External Alternator

[makenzie71]

14g may be too big, but 18g is stock...or it's what's in mine, anyway.

[reddirtrider]

I believe you want more turns to develop more current.

[rustybronco]

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showpost.php?p=968723&postcount=98

Actually the space for winding the copper wire is limited to the distance between the iron core of each pole measured right at the bottom at its narrowest and then divided in half. In practice this relates to maximum 3 layers of #18 or #19 AWG wire.

that's why I had a ? mark. I thought 17ga was used in the rewind tutorial.
maybe Matchless will pipe in again.

I believe you want more turns to develop more current.

more turns require a smaller Ga wire because of the limited space between poles. the smaller ga wire with increased turns will develop increased voltage, less current.

[makenzie71]

I'd like to know as well...I was under the impression that heavier guage wire increased output as opposed to windings but in the end I think it's total copper material. Clarification would be excellent.

I'm also still researching compact external alternators. It would be poissible to run two generating systems together to get the additional wattage...so you'd have power through the normal range with the factory stator, and you'd have an additional powersource from an alt tapped off the countershaft. If I could find something small enough to fit under the carbs that would run off a shaft extension from the stator side through a modified cover that would be the bee's knees...get something truely modern and ditch the old stators and rectifiers both.

[rustybronco]

I'd like to know as well...I was under the impression that heavier guage wire increased output as opposed to windings but in the end I think it's total copper material. Clarification would be excellent.

it's not the total copper material that matters. it's the number of wires cutting the magnetic lines of force, combine that with the increased resistance of the thinner ga wire. increased turns=higher voltage, increased resistance=less current.

[GQROD]

Mounting an alternator off the timing shaft seems to make the most sense and would not cost that much. Since it's dry there other models could adapt this.

You would need a shaft extension and mod a new cover plate but that should be cake for someone with time and a little skill.

Hyundai alternators i know have been used on some custom bikes due to their small size.

[makenzie71]

I'll look at hyundai alternators, but coming off that side isn't good because it would prevent you from mounting the alt under the throttles conveniently. It would interfere with the time gadgetry, which may or may not really matter. I guess I'll see how that turns out later.

I'm going the standard route for now, but I am going to look into devloping something here...not only would it be more convenient but you would get a LOT more power for much less money. You can buy used alternators for $20 on eBay all day long and have a generator and stable regulator all in one package. Seems great to me. Only thing is that the transition will be expensive. The whole setup would cost 2~3 times a new stator/rr.

[Matchless]

that's why I had a ? mark. I thought 17ga was used in the rewind tutorial.
maybe Matchless will pipe in again.

I have seen many references to the wire guage and have come to the conclusion that some may be measured incorrectly. In the metric system the wire thickness is given as square mm, but the diameter is rather used by all as this is easier to measure. This diameter is the copper only, not including the enamel. So you will incorrectly measure a thicker gauge if you do not first remove the enamel.
Hand winding #16 on an 18 pole stator is just about impossible and you will also lose a lot of space (thus windings) due to not being able to get the windings flush on the bends and adjacent each to other. Using #17 may be a bit easier, but still quite hard to do. Using #18 (metric equivalent of 1.0 mm diameter makes it just possible to hand wind nice tight windings and so get in a maximum of 3 full layers and then another half a layer from the top down.
My guess is that you would not be able to fit 3 layers (at the bottom of each pole) on two adjacent poles with heavier wire than 1.0mm on the GS 18 pole stator.
So basically it is not only the theoretical amount of turns and thickness to get an optimum output, but also the physical limitations that must be taken into account.
Hope this helps.

[Matchless]

I'm also still researching compact external alternators. It would be poissible to run two generating systems together to get the additional wattage...so you'd have power through the normal range with the factory stator, and you'd have an additional powersource from an alt tapped off the countershaft. If I could find something small enough to fit under the carbs that would run off a shaft extension from the stator side through a modified cover that would be the bee's knees...get something truely modern and ditch the old stators and rectifiers both.

Have a look at the 18 Amp field regulated alternator which is internal to the motor and was fitted on the CB750 - CB1000 in the early 80's. It may be possible for an enterprising person to fit one of those to a GS???. It will require fitting the Honda electromagnet rotor to the crank in place of the GS permanent magnet one and maybe welding the mounting part of the cover to the GS, to mount the Honda stator and brush assembly.

I would not try it, but the expertise here on the forum could well make it easy for someone to do this?

[makenzie71]

Space is certainly an issue, but I'm not hand-winding. I have a nifty gadget I built when I was screwing around making wind turbines. The stator frame locks down in a jig and this gadget applies a measured amount of "pull" to the wire to make the windings very tight and flush. I intend to try and adapt it to work with widing motorcycle stators.

Rewinding bike stators is something I really want ot figure out because there is NO ONE locally who does it. I could make a good chunk of change just from that alone.