Voltage regulator advice

[lcdrjoe]

It looks like my voltage regulator is shot. I did the ohm checks in the service manual and it failed but thankfully the stator passed. I looked on eBay and found I could get a used regulator (OEM) for about the same as a new one (Chinese), $35-$40. Wondering if you guys have any advice? I'm thinking a used OEM trumps a new Chinese, but I have no experience with this particular item. At least on the automotive work I do, it works that way. Second, have any of you guys took one of these voltage regulators apart and seen what's in there? From the diagram it looks it's just 6 diodes. I've replaced the diodes in car alternators before to get them back up. Thanks for the advice.

[WingAdmin]

It looks like my voltage regulator is shot. I did the ohm checks in the service manual and it failed but thankfully the stator passed. I looked on eBay and found I could get a used regulator (OEM) for about the same as a new one (Chinese), $35-$40. Wondering if you guys have any advice? I'm thinking a used OEM trumps a new Chinese, but I have no experience with this particular item. At least on the automotive work I do, it works that way. Second, have any of you guys took one of these voltage regulators apart and seen what's in there? From the diagram it looks it's just 6 diodes. I've replaced the diodes in car alternators before to get them back up. Thanks for the advice.

It's more than diodes, there are comparators and power transistors to do the regulation (the diodes just do the rectification). And typically they are potted, so you can't open them up and fix them.

OEM is fine, but one of the modern MOSFET regulators will work as well or better than your OEM. I'd go with a Shindengen, which are a universally respected name for quality motorcycle regulators.

Have a look at this thread: viewtopic.php?t=32987

[Rednaxs60]

I would go with a series RR as an upgrade instead of a shunt RR. Series RR choices that would be good are the Shindengen SH847 from Roadster Cycle. SH775 - series RR used extensively by Polaris and other OEMs in ATV and water craft, older technology but a series RR. The last, but not least is Compu Fire 55402. The SH847 and Compu Fire 55402 will require relocating. Had an SH847 that I sent to a fellow in CA. He mounted it on the inside of the right side saddlebag, lots of room and good ventilation. The Compu Fire will need such a space as well. The SH775 may fit where the OEM RR is, but night not, it will fit on the inside of the right saddlebag. The SH775 is a Shindengen RR and is the least expensive series RR you can use.

You will have to do some rewiring for either the shunt or series RRs. These generally have the 3 stator wires, one power wire, and one ground. There is no reference wire, uses the power wire for this. I know this is blasphemy, but there is no such RR as a MOSFET RR, it's either a shunt or series. The MOSFET is an internal electronic component used in place of the older technolgy, been around for a long time. MOSFETs are used in the shunt and series RR.

If you do use a newer shunt RR, it may be larger than the OEM RR and some adapting will be required, specifically regarding the wiring of it to your electrical system.

You can do the wiring several ways, but if you are able to mount the new RR in the same place as the old OEM RR, you can add a pigtail to the power and ground wires and plug these into the OEM connector. Go from one wire out of the new RR to two wires and plug in to the OEM connector.

The reason this works is that the OEM RR connector on the wiring harness side, goes from two power wires to one inside the wire harness. The same for the green ground wires. You can just connect the one green wire from the new RR to one of the green ground wires in the OEM connector, will work the same.

You may have noticed that there are two red/white wires at the RR, but only one at the starter solenoid. This is becasue the red/white wires are joined together into one wire in the wiring harness just after these two red/white wires enter the OEM wiring harness. You could cut back the protective sheathing and expose the red/white wires, cut out the two to one connection and connect the new RR wiring directly to the single red/white wire - just as effective as running a wire from the RR to the battery.

The stator wires can be connected to the OEM connector as well. You do not have to worry about the black reference wire other than to make sure that nothing touches it as it is live when the key is turned on. Makes for a good trigger wire if you need one.

Mention the above to minimize any extra wires.

Another issue that you can look into is find a good used RR from another OEM. You only need an RR that has a 30 amp rating. All RRs use a reference voltage of 14.2 VDC to regulate the power in the electrical system. Once again it will be a wiring issue, but this is not insurmountable. I mention this becasue I sent an RR from a 1984 Gold Wing to a fellow for install on a Suzuki 1000 cc V-Strom. He was close by so we did some phone chats, worked out the wiring issue and it has been working well for over 3 years. I had an '85 Limited Edition FI model with a Yamaha 750 RR installed by the previous owner. Worked well, but removed it after I installed the external mod.

Hopefully I have not confused the issue too much. Good luck.

[Focke-Wulf190]

6.15.22. I’ve used the series SH 847 on two gold wings a 1984 naked, and a 1985 GL 1200 interstate, and they run much cooler than the stock rectifier regulator. I too also sourced them from RoadsterCycle. I also mounted them in the same location as the stock ones. Although I could not use the stock bracket. The interstate is an extremely tight fit, 1984 naked model has more room with it’s fax tank. I wouldn’t use any other Voltage R/R.