Apparent Regulator Failures

[lragan]

I originally ran the hot wire from the battery with in line fuse, left the lights on a couple times during the daylight hours and decided that it would be less likely to leave the lights on accidently if they went off when I removed the key. I still have the rocker switch so I can choose when and if I want to run the lights.

Charles, thanks for the pics.  Great looking installation.  I am off to Wal-Mart!!

Also, for the record, with my installation, the rocker switch actuates a relay that operates the lights.  The rocker switch is in series with the key switch, so I can't leave the lights on with the bike turned off.

[L J VFR]

Charles, did you build them mounts for your wal-mart lights?  Or did the lights come with them.  I'm with Lawrence on this one...good looking lights and not $200!!.  Maybe off to wal-mart after get off work tonight .

[Greg Cothern]

Here are some PICs of the installation of the Kuryakun Silver Bullet lights on Devs bike that I installed several years ago.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[L J VFR]

Thanks Greg for the pictures     I would still like to see a close-up of a mount from the bike to the actual light itself if anyone had one. Thanks

[Magnum Magna]

OK, what wire did you use for your hot wire.  I use the lights only at night so I have not left them on YET.   

[Charles S Otwell]

First, the brackets and everything came with the lights, I just bolted them on to the windshield mounts. I wired into the ign switch, spliced into the wire that's hot when the key is in the on position, then run it thru the aux switch that imounted on the right hand side cover. Here are the lights and everything that comes with them.







I forgot I had bought a second set for my wifes Shadow, just haven't installed them yet. Hopes this helps.

[lragan]

Great pics, Charles.  Thanks.  Tried to go to Wally World today, but it being tax holiday, couldn't get near the place!!

Now I know exactly what I am looking for.

You know, since you already have the pics, you might want to write this up under "Tips and Tricks" section.  Had I seen them there, it would have saved me at least $100!!

[Charles S Otwell]

One thing I still have to do is to lower my turn signals, they are a little hard to see that close. I can slide them down to the top of the fork brace and it will be enough I think.

[hootmon]

OK.. Back on topic here... I found this link where someone was investigating Regulator failures on VFR's...
Some of you electronic byte heads might really enjoy....
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/6198/reg-rect.html

[lragan]

OK.. Back on topic here... I found this link where someone was investigating Regulator failures on VFR's...
Some of you electronic byte heads might really enjoy....
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/6198/reg-rect.html

Great link, hoot!  Just guessing, the regulator on the VFR was dissipating even more heat than ours.  When I compare his temp measurements with ours, they are similar, and our regulator is not in contact with heat conductive material.  This pretty much ends speculation regarding the value of a fan/heat sink combo.  I would expect such a setup to make an even bigger difference to our regulators because there appears to be no significant conduction path on ours, like the frame on theirs.

There is still the issue of water resistance.  The computer fans were not designed to withstand water.  But, hey, I bought a pack of four of 'em at Fry's for like $6, so if one freezes up, I could simply replace it.  I think I will try to fit one of these.  I have a relay for my extra lights mounted a few inches from the regulator, so it may not be too difficult.  Will post results if I pull it off.

[Charles S Otwell]

"OK.. Back on topic here... I found this link where someone was investigating Regulator failures on VFR's...
Some of you electronic byte heads might really enjoy...."


"might really enjoy"  are you kidding! have you read all 12 pages of this thread , a couple of these guys got so excited they were hyperventilating  . .. matter of fact a few of us have developed inferiority complexes over all the tech talk...

[lragan]

One thing I still have to do is to lower my turn signals, they are a little hard to see that close. I can slide them down to the top of the fork brace and it will be enough I think.

I put my lights on this afternoon.  My turn signal mounts also hold the round bar that makes the back of the headlight mount stable.  In order to lower the turn signals, I would have to find or create a method to attach the headlight stabilizer bar to the fork tubes.

Nonetheless, it is a fine looking set of lights.  I am still pondering how to disguise the wires out the back of each for minimum clutter, though.  I did not use the wiring harness that came with the kit, as I already had relay switched power on the fork for the "big ugly" lights I had installed last year.

[Sledge Hammer]

*huff*  *huff*  *huff* Sorry, had to catch my breath there. Got too excited over the VFR link.

Yeah, we should probably have taken that discussion offline, but there ain't no way to compare notes without resorting to shoptalk.

Speaking of which, I'm trying to chat up one of the engineers at work who has way more experience with various battery chargers than I do. His question for me was "Are you trying to get a more robust regulator or prevent damage to the battery?" I replied with an emphatic "Yes!" He said he will dig up some specific literature on lead-acid and AGM batteries, since both can be encountered on the aftermarket for motorcycles. I'm going to see if I can trick him, I mean ask him to provide some design guidance to make sure that we don't overlook something critical and to suggest a thorough testing program. Nobody's going to be real happy with a redesign that regulates perfectly and extends battery life by 25 years if it fries the electronic ignition.  

Don't laugh. My niece's Volkswagen died due to high-frequency crap from an aftermarket stereo that got into the electrical system and killed the engine controller.

[Charles S Otwell]

 

  I have already had the turn signals slid down ,the round bracket actually holds the turn signal in place so it won't slid down and doesn't effect the headlight stability. When I slide the turn signals down to the fork brace it can't go any lower, I put a small piece of two sided tape behind the rubber clamp and tightened it down, nothing ever moved, The brkt is not really even noticable. I had even thought about putting a couple of led's on the brkt to disguise it, but like i said it just wasn't noticable.

[lragan]

OK.. Back on topic here... I found this link where someone was investigating Regulator failures on VFR's...
Some of you electronic byte heads might really enjoy....
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/6198/reg-rect.html

After perusing these links carefully, I suddenly got enthused about mounting a fan on the heat sink for my Rectifier/Regulator.  Got out the fan and began placing it on the bum R/R that Dave sent me.  It is a pretty good fit.

Then I looked again at the space around the R/R on the bike.  There is enough clearance between the fins and the top of the swing arm to mount a fan, but I am not so sure about how much clearance one needs for swing arm movement.  I can picture carrying a passenger and going over my cattleguard on the way out to the road, and suddenly the fan gets crushed like a bug on the windshield.

Does anyone have any data on swing arm movement??