12.2 while running. Also got a surge in idle of about 1krpm when i unplugged the regulator.


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