| Author | Message | ||
     Dhays1775 |
Just ticked over 14,900 miles on my CR. I noticed that my voltage would climb slowly when cold, even with the headlight turned off (I have a switch to kill the ground). Turn on the light, and voltage would fall into the mid-11 volts range while my RPMs were at a constant 5k. I rode for a day and half with no lights (all day-time) until I decided to not push it too far before it decided it was gonna leave me stranded. I went ahead and ordered an FH020AA Voltage Regulator. At the same time, I went ahead and ordered the crank locking tool and two new nuts from EBR. After installing the new VR and removing the "Harness Upgrade", voltage was doing the same thing. The last time this happened, my VR was shot. I R/R'd my VR and all was well for the next 3k miles. I figured that since the same thing was happening as before, the same parts would be replaced. Since there was no change, I knew the stator was shot. Either way, I'm still happy that i got the FH020AA VR as an upgrade. I believe the stock VR is still good, so I'll keep that one as a spare. I only rode about 15 miles to test the new VR, but no change in voltage. I'm going to try and see about getting the cable to rewind the stator myself, but if that doesn't pan out, I plan on sending it to Rick's Rewind. I've heard a few guys around here that have used him and seem to have positive opinions. They warranty the stator for a year if I'm not mistaken. Regardless, the only thing that threw flags were the voltage at 3k RPMs. I didn't find any shorts to other legs or to ground. My voltage readings were very disappointing to say the least. 1-2: 31V 1-3: 7V 2-3: 22V I guess the stator is cooked. I plan on drilling cooling holes like Hildstrom did, but I plan to have the rotor balanced before I slap it back in. Are there any tips or anything I need to know before I tear into it? Would using a thicker wire lower the output on the stator? I know that after my little 20 minute ride, the stator cover was so hot I could barely touch it for more than a split second. Radiant heat was crazy! Any help would be awesome. Thanks in advance. | ||
| Mako |
ricks electric has stators for @125$ with higher temp wire. | ||
| Mako |
sorry $140 ish | ||
| Sprintst |
Product # (20-B112H) Rebuilt Hot Shot Buell Stator Description Rebuilt Hot Shot Buell Stator: Core required in advance *This stator is wound with 240 degrees C wire (vs. 200 degrees C stock) Price $ 165.00 Image not availablePlease Call to Order Continue Shopping | ||
| Hildstrom |
Others have rewound with larger wire (lower AWG) and still had failures, but I don't think those people did anything to improve stator cooling. If the rewinder can't fit the same number of turns per pole, your voltages will be a tad lower. If they can fit the same number, the gaps between poles will be smaller, which may affect stator cooling. Here is the thread on rewind options and prices: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/684861.html?1340743567 | ||
| Dhays1775 |
Hildstrom, how many wraps did you put on yours? I seem to recall about two and a half. If I went with two full wraps, that should be enough to lower temps just a little bit more while still giving plenty of voltage, right? I have an HID low-beam and all LED blinkers and tail, so I know I'm using less wattage than stock. Would it be possible to machine a jet coming from the oil cooler to spray on the top of the stator? That could be a way to help keep it a little cooler in theory. I'm just thinking of ways to help here and there that would all add up to a decent change. At this point, Rick's seems like the way to go since I would still have to wait a few days for wire and epoxy anyways. I'm gonna give them a call today and see what they can do. | ||
| Hildstrom |
I'm not sure what you mean about the number of wraps being two and a half. Everything I did is documented here. It is possible to machine an oil jet fed by the oil cooler, but I doubt that would be cheaper or easier than the EBR rotor modification. | ||
| Baf |
Larger wire, given the same number of windings, will decrease resistance in the stator, which will increase the output current. Theoretically, lower resistance will give you a cooler stator, IF you can unload the stator (with a regulator that doesn't shunt excess to ground, like the stock does). Otherwise, you've got a smaller heat component from the lower resistance, but an increased heat component from a larger amount of current being shunted. Without chugging some numbers, I don't know if this would result in a net increase or decrease in temperature (in the case of a shunt regulator). I was considering bumping the wire size slightly (15.5 or 15 AWG), but in the end decided to keep with the stock specs. If you can be nice and neat with your windings like Hildstrom was, then you I suspect you could fit 44 turns per pole. | ||
| Dhays1775 |
So it would be more beneficial to ADD windings to the stator? From my understanding, that would increase the output of the stator due to the rotating magnetic field of the rotor. Increasing output while still using less energy would create more heat, correct? That's what I'm trying to stay away from. Hildstrom, I've read your projects 20 times if I've read them once. I truly admire your approach to trying to fix the issues on your own. As for the two and a half turns, I meant 2.5 complete wraps covering each armature before moving to the next leg of the stator. I was just curious if I could do less, therefore lowering the output and heat created. I plan to drill holes like you did, then have the rotor balanced to take care of the wobble that it might create. All things being equal, I just don't wanna have to rip my stator out again later down the road. That's all. I ride my bike hard every time I'm on it. Been pretty good for 7 1/2k miles. I suppose 14.5k isn't too bad if it's the stock rotor. I was just hoping that I wouldn't have to do it in the first place. I bought the bike knowing it might still happen, and that I might have to drop up to a grand to fix it. I would still have bought it. Besides that, I love fixing her. | ||
| Hildstrom |
Dhays1775: It is 44 turns per pole. I managed that with an average of about 3.3 complete layers on each pole: 13 turns on the first layer, 13 turns on the second layer, 13 turns on the third layer, 5 turns on the fourth layer. | ||
| Dhays1775 |
What kind of power would I be looking at if I were to try doing 13, 12, 11, and a final of 4 per leg? Basic math would suggest about a 10% drop in output. Would that be enough to completely run the electrics without causing any more heat? | ||
| Baf |
From my understanding, adding windings would increase voltage, which may help at idle, but otherwise won't do too much for you. More windings is going to slightly increase resistance, therefore giving you more heat for a given amount of current. If you want to decrease stator temperature without sacraficing power, your best bet will probably be same number of windings, slightly larger wire, and get rid of that shunt regulator. Decreasing heat on the stator is going to involve decreasing load and resistance. By decreasing resistance, you're increasing output, so if you stick with a regulator that shunts all excess current, you've just increased the load along with the output. I'm not sure if taking 4 or 5 winds away will help all that much with the heat, but 10% lower voltage at idle will be severely noticable. | ||
| Dhays1775 |
Thanks Baf, that was pretty much what I was expecting. Once again, this forum has helped keep me from doing something stupid! hahaha  |
