Kelum Posted September 25, 2012 Posted September 25, 2012 Hi Guys, I found original virago rec/reg units are pricey. New ones are hard to find. And they dont seem to last long operating properly. I have around four rectifiers with me now, charged for overcharging battery. Basically the rec/reg is a bridge rectifier that rectifies AC current from stator and sends the DC voltage to battery. Once the battery reached a maximum voltage (in viragoes around 14V) the built-in regulator circuit earths the excess voltage through the chasis. I dont know why the hell virago 125 rectifier has placed where there's no enough air flow to cool it down, just a heatsink with fins that do not seem to dissipate heat adequately. The side cover doesnt allow adequate air to run through heatsink fins. Every time I checked after running the rectifer was blazing hot and the epoxy was kinda cracked or melted. It never lasted long. I have seen in Hondas they last for a life time and mostly located where they get enough ventilation to cool down, and they even get wet in the rain and wheels get them water splashes. Got an Indian 3 Wheeler rec/reg unit ,12V - RR UNIT BAJAJ3W4S(K-MODEL) The unit cost around 5-8 USD, cheap eh? Fitted it on my new Virago 125 and been running it for months now with no problem of overcharging or electricity issues. Let me show you how I hooked it up. Not sure if you guys can find Indian vehicles in UK or US, but u may get the idea that we necessarily do not want the exact part, we can go for similarly operating units. This is how I connected wires. Study the wires that were available in the unit. Black/white and Green/white wires were left/not connected. The three yellow wires were connected to the three white wires coming from stator. You can leave one yellow wire unconnected, thus one stator wire remains free, if you think the battery getting a higher voltage. There is no order with this, simply connect anyway u want. Now u have two wires left, black and red. Black is the negative lead out and red is the positive lead out. U know where these should go, red to the positive battery terminal. Black to the negative/earth or simply the chasis. You can take this black wire and wire connecting to the virago rec/reg housing together and hook them to the rectifier housing/heatsink with the bolt. Started, the voltage rising with the reving and stabilizes around 15V exactly and stays there. Original virago rectifier does not stick to a stable voltage like this. This setup keeps the battery very powerful...
Kelum Posted September 25, 2012 Author Posted September 25, 2012 This rectifier doesnt heat up amazingly by the way. And voltage regulation is superb n steady. And this is a 3-Wheeler. Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Kelum Posted September 25, 2012 Author Posted September 25, 2012 Just bought another rec/reg for my other xv125. To be fitted tomorrow
dt502001 Posted September 25, 2012 Posted September 25, 2012 Intresting solution... at 15v output dose the battery tend to boil and need toping up often? I would think your battery would be getting over charged and shorten the life of the battery.
Kelum Posted September 25, 2012 Author Posted September 25, 2012 Intresting solution... at 15v output dose the battery tend to boil and need toping up often? I would think your battery would be getting over charged and shorten the life of the battery. No way! Its been 6 months since I fitted this onto my bike. No drop of acid level or farting smell ( ) .... earlier with original virago rec/reg I had these two issues in my other bike. Now all gone with this solution. Even the early user of this bike had used the same rectifier type. The shop guy too confirmed today that the motor electricians often buy 3-wheeler rec/reg to be fitted into bikes from them.
Kelum Posted October 18, 2012 Author Posted October 18, 2012 Just to update you guys, this set up doesnt even heat up the battery. And this rectifier doesnt heat up like the original virago one. I have been using it for months now...no problem at all..
Moderator Airhead Posted October 18, 2012 Moderator Posted October 18, 2012 Great stuff kelum...nice mod fella
dt502001 Posted October 18, 2012 Posted October 18, 2012 Very intresting solution to a problem,we now have a GIO dealer and I think they sell the same or simalar V/R at way less than yam want's, I will give it a go on the next bike/sled/boat that needs one if whoever's bike it is will go for it.
Kelum Posted October 19, 2012 Author Posted October 19, 2012 Thanks AirHead and Dt...I bought many original virago rectifiers to find out they all fried my batteries and leveling up was necessary every fortnight. I found several electronic circuits - bridge rectifiers and regulators...in any module the principle should be the same, AC to DC conversion and regulation. The output should be compatible with the battery.. DT, the GIO is a chinese one right? Any unit that has a compatible output should work cos the principal is the same no matter what make.. Use a multimeter to measure the output on the battery while reving the engine. Monitor for sometime for heating up and level drops of battery. Check if battery heats up after every long ride. If this happens, try connecting only two white wire to two yellow wires of the rectifier.
