Rectifier/Regulator replacement list

[posplayr]

Thanks for the advice. My preference would be for the Mosfet over the SCR due to the concern that SCRs fail in a closed circuit state. (From what I've read)

Is it safe to say that ANY regulator that supports a 3 phase stator would work?

Thereare really few compelling reasons in this GS day of electrical charging to buy anything other than a SERIES R/R. The SH-775 is a very affordable Series R/R and can be purchased cheaper than most conventional SHUNT regulators. They are typically $70 new from Polaris dealers.

See this link for a summary.

GS Stator

To Andre's point about some SHUNT regulators having been working for years, that is correct but it is generally limited to the smaller bikes that don't have the same heat problems as the bigger bikes. For anything at 1000 cc and above it is a must. 750 cc is borderline I have little experience on bikes below that but there are many reports of no issues.

It has to do with heat dissipation and the SERIES R/R just doesn't create the same heat in the stator as the SHUNT R/R will. Yes I said stator heat . Also if you plan on going to LED lights and reducing your electrical loads you will further stress the R/R.

Also the dominate failure mode (i.e. about 10:1) for MOSFETS is to fail CLOSED. For the SCR to fail OPEN.

 

[bwanna]

There is really few compelling reasons in this GS day of electrical charging to buy anything other than a SERIES R/R. The SH-775 is a very affordable Series R/R and can be purchased cheaper than most conventional SHUNT regulators. They are typically $70 new from Polaris dealers.

See this link for a summary.

GS Stator

To Andre's point about some SHUNT regulators having been working for years, that is correct but it is generally limited to the smaller bikes that don't have the same heat problems as the bigger bikes. For anything at 1000 cc and above it is a must. 750 cc is borderline I have little experience on bikes below that but there are many reports of no issues.

It has to do with heat dissipation and the SERIES R/R just doesn't create the same heat in the stator as the SHUNT R/R will. Yes I said stator heat . Also if you plan on going to LED lights and reducing your electrical loads you will further stress the R/R.

Also the dominate failure mode (i.e. about 10:1) for MOSFETS is to fail CLOSED. For the SCR to fail OPEN.

As always, your explanations are written so well! Thanks. would you happen to have the Polaris Part# for the Sh-775. The website requires a model number before it will list parts... and I don't know polaris models.

 

[posplayr]

As always, your explanations are written so well! Thanks. would you happen to have the Polaris Part# for the Sh-775. The website requires a model number before it will list parts... and I don't know polaris models.

I have summarized most of the relevant ordering information in that link.

 

[bwanna]

I have summarized most of the relevant ordering information in that link.

Thanks. Feel a little foolish for asking. Tried to find that and somehow missed it.

Cheers

 

[Hilvhendo]

Here is the Polaris part number 4012941

 

[GodSilla650]

I just picked up a 1982GS650L locally from a kid that said the stator went bad and he replaced it (had the old part to show me) but it still wouldn't start. He didn't say anything about replacing the R/R. When I hook up a charger to it it will crank somewhat slowly for a few seconds and then just die. I took the battery out of the circuit and replaced it with a jumper pack and same thing crank slowly and die. After a quick look at the wiring diagram it looks like all power runs through the R/R from the battery before going to the rest of the bike, so I think I might be on the right track. I am suspecting a bad R/R considering how commonly they go bad, but does anyone know first hand if it would cause a no start condition? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

After reading the stator papers I was pretty much set on getting an Electrex R/R, but now I see there is a whole world of R/Rs out there I never even knew existed. I am all about saving money, but is that the main motivation behind going with one of the other R/Rs on this thread or are they actually of superior quality to the Electrex? Thanks again

 

[GodSilla650]

Heatsink

Heatsink

I was thinking about putting a monster heat sink off of a computer processor on the back of the new R/R for added cooling, possibly with the fan wired up. Has anyone done this or is it just over kill? I have one laying around and it runs off of 12V.

 

[tom203]

A bad R/R will not cause the no start/slow crank stuff- with a decent battery and/or jumppack , bike should crank smartly.
As made in Japan, the power runs from battery thru main fuse and up to key switch where it waits for you to turn it on- the R/R could be in a great lake and bike will still fire up! With no charging system , bike will keep going about 45 minutes or so.

You got some reading to do- don't buy a R/R unless it's a series unit like a compufire or SH-775.
Since PO fiddled with stator, best to get in there and have a look at his handiwork. Slow cranking (with good battery) probably means poor connections, tired starter motor, but could be something else.
You might want to move this post to electrical forum.

 

[tom203]

I was thinking about putting a monster heat sink off of a computer processor on the back of the new R/R for added cooling, possibly with the fan wired up. Has anyone done this or is it just over kill? I have one laying around and it runs off of 12V.

You could pack the R/R in ice if you wanted to, but it ain't necessary. For $70, the SH-775 will do the job - mine barely gets warm

 

[GodSilla650]

Thanks Tom, I read the stator papers but I didn't mike it through all 45 pages on this thread. I just picked up the bike yesterday and I am storing it at a friends house so I really haven't had time to mess with it. I plan on going out there today after work and messing around with it. I do suspect there might be some bad connections because the negative battery lead has been replaced with something that looks like an aftermarket battery cable for an automotive application.

