Designing my own Rectifier/Regulator

[Jon78gs1000]

Cletus is a nice fellow that took his time and effort to create a part that you Can't buy! It saves people hundreds of dollars and if he wants to charge a measley 19 U.S dollars for it then all the more power to him. Sure you can find schmatics on the web,Is there any that you would trust with your bike. I wouldn't. Sifting out what specific electronic parts to put where is in my opinion hard to say the least. I've read about Resistors.Diodes,Capacators and SCR's. To put it togeather with Ohms law is to me difficult and hard on my brain. Make a joke at my expense if you want to but I will Gladly pay for someone to make a schmatic for a part that is specific to my needs. At least in my case i'm very happy to have helped Cberkeley. If I went to have one of these puppys made for me at an electronic company I wonder what the cost for it would be.
I think Cberkeley should be able to charge for his effort.
I think that when you buy a motorcycle you should get a Free repair manual,but you don't do you? I paid 80 bucks for my 400 Maxim manual
from Yamaha and it was a photocopied book.The pictures wern't even clear.That ticked me off.
So Cberkeley,you have my Vote =D>

[cberkeley]

Disappointing to learn as this thread started out with only the best of intentions and that continues to hold true. I do not need this as a source of income, neither does my wife, we are both seasoned professionals gainfully employed.

Anyone dissatisfied with the plan? .....100% refund guaranteed, No questions asked, no love lost!

I designed this thing as a solution to my bike's problem, I built the prototype, tested it, tweaked it, its on my bike, I am happy with the performance and it stays there..... S I M P L E.

Some people said patent it, make kits, make finished product, put it on e-bay you'll make a bundle ..........I thought about it long and hard, turns out I'm not in the least interested!

The offer stands, anyone dissatisfied with the plan ONE HUNDRED PERCENT REFUND.
Cheers, Cletus

[ghwrenchit]

This should only be free if it's offered completely without support. The reality is, that cletus is going to support all of us in this. Coming from a guy who's helped sell/produce this sort of product before, $20 is to cheap. :-/ If he gave it away for free, that would be nice. But taking a dump on him because he is asking for some money in return isn't exactly fair either.

Actually, there aren't free schematics and parts lists all over the web that are as clear, well done, and documented as cletus's plans. Yes, the design is simple, yes the parts count is low. The best question to ask, if it's so easy, why hasn't someone else done it first? The answer to that, is that it's not. And ya'll forget he has contributed the LED controler as well.

If you don't feel the price is fair, don't pay for it. Go ahead do your own thing. I don't see it being "right" to jump all over him like this. If you'd like to check the title of the thread... the fact we even have access to the schematic at all is a gift.

I would have to agree, and back Cletus 100%. This project has gained a lot of momentum from the infancy stage to where it is now from the encouragement and curiosity of many site members. No problem or mention of selling kit/plan/assembly on the board regarding this project until now... ~170 posts later. Don't come down on the guy at the last minute. IMO an apology may be in order.... Cletus took this thing from the cradle to the grave... all in a hope to benifit other GS'ers that may be in need.

Perhaps after a few unit's are in service this post should move to the "For Sale" section, if that would make any difference.

BTW: I would hate to guess how many hours went into this project....

ghwrenchit

[cberkeley]

OK! .....I been thinking (and that be dangerous :-D ) I'm suspending the sale/distribution of plans for the time being. Over the next couple of weeks or so, I want to work with those who have plans in their possession (no secrets, there are 15 out there to date, not a large test sample, but workable and manageable) try to sort out bugs (if any), make improvements and get a general "feel" for where the project is heading. Do I want to continue with it? invest more time and take it further? or just shelve the thing? would be decided at that point. Motorcycles is a hobby for me, a stress reliever, and gives me much quality time to myself, it was/is also a great father/daughter project restoring/building, I do not want to risk diminishing this enjoyment (the grief ain't worth it). In all cases the folks who have plans in their possession have the option at any time to bail-out, just send me a PM, e-mail or snail-mail and I will get a full refund off to you pronto, no hard feelings and full confidentiality assured. Fair enough??
BTW Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the posts, FOR and AGAINST.... this is a great forum, no problem here!
Cheers, Cletus

[jonr]

OK! .....I been thinking (and that be dangerous :-D ) I'm suspending the sale/distribution of plans for the time being. Over the next couple of weeks or so, I want to work with those who have plans in their possession (no secrets, there are 15 out there to date, not a large test sample, but workable and manageable) try to sort out bugs (if any), make improvements and get a general "feel" for where the project is heading. Do I want to continue with it? invest more time and take it further? or just shelve the thing? would be decided at that point. Motorcycles is a hobby for me, a stress reliever, and gives me much quality time to myself, it was/is also a great father/daughter project restoring/building, I do not want to risk diminishing this enjoyment (the grief ain't worth it). In all cases the folks who have plans in their possession have the option at any time to bail-out, just send me a PM e-mail or snail-mail and I will get a full refund off to you pronto, no hard feelings and full confidentiality assured. Fair enough??

