Electrical upgrades- CB guys, what are you running?

[onelifematt]

Curious to know what some of you guys are pairing with some of the known upgrades out there.

I'm looking for reliability over everything. Got some Mikuni VM30's for my CB350 and a pamco set. Got rid of the electric start, with a block off piece. No blinkers. just headlight and tail-light.

Anybody using the http://www.bellicomoto.com/store-t176/cb-350-combo-regulatorrectifier-unit.aspx regulator/recitifer out there? $50 seems to be my next purchase. Thoughts?
What about battery eliminators? Capacitors?
Coils?
Looking for a battery too, but not my top priority.

If anything, I might just run what stock stuff I have, coils and rec/reg. Looking for affordable upgrades, and not just simply boretech everything. Yeah I know they're clean and awesome, but I won't be racing my babe. But will be a daily rider, so maybe these things ARE worth paying the change for.

Your thoughts, time and ideas are much appreciated! I'm sure many of us could use such info as well. Thanks!

-Matt

 

[Bert Jan]

i run a solidstate reg/rec on my cb550. taillight, headlight with on/off switch and a little battery. Also exprimenting with a cb200 alternator on a tuned 550 engine to run without battery.

 

[Flugtechnik]

You can upgrade your rectifier to a modern one for as little as $5 at radioshack. I did that and it worked fine. Since I am rebuilding my bike, I went ahead and got a combined reg/rec. One like this for about $20. I had to modify the wiring but no big deal.

I switched my lights to LEDs. I got a sealed AGM battery. I did the coil power mod: Installed a direct power line from the battery to the coils that is switched by a relay that is controlled by the kill switch. Stock setup has the power for your coils running up into the handlebars and back to the coils. I also installed new coils. I also upgraded the headlight to halogen. I used a 35/35 bulb because normal 55/65 bulbs pull to much power and will kill your battery.

 

[Bert Jan]

You can upgrade your rectifier to a modern one for as little as $5 at radioshack. I did that and it worked fine. Since I am rebuilding my bike, I went ahead and got a combined reg/rec. One like this for about $20. I had to modify the wiring but no big deal.

I switched my lights to LEDs. I got a sealed AGM battery. I did the coil power mod: Installed a direct power line from the battery to the coils that is switched by a relay that is controlled by the kill switch. Stock setup has the power for your coils running up into the handlebars and back to the coils. I also installed new coils. I also upgraded the headlight to halogen. I used a 35/35 bulb because normal 55/65 bulbs pull to much power and will kill your battery.

If that unit costs 20 bucks, i want to know where you got it. Is it the same as the RR24 combined reg/rec for the 500/550's?

 

[Flugtechnik]

Ebay search "regulator rectifier 4 wire" and a bunch will pop up. It looks like most are $15. I have no idea if they are equivalent to what you specified. I'm pretty sure the one I got was the 5 wire (3 for alternator, 1 ground, 1 hot) but I will check when I get home. The one I got has 4 wires. 2 to the alternator, 1 ground and 1 hot. It basically replaces the stock rectifier in your wiring diagram

Additionally, I haven't been able to test mine out yet because I am still rebuilding my bike. I do know that the charging systems on our old bikes are not the greatest and this should be able to handle it. I think I found some specs on one of the listings when I was originally looking, but I don't know what they were or where they are. Make no mistake these are cheap chinese units.

There is also another unit that people are using. Try search the forum for "cheap regulator rectifier" or "kohler rectifier". People seam to be happy with that one.

 

[onelifematt]

You can upgrade your rectifier to a modern one for as little as $5 at radioshack. I did that and it worked fine. Since I am rebuilding my bike, I went ahead and got a combined reg/rec. One like this for about $20. I had to modify the wiring but no big deal.

I switched my lights to LEDs. I got a sealed AGM battery. I did the coil power mod: Installed a direct power line from the battery to the coils that is switched by a relay that is controlled by the kill switch. Stock setup has the power for your coils running up into the handlebars and back to the coils. I also installed new coils. I also upgraded the headlight to halogen. I used a 35/35 bulb because normal 55/65 bulbs pull to much power and will kill your battery.

Sweet deal, thanks for the picture and information. I just got an AGM battery through the search I've done, and looking at how I'm going to route my kill switch. The black and black/white wire connect through the on/off switch. To my belief, ((and fill me in if I'm wrong, or your thoughts)) that I need a normally CLOSED switch, that will open when I press the button. Opening the latch of the circuit, and killing the power to the coils.

It seems pretty simple as I'm following my wiring diagram and trying to figure the basics. Where do you throw your relay?

Would anybody be down to geek out on a drawing if I drew one up? Everybody likes pictures right? 8)

 

[onelifematt]

Ebay search "regulator rectifier 5 wire" and a bunch will pop up. It looks like most are $15. I have no idea if they are equivalent to what you specified. I'm pretty sure the one I got was the 5 wire (3 for alternator, 1 ground, 1 hot) but I will check when I get home.

Additionally, I haven't been able to test mine out yet because I am still rebuilding my bike. I do know that the charging systems on our old bikes are not the greatest and this should be able to handle it. I think I found some specs on one of the listings when I was originally looking, but I don't know what they were or where they are. Make no mistake these are cheap chinese units.

