Hey guys! New to this forum but have been lurking quite some time. Great stuff here! Been confused between the different US, Euro, ... models but got that sorted.
I haven't gotten to the bottom of this thread, 6 pages, but there seems to be a lot of confusion and misinformation on charging system, series, parallel, switching, alternator, generator, blah blah, blah everywhere! So here goes, yea a nerd's plight or whatever...
#1 After examining my bike today, the failure point IS NOT the regulator/rectifier or stator. The source of our problems are those crummy connectors that Honda uses. I've searched throughout this afternoon off and on looking at comments from all across the net from VFRs to RC51s to Superhawks, you name it. If Honda is to keep service centers open, something has to go bad, right? Not the mechanical, usually, but instead a simple but costly fix at the stealerships.
Having to break apart the connector between the regulator and the stator revealed because of heat damage the following--dirt and debris.
Now here it is. KISS principle folks... For the most part, wire harnesses for power transmission can be considered over a short run if designed correctly to have less than or equal to a 3% voltage drop. At the end of the day and for simplification, let's say that there is 0V drop across the wiring. Well, here is the rub. If the connection gets dirty, we will have higher resistance. That voltage drop across the connection will act as a resistor. When there is a voltage drop across a resistor, we will have I squared R losses. That is P = I^2 * R. That loss is easily identifiable as heat. There is a one to one correspondence between temperature and voltage. Now as those points of connection get hot and cook the connector and the debris, the connection becomes worse, making a soot which is not a conductor but a pretty good insulator. Eventually, the dirty contacts creates enough resistance that the power that should be going to your accessories gets used up in that crummy connector until it bakes itself. It would be nice if it just went out like a quick blow fuse! It doesn't. REPLACE THOSE CONNECTORS WITH SOMETHING THAT IS ENVIRONMENTALLY SEALED--basically watertight.
#2 Getting a R/R that has a higher current rating will only typically make the device more robust. Thinking that you will be able to get more current, therefore more power is not the case. Say the voltage is constant; that is what we want. That means, current goes up if we want more power. The bike has a 30A fuse on the battery and one internally I believe in the starter relay. That means, at the end of the day, the system was designed for in and around 30A. If by chance one should change the fuse rating to something higher along with enough of a load over a duration, the current rating will surpass that of the wiring, at least on the main branch before it branches after fusing to the sub-circuits. You could modify the wiring harness before that AND at the ground (return sub-branches) to accommodate, but too much work.
#3 Having read a post by Talus, some good stuff but...
Again, connectors are the bad and the ugly.
Wondering what fuses to use? Place one fuse before your branches, 30A. Why? Using extra wire, simplified, will increase the current capability of the wire. If there are three different fuses, what will be the values? Well, let's say we choose three (3) 30A fuses. That combination will now blow roughly around a single 90A fuse rating! No protection. Now lets say, we choose three 10A fuses or a combination of three that sums to 30A. We have no control over the proportion of current in each single wire. The wires are not closely coupled as in a single stranded wire. Let's just say it is perfectly even though, probably will be anyway... To keep the 30A rating we chose a combination that summed to 30A. Any branch of the three seeing more than it's rating, say 20A on the 10A fused leg (branch, wire), it will burn. Now we have two wires to do the job. The current rating for each leg will get it done, but, the fuses will not be up to snuff. Another will blow, then the third. If the same over current situation hasn't been rectified (pun intended), we will have a cascade of burning fuses. The correct course of action if taking that route with the three wires, is to fuse with the same 30A fuse before the branches you added. That way, we keep 30A protection on the mains and ensure anything engineering by Honda stays in coordination (fuse blowing order). Now if any wire should fail, or even two, you would not notice a difference. That addition is more robust (more stuff but beyond this rant).
# 4 Series Regulator, MOSFET Regulator, Parallel Regulator, Switching Regulator --> KISS, they all work well if those crummy connectors worked well. Getting a higher rated device just means it will with everything equal last longer. Semiconductors that come from the factory are close in batches but not identical, especially in different runs. MOSFETs are great for power applications more so than BJT and so forth at these power and current levels. The topology of the internal circuitry combined with the type of switcher and control circuitry are of more value than just the words if you get my drift. They work as a system. Yeah yeah, there are benefits to the MOSFET type... This series regulator that is up for grabs... I wonder if there is a SMPS (a switcher) like that in your computer's power supply) for motorcycles. If there is, I would love to see its schematic and control circuitry! I bet it is big and $$$.
# 5 Connecting that extraneous monitor wire? Does it even function? I'd love to take a look at before and after the connection was made on a scope to see if there were any changes. It may just be a standard connection that is Shindengen uses for its designs. Removing one just for Honda would cost, cost more than you think. I cannot get a datasheet on any of their stuff! That way, I could tell for sure. I believe Talus fixed the issue with the connector change.
More on # 5. The R/R should have a range that it works in within the given tolerances of its design spec and target (electrical operating conditions of the bike). We should be safe there. That voltage sense, hmmmmm. It is a feedback loop, but as many have pointed out, it's the cheap way out. If everything is working correctly, the R/R doesn't need it. Temperature, blah, blah, blah, will cause changes but NOTHING is ENGINEERED to EXACTNESS. There is always compromise. That is the difference between Pure Math & Physics (theory, not applied) versus engineering. If there is, and I could just see the durn circuit, I'd be pleased so that I could see some more different control strategies.
ANYWAY, THAT WAS MY RANT. With these bikes, I betcha a clean and dry bike is a better bike! Mine is a commuter, soooo we need a simple fix. I sure like the idea of a series regulator; I'd just love to see a novel switcher out there.
Take care. Oh yes I'm a budding Power Systems Engineer, not a seasoned veteran and don't know it all at all. My specialty at them moment, which isn't saying much, is novel buck boost converters, a kind of switching converter.
Oh, there are probably other maladies, but Honda knows what it's doin...
Take care and thanks for taking care of me even when yall didn't even know it.
Now to see if there is a switcher out there. Now that would be something if it is small!
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