| Author | Message | ||
     Hughlysses |
Last weekend I finally got my new VR installed. About a year ago, while I was at Glitch Badness, I noticed my voltage indicator dropping into the yellow range at idle after a hard run in the twisties. At first I was pretty panicked that a charging system failure was imminent, but after reassurances from a couple of people here I rode the bike home ~300 miles, and rode it for almost another year with no real issue, other than once the bike got hot, it couldn't quite maintain voltage at idle, and as time went on the voltage indicator would occasionally drop into the red at idle. Since I had absolutely no other issues with the charging system, I decided to go with the minimum kit from Roadster Cycles, which includes the VR and two pre-wired plugs with pigtails. I pretty much followed Xbimmer's mounting scheme- see his thread here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142838/667134.html?1326751428 The only thing I did differently was to use a piece of 3" x 1" rectangular tubing instead of 2" x 1". I figured this would more nearly fit the back of the regulator and therefore give better support, but after having done it I think the 2" tubing probably works just as well and is easier to use. I was able to use 3 bolts to secure the tubing to the "backing plate" vs. 2 bolts as Xbimmer used. Here's what the install looks like on my dirty Uly:   I got my metal from www.onlinemetals.com which is an excellent resource for projects like this. I have enough left over material to make at least one if not two more mounts, and the total cost was <$10 (with free shipping for the first order). I didn't bother to paint my mount like Xbimmer did, but I may do it at later date. The wires are better-protected than is apparent from the pic but I do plan to install loom over both sets of wire. One nice thing about this VR is that it'll work with either a single phase alternator (as is stock on my 09 engine) or a 3-phase alternator. So if I ever wanted to upgrade my charging system for more capacity, all I'd have to do is install the 3 phase stator and wire it up to this VR. The install was a success; no smoke was released from any components and no more low voltage at idle. (Message edited by Hughlysses on April 01, 2016) | ||
| Ourdee |
I'm looking at it. Have a unit on the desk to go into my Scg preemptively. This will be the second one I have installed. Any tips, tricks, or thoughts would be appreciated post install. If you have a non-contact thermometer, could you check to see what kind of operating temperatures the VR's running? | ||
| Hughlysses |
Ourdee- I didn't have any issues with fabricating the mount, it just took a lot of "fiddling" to get it to fit well. More pictures would have explained the following better, but unfortunately I didn't take more. I started out by taking off the old VR and tracing that onto a piece of paper. Then I cut a pattern out from that and checked the fit on the bike. Then I traced that onto my 1/8" aluminum and cut out the "backing plate", and filed the corners to shape it and smooth it out. I then took the paper template, held it in position on the Y bracket on the bike and rubbed my finger over the mounting holes as well as the flat area of the Y bracket that's behind the VR to leave an impression in the paper. I put the paper on the new backing plate and used an inertia punch to transfer the hole locations prior to drilling. That worked well. The next trick was cutting out the piece of 3" x 1" tubing. That took a lot of trial fitting so that it was wide enough to accommodate the mounting holes in the new VR while not interfering with any of the mounting holes for the backing plate. There was just enough room to do both. I had to trim the lower left corner of the tubing quite a bit to clear the "Y" bracket on the bike. This is where using 2" x 1" tubing would have been much simpler. The other trick was drilling the mounting holes for the bolts to attach the tubing to the backing plate and the bolts to attach the VR to the tubing so that they didn't align. (If they do line up, the bolts are going to interfere with one another.) The impression I made from the Y bracket allowed me to pick spots for 3 mounting bolts to attach the tubing to the backing plate and two bolts to attach the VR to the tubing. I'm actually considering revising the VR mounting holes to move the VR up about an inch. As it's mounted now, there's not quiet enough clearance to pull the connector for the battery wires without loosening the VR mounting bolts. The plug just clears the tie bar bolt on the Y bracket, but there isn't enough room to pull it out with the VR installed. Another improvement would be to use "rivnuts" so that it'd be easier to install and remove the VR in the future. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Oh yea, I don't have access to a non-contact thermometer. I did do a touch check of the VR temperature after a ~45 minute ride on Tuesday; outside temp was about 70 degrees F and the VR felt maybe 100-110 degrees F. Warm to the touch, but you could leave your hand on it without discomfort. | ||
| Ourdee |
The last one I mounted, I mounted with the plugs up. I drilled and tapped the OEM VR spot on the bike and didn't us any extra pieces. I wanted to know if it got warm so that I'd know if another mounting spot would be feasible. I now think it needs a lot of air flow. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Always mount plug-down...that way any water runs OUT, not IN. I don't care if the plugs have O-rings or not. I trust gravity more. As for heat...stick it in the Uly position, on the front of the engine in the clean airflow...you should be fine. I have actually been considering relocating the factory VR on my 1125CR, to see if that helps the charging system any...it's buried inside the tail from the factory, but I think if it had airflow... | ||
| Ourdee |