Cletus,

Don't get down about all of this. You seem like a well-intentioned guy who designed and built a piece of replacement equipment whose original is the bane of the GS's existence. There are a few electrical engineers that float around on this site and provide sage advice, but none (that I know of) in recent history that completely designed and implemented such a complex device. People who are privy to the quantity of knowledge necessary to make equipment are FAR and FEW between. This is why you have such a sustained interest in your R/R design.

For those people who can design and create their own, let em! They have the knowledge, so why should they have to buy plans from you? However, there are many of us who are not so adept and would like to have a quality (overbuilt) piece of equipment on our bikes.

While the GSR forum is yet another blog on a specialty hobby or interest, it's "personality" is truly unique. In my time of being on the forum since 2003, I don't see any of your activities as "crossing the line." If it was taboo to make money on this site, then why is there a "For Sale" forum? How many people came in to some part on their bike on ebay for $5 and turned it around for $10? The long of the short of it is that if you don't want to pay for Cletus' plans, then don't -- and stop whining about it.

-J

[bmac]

Opinions......Everyone has one

Forum Readers,
It is that we read these threads to help others with experiences we've had to help others resolve issues.... inform and enlighten situations
that you just can't get from a text book. In some cases you can have all the manuels spread out like a deck of cards and to no avail something is missed in translation or upon interpitation.With that said,why diminish an
individuals right to work on a project inwhich serves a meaningful purpose
and take away his right to make a return for time spent and making a function better. We, you,I, make the choice to read these threads. We
offer advise to the best of our ability and with concern. Lets not be critical of a persons intent when they have taken the time to do what he has the ability to acheive. Cletus, keep taking those emails.


Just my opinion.......bmac

[ehra]

Cletus, I for one appreciate the project that you have produced. You spent your time to spec out robust parts, design the circuitry, lay out a great set of instructions and give product support. $19 for the schematic alone is worth it. I have $50+ manuals that don’t do as good a job explaining the way it works together. Sure a person can find plans for just about everything on the net but can you make it all work together without burning everything up, maybe a homemade nuclear reactor. I see this as a project that gives me adjustments that I cannot buy in a commercial product. The industrial regulators that can do the job start at about $400 and do not include the easy adjustability of this unit.
That being said with the large group of people on here we are going to get many diverse views on everything from life to death and everything in between just like the world around us. The diversity of this place is what makes it great, the internet can seem harsh sometimes but usually that is not the intention of the people that post their views of a particular subject.
Thanks for the hard work, I appreciate it and just got my scr’s so I will complete mine this weekend.

Glenn Dewey

[mixongw]

This should only be free if it's offered completely without support. The reality is, that cletus is going to support all of us in this. Coming from a guy who's helped sell/produce this sort of product before, $20 is to cheap. :-/ If he gave it away for free, that would be nice. But taking a dump on him because he is asking for some money in return isn't exactly fair either.

Actually, there aren't free schematics and parts lists all over the web that are as clear, well done, and documented as cletus's plans. Yes, the design is simple, yes the parts count is low. The best question to ask, if it's so easy, why hasn't someone else done it first? The answer to that, is that it's not. And ya'll forget he has contributed the LED controler as well.

If you don't feel the price is fair, don't pay for it. Go ahead do your own thing. I don't see it being "right" to jump all over him like this. If you'd like to check the title of the thread... the fact we even have access to the schematic at all is a gift.

If he wants to "sell" a schematic, that's fine. Just not here! I don't think I "took a dump on" or "jumped all over" anyone!

[mixongw]

Disappointing to learn as this thread started out with only the best of intentions and that continues to hold true. I do not need this as a source of income, neither does my wife, we are both seasoned professionals gainfully employed.

Anyone dissatisfied with the plan? .....100% refund guaranteed, No questions asked, no love lost!

I designed this thing as a solution to my bike's problem, I built the prototype, tested it, tweaked it, its on my bike, I am happy with the performance and it stays there..... S I M P L E.

Some people said patent it, make kits, make finished product, put it on e-bay you'll make a bundle ..........I thought about it long and hard, turns out I'm not in the least interested!

The offer stands, anyone dissatisfied with the plan ONE HUNDRED PERCENT REFUND.
Cheers, Cletus

This sure sounds like marketing to me! Now a warranty is offered? I think my point was missed completely.

