Ok- now I'm really down - electrical hell!

[Cajun Cycler]

Also ask around. Several people have reported various cheaper Honda regulators as a replacement for the more expensive Electrosport (once known affectionately as Electrex) regulators.

[Anonymous]

So I guess I have a fried RR. Now, to spend $140 on a new one through the site sponsor or seak other, cheaper alternatives. Anyone have suggestions?
Thanks.

honda cx500 and equivilent:

CB250N, CB250T, CB250RS, CM250C CUSTOM,CMX250 Rebel, NSR250, RS250, CB400A, CB400N, CB400T, CM400, CM400A, CM400T, NSR400, CMX450 REBEL, CB450N, CB450DX, CB450S, CB450SC, CX500AB, FT500, XBR500

there's like 7 of 'em on ebay presently, from $7 - $50 supposedly more robust than the suzuki r/r, as good as electrex?

here's info on how to wire it up:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/viewtopic.php?t=36169&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=honda+regulator+mod

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the links. I'll see if I can pick one up cheap on ebay. However, I might consider a new one as well to minimize my "off the road with the charger problem" time.

[Anonymous]

Here's where I get confused. i checked some of the honda ones out on ebay. Seems like too many wires. I want three input connections, an output (hot) and a ground. the Honda ones I just saw had six or more wires. What are the extras for and how would I tell which is which?

[Anonymous]

I think if you stick to 78-82 CX500 ones they all have 5 wires, I'm not positive about this myself as I haven't got one yet, I'm in the same boat as you are, as far as a broken charging system. I just ordered a stator from Electrex (UK, they're like half the price of the ones from Electrosport or whatever) and I'm watching some of the auctions for the honda R/Rs, the photos I've looked at have 3 yellow wires (from stator) one red and one black and white (ground) the other ones may be for lights and whatnot? In this photo I believe he's using one for his brake light or something:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/viewtopic.php?t=36169&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=honda+regulator+mod

good luck

Marcus

[Steve]

Eric,

Besides the '82 GS650GL and the '82 GS850GL that are here, my stable includes an '86 Yamaha Venture Royale and an '84 Kawasaki Voyager 1300. The regulators on these last two bikes each have two wires for output and ground. I guess they figured it was easier to use two small wires instead of one larger one.

While I am waiting for a new R/R for the 850, it is using a spare R/R for the Yamaha. I only have one of the output and ground wires connected and it is doing very well. With the larger output of the touring bikes' stators, and the heavier load of all the lights, etc., I am sure it would be necessary to use both wires, but with the minimal needs of our bikes, one is enough.

Nice to know, though, about the Honda units being better. Will have to keep my eye open for them.

[Anonymous]

Saw several on ebay. Common sense says to just buy one from the site that earl recommended. However, I only paid $650 for the whole bike. Hurts to spend $150 for a silly little electrical part. I think any of the RRs from that era will do as long as they have three input wires. Looks like I can pick one up for $35 or so. Taking a chance that they will be bad also though. have to order soon because the bike is off the road and I have no other. Wish every auction had a buy it now feature.

[Anonymous]

I did better. Got one on ebay for $10 with shipping about an hour ago. I'm going to buy at least one more cheaply and see if they work on this bike. What did people do before ebay? But regulators from the dealer for $150 a pop.

[Anonymous]

yeah, I managed to get one too, 19.99 though, still, much better than paying 120 for an electrex. If you need a stator as well make sure you buy from electrex uk, not usa, they're like half the price from the uk dealer.

[Anonymous]

maybe it's not the RR after all.

I think it might be the battery.
Yesterday, I received one of two RRs i bought on ebay. I connected it to the bike through the connections and started the bike on a freshly charged battery. Battery was reading about 12.8v and after I started the bike it was around 12.4. Reving the bike to 5k there was no increase in voltage. So I disconnected the RR from the bike's circuit and left the RR DC output open. I measured across it and the battery ground. When reving the bike up to 5k there was no real increase in voltage. Just got around 12.3 volts, same as when the bike was just idling. To check if the RR was getting the right AC I checked the three stator pairs and got 70-80 volts on each at about 6k rpms. So by now I was confused. Could the used RR I bought on ebay (a larger one than originally on the bike - off of a Yamaha 4x?) only put out 12.3 volts? I reconnected my original RR to the bike and left the DC voltage open and measured across it and the battery ground. Low and behold, I got the same as the other RR - 12.3 volts.
So here we go.....
If the stator is outputting the correct AC on all three pairs - give or take, AND the RR is outputting 12.5 volts DC even at idle, could it be the battery that is holding the voltage down so I am not seeing the voltage rise to 13.5 or so when reving to 5k? Is the voltage from the RR and the voltage at the battery added up some way? Should a good RR output a DC voltage higher than 12.5 volts - like up around 13.5-14volts DC? That would mean the RR I just bought and the stock one on my bike both output a lower voltage. I have one more used RR coming in. I can measure that one too. But what if it only gives me 12.4 volts output as well?
Any thoughts on this would be very, very welcome.

[Evil Hobbit]

Re: maybe it's not the RR after all.

I think it might be the battery.
well?
Any thoughts on this would be very, very welcome.

If you are getting the right Volts from an unloaded stator 70-80 vac and you are only getting 12V from the R/R I would suspect the R/R. BTW did you bypass the wire running to the headlight? I connected the output of the R/R straight to the red wire going to the battery and the black lead on the R/R straight to the neg. terminal on the battery.

[Anonymous]

Ok. so I got the cover over the stator off. My clymer manual says not to pry it off - "it requires a good tug". Good tug. I had to bang the cover for 20 minutes with a rubber mallet before I could get my finger behind it to pry it off. Anyway, when the cover dropped down there were two gears connected on one assembly with a hollow steal post throught the center and one washer. What is this gear? what side does the washer go on when it goes back together? Do you just mesh the gears and put the cover on? Anyone know where I can see a diagram of these parts? thanks.

[bgmart450]

Bike bandit and other similar sites should have some diagrams and there's really nothing like a good repair manual (Haynes or Clymers) or if you're lucky a shop manual pops on ebay occasionally.

[fgh]

I don't know of a diagram but the gears w/shaft and the washer are for the starter. The washer goes on the longer end of the shaft and it is then inserted into a hole in the engine block at about two oclock on the magnetized generator drum. There will be a hole in the side cover that contains the stator the short end of the shaft goes into. Please be sure the washer is between the gears and the engine block. If you look at the washer carefully you may find wear marks on it that will tell you which way it was facing. It probably doesn't matter but if you can get it on the same way it came off its better.

I was surprised too hear you're after the stator given the voltage you got out of it. When you got the new R/R's did they have extra wires? I just got one for my ES that came from the Honda CM line. It has three yellow wires that go to the stator, a red wire that goes to the battery, a green wire that goes to the ground and the new black wire that has to go to a circut that gets 12V(+) when the key is in the on position. I'm going to use GM weather pack connentors on it which NAPA is going to have for me tomorrow. If you're still not getting 13.0 to 14.0 at the battery you might need to check the wiring on the replacement R/R. How many wires do they have?

[duaneage]

check the grounding of the RR, without a ground the RR cannot regulate and will do nothing
I found that the mounting bolt for the regulator was as good as any place on my bike, but yours may not go to the frame. In that case you will need to lengthen the ground wire a little to make it to the frame.

I made the photos for the pictures of the wiring tie in, PM me if you need help with it. I am pleased with my Honda RR, and it only cost me 7 dollars with shipping to do it.