There is also another unit that people are using. Try search the forum for "cheap regulator rectifier" or "kohler rectifier". People seam to be happy with that one.

Thanks for the info! I'm really going for reliability and things built to last with this bike. I like the solid feel of things, I wonder how the cheap chinese units handle my inspection haha. I do however figure cost into the equation, I try to find the best deal for the package. The Bellico Regulator/Rectifier is looking my fancy, at a solid $50. Just haven't heard or seen many guys speak of them. Might have to look into this some more.

Any idea of what you got on your bike as to what you mentioned you got? Thanks again.

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

Ebay search "regulator rectifier 5 wire" and a bunch will pop up. It looks like most are $15. I have no idea if they are equivalent to what you specified. I'm pretty sure the one I got was the 5 wire (3 for alternator, 1 ground, 1 hot) but I will check when I get home.

Additionally, I haven't been able to test mine out yet because I am still rebuilding my bike. I do know that the charging systems on our old bikes are not the greatest and this should be able to handle it. I think I found some specs on one of the listings when I was originally looking, but I don't know what they were or where they are. Make no mistake these are cheap chinese units.

There is also another unit that people are using. Try search the forum for "cheap regulator rectifier" or "kohler rectifier". People seam to be happy with that one.

Why a five wire? That is specifically for 3 phase alternators. our alternators on the CB 250/350/360 are one phase. A three wire regulator is the "right" one. You can use the five wire, but you only use 2 of the yellow wires, not all three. I dislike extra wiring. The single phase regulators are also in the $15 to $20 range too....The Kohler/John Deere type regulators work fine.

 

[Flugtechnik]

I have a 450. I thought it is 3 phase. It is the same as the 350. Three wires coming from the alternator.


I have the 3 wires from the alternator going to the 3 yellow wires on the reg/rect. One wire from the reg/rect going to the black power wire in the harness and the last one going to ground. 5 wires.

The picture I posted has 7 for some reason. The one I got only has 5.


Sorry, went of my meds.


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[Flugtechnik]

You have a kill button? Not a 3 way switch? That doesn't sound stock. When you press the button it is supposed to kill the engine?

If you have a normally closed relay, it will always be supplying power to the coils until you hit the "button". This will work if you run the power to the coils after your key switch. If you run it directly from the battery as I suggested, you will be powering your coils even when the bike is off which will fry your coils and kill your battery.

I put my relay under my tank just behind the coils.

 

[mydlyfkryzis]

There are three wires, but not three phases. The CB360 has a yellow, white, pink. The pink is common. Yellow and white are a 1/3, 2/3 coil to vary the output. Connected together, (white and yellow) you get the full output from the alternator ie: 3/3.

This is different then the three phase alternators. They have 3 outputs, no common unless they are Y config, but then the common is internal.

On a three phase alternator, the peak of the AC volts is 120 degrees apart, while on the one phase, the yellow and white are in phase and work together as one.

A three phase regulator used as a one phase regulator will work, but the amp rating is degraded. For instance, on a one phase, it may be rated 20 amp, while a three phase rated 30 amp. However, each phase on the 3 phase is about 10 amps, so using only 2 sets of diodes internally, instead of the three means it can only handle 20 amps, same as the one phase.

 

[Sonreir]

Electrical upgrades, eh? I may be running a few...

LED Headlight

Dual alternators (with dual Regulator/Rectifiers)

Capacitor and Hondaman Ignition

 

[Flugtechnik]

Hmm, I think I might be confused. I am going to have to check and see what I did when I get home. It all made sense when I wired it up.


Oh, and Sonreir, you are a nut.

 

[Toast]

Electrical upgrades, eh? I may be running a few...

Haha wow that's crazy! What do you have on the bike that needs all that extra juice?

 

[Sonreir]

Haha wow that's crazy! What do you have on the bike that needs all that extra juice?

Nothing yet, but its in preparation for EFI and external (electric) oil pump.

 

[Flugtechnik]

Ok, my previous 5 wire comment was incorrect. The reg rect unit I have has 4 wires coming out of it. It basically just replaces the stock rectifier in the wiring diagram.........and the regulator goes away......sort of.

I will correct my previous posts tomorrow when I am at a computer.

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[Flugtechnik]

Relay mounted to the rear coil bolt. You can also see the custom coil bracket.

The Regulator/Rectifier installed on the custom battery box.

 

[anomoly40]

Sonreir, how do you like that headlight for nighttime? I thought about getting that one but I wonder how it performs.

 

[Sonreir]

It's decent, but it doesn't have quite a large spread like more traditional choices. It feels a bit like a giant flash light. Can't beat the power consumption though. Around 10W with the high beam on.

 

[onelifematt]

Relay mounted to the rear coil bolt. You can also see the custom coil bracket.

The Regulator/Rectifier installed on the custom battery box.

Awesome shots, thanks for sharing those. I wanted to ask where the relay was placed in line of the switch you had. probably on the hot side before the switch? The technicalities are still brainstorming in my head.