GS wiring question

[KrazyKarl02]

Ok, so I sit and wonder about things a lot.... This question is open to anyone with an opinion... There are 3 wires coming out of a GS Stator, 2 of them go directly to the rectifier/regulator. One goes away, through a wire connection, then loops back down to the rectifier/regulator. Is there a purpose for this, why not just run all 3 wires directly to the rectifier/regulator?

-Karl
81 GS 1000G

[SqDancerLynn1]

The third wire is for the lights it runs up thru the light switch and back to the reg. This enables the third output line from the stator to be used only when the lights are turned on. I have wired mine direct to the reg.

[Anonymous]

In addition, I think that means you still have the stock regulator on the bike--i believe that the electrex regulates all three legs of the alternatr--I also believe thay my honda mod has 3 legs regulated as the electrex does-

[billp]

US bikes don't have the light switch that the euro bikes have. It's a cost saving thing to use the same wiring harness. Eliminating that loop will prevent future problems with the electrics.

bill

[Clone]

I don't know if this has ever been asked before. but here goes, Why not connect all three yellow wires together before putting them into the r/r? What is the logic behind keeping them separate if they all go to the same unit?

[Anonymous]

I don't know if this has ever been asked before. but here goes, Why not connect all three yellow wires together before putting them into the r/r? What is the logic behind keeping them separate if they all go to the same unit?

Maybe the size of the single diode that would be needed to take the heat was so large and expensive and it is more than likely a full wave bridge of some sort.

[Hap Call]

I don't know if this has ever been asked before. but here goes, Why not connect all three yellow wires together before putting them into the r/r? What is the logic behind keeping them separate if they all go to the same unit?

What ever you do, DO NOT DO THAT!!!! 8O 8O 8O 8O They are three different AC voltage sources and until they are rectified cannot be tied together without damage to the stator!!!! It will last about two revolutions before it burns ups!

It is a reasonable question, but please do not do it. What is going on is that your stator is sending out three different voltage levels. These levels are constantly changing from a voltage that is positive to a voltage that is negative. If you were to plot this level on a chart it would make a sine wave. Each different voltage (technically called a voltage phase) is always at a different voltage than the other two (except for a VERY brief moment when any two of the phases are at the same level because one is increasing voltage while the other is decreasing voltage). These phases are 120 degrees "out of phase" which means that if one phase is at the top of the sine wave the other two are 120 degrees ahead and 120 degrees behind.

Your rectifier/regulator does not care which phase is hooked up to which wire on the rectifier/regulator just as long as all three are hooked up.

Hap

[Clone]

Well, there you go. You never know the answer until you ask. Now for the follow up question. Since on the original r/r, the third leg was not regulated, causing multitudes of problems; on the Electrex unit all three are regulated; has suzuki corrected the initial problem on their subsequent r/r units? Or if it is not an Electex unit only two legs are still regulated? :? :? :?
Hap it seems you are the resident electronics engineer type guy what do you think?
I personally would kick my ass around the block if I designed the original unit.

[Clone]

Hap maybe you could add the explanation of the Three Yellow wires to the Stator papers. I don't recall reading that information in them. Also, I am probably not the first person to look at those three wires and think, "One big one is easier to route." If people knew the purpose maybe a mistake could be prevented.

[Hap Call]

Well, there you go. You never know the answer until you ask. Now for the follow up question. Since on the original r/r, the third leg was not regulated, causing multitudes of problems; on the Electrex unit all three are regulated; has suzuki corrected the initial problem on their subsequent r/r units? Or if it is not an Electex unit only two legs are still regulated? :? :? :?
Hap it seems you are the resident electronics engineer type guy what do you think?
I personally would kick my ass around the block if I designed the original unit.

According to my factory shop manual, they began regulating all three phases on the '81 GS1100E. Now this does not get the '81 and later models out of the woods. The Suzuki rectifiers/regulators for the '70s and 80s are old technology that could not withstand the heat that the rectification and regulation process put out so they will eventually fail, especially if a load is placed on the system, either through additional electrical gadgets or because of increased resistance due to corrosion and poor grounds.


To make the old R/R last longer do the following:

1. clean all of your connections
2. insure you have clean, tight ground connections
3. Keep extra electrical equipment to a minimum.

To keep the stator alive and kicking do all of the above AND keep oil temperatures down in the crankcase since the stator is cooled by engine oil.

If you ever have to change either the stator and/or the R/R, I strongly recommend the Electrex stuff?it is better quality than the stock stuff and it costs tons less. The new Electrex stator is rated for a higher output than stock from what I understand.

Hap

[Anonymous]

Can you ever learn stuff on this GS site or what.

Roman

[jimcor]

What happens when you plug your TV in backwords :P

[Hap Call]

What happens when you plug your TV in backwords :P

Obviously, after about twenty years it will turn to black and white, 5 years later it will turn into a tube radio, then devolve into a book until it finally turns into a rock with scratch marks on it!

Hap

[mcconnell]

Hap, I'm curious about adding extra load to the charging system by adding accessories. Since the system uses a permanent magnet spinning around the stator to produce our electrical energy (AC Generator as opposed to an alternator that a car and more sophisticated motorcycles have), the actual output of the charging system, with a given magnet and stator, is based solely on RPM. As the RPM's go up and if there is no increased electrical load, the R/R gets rid of this excess as heat, thus probably shortening its life. I contend that if you add more electrical power using devices, the R/R would have less excess to get rid of, would run cooler, and maybe last longer.

I do agree with everything else (clean connections, cool oil for the stator, etc.) but low RPM's are the key to making this old technology last. Want to cruise fast, get an Electrex.

[Anonymous]

the actual output of the charging system, with a given magnet and stator, is based solely on RPM. As the RPM's go up and if there is no increased electrical load, the R/R gets rid of this excess as heat, thus probably shortening its life. I contend that if you add more electrical power using devices, the R/R would have less excess to get rid of, would run cooler, and maybe last longer.

Conversly, If you have lots of "gadgets" but like me you don't ride all that hard and fast (high RPMs), the stator and R/R won't be able to keep up and you'll drain the battery.

I'm adding a cig. lighter adapter (waterproof) to Larry so that I can charge my cell phone in emergencies, but placing a higher load on a documented "wimpy" electrical system (whether the weakest link has been replaced or not) does not seem like a good idea.