I've got the Datels on both my Triumph and my KLR - very handy if you like data!

These units are the choice of many Long Distance riders so they must hold up OK.

I'm planning to do my wiring beef-up as soon as I've got a few spare hours. The max I ever see on my meter is 13.7 V and my driving lights alone bring this down to 12.6 or so, even at 4000 RPM cruising speed. If I use my Gerbing jacket AND the driving lights - TOO LOW.

So I look forward to MORE VOLTS real soon!

Stuart

Just did this modification last night, with about $10 worth of stuff from Radio Shack. My running voltage on my '02 S3 went from low 13's to 14.9. Lights are no longer dimming when the revs increase.

This is a great article, thanks Zam. I just wish I had read it before I got stuck with a dead battery on the side of the road last weekend. First ride with this cycle, and wouldn't you know it, I find a design flaw that sticks me on the side of the highway for 3 hours.

And thanks to AVM for the link to the voltmeter. That's the next addition.

There is one thing I'd like a little clarification on, though. The inline fuse - I'm assuming that a 30A fuse is what I should be using, since the 2 fuses between the rectifier and battery are both 30A. Is this correct? I just want to be sure. I'm a mechanical engineer, and all this electricity stuff is magic as far as I know.

Sean

a 30 amp will be fine.

I'm glad this helps out others...

It's something I've been doing to my cars and bikes for 20 years.
I'm just glad to pass it on to others.

I did the mod this morning on my 03 Sprint (with Datel voltmeter).
I used 12 ga stranded wire and soldered the connections, then used proper crimp ring terminals on the battery connections.

Went out for an 80 mile test ride, some local riding, a good stint at 75, then more local.

I've gained a full volt (13.6 to 14.6) with no accessories on. Still, at idle, the voltage can drop to 12.4-12.6, sometimes even down to 12.2. As soon as I move out the voltage begins to climb - slowly - eventually reaching 14.6 at 4000-4500 RPM. I NEVER saw more than 13.7 before this mod.

When I turn on my driving lights - 35W X 2 - the voltage drops right down to 13.4 but then gradually moves down into the 12s, eventually reaching down to 12.4 even while moving. At idle it will get right down to 12.0. Moving out again it will climb, but may take a while to get up to 13, if it gets there at all!

I think I need to measure the current draw of these driving lights!

Anyway, quite an improvement for a bit of wiring and a fuse.

I assume the voltage only goes TOWARD the battery from the rectifier so there's no concern about it being connected full time to the battery?

Thanks for the tip. Stuart

I assume the voltage only goes TOWARD the battery from the rectifier so there's no concern about it being connected full time to the battery?


Yes the rectifier blocks any current flowing from the battery to the earth via the stator.

I found this very intoresting as I used to be an automotive electrician before a career change, and the maximum permitted voltage drop on a starting circuit is 0.25V on the pos. and 0.25 on the earth.(i.e. 0.5V overall) So to see that the volt drop on the charging system of a bike is as high as 2V amazes me as the alternator output is only rated at 40A.

I shall be doing the mod ASAP as I don't want to get caught out.

__________________
"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities"

-Voltaire

As I have the Tiger partly in bits I thought I'd do this mod, although I've approached it slightly differently. I've joined the red wires out of the rectifier and taken this via a 40A fuse to the live terminal on the starter solenoid - this feeds back to the battery via a nice thick cable and means I don't have 2 ring terminals on the battery. Similarly, I've taken the earth to the big earth screw on the top of the crankcase.

I hadn't ever noticed any charging problem but the cables going from the regulator connector did look a bit on the weedy side. The other advantage of doing this is that it frees up a couple of fused live feeds and associated earths.

__________________
Ian
2004 Tiger 955i
1955 Velocette Viper.

I dont want to "hijack" a thread but there seems to be alot of "electrical geniuses" viewing this. What could be causing an ECM to fry, or how could it be getting spikes in the electrical system?

Here's a guy who will rewrap your stator for 25% higher output. Maybe you could wear gloves, vest and pants

http://www.ricksmotorsportelectrics....yabusa_Kit.pdf

Don't know if he does Triumph but I sure he could if enough people sign up.

On my Guzzi I put in a switch to just run the parking lights during the day. If you switch one of the low lights on the Sprint you would have an extra 55 watts and still be legal

__________________
Piles of Miles with Smiles

You guys will surely enjoy reading Warchild's (Iron Butt luminary) description of his solution to the watt shortage of certain bikes.

Warchild's Latest Farkle: CUrrent iNTerupt Control Box ==> **** Box

http://www.superblackbird.com/cbox.cfm

I'm kinda unimpressed with the, ahem, current interrupt box. Toggle all rear lamps off to save 56 watts? No thanks, I like being visible from the rear. I'll just swap my bulbs for LEDs & save 55 watts instead. As far as toggling the extra lights on/off, umm.... He added the lights, right? Why didn't he put on/off switches on 'em originally?

Cheers,
-Kit