I actually already have the exact same bike already I just picked this one up because it was the right price, had a lot of new parts, and is in better condition. The bike I have now is running so I was going to play the parts swapping game until I got this one running. I probably should pick up a new battery, because I don't really know the condition of either of the batteries. The jump pack wasn't fully charged, however it will start a car on a very low charge so I was surprised that it wouldn't crank over the bike very well. I will have to check all the connections, no matter how good a battery if the connections are bad the bike wont start.

 

[posplayr]

Thanks. Feel a little foolish for asking. Tried to find that and somehow missed it.

Cheers

Read GS stator.

 

[posplayr]

I just picked up a 1982GS650L locally from a kid that said the stator went bad and he replaced it (had the old part to show me) but it still wouldn't start. He didn't say anything about replacing the R/R. When I hook up a charger to it it will crank somewhat slowly for a few seconds and then just die. I took the battery out of the circuit and replaced it with a jumper pack and same thing crank slowly and die. After a quick look at the wiring diagram it looks like all power runs through the R/R from the battery before going to the rest of the bike, so I think I might be on the right track. I am suspecting a bad R/R considering how commonly they go bad, but does anyone know first hand if it would cause a no start condition? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

After reading the stator papers I was pretty much set on getting an Electrex R/R, but now I see there is a whole world of R/Rs out there I never even knew existed. I am all about saving money, but is that the main motivation behind going with one of the other R/Rs on this thread or are they actually of superior quality to the Electrex? Thanks again

Read gs stator in my signature.

 

[bwanna]

The procedures in Posplayer's signature are very good and easy to accomplish. Will quickly tell you the status of the Stator and R/R

 

[tom203]

Yes, the stator papers can be tough to get thru, but posplayr keeps trying to make them simpler. On your currently running bike, try this quick test (less than 5 minutes, honest!)- it offers clues to your charging health

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?p=1272192#post1272192

Edit; I have to type faster

 

[Guest]

Really really need to get Frank or whom ever to pull those old GS Stator papers and replace them with Posplayr's write up.

 

[posplayr]

Really really need to get Frank or whom ever to pull those old GS Stator papers and replace them with Posplayr's write up.

Read gs stator in my signature and you will see they won't.

 

[GodSilla650]

Thanks guys, I will do the test procedure as soon as I can. I did take a peak at the bike and it looks like the previous owner must have lost the bolts for the R/R and just ziptied it on there. From the wiring diagram I believe it is case ground, so that is probably causing some kind of problems. I have not had a chance to see how all the wiring connections are yet though. I did fill my battery up with distilled water and did a 2amp charge for about 10 hours it is now consistently holding 12.36 volts. I think that sill might be a little low so I may try to charge it for a while longer. I have another battery charging now so we will see which one is better.

While charging I was concerned because the battery was bubbling, but from what I read this is normal as long as it doesn't really hot. Is this correct and if so is warm ok?

thanks again

 

[posplayr]

Thanks guys, I will do the test procedure as soon as I can. I did take a peak at the bike and it looks like the previous owner must have lost the bolts for the R/R and just ziptied it on there. From the wiring diagram I believe it is case ground, so that is probably causing some kind of problems. I have not had a chance to see how all the wiring connections are yet though. I did fill my battery up with distilled water and did a 2amp charge for about 10 hours it is now consistently holding 12.36 volts. I think that sill might be a little low so I may try to charge it for a while longer. I have another battery charging now so we will see which one is better.

While charging I was concerned because the battery was bubbling, but from what I read this is normal as long as it doesn't really hot. Is this correct and if so is warm ok?

thanks again

Not all R/R's are case ground and even if they are they should have a negative wire that goes to a common ground. The bigger issue is heat dissipation. A loose contact to the mounting plate is a lost opportunity to transfer heat to it for reducing the R/R temperature.

 

[BigD_83]

Not all R/R's are case ground and even if they are they should have a negative wire that goes to a common ground. The bigger issue is heat dissipation. A loose contact to the mounting plate is a lost opportunity to transfer heat to it for reducing the R/R temperature.

This is a good point to keep in mind. Some R/R positioning is such they don't see much airflow. On my 650G, the stock R/R position was under the battery box, and at least had contact with a metal bracket that was in contact with the battery box.

The 550ES has it's R/R tucked under the seat, behind the battery. I don't see how it would get any airflow at all, except through a chimneying effect.

As for Godsilla's question, the battery bubbling. I don't know if it is bad or not. Some of my batteries bubble when charging, others don't. The ones that do, don't seem to be as strong as the others.

 

[jbthomp]

Small bubbles are normal like the fizz on a soda. Lead acid batteries produce some hydrogen and oxygen when they are charging, that is the bubbling you are seeing. If it starts bubbling like boiling water or the case starts to expand that means it's way overcharged and could explode. Make sure you are not trying to charge it too fast either. A trickle charger works fine. If you charge it too fast too many times you can reduce the life of the battery.