[mixongw]

Cletus,

Don't get down about all of this. You seem like a well-intentioned guy who designed and built a piece of replacement equipment whose original is the bane of the GS's existence. There are a few electrical engineers that float around on this site and provide sage advice, but none (that I know of) in recent history that completely designed and implemented such a complex device. People who are privy to the quantity of knowledge necessary to make equipment are FAR and FEW between. This is why you have such a sustained interest in your R/R design.

For those people who can design and create their own, let em! They have the knowledge, so why should they have to buy plans from you? However, there are many of us who are not so adept and would like to have a quality (overbuilt) piece of equipment on our bikes.

While the GSR forum is yet another blog on a specialty hobby or interest, it's "personality" is truly unique. In my time of being on the forum since 2003, I don't see any of your activities as "crossing the line." If it was taboo to make money on this site, then why is there a "For Sale" forum? How many people came in to some part on their bike on ebay for $5 and turned it around for $10? The long of the short of it is that if you don't want to pay for Cletus' plans, then don't -- and stop whining about it.

-J

I thought whining was allowed. Sorry. :-)

[Jon78gs1000]

I think it's fine for him to sell a part for a GS in the GS Resources. Its what its here for. If you dont want to buy it then dont. Some of us will gladly pay him for his knowledge. This is not some info on how a stator works,this is a product that Suzuki couldn't even make! If your offended by it then you have every option not to read this thread.There are threads that I don't like but I don't tell someone they can't say something they want to say.Now all that has happened is that if anyone wanted to buy it of there own free will and money,They can't,because of a few.
The world sure has changed.

[Planecrazy]

Mixongw,

You and those who agree with your position need to remember that this thread DID start out as one guy who was trying to use his expertise to improve a problem area on HIS bike, as well as providing a measure of flexibility that NONE of the commercial replacements offer (voltage adjustments, etc.).

The fact that others encouraged him not only to move forward with it, but also to make changes based on their own wants and desires is, in my opinion, what kept the project alive and in the forefront of our public forum. I have absolutely no problem with him benefitting monetarily for his time and efforts, and I certainly didn't ask for any price break for the suggestions I may or may not have contributed to his project.

Now that it HAS evolved into a product that people can buy your suggestion that it be relocated to the "For Sale" section is a good one, not only because the thread has evolved but because those looking for a R/R would naturally search the "For Sale" section first anyway. Nevertheless, your suggestion that Cletus has "crossed the line" or "done something wrong" is completely unfounded unless Frank decides he has.

Remember, this isn't OUR site ... it's Frank's site, and to his credit Frank has shown an amazing amount of patience and leeway in letting the forum evolve into the unique community it is. Having said that I personally think you folks were unnecessarily harsh with Cletus, and thus your reasonable suggestions regarding what to do with this thread were perhaps taken in a way other than how you may have intended it.

Regardless of where the thread winds up, I 100% support Cletus in the manner with which he has conducted himself. He deserves to benefit from his efforts, and nineteen bucks for the plans to a carefully designed product with features that simply don't exist in the mainstream seems like a total bargain to me. If the product performs as well as I expect it to, I have EVERY intention of offering to build these things for others at a very reasonable price for my time and effort, and I don't believe there is any cause to take issue with any part of this plan...

Regards,

[Hoomgar]

It figures. This is the first time I opened this thread and only to find out I am too late. Cletus, I would be interested in a finished product offered by you once you have said "bug" worked out. That said, in the spirit of keeping everyone happy, simply do not offer to sell it in this thread anymore. Simply post it in the for sale section, problem solved

Some members will give you grief no matter what you do. Mostly, they are completely full of something and themselves and you simply should not let them get under your skin. I know first hand they do anyway. I encourage you to simply ignore this type of person and continue your effort.

I assure you, you could be offering up your idea for free as a tip to save people money and the same exact individuals will come marching in, belch out sentences worth of BS and lies and give you a hard time there too.

Once again, when you have a "finished" product to offer, please post it in the for sale section so it will be "legal" and let those of us who would like to purchase the plans from you buy it! And yes, you should sell it, don't give it away for free. Like I said above, that wont please them all either so have at it.

Rock on.

[Nerobro]

I think the whole problem was tone. :-) Time to crack open a new thread in for sale. Keep this thread open for development and comment. Any sales talk needs to be done in the for sale forum. Simple, easy, clean. No more of the whiney "he's tryingto make a profit" bs.

[fastpakr]

I agree, there is NOTHING wrong with selling this product after all the time that's been put in to develop it. I'm not saying try to retire from it, but a bit of profit to recoup your hours and take your wife out to dinner is perfectly acceptible.