Apparent Regulator Failures

[TLRam1]

Ok, Bob Barram has answered my much feared question on the Regulator topic post.  His 2001 magna R/R  boiled over at 15,000 miles..     Mine has a little over 14,000 on it.  Now what...

You have 1000 miles of peaceful uninterrupted riding left, enjoy! Your cell phone, don't leave home without it.

Many 94's have gone out and mine so far so good at 60K miles, hard to say.

[lragan]

Thanks, Hoot.

I still believe that your solution of moving the R/R outboard to a cooler location is the best solution put forward to date.  I still intend to have mine similarly mounted before warm weather returns.

[Greg Cothern]

I think a relocation would help quite a bit considering the temps Lawerance was getting.  Heat is a electronic killer.

SO big question which one of you is going to scout out the best place to relocate it and create a plug and play relocation kit for us all????

COME on, speak up!!!   

[hootmon]

I already picked a location and proved it could be done. The new Regulator I purchased had leads plenty long that I did not need and extension. However, IF you moved the regulator to the location I chose, you would still be able to strip the wires back out of the harness and have plenty to  reach the new location with the shorter leads.. (See earlier in this thread for my pictures)

[Greg Cothern]

OK another option/question, how about a lower belly scoop if you will (ABS plastic or Fiberglass etc) that would direct more air into the current location?

[TLRam1]

Greg, form committees or work groups to work together, design and make prototypes. I would be glad to head this up when I have time to devote to these projects.

[Charles S Otwell]

How about all you guys that live further north where the temps are not as hot as it is in Texas, what kind of failure rate do you have? I not convinced that it's just the heat I still think poor design (internally) on the Magna's R/R.

[Jester]

99 magna california model in washington with almost 40,000,  original R/R

[hootmon]

I know how much all of you enjoy my electrical saga, so here is another chapter...
I was riding around the other day, and I was sitting at a light..
I said to myself, "wow, someone either just got new brakes, or needs new brakes..."
I rode for about another two miles, taking several different roads... I came to another stoplight..
I said to myself "wow, someone either just got new brakes, or needs new brakes, could someone have really followed me this far???"
I then thought.. Ohhh, maybe it's MY brakes.. I had replaced my Brake fluid a little while back, and did replace my rear shoes before that??? Hummm maybe a bad caliper?? I've seen rebuild kits for master cylinders, but not calipers.. Humm I'll have to ask the Mootsters about that" - sometimes I get long winded in my thoughts..
When I got home, brakes seem to be fine, but a similar smell seems to be coming from under my seat.. Hummm that can't be good...

Saturday I rode in the 1st toyrun of the season, it's a short run and not far from my house, but a good cause and ends in an annual bike fest in a local town...
During the ride, I said to myself - "there's that smell again"

I came home early... Last night I took off my seat, fired up the bike, checking the voltage at the battery.. While doing that I hear a snap sound and see a small amount of smoke rising right behind the battery.. The smoke was coming from the "other" regulator connector (Input side from the stator)
After some work, I basically cut off the connector.. Here is what was causing my "brake smell"... I know the pictures are kinda fuzzy, sorry, best I can do with my cameraphone.. basically a big glob of melted plastic and insulation..

[lragan]

So, Hoot, it appears you have replaced regulator failures with connector failures -- multiple in both cases. 

Tell us a little more about the connectors that failed, please

1) They came with the replacement regulator?

2) They mated with the Honda OEM connectors in the harness?

3) One of them WAS the Honda OEM connector in the harness?

When a contact set gets hot like this, it typically destroys both sides, so you may not be able to tell where the heat problem initiated, but it would be good to know.

I don't recall instances of the Honda OEM connectors failing, but that may simply be my lack of attention.  None of mine have failed, and none that I have examined appear to have been replaced. 

So I am wondering -- did the aftermarket R/R designers get it right on the module and drop the ball on the connectors??

[hootmon]

Tell us a little more about the connectors that failed, please

When a contact set gets hot like this, it typically destroys both sides, so you may not be able to tell where the heat problem initiated, but it would be good to know.
As stated earlier in this tread, my 1st regulator was bad when I purchased the bike and was Over-volting - I attribute (maybe wrongly so) that this damaged the original connectors and at this point to some extent the age of the connectors and heat over time. The original R/R did some minor damage to the OEM connectors, but not enough to make them not work. You are correct that when there is a melt down, everthing becomes a melted glob.

I don't recall instances of the Honda OEM connectors failing, but that may simply be my lack of attention.  None of mine have failed, and none that I have examined appear to have been replaced. 
I believe the damaged caused some resistence in the connectors. My new regulator is supposed to put out more power than stock, so more power with resistence = heat. heat causes damage, which increases the resistence, which causes heat, which... You see where this is going...

So I am wondering -- did the aftermarket R/R designers get it right on the module and drop the ball on the connectors??
I believe the aftermarket connectors were probably fine, but the additional output of the R/R plus damaged connectors = meltdown.

[lragan]

Thank you.  The lesson here is clear -- if the connectors look a little iffy -- they probably are.

[hootmon]

Thank you.  The lesson here is clear -- if the connectors look a little iffy -- they probably are.

Or beyond iffy in a Jiffy...

[connor]

Hello All...

I just recently bought a rather sad looking Yamaha Dragstar 400cc which over a period of time am going to renovate.

On checking the bike over I noticed that Yamaha have mounted their voltage rectifier/regulator in front of the engine on a pretty neat looking purpose built bracket. In this location the unit is going to get a nice draft of cooling air flowing over it when the bike is in motion....seems to indicate that Yamaha are concerned about that units operating temperature.

[hootmon]

I noticed that Yamaha have mounted their voltage rectifier/regulator in front of the engine on a pretty neat looking purpose built bracket.

At least some Harley regulators are done the same way... I've always wondered about all the water and road debris, but it doesn't seem to be a problem.