nklr - smoked an f650

[Nick Hughes]

Hi all, Bought my new KLR about a month ago and wanted to add some nightcutter spotlights to it. Was told the OEM stator would not put out enough power so bought one from electrex. Putting it in was not the hassle free job that was implied but, we got it in and wired up. Next day, after a long ride, my battery was flat. Took it back to my bud (the knowledgable one for I am but a techno-peasant who cannot change batteries in a walkman) and we began to trouble shoot stuff. He figured he traced it down to a loose wire and, after fiddling with it, tested the plug that goes into the regulator and everything seemed to be working. Next day rode again, same problem, flat battery. Unplugged the headlight, clutch started it and rode home. Took it to another friend - a Harley mechanic - he took the whole thing apart and we reassembled it and checked all the wires, heat wrapping everything etc. Still not charging. The print out sheets on the electrex website were a little confusing so, after speaking to Ritzo out there, he seemed to think we may have fried the regulator. I have ordered another one from my dealer which will be in Thurs. Here's the questions. Is the new stator overloading the regulator? (My Harley friend says, when you put a bigger stator in the Harley you also need to enlarge the regulator.) Has anyone else on the list had to put in a bigger regulator or did the OEM one handle the stator from Electrex? If I need to put in a bigger regulator what one can I use? My Kwaka mechanic at the dealers rang Kwaka out in CA and they didn't know. Apologies for the length of the post and, please remember this is no reflection on Electrex. Ritzo has been extremely helpful everytime I've phoned him. The only thing I wish they would change, and I'll be writing him to let him know, is that they should include some instructions for the particular model bike you're working on and include any hardware you may need when exchanging the parts. A guy called Chet @ Rattlebars who makes parts for Valkyries does this and it's awesome. Thanks in advance to anyone that can help (figuring that will be Jeff and the Proffessor) and hope to hear from you all soon. Big Nick

[Jim Hyman]

Nick, As Dash said, Electrex offers their regulator/rectifier as a "more powerful" alternative to the stock unit. I would NOT use the stock regulator with the higher output Electrex stator. While the stock stator & regulator are reliable, I strongly doubt that the standard regulator can handle 50-100% more alternator output reliably. Part of your electrical problem may involve how you wired the NightCutter spotlights. If you tapped into the stock wiring harness to power the new lights, you may be over- heating the wires. This means that your wiring harness may be doing double duty as an electirc toaster, drawing even more electrical current. The standard wiring harness and switches are marginally adequate to handle a regular electrical load. 14 guage wire is the smallest wire size that I use to power horns or lights that draw a lot of power. How many watts do the spotlights draw? Did you use a heavy duty relay for the lights? What guage electrical wire did you use? Is the spotlight switch adequate for the electrical load? How old is your battery? A quick test for charging is to compare the head light's brightness at idle & at 3-4k rpm. If the headlight is somewhat dimmer at idle, your system is charging, but not necessarily at the proper level. Pages 14-5 through 14-7 detail the steps to perform a static (not running) test of the stator windings & the regulator. If you don't have the service manual supplement, contact me off list if you want me to email them to you (for your mechanic buddies). If things check out with the static test, I would do an extended test ride with a voltmeter and ammeter hooked up, to verify that your charging system works at varying speeds, for an extended period of time (1 hour minimum, preferably longer). It won't hurt to WD40 all electrical connectors & make sure that both battery terminals & wires are clean. Have a load- test done on your fully charged battery. A battery that won't hold a full charge could be the cause of your problems, but I don't think that this is the case. Your m/c dealer or an auto parts/battery store should be able to perform this test for you (for free). Let me know if you have any further questions, I get a charge out of this type of problem (shocking, whoops, that's for ignition problems). Professor A9 Federal Way, Wa. [USA] --------------------------- --- Nick Hughes wrote: [snip]

> and wanted to add some nightcutter spotlights to it.

Was told the OEM stator would not put out enough power so bought one from electrex. [snip] Next day, after a long ride, my battery was flat. [snip] Here's the questions. Is the new stator overloading the regulator? [snip] (My Harley friend says, when you put a bigger stator in the Harley you also need to enlarge the regulator.) Has anyone else on the list had to put in a bigger regulator or did the OEM one handle the stator from Electrex? If I need to put in a bigger regulator what one can I use? [snip]

[monahanwb@yahoo.com]

That sounds to me like an "SBD", (not "silent but deadly", but Smoked By Default, considering that the heathen rider stalled the motor). I think the real deal is that the F650 does make good power...it did before it got injectors, and I am sure it still does. I've seen Harley guys give it the VrmrmmmVrmmmm at the redlight, and then proceed to stall at the green. Always good for a laugh. I used to love pulling up next to some Harley dude on my XL600, revving it's little motor like crazy, then wheelie off in front of the slow lumbering hog. Oink!