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Author Topic: pop and now no charging....  (Read 935 times)

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Offline purf_man

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pop and now no charging....
« on: April 30, 2006, 02:38:23 PM »
so I just picked up a 1975 cb550  and had a friend riding it over to my storage area.  the battery was dead on the bike so we jumped it off my truck and took off.  just before we got there (about a 1 mile ride) he said he heard a pop and the headlight went dim and the bike died.  we tried jumping it again and it just would run for a few seconds and die.  I am guessing we popped the regulator or rectifier by running with a dead battery (IE ran the alternator full on and cooked it?)

I have a spare regulator from another 550 but it is a solid state unit with AL fins on it and a 4 wire pigtail....is there a way I can use this?
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1975 CB550
1978 RD400

Offline TwoTired

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Re: pop and now no charging....
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2006, 03:05:23 PM »
Quote from: purf_man on April 30, 2006, 02:38:23 PM
I am guessing we popped the regulator or rectifier by running with a dead battery (IE ran the alternator full on and cooked it?)

I have a spare regulator from another 550 but it is a solid state unit with AL fins on it and a 4 wire pigtail....is there a way I can use this?

Probably the rectifier and possibly the wiring, too.  Look for melted insulation.

A regulator with 4 wires is non standard.  However, if you describe how it was hooked up in the other 550 (wire color interconnectivity), or post a picture of it, we might be able to determine if it can be properly adapted. Seems unlikely the regulator would die from a dead battery, though.

Might want to check the electrics FAQ for diagnosing your failure.  But, you'll need a fully charged known good battery for troubelshooting your charging system.  A Voltmeter will help a great deal, too.
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Lloyd... (SOHC4 #11 Original Mail List)
72 500, 74 550, 75 550K, 75 550F, 76 550F, 77 550F X2, 78 550K, 77 750F X2, 78 750F, 79CX500, 85 700SC, GL1100

Those that learn from history are doomed to repeat it by those that don't learn from history.

Offline purf_man

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Re: pop and now no charging....
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2006, 06:32:03 PM »
I picked up a fresh battery but have yet to install it.  well I guess I am pulling the panel off it and look over the wires then
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1975 CB550
1978 RD400

Offline purf_man

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Re: pop and now no charging....
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2006, 06:27:57 PM »
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/purf_man/Bikes/DSCF0090.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v701/purf_man/Bikes/DSCF0091.jpg

this is the regulator that I have laying around.  I also have a full cb550 harness (not sure on year) that was given to me.  I will have to dig that out this week and see if it has a reg on it still.  been kinda busy trying to get this elsinore along on it's way at the same time.
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1975 CB550
1978 RD400

Offline TwoTired

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Re: pop and now no charging....
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2006, 07:16:34 PM »
I don't think that regulator is from a CB550.  And, without knowing more about it's insides, I wouldn't hook it up to one.

I count 5 wires, by the way.  Reg/rectifier for the CB550 should have at least six wires, and 7 likely.

Cheers,
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Lloyd... (SOHC4 #11 Original Mail List)
72 500, 74 550, 75 550K, 75 550F, 76 550F, 77 550F X2, 78 550K, 77 750F X2, 78 750F, 79CX500, 85 700SC, GL1100

Those that learn from history are doomed to repeat it by those that don't learn from history.

Offline 78 k550

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Re: pop and now no charging....
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2006, 09:41:38 PM »
not for a 500 or 550 look's totally different.
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Paul
Littleton, CO

76/77 CB 750F, 
75 GL1000, (AKA GL1-242 NGWClub),
76 GL1000 LTD
84 GL1200 Standard
6 Bultaco's= 42, 49, 121, 152, 167, 188

Offline purf_man

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Re: pop and now no charging....
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2006, 05:36:30 PM »
well I poked it with a stick a little more this past week.  I took it for a short ride on my dead end street and noticed some things.

it doesn't run smooth with the choke fully off.....as if it is not getting enough fuel I am guessing....

also down low it is soft on power then it feels like a 2 stroke getting ont he pipe and taking off...

but more importantly..

with it in an unlite garage I had it reved up to about 5K and hit the kill switch on it and noticed no change in the head light brightness...so I am pretty sure it is not charging as it is dim and this was on a fresh battery.  I know I need to hit it with a multi meter but it seems mine died as I just get an out of range reading when I put it on it (digital auto range meter....that got wet once or twice so I am guessing it is dead?)  but I didn't know if the rectifier was out if it would send a AC like signal to the meter keeping it from selecting a range?

I have a manual ordered up and this weekend I am gonna see what I can find in town as far as a meter goes (I live in the poorest part of the state and the lest populated area so finding some things involves a trip into the "big city" of 20K to find things.....or driving to the next state over)

also I noticed my tail light is staying on with the key off and I unhooked both switches and they didn't produce a change so is it possible that I have a fried wire that is shorting that out?


sorry but this is my first street bike afer owning a couple dirt bikes (their wiring is so much simpler)  I guess this explains why I have been working on my elsinore restoration more than the CB
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1975 CB550
1978 RD400
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