Author Topic: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.  (Read 2307 times)

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Offline paruckus

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help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« on: October 07, 2015, 09:16:39 PM »
hi all.

I purchased this junked motor 74 CB550 off of Craigslist for a couple hundred bucks and I thought it would be neat to set up a custom test station to make  rebuilding more convenient.  No electronics came w the motor so I figured this test station would be ideal to work out the black magic involved w wiring.

Here's my current problem.  Bike runs like a top after going thru it so moving onto charging I purchased an arrowhead reg/rec and I'm at a loss to why I'm not getting charge to my battery.
Field coil and stator showed good when tested.

I'm using HSM CB500 550 wiring diagrams along w a colored diagram to work things out.  Also I'm using ricks reg rec wiring diagram? Which could be where I went wrong. 

Red is to positivebattery terminal.  Green is grounded from field coil to reg/rec then directly to negative battery terminal.  White to white. Yellows to yellows.  That leave black from the reg/rec.  I tried grounding and also runninng it to positive???

Apologies for missing info.  I'm not savvy at posting.

like my buddy kelvin says," if you can't fix it w a hammer it's an electrical problem."


Udate: it was my R/R.  These things are very sensitive to electrical spikes I'm guessing and I didn't believe they warranted a fuse before installing.  Heads up.  You do not get a wiring diagram w these cheap RR and it seems you only get 1 shot w installing this before overloading the internals.  I've learned that there no positive tests for checking for regulator damage.  There are just symptoms. 




« Last Edit: October 13, 2015, 12:08:06 PM by paruckus »

Offline dscri001

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2015, 09:45:34 PM »
IIRC black and white would connect to where the original regulator was. I think your RR is grounded to the case. There should be black, white, and green female spade connectors in the harness. Someone may correct me but hope this helps!

edit: just noticed you said you didnt get any electronics, so no harness? Looks like black would go to magnetic switch and white to alt?
« Last Edit: October 07, 2015, 09:51:47 PM by dscri001 »

Offline paruckus

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2015, 10:03:42 PM »
I don't know why only 1 pic posted but heres a few more to help w the trouble shoot.


Offline paruckus

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2015, 10:24:54 PM »
@ dscri001.  Yup starting from scratch.  I would think it would be easy considering that there's only the black wire that I'm unsure of.

Here's a close up of the quick disconnect.  I know this is a specialty situation and not everyone would even know what I'm talking about considering that I'm missing the wiring harness but heyyyy...I'm learning a lot and enjoying the process.


Offline scottly

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2015, 10:29:34 PM »
I would think it would be easy considering that there's only the black wire that I'm unsure of.
The black wire should be connected to switched 12V, same as the ignition coils.
Don't fix it if it ain't broke!
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Offline paruckus

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2015, 10:52:37 PM »
@Scott

So I hard wired it into switched 12v ignition and it topped out at 12.4 volts running @3k.  Lame right. 

Atleast that tells me to look elsewhere.

So is there nothing special about this green field coil wire right?  I basically connected it to the green reg/rec and then direct to ground.  Checked continuity to be sure and it was good.  All terminals fastened appropriately. 

could it be my resistance off of my stator?  I checked for continuity thru all Yellow wires and it show'd good.  Resistance was compared to my buddies 74 cb500 stator.  His charging system Is tip top.

« Last Edit: October 08, 2015, 01:14:38 AM by paruckus »

Offline turboed13b

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2015, 11:39:43 PM »
Clean up the wiring and get rid of the twist caps first. I am surprised nothing has burned up with all those terminals hanging around.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2015, 11:41:40 PM by turboed13b »

Offline paruckus

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2015, 11:58:05 PM »
@turbo ed.

Agreed.

All I need to do is get her charging system working and  indicator lights hooked up and I'll for sure be cleaning house.

I'll tape any exposed terminals in the meantime

Thanks for any and all help guys. 






Offline calj737

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #8 on: October 08, 2015, 05:03:26 AM »
Next time (or now actually) you can get a kit of connectors from www.vintageconnections.com and create quick disconnect plugs using the spade ends. Buy the crimper, make your test harness/connections and be on your way. Then, un-pin the connectors, establish your final lengths, and put it all back together. Its much safer, better performing electrical measures, and can help you to isolate any problems.

I could not tell from the pictures, but the battery needs a path to engine/mounting plate ground as well.

I see where you said the engine runs, but, on a side note, it looks like you had your engine media blasted? If so, was it done while the lower end was still assembled? And if that is true, you need to do an enormous effort  of flushing and rinsing the motor with Kerosene, Diesel, or other suitable fluid to get every last spec of media out of the oil galleys. I'd even go so far as to remove the galley plugs and pan to flush that dude. And remove and clean the oil pump under the left side cover.

Then cycle some oil through and change it promptly with a new filter.
'74 550 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126401.0
'73 500 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132935.0

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of it's victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S. Lewis

Offline paruckus

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #9 on: October 08, 2015, 11:43:08 AM »
Next time (or now actually) you can get a kit of connectors from www.vintageconnections.com and create quick disconnect plugs using the spade ends. Buy the crimper, make your test harness/connections and be on your way. Then, un-pin the connectors, establish your final lengths, and put it all back together. Its much safer, better performing electrical measures, and can help you to isolate any problems.

I could not tell from the pictures, but the battery needs a path to engine/mounting plate ground as well.

I see where you said the engine runs, but, on a side note, it looks like you had your engine media blasted? If so, was it done while the lower end was still assembled? And if that is true, you need to do an enormous effort  of flushing and rinsing the motor with Kerosene, Diesel, or other suitable fluid to get every last spec of media out of the oil galleys. I'd even go so far as to remove the galley plugs and pan to flush that dude. And remove and clean the oil pump under the left side cover.

Then cycle some oil through and change it promptly with a new filter.

Copy that on the kit and connectors. 

Ground is wired to the to the test station which is bolted via engine stand and shows good ground thru out.

Yes engine lower case was blasted on stand w soda.  I was meticulous keeping media out.  I put a lot of effort w cleaning lower case  using kerosene which was pretty easy because I was able to flip the engine on the stand ;D
Engine oil and filter  has been changed frequently after initial break in start up.  All is well.

Except for the no charge.  But it's a matter of time before the problem reveals itself.
 
I better check the resistance on my stator AGAIN




Offline paruckus

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #10 on: October 08, 2015, 04:10:05 PM »
Stator and field coil tested out strong w a higher resistance value than what the HSM called out for.  So back to scratching my head.

Putting this wiring sketch on here for all you brains to lemme know where I went wrong.

Note: the unlabeled run from the R/R is BLACK on my diagram.


« Last Edit: October 08, 2015, 06:54:01 PM by paruckus »

Offline calj737

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #11 on: October 08, 2015, 04:17:24 PM »
try this to confirm your R/R is performing properly.

http://www.electrosport.com/media/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf
'74 550 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126401.0
'73 500 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132935.0

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of it's victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S. Lewis

Offline paruckus

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #12 on: October 08, 2015, 07:14:38 PM »
try this to confirm your R/R is performing properly.

http://www.electrosport.com/media/pdf/fault-finding-diagram.pdf

thank calj737

After following the fault finding diagram instructions its saying the fault is in the battery.  I'm gonna trickle charge it and we'll see what we see.  It's a new battery so I'm not too sure. I've got a battery tester (smoke tester)around so I'll check test it out also. 


Thanks bud


Offline paruckus

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #13 on: October 08, 2015, 07:38:06 PM »
Battery is now fully charged.  The smoke tester said it was in most excellent condish.  Started it up and took a read. 

12.8@6k

Back to scratching my head.


Offline scottly

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #14 on: October 08, 2015, 08:28:19 PM »
Connect the green field wire directly to battery -, and the white field coil wire directly to battery +. This will bypass the regulator entirely, calling for full output from the charging system. Remember to disconnect the field after the test. ;)
Don't fix it if it ain't broke!
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Offline paruckus

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Re: help w wiring my regulator rectifier on a engine test stand.
« Reply #15 on: October 08, 2015, 10:16:05 PM »
Connect the green field wire directly to battery -, and the white field coil wire directly to battery +. This will bypass the regulator entirely, calling for full output from the charging system. Remember to disconnect the field after the test. ;)

Sahweet! got it to finally charge . 

So now I'm at a loss as to why my white wire from the R/R isn't putting out any juice to the field coil. 

I checked the field coil to r/r again using  multimeter.  Negative green wire checks out for ground but the white wire from R/R show's no output with engine running.
« Last Edit: October 09, 2015, 12:22:37 AM by paruckus »