Power consumption and R/R ponderings

[posplayr]

I like the thread, and have to agree with Richsuz - the bike puts out nominal voltage at idle and then at operating rpms too much.

rather than rely on the r/r completely, it seems - as stated before - a waste to not use the extra for something useful rather than venting as heat. { and taxing the elctronics of the r/r }

so as Richsuz says, if someone could come up with a schematic...

I think my original idea was sound: if a relay was tripped coincident with the bike being in 5th gear { the presumption being at highway speed/high rpms } that would take some load off the r/r while not draining the battery at red lights.

I don't know about you all, but there are a LOT of lights where I am. { you guys do stop at yours, don't you? <ggg> }

and yes, sad to say, i have had a lot of problems and been through a lot of r/rs

but the temperature is perfect for riding now!

The 5th gear indicator is more than likely a switch to ground when in 5th. The wire to the dash is going to a light that is hot all the time and just needs that ground to turn it on.

Use the exact same scheme as a lowside control on a power relay.

Something like the attached. You will need to figure out how much of a switched load to use.

This is high side control of the light; it could also be done lowside.

[tkent02]

Is this really a problem? I know that R/R fail from time to time but reading this post makes it seem that some are changing them out 2 or 3 times a year.

I'm I living in a cave or am I another one of the lucky ones witha somewhat correctly working charging system?

Just wondering.
Cheers
Spyug

I have not had a charging system failure, 20 or so GSes over thirty years. I have bought a few with electrical problems but they have all been fixed with cleaning connectors.

I clean all the connections every bike I get, so far it has worked.

[DPage]

I know these bikes don't have the best electrical systems, but Duaneage R/R's improve your odds greatly, and they don't require any more wiring. More electrical pieces are just one more thing to break (and then diagnose) when something goes wrong. Just my 2 cents.

[posplayr]

I have bought a few with electrical problems but they have all been fixed with cleaning connectors.

.

Amen Amen and once more Amen;

Did someone mention cleanring connections (especially all 5 connections to the R/R)