Joe, Maybe you could duct it to get ventilation? I agree with you on not trusting the o-rings over gravity. I'm still trying to come up with a broke OEM VR to take a plug and wire off of. The one on my bike is still good. I just trust the FH020AA more. Nice thing is there is no hurry on mine. I'll have time to concentrate on the fit and finish. I'm trying to look at it from all angles before turning the first wrench or trimming the first wire. | ||
| Buellerxt |
I have my 08' Uly in the shop for some extended warranty issues and the tech noticed my stator was leaking a little so they replaced it. My voltage regulator is the original. I've never had a problem with it but I don't know it's output. Are the OEM regulators supposedly weak? Maybe I'll have the tech check it out. Thoughts on 8 year old OEM VR's? | ||
| Buellerxt |
I have my 08' Uly in the shop for a few small extended warranty issues and the tech noticed my stator was leaking a little so they replaced it. My voltage regulator is the original. I've never had a problem with it but I don't know it's output. Are the OEM regulators supposedly weak, or prone to failure? Maybe I'll have the tech check it out. Thoughts on 8 year old OEM VR's? (Message edited by BuellerXT on April 03, 2016) | ||
| Hughlysses |
They're not particularly prone to failure. I had to replace mine any way and the Shindengen is supposed to be a better than OEM unit. I would recommend you install something to monitor your bike's voltage. That'll give you warning if there's an impending failure of the stator or VR. Otherwise you first sign can be a dead bike on the side of the highway. I have this one on my Uly: http://www.signaldynamics.com/heads-up-voltage-mon itor/ | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I don't think they are particularly prone to failure.My original 2008 lasted to 50,000 before it got weak. My X1 regulator went out at closer to 89,000. Others have had failures much sooner but I have no complaints. | ||
| Ryanco |
My 08 started losing its original VR last year. It has a little over 16K, but most of those miles are from previous owners. | ||
| Buellerxt |
Thanks guys. Hughlysses, did you drill a hole in the dash after removing the flyscreen? Where did you drill it? Any handlebar attached units you know of? I want simple!  Thanks. | ||
| Hughlysses |
I just drilled a hole near the top of the dash. A few people have made a mod to install the unit in the back of the instrument cluster r so it looks like a factory install. See here: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/384622.html | ||
| Buellerxt |
Wow! That is a beautiful installation. Thanks Hugh. I'm definitely thinking about it. | ||
| Ourdee |
I use Gamma Tronix: http://www.ebay.com/itm/12v-24v-LED-Battery-Level- Indicator-Voltmeter-Alternator-charge-warning-lamp -J-/201285036531?hash=item2edd85e9f3:g:8bgAAOxyOlh S2Hp8 | ||
| Griffmeister |
At 26K my 08 was on it's third OEM VR when that started getting erratic. This time I said no more and bought the Shindengen unit. I took some aluminum plate that I had hanging around and cut two pieces, one to match the old VR and one to match the Shindengen. After that, I just used two long bolts with spacers between the plates to hold it all together. Had to skew it slightly because of minor interference issues.   | ||
| Ourdee |
George, Do you have any of the old OEM VRs laying around? | ||
| Griffmeister |
Sure do, with or without wires? I cut them off one cause I needed an extension. | ||
| Ratbuell |
My '06s VR died...what...last year? Year before? And I put on the MOSFET unit. Haven't looked back. I also run - on ALL my bikes - the Kuryakyn voltmeter. Little larger than the SD unit, but I like 'em and they're easy to install - find power, 2 wires, and find a place to stick it. http://www.kuryakyn.com/products/872/led-battery-g auge | ||
| Ourdee |
I need it with the wires. | ||
| Ourdee |
To mount the Gamma Tronix on my Scg I made a small aluminum piece with a hole drilled in the end for the LED and attached to the under side of the instrument cluster with 3M automotive trim tape, Double sided sticky tape.  I mounted the blue LED with a switch to mute it on a simular tab.  | ||
| Ourdee |
PM sent. | ||
| Ourdee |
George, I found out the PMs are not working. I need it with the wires and plugs. OneSoulOnBoard(at)SbcGlobal.net | ||
| Sagehawk |
Wanted to ask with all of these mounting arrangements, are these vr's supposed to be mounted against a plate that acts as a heat sink? I've wondered about this but never have asked. | ||
| Ourdee |
Nothing in the instructions mentions that. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I would think the cast fins would be more than enough. | ||
| Arry |
The cast fins probably do a good job of dissipating the heat that is generated in the V.R. But, because it is mounted so close to the front cylinder, head, and header pipe, it has to dissipate engine heat also. I think this is why there are so many problems with the stock V.R. From the pictures that people have posted of their aftermarket "upgrades", most have added a mounting plate, that moves the new V.R. further from the front cylinder. this probably helps, a lot. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Playing the trumpet keeps the elephants away too. Taking additional measures to block and dissipate heat never hurt but Electronics are usually happy to about 85C. My stock uly regulator "browned out" in that it dropped an LED on my kuryakin voltmeter. It took about 50,000 miles to do that though. I couldn't help myself and ripped into the potting compound. The only thing I found was a somewhat dry solder connection on a transistor. Lead-free solder is the devil! I've fixed so many things produced after ROHS by just reflowing the solder with crappy old 60/40 solder from radio shack! | ||
| Griffmeister |
The reason that I used spacers to mount the new VR is because otherwise the plugs on the bottom hit the torque arm bolted to the engine. The stock VR doesn't have plugs so it's not a problem. Ourdee, I thought there was a problem, I tried it too with no result. |
