[singhg5]

Sometime back in my thread 'G5 stalled in Rain', a small glimpse of the  rectifier regulator test was discussed. Due to an unexpected reading, it needed verification. Then GHG tested RR on his C5 with same results. But we both felt that we need more data from other riders - but unfortunately nothing showed up in the Forum.

Some additional information has been possible since then and is presented in the link below.

Coincidentally it is my 50^th video, starting from a casual ride on G5 in NJ posted 3&1/2 years ago. Majority of them are about RE. Thanks to the constant support and appreciation of many viewers and riders that one video gradually became 10,20....and so on - something I had never imagined at that time. Projects kept on growing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scHdtXjTSlo&list=UUOh4rORdLrqjVZUsorI0hKA&index=1

[mattsz]

And we thank you for each and every one!!!

~ Matt

[Gypsyjon]

And we thank you for each and every one!!!

~ Matt

+1

[gashousegorilla]

   Brilliant Singh !  Thyristor..... Voltage sensor.... It's acting almost like a battery trickle charger.  Checking condition of the battery, and turning up the Juice when it needs to. That's why we didn't see anything through the negative diode board when the unit was unplugged.... Brilliant.  At idle, with a fully charged battery and head light off..... and even revving it up!  WOULD show a lower output.  And head light on should show an increase.... Great video Singh .

[Royalista]

Congratulations on your 50th video.
Each and every one is a treat and a benchmark for instructionals.

[Arizoni]

Great video and a big thanks for going the extra mile to test a new factory unit to confirm your findings.

I'm not really "into" electronics but it seems to me that for whatever reason the RE RR is limiting the output of the alternator to one half of its capability.
The only reason for doing this that I can think of is it is an effort to prevent overheating in the alternator coils.

Doing this doesn't make much sense to me because the coils are basically oil cooled and I would think the oil flow thru the right hand engine case should be sufficient to prevent overheating.

With the minimal system on a RE that can barely keep the battery charged with a 50 watt headlight operating this makes no sense to me and it brings up the question, what is the alternator capable of if it is attached to a full wave RR?

Maybe the higher current output would fry the puny wires in the Royal Enfield harness?

[gashousegorilla]

   I believe it's a common thing to do on scooters to protect the " expensive head light"... By pulling your headlight jumper here in the states. You've told the R/R that it doesn't need to put out more.  Less load.  When you turn on the headlight... it should kick in.   Catch 22.

[Arizoni]

I can understand how turning on the headlight lowers the system voltage and the RR offsets this by  increasing the alternator output to bring the voltage back up but doing that cannot change a half wave rectifier system into a full wave system.

I don't really need the extra power but folks running a sidecar with a headlight and maybe a couple of driving lights and hand warmers in addition to the stock headlight could probably use the 100 percent increase in available power.

[gashousegorilla]

I can understand how turning on the headlight lowers the system voltage and the RR offsets this by  increasing the alternator output to bring the voltage back up but doing that cannot change a half wave rectifier system into a full wave system.

I don't really need the extra power but folks running a sidecar with a headlight and maybe a couple of driving lights and hand warmers in addition to the stock headlight could probably use the 100 percent increase in available power.

   This R/R should still be fine for all the stock stuff on the bike. But when you start adding lights and heaters, that would tax any stock  Alternator.   But I agree , a R/R that delivers a little more steady and higher voltage would be nice.  I don't know if the alternator can take it though.
   
   The alternator is still beating out AC.... both waves.  The sensor in the R/R ... when it doesn't see the need for both,  just dumps one to ground.  When the sensor see's the need... larger current draw.... it delivers it in the low 14's.

[Arizoni]

"The alternator is still beating out AC.... both waves.  The sensor in the R/R ... when it doesn't see the need for both,  just dumps one to ground...."

Hmm?  I have read the RR dumps the unneeded positive to ground in order to control its output to the 14.5+ volts but if the RR is dumping the unneeded negative pulse to ground then it may not need the bank of diodes that dump the negative to ground?
Veeeery Interesting!

[gashousegorilla]

  Very interesting !  And very weird !.... now you got me confused with that   

  It looks like there is a third set of Thyristors... that all three phases connect to. And those Diode like Thyristors are  activated by the Voltage sensor, with an array of some kind of semi conductor arrangement, and a phase is dumped there..... at the beck and call of the voltage sensor.... through said thyrister and hence to ground.....  I think 

[singhg5]

The diodes can be arranged in different configuration to do a particular task.

When the diodes are arranged in a Bridge configuration the path of current flow is clear that can use 'negative' pulse for charging the battery, as if it is 'flipped' (2^nd last slide of video).

However in the last slide for a Typical Linear configuration of diodes, I am not clear about how that 'flip' happens if at all (as Arizoni has pointed out).  Though I have read something like that happens, may be ? how ?

Even if one of the units is sacrificed and dissected, the practical implication will not change because even if RE RR only converts one-half of alternator output into DC, we know its value at idle and with open throttle for a working unit. As long as that mark is achieved from a test unit, the RR is working as it should. I repeated the test with more open throttle than the test done a week earlier, and saw the voltage increased to 14V. So it confirmed the readings taken 1 or 2 years earlier. RR is working the way it did before.

We do know one thing for sure - 'How to Test a RR supplied by RE and What is the Normal Result'. If there is No response when Negative Probe of multimeter in Diode test mode is on Red Wire of RR and Positive probe is on any of the Yellow Wires of RR, the RR is bad and needs replacement.

It also added to our knowledge that RE RR does not respond to the test at the Black Wire as some other RRs do. Do not throw away a RE RR from the black wire test, because that is its normal circuit. It will charge the battery the way it is designed to do, and if does not (and alternator is OK) then look for loose wire connections or burnt out fuse. 

@GHG and Arizoni - I like your discussion, thought about it and then my few gray matter neurons just gave up !  You guys carry on and we can come to some conclusion.
 

[Ducati Scotty]

How come YouTube doesn't want to play the video for me?

Scott

[Gypsyjon]

How come YouTube doesn't want to play the video for me?

Scott

Karma???   

[Ducati Scotty]