mosfet regulator

[sendaro_99]

I have a new voltage regulator (mosfet) should arrive tomorrow for my 02 midnight. This regulator has to be hard wired in because no connector or ends supplied. I am planning to use the yellow shrink wrap crimps on theses wires as well as additional shrink wrap tubing over the yellow crimps. I know about testing across the battery with the engine running and looking for 14.5v +/-5v. Any other test I can run to be sure the system is ok before I leave on my vacation with her. I'm not real up on the electrical testing end but I do have a small vom and a12v test light.

[LilBeaver]

Checking for the appropriate voltage (no greater than 14.4 -- good range at high RPM is 13.8 to 14.4 V) will test half of the functionality of the regulator/rectifier unit.

 

The other thing to check for is to ensure that there is no sign of an AC signal in your system [after the rectifier/regulator -- since that is the job of the rectifier part of the R/R's job). Checking across the battery terminals is as good of place as any to check.

 

That is all there is too it!

 

Good luck with the rewire

Edited September 26, 2013 by LilBeaver
Changed wording for clarity and to correct the obvious error

[sendaro_99]

Thanks Lil beaver for the info, how do I test my system to insure only dc?

[dingy]

Checking for the appropriate voltage (no greater than 14.4 -- good range at high RPM is 13.8 to 14.4 V) will test half of the functionality of the regulator/rectifier unit.

 

The other thing to check for is ONLY DC current in your system. Checking across the battery terminals is as good of place as any to check.

 

That is all there is too it!

 

Good luck with the rewire

 

Just to clarify, current check is not done across battery terminals. You need to unhook either the positive cable or negative cable and put current meter in series with the removed lead and the open battery terminal. A low end meter will probably not have ability to read up to 30 amps current draw on battery with everything powered up however.

Current draw would be checked at idle or with motor not running. If motor is ran up to higher RPM's during current check, you will get an erroneous reading due to stator supplying most, if not extra current to power electrical system.

You would however check voltage from the positive to negative battery terminals.

 

Gary

[LilBeaver]

Just to clarify, current check is not done across battery terminals. [...] You would however check voltage from the positive to negative battery terminals.

 

 

Absolutely correct Dingy, I cannot believe I made that mistake . Rather embarrassing at that... especially since I certainly know better. I have adjusted the original post to hopefully help clarify.

I guess I need to make sure I am at least a little awake before writing a post or at least proof read it a little more carefully.

 

I had meant to suggest looking for the alternating variations in the power supplied to the bike which can be done either by checking for AC current, as described in your post OR by using a standard voltmeter and checking for any sign of fluctuation in what should be a DC voltage measurement.

One can check either by using the AC mode on a voltmeter and look to see how/if the reading changes as a function of time when probing either the wires on the battery terminals, the AUX plug under the seat, or wherever else one would choose to actually make that measurement.

[etcswjoe]

I am not a big fan of crimp on connectors I would much rather solder or use solder sleeves if you can.

[dacheedah]

I am not a big fan of crimp on connectors I would much rather solder or use solder sleeves if you can.

 

2nd that, solder and heat shrink

[Flyinfool]

Technically a crimp is more reliable than solder. In high reliability situations the joints are either crimped or welded.

BUT

This is assuming that you are comparing a proper solder joint to a proper crimp joint.

The cheap crimpers that you get at the auto store with the terminals is NOT going to give you a proper crimp, A proper crimper is rather expensive for the average home shop, starting around $50 and can be as much as several hundred dollars.

A proper solder joint must be mechanically secure BEFORE the solder is applied, and the solder must not be wicking up into the strands of the wire. You can not just lay the wire ends next to each other and glob on some solder to hold them together. This would be a poor electrical and a poor mechanical joint.

[etcswjoe]

Technically a crimp is more reliable than solder. In high reliability situations the joints are either crimped or welded.

BUT

This is assuming that you are comparing a proper solder joint to a proper crimp joint.

The cheap crimpers that you get at the auto store with the terminals is NOT going to give you a proper crimp, A proper crimper is rather expensive for the average home shop, starting around $50 and can be as much as several hundred dollars.

A proper solder joint must be mechanically secure BEFORE the solder is applied, and the solder must not be wicking up into the strands of the wire. You can not just lay the wire ends next to each other and glob on some solder to hold them together. This would be a poor electrical and a poor mechanical joint.

 

Could always do both

http://www.nationalstandardparts.com/multilink.html

 

I would say most of the connections our techs make are crimped but the crimp tools we use are several hundred dollars to several thousand depending on the tyoe of connector.

[MikeWa]

If you are going to use a crimp remove the yellow jacket and solder after crimping. Then double heat shrink. I prefer a marine heat shrink which has sealer built in to it. This is not a place where you want any chance of a connection coming loose.

 

Mike

[sendaro_99]

Thank you all for the input. I am going to go to home depot and get the Klein ratchet crimper they have if my partners is not up to the task. Will see if they sell the Maine shrink wrap too. Will try to solder the connections after the crimp (I'm really lousy at soldering) and will double shrink wrap each wire then tape the bundle. Hopefully this regulator will last more than a couple of hours.