Topic: Reg/rectifier

[beemerbum]

There are a bunch of solid state reg/rectifier units for sale on E-bay for under 20$ with free shipping. Has anyone bought and installed one on a CB 750? Very curious.

[ruger01]

I got one ordered for a 550 it's an eBay one, let you know how it goes when she arrives.

[Mantree]

I ordered one and it failed about 3 months later

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[Deltarider]

What fascinates me, is how topics in this forum arrive, stay for a while and fade away in waves. Right now we seem to be riding the reg/rec wave. I wonder when we will see the float height topic re-emerge or the zinc topic. General practioners are familiar with this phenomenon. Whenever there's a TV-program on some disease, the next day waitingrooms are full with people that are sure they've got the disease. 

[RustyF]

Many years ago a put a "cheap" eBay rectifier on a Harley and it caught fire & almost burnt the bike to the ground.  When I diagnosed the charging problem on my 550 I spoke with Rick from Rick's Electrics and spent the $104 to get the rectifier/regulator comb from him.  Been on the bike now for 1000 miles with no issues.  I'm not advertising for him just sharing my experience.

[bryanj]

There are 2 types of regulator
(1) varies the voltage to the field coil to alter the output from the stator---as all the fours should have

(2) gives full voltage to field and "dumps" excess current to ground after full chafge is reached----these get very hot and are not for the fours.

An example of how hot is look ubder the headlamp of a 70's Triumph 750 and see the size of the finned heatsink.

[beemerbum]

What fascinates me, is how topics in this forum arrive, stay for a while and fade away in waves. Right now we seem to be riding the reg/rec wave. I wonder when we will see the float height topic re-emerge or the zinc topic. General practioners are familiar with this phenomenon. Whenever there's a TV-program on some disease, the next day waitingrooms are full with people that are sure they've got the disease.

Is this a bad thing?

[lrutt]

+1 on the Ricks RR. I put one on my 550 to charge my Shorai. Works like a charm for the past 1 1/2 years. And this is around town riding so no real highway use.

The risk of burning a harness or the bike is just not worth the chance on some POS Chinese knockoff.

[PeWe]

I bought a cheap one at Aliexpress. After all fault tracing here and thoughts about its function most likely running very hot, I'll go Honda stock that never have failed on my K6. I gave it service according to the CB750 shop manual ch 8.
My K2 will get stock with its K2 electrical equip, harness...

[Deltarider]

What fascinates me, is how topics in this forum arrive, stay for a while and fade away in waves. Right now we seem to be riding the reg/rec wave. I wonder when we will see the float height topic re-emerge or the zinc topic. General practioners are familiar with this phenomenon. Whenever there's a TV-program on some disease, the next day waitingrooms are full with people that are sure they've got the disease.

Is this a bad thing?

Not necessarily, but... the difference in numbers of people that have problems in this field (or think they have problems) here in this forum and elsewhere (Europe), is shocking, I can tell you. After all, there is something like delusion of reference... For the rest, Beemer, I've given my comments on riding the bike the way it was ment, silly things like gadget running lights and the headlight always on arrangement (before the bike even is started!) etc. more than often.
BTW, for the purists: there's a guy in Germany that you can send your stock regulator to and he replaces the old reg by a modern one, using the old casing.

[PeWe]

The German regulator will ensure better charging power at lower rpms. Stock need 4000-4500 rpm now and then with headlight on.
2 guys offer a modfied stock regulator
http://www.cbfourclub.de/boerse/756.htm

[bryanj]

I fail to see how any electronic regulator can produce more power at lower revs as the standard Honda one puts full,available, battery voltage to field when battery needs charge.

I agree that the electronic will provide a smoother charge as it is infinately variale not just 3 but not that it can find power from nowhere.

[Bodi]

"I fail to see how any electronic regulator can produce more power at lower revs as the standard Honda one puts full,available, battery voltage to field when battery needs charge."

Exactly. The electromechanical regulator will always provide slightly more current to the field coil than an electronic one, because all switching transistors have a voltage drop: metal contacts can have zero voltage drop. Output current is directly proportional to field coil current... rotor RPM affects output current as well but above some RPM it is not a factor.

[beemerbum]

Based on all of the above, I just ordered one from Rick's. My '77 seems to charge its battery ok with the stock unit. A new one is just a Christmas present for my bike. I have already made the bike non-stock with wheels and exhaust, why stop now? Aha! electronic ignition may be next.

[TwoTired]

"I fail to see how any electronic regulator can produce more power at lower revs as the standard Honda one puts full,available, battery voltage to field when battery needs charge."

Exactly. The electromechanical regulator will always provide slightly more current to the field coil than an electronic one, because all switching transistors have a voltage drop: metal contacts can have zero voltage drop. Output current is directly proportional to field coil current... rotor RPM affects output current as well but above some RPM it is not a factor.

+1
..but, for many it boils down to "modern must always be better" or "new is better than old".  Which is ironic given a vintage motorcycle forum. But then, when have facts actually educated public opinion?

Cheers,

[bryanj]

Thank TT i thought i was going more senile for a while!

[Deltarider]

Based on all of the above, I just ordered one from Rick's. My '77 seems to charge its battery ok with the stock unit. A new one is just a Christmas present for my bike.

Yeah and add a Motogadget maybe?

[rotortiller]

The German regulator will ensure better charging power at lower rpms. Stock need 4000-4500 rpm now and then with headlight on.

I guess 'now and then' applies to bikes that are not setup correctly? Images are from 40+ year old 750 and 4+ decade old regulator. The antique regulator power the bike and supply the battery much earlier than 4 grand.  This one has the 55watt headlight on always. A modern reg is a good idea when the stock one is pooched/unavailable however I would not replace a perfectly good OEM just like I would not jump out of a perfectly good airplane 

[PeWe]

My K6 has a lighter alternator rotor that might do a difference too. Some metal missing;)
It runs perfect now after some adjustments.

Electronical set voltage might be more exact  than old electro mechanical relay driven regulator that will withstand a nuclear blast

Just try and see.

[beemerbum]

Based on all of the above, I just ordered one from Rick's. My '77 seems to charge its battery ok with the stock unit. A new one is just a Christmas present for my bike.

Yeah and add a Motogadget maybe?

What is a "Motogadget"? I have a K1 stock as a stove. The K7 is a toy to be fooled around with. As part of a clean up, I removed the battery box which was rusty from battery acid (top of swingarm as well) to refinish it. Just curious about the rec/regulator

[Mantree]

Based on all of the above, I just ordered one from Rick's. My '77 seems to charge its battery ok with the stock unit. A new one is just a Christmas present for my bike.

Yeah and add a Motogadget maybe?

What is a "Motogadget"? I have a K1 stock as a stove. The K7 is a toy to be fooled around with. As part of a clean up, I removed the battery box which was rusty from battery acid (top of swingarm as well) to refinish it. Just curious about the rec/regulator

Motogadget is a controller to run your lights and horn and the such.  It can also do buss signals to clean up wiring.

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[ruger01]

All FYI the cheapy Ebay one is a piece of crap I bought, no output to the field coil wire to excite the alternator. And yes it was connected correctly, that will teach me for trying to be cheap.

[Mantree]

All FYI the cheapy Ebay one is a piece of crap I bought, no output to the field coil wire to excite the alternator. And yes it was connected correctly, that will teach me for trying to be cheap.

I agree I ended up using a dohc one

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