Kelum Posted November 23, 2012 Author Posted November 23, 2012 Just to update > Battery is very healthy, no problem at all with the new setup described above!
gizmo666 Posted November 24, 2012 Posted November 24, 2012 just out of intrest would this work on a 535?
Kelum Posted November 26, 2012 Author Posted November 26, 2012 Yes, why not Just match it with the output and battery voltage.. even a car reg/rec should work, I dont know what the voltage in an xv535. just out of intrest would this work on a 535?
gizmo666 Posted November 26, 2012 Posted November 26, 2012 interesting although the rectivier(spelling lol\) on my bike is on the side and uncovered and i dont suffer the overheating problems this is an option for repair that is not only clever but cost effective as well well done
Kelum Posted January 5, 2013 Author Posted January 5, 2013 interesting although the rectivier(spelling lol\) on my bike is on the side and uncovered and i dont suffer the overheating problems this is an option for repair that is not only clever but cost effective as well well done Thanks mate, there is no battery overcharging, acid level has not gone down in the battery, things running fine with my two bikes whose rectifiers have been replaced the same way...
Preload Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 I'm surprised the battery is holding up as 14.7v is generally the max! If its doing the job nice fix. I generally fit a computer fan over the top if its been located in a stupid place or a piece of tubing directing air towards the reg/rec.
Kelum Posted January 6, 2013 Author Posted January 6, 2013 I'm surprised the battery is holding up as 14.7v is generally the max! If its doing the job nice fix. I generally fit a computer fan over the top if its been located in a stupid place or a piece of tubing directing air towards the reg/rec. Am sure the tail light and the headlight (on-light) drawing out the excess...15v reading seems to be fine with 12N12A battery.
dt502001 Posted January 6, 2013 Posted January 6, 2013 Bulb life might be a bit shorter at a constant 14.7,but nice and bright ...small price to pay.You could fit extra front lights ie: fog lamps with ease then.
Kelum Posted January 7, 2013 Author Posted January 7, 2013 Bulb life might be a bit shorter at a constant 14.7,but nice and bright ...small price to pay.You could fit extra front lights ie: fog lamps with ease then. Regarding the headbulb, I have fitted Bright white LED set inside the headlamp cover with a resistor for each bulb..each is reducing 15v to the required voltage of the LED..U people have easy access to bigger and brighter LEDs am sure...I will make a post on that in the future..around 8 months now, no problem at all, yes good idea on fog lamps...ebay has better options... http://www.ebay.com/itm/50pcs-x-LED-Lens-Reflector-90-Degree-For-1W-3W-Lamp-Chip-/300841310165?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item460b8a17d5 http://www.ebay.com/itm/TERRALUX-LED-BULB-LENS-KIT-for-STREAMLIGHT-STINGER-POLY-STINGER-TLE-ST-EX-/200875443934?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item2ec51c06de Just think out-of-the box, you dont always have to go for the exact original...even my frnd cut a oil pump wheel with ebonite.. Here, you need to calculate resistance, current and voltage values to avoid according the voltage of each bulb... (different colors have different voltages) right calculations should not burn out bulbs/rec-reg or battery..
Kelum Posted May 23, 2013 Author Posted May 23, 2013 Hi guys, after very long time went through all the comments posted by u all regarding the solution I found...well few days back I met another two locals with xv125s and they too had the same rec/reg burnout and battery overcharging issue...I offered my solution to them, one guy being an electrician started to argue that the 3 wheeler rec/reg is just a 4-diode assembly with no regulator built in...some guys are like that I know..they just keep arguing and never try a solution...he didnt like to accept my idea because he was an electrician... The other guy however, is a very good person he would follow this thread to fix it up. Seems all xv125s having the same issue with burning out rectifier as the place it's been located is not ventilated adequately to dissipate the heat generated. I wonder why Yamaha has been so dumb about it...:/ Its been very long since the install...no bulb burnt out, didnt even clear salt deposits on battery poles...bike electrical system running very powerful...lights are very bright... It is always important that you make sure the voltage stabilizes at 15 while engine running, though the manual mentions it should be 14