Regulator Failure's

[IndianaMatt]

Im halfway between indianapolis and cincinnati

[TLRam1]

Gotcha added Matty, thanks.

[Smoked U]

Im halfway between indianapolis and cincinnati

Yes, but where specifically.

I was born in Corydon (Harrison County) and spent 21 of my years there.

My whole family is still there.

[IndianaMatt]

greensburg indiana an hour southeast of indianapolis

[magnagregcan]

Not yet; 35K miles. It's "cool" here in Nova Scotia, and been wet for the last 3 weeks = no riding, but Thursday - Sunday is supposed to be good.

[Len Averyt]

Not yet; 35K miles. It's "cool" here in Nova Scotia, and been wet for the last 3 weeks = no riding, but Thursday - Sunday is supposed to be good.

Ive spent some time up there in Nova Scotia.
Kentville, Scots Bay, Blackrock, Halifax a few others

[drkngas]

Waking up this old thread...... I noticed that my Kuryakyn LED battery gauge that I installed during the summer is showing one LED up on the voltage while riding in cooler weather last week.  That might go along with this poll as to when regulators fail. I'm thinking that if I get a warmer day to ride anytime soon I might cruise for a while with the side cover off to see if maybe a relocation is all I need.   

[Greg Cothern]

I think the relocation will help keep heat (one of the killers in my mind) more in check.. 

For those that were working on this project, any progress on a relocation kit?

[swampbilly]

I can't help but suspect that heat is the killer menacing Magna regulators. The lights burn full-time, so there's no way to reduce the daytime load by turning them off. The regulator is located behind the rear cylinders, which, according to what I've read, tend to get significantly hotter than the fronts, even with the liquid cooling. It's also located in the middle of four hot exhaust pipes that radiate infrared energy whenever the engine is running. When caught in traffic on a hot day, with no cooling air passing over the heat-sink on the regulator, or carrying away the air heated by the engine and pipes, the last straw is thrown on, by the radiator cooling fan kicking on. Thus the charging system is under close to maximum load (assuming your high-beam, turn-signals and brake-light are off) at the same time that cooling air to the regulator is at a minimum. It's really no wonder these things fail.

I really wish I had the option of turning off my lights in the daytime.

I think the ideal spot to relocate the regulator, would be under the headlight. My '95 Magna Deluxe has a hole in the headlight bracket (actually the upper fairing stay) that I think would be a perfect mounting-point (The mini-fairing is missing on my bike.)
The hardest part would be getting the two sets of plugs needed to make up an extension harness.

[lragan]

There is extensive discussion of this topic on another thread.

http://www.magnaownersoftexas.com/forums/index.php?topic=2167.0

Schematic diagrams of the shunt regulator imply, and my "while riding" summertime temperature tests support, that changing the load does not affect the temperature of the device by a measurable amount.

Both Jim Tindall and I have relocated our regulators aft of the right side cover, strapped to the frame.  One needs to unwrap the harness a bit, but the plugs will reach to this area, so new plugs are not required. 

Charles Otwell suggested, and I confirmed, that sun load on externally mounted regulator/rectifiers was an issue.  In fact, my tests showed that, in worst case conditions, (sitting still with the sun bearing directly on the unit) the temperatures reached were similar to those reached at the original location under the battery box.

It is not clear whether the failures are driven by a sharp temperature peak, causing thermal runaway in the circuitry, or by prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures.  If it is the former, then moving the unit outside the bike into the sunlight may not help much.  If it is the latter, it should help.

In any case, I have left my regulator/rectifier at the relocated position on my first '96, and haven't yet decided what to do about the second '96 I recently purchased.

[hootmon]

Charles Otwell suggested, and I confirmed, that sun load on externally mounted regulator/rectifiers was an issue.  In fact, my tests showed that, in worst case conditions, (sitting still with the sun bearing directly on the unit) the temperatures reached were similar to those reached at the original location under the battery box.

Hey, you can always strap a Fu Fu Drink Tiki Umbrella over the regulator to keep the sun off!!! 

[Charles S Otwell]

I sometimes wonder if other motorcycles share this problem. We have very few problems with the Magnas and it may be that the reason for it notoriety is because of it's really  pain in the a__  place to get to to change. Kind of like the infamous stator on certain Goldwings, no more likely to go out but if they did the engine had to be pulled and the case taken apart to get to. As y'all remember my R/R failed but did not boil the battery, but just quit charging. I (being the cheapskate that you all know) replaced it with a used R/R from an old 450 Honda Rebel, I also added two 55 watt driving lights which my wife runs night and day with no problems, for what is going on close to two years now. What brought this failure problem to our attention was a rash of failures reported in a short time span and what (as I mentioned before) a pain it was to get to to change. I have always thought electrical components haveing a high rate of failure was somewhat normal. It seams, at least in my lifetime, that starters, alternators, batteries, voltage regulators, headlights, turn signals, you get my drift, have always been high on the replacement parts least with any kind of vehicle. These are just my thoughts, besides this has got to be one of the longest thread topics We've ever had and I didn't want to be left out 

[lragan]

Charles, I wish there was a larger data set from which to judge the severity of the problem, what other MC makes have the problem, etc. 

I noted before that there are already a number of aftermarket parts available, but it appears from what I have read that they are "Chinese copies", so to speak, of Honda's original design.  In general, they do not appear to have a better reliability record than OEM parts, in fact some data exists to indicate just the opposite.

I am just foolish or arrogant enough to believe, after some reading, that I could design a module, using components now available, that would generate less heat and have nearly zero failure rate.  It is not a simple design problem, would require considerable effort and some money on my part, and of course, might not achieve the performance that I project.  I am quite willing to assume these risks if the market is large enough, but I don't have the data to estimate the market size.  If any of you know of a large database that contains this information, I would very much like to access it.

[Charles S Otwell]

Seems that would be hard info to come by. Would I buy one (improved version) IF mine went out again, probably if the price were about the same. Would I buy one before mine went out again? honestly probably not. Wonder if anyone know the failure rate of R/R between extreme heat and extreme cold. Have we ever established a difference in that failure rate between Deep South heat and Northern cold? I'll bet Batteries take a bigger hit up North. Batteries are little less expensive and easier to get to, but in the long run I'll bet are a bigger expense than the R/R's.

[LIMagna]

Just replaced the RR on my 96.  I had installed a Kuryakyn voltage meter a few weeks back and noticed that it didn't appear to react as you would expect (voltage would actually decrease with higher rpm) and that it would drop out of the charging range after a bit of stop and go riding.  I originally thought it might be the stator but further testing proved that it appeared to be working properly so I ordered a replacement RR (SHINDENGEN # SH538D-13) from RegulatorRectifier.com.  The old unit appeared to be the original (have only had the bike since August), it's the one on the bottom in the photo.  The new one came in a "Tour Max" box with "Made in Japan" on the side and after peeling off the Tour Max sticker on the RR, the part number matched the OE unit.  $122 to my door.  If this one lasts as long as the original, I really can't complain.  Bike has lived its life in the Northeast so no real extreme temperatures.  I'm pretty happy about the way it choose to fail and the fact that I put the voltmeter on the bike ... sure beats getting stranded. 

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