New Rectifier/Regualtor Install

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Regular Guy

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I didn't want to hijack Shawn's thread about Starter relay relocating and his install of his R/R so I decided to make my own thread.

I opted to press the easy button and just put my new R/R under the back part of the seat where the little tool pouch would go if I had one. I just seemed easier for me to do it that way.

I disconnected the battery from both posts and unplugged the 3 stock wiring harnesses for the R/R (a 3 white wire one going to the stator, a positive and a negative. Rather than remove the old R/R, I just cut the cords from it and left it there. I then crimped and soldered 14 awg wire (yellow) to the other side of the stock wiring harness for the stator and covered with heat shrink tubing. I did the same for the spade connectors. For the +/- I crimped and soldered 10 awg wiring to ring terminal connections and the spade connectors and again covered with heat shrink tubing. I ran an inline fuse for the + side and ran the ground straight to the battery.

I put some protective tubing in key spots and taped others for a little more protection. The fuse was able to tuck nicely out of the way and the R/R fits in its new home nice and snug and easy to access if I ever need to.


Here is my wiring all made up and ready to go
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Here's the inline fuse tucked away
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Here's the wiring on its way to the new R/R
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And....here's the star of the show
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Now that I've done this and know of the paths I used to run the wire, I think I can do this in about 15 minutes time, minus time to solder the wires of course, add about 20 minutes or so. All in all, it was pretty simple. Thanks to those that have offered up so much help! As usual, I'd be pretty damn lost without ya!

Just as I got it done I fired it up and can tell that it started easier but didn't get the chance to see if it remedied my tail light flickering issue or not. I had to go make 4 pizzas outside real quick and then jump in the shower to take my wife to see "The Mummy" for our date night. So.....more on this tomorrow!
 
Looks like the install went well, a good job of tucking things out of the way and insulating.

I have a suggestion: after a half-hour ride, try feeling the R/R and see if the shrouded location you have it in allows enough heat transfer. If the unit is really-warm, or too-hot to touch, you probably need to relocate it to somewhere more-exposed to airflow. Mounting it to something metal to act as a heat-sink could also help it to give-up heat. I'm sure that's why the OEM put it on that footpeg mount casting, exposed to the air, and a large mass of metal to conduct heat away from the R/R. Heat is an enemy to electrical components, so anything you can do to help heat transfer should reward you with longer life, and reliable function.

Maybe using some safety wire in place of that rubber strap would unshroud the R/R heat-dissipation finning to work better.
 
Looks like the install went well, a good job of tucking things out of the way and insulating.

I have a suggestion: after a half-hour ride, try feeling the R/R and see if the shrouded location you have it in allows enough heat transfer. If the unit is really-warm, or too-hot to touch, you probably need to relocate it to somewhere more-exposed to airflow. Mounting it to something metal to act as a heat-sink could also help it to give-up heat. I'm sure that's why the OEM put it on that footpeg mount casting, exposed to the air, and a large mass of metal to conduct heat away from the R/R. Heat is an enemy to electrical components, so anything you can do to help heat transfer should reward you with longer life, and reliable function.

Maybe using some safety wire in place of that rubber strap would unshroud the R/R heat-dissipation finning to work better.

Duly noted but here's my take on it. The new R/Rs being mosfet run WAY cooler than the old ones. This is the same for car audio amplifiers that get shoved under seats with little to no airflow whatsoever and they can get hot but not too hot. The heat sinks on it dissipate the heat very well. As for the rubber strap, I didn't put that there, that's already there from Yamaha, to hold down the back portion of the seat (I'm sure you already know that, lol) and the R/R is behind it, not under it being held down. As for it moving, it's in there fairly tight but the thought of putting some double sided stick tape on it did cross my mind. As for attaching it to metal to help with heat transfer, well, see what I just wrote about mosfet above, lol.

Thanks for the suggestions though, I really appreciate the input. I'll see how this works, if it looks like I need to make adjustments, I have more wires and connectors so moving it will not be an issue but I think where it's at will be just fine (fingers crossed) as I hate to do things more than once :biglaugh:

Something funny to share real quick. I was looking at the bike before taking stuff off to get started (on the bike, not me. I can't solder naked) and the thought was "Hey, I can take that "VMAX" panel off and stick it under there" but then I realized that the gas tank is right behind it. It wouldn't be good to drill self tapping screws to hold the R/R into that now would it? :rofl_200:
 
The Series units in my Max and Roadstar get barely warm after a lengthy ride. Those newfangled Series regulators just don't make much heat when running. Checking is a good idea, as a habit, I always check the Max when refueling. (Got a Corbin seat,nit lifts off to refuel, and the reg is right there. Never noticed it was more than barely warm..)

A suggestion. I see you use separate wires in and out of the regulator instead of the Furukawa connectors. Nothing at all wrong with that. I did one that way. But after I connected the wires, I filled the cavity where the plugs went in with silicone caulk. Non conductive, and waterproof. If you ever have to replace the unit, snip off the wires, solder new connectors on the ends, and reuse them. If you got a genuine Shindengen unit, you probably are set for life with what you've got now. Let us know what battery voltage is with the engine running..
 
It is supposed to be the real deal Bill. Ha! Real Deal Bill rhymes, look! A squirrel! Ok, back to the bike, it's supposed to be a Shindegen FH020AA.

I'll test the voltage out later, busy cooking pintos and cleaning while the wife smokes a brisket, lol.
 
After dinner we took the Jeep up to Dairy Queen and got some ice cream, when we got back I tested the voltage while running and it was at 14.26. I took it down the road and got on it hard and got'er up to about 80mph and came right back and measured it at the same 14.26 and turned it off. I went out about 30 minutes later and it had dropped down into the low 13s and I imagine this morning it's going to be somewhere in its resting voltage range of 12.xx, I'll check on my way out.

As a side note, I noticed it making a new sound that I've not heard before. I think it's the clutch rattling. It's a ticking sound, a chatter if you will. It stops when I pull the clutch lever in. I've never noticed this until starting it up last night. I didn't hear it Saturday when I started it up. I also have been noticing that it has become a little difficult to change into second gear sometimes. It doesn't slip out of gear at all, just doesn't engage sometimes, as if I am not lifting up hard enough. It goes into neutral and I hear "VROOOOOOOOOOOOOM" and then try again.

This bike is something else. It seems like I address one issue and another pops up.:bang head:
 
I just had a thought that maybe I should post what I used in case anyone wanted to use the same items I did so, here we go!

Shindengen FH020AA Mosfet Regulator/Rectifier

Flux

Yellow 14awg wire for stator

Black & Red 10awg wire for +/-

Various sized Butt Connectors

10 gauge crimp ring terminal connectors

I bought some solder and a soldering iron at Harbor Freight. I have some more soldering supplies somewhere around here, haven't seen it in years so instead of hunting it down, I just bought new :p
 
In hindsight I guess I could've put them on. I've just seen so many folks not use them, I just kinda went with it :biglaugh:
 

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