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VIDEO OF TEST HERE
YouTube - 05-01-11 Another Day another blown rectifier


I rode about twenty miles this morning to pick up a cellphone from a craigslist
seller. About 100 feet from my destination I lost all power to my bike.
Awesome....

Info
- Main 30a fuse blew out
- 10a Tail-light/horn fuse blew on the ride over
- I have blown high-beams on 3 headlights in a week
Steps
- Removed tail light
- Plugged in new fuses (tail and main)
- Main fuse blew instantly(no ignition)
- Disconnected all connectors removed all fuses.
- inserted main fuse and reconnected main fuse harness. No blowout
- Reconnected all fuses. No blowout
- Reconnected computers and flasher relay. No Blowout
- Reconnected Regulator rectifier. Instant blow out.
- Tested out the R/R as shown.

VIDEO OF TEST HERE
YouTube - 05-01-11 Another Day another blown rectifier

 

Dude, your avatar pic cracks me up. I keep thinking you look like a blue turtle.

Tip on the videos: I have the attention span of a goldfish so when I see that it's going to be 7 minutes I skip to the middle and then the end (unless Charlie Sheen is talking or there are lots of explosions).

 

How about if I create an intro with explosions?

 

Instead of continuity(although an issue was there as well), shouldn't you have been testing resistance against the spec in the manual? I'd poke around the blown R/R that is sitting at my desk, but I left my multimeter at work. What R/R are you planning to replace it with?

Good luck getting it back up and running!

 

I am going to use a big fin R1 regulator. The resist tests produce similar results I just didn't film them. I am curious if the power back to the bike and the ground should have continuity. Off the top of my head that does not seem right.

 

Here is my progress so far. God I hope this is right

 

Now I just need a good hacksaw

 

Also today I got an email from a TBT reporter who is going to interview me about the geekonamotorcycle.com website. I can't in good conscious have a broken bike while I do that interview.

 

Geek, how's the ground on your hawk? I can't see you blowing that much at once unless your ground wire was loose, or severely corroded.

I'd take it off the frame, clean it off, and add some dielectric grease just in-case. Twins vibrate alot, perhaps it shook loose???

 

It is actually grounded to the engine and that line was actually the very first thing I checked. Seemed like a good clean connection to me. no breaks.

I got a kick outta making this just now.
YouTube - R1 Regulator Retrofit Pt 1

 

After work I headed up to my cousins where my bike is currently living(broke down about a miles push from his house) and fitted the R/R to the bike. Surprise the Main fuse didnt blow. As an added bonis she fired right up and ran strong. Voltage sits at 14.45 at 1k rpm and 14.45 at 6k rpm!!! Where my last R/R was blazing hot after a few seconds of running this one was cool to the touch after some time. Perfect! I used 12 guage wire for this project. After cutting up the Fins of the R/R with a hacksaw and some beer I discovered that I need to make one side beveled. for a cut that precise I am going to need a vice so tomorrow morning I will take care of that. I am some cutting and a one way bus ride from brandon to wesley chappel away from riding again.

 

If you don't mind me asking, how much did all of this cost? The R/R plus the adapters?

 

R/R was 50$ and the kit I believe was 25$.

The first time around I spent 170$ for a wiring harness and the used OEM R/R that just blew.
I may swap my stator for the hell of it.

 

swap your stator? why put in the work?

 

BTW, Tom, you don't need that extra set of plugs that Geek has coiled in a loop there. You can just splice in the wires and go directly to the R/R (saving you like $2 and an extra connection point)

 

I am a masochist

It's true you dont need the extra 5 pin connector but I like having it just in cas eI need to remove it without cutting.

 

I actually haven't used the kit, but can't you just unplug the two connectors directly from the R/R?

 

haha that's a loaded sentence, be careful!

 

You could use spade connectors

 

Geek, man, I'm not tryin to make it complicated, lol!

Ok, so from the beginning, you have 3 wires coming from your stater and 2 coming from your battery... The way you have it wired you have:

3 stator wires ___________________3 wires > 3 prong plug > R/R
______________ > 5 prong plug >
2 battery wires __________________2 wires > 2 prong plug > R/R


The way I'm suggesting is:

3 stator wires > 3 prong plug > R/R
2 battery wires > 2 prong plug > R/R

You don't need that whole extra non-waterproof plug in there! You can just splice the three stator wires from the one plug into their respective wires, and do the same for the (+) and (-) wires.

Or am I missing something...?

 

You are right. I just like having the connector there. did you miss my masochist comment?

 

Haha, I guess I'm dense and just needed a demonstration rather than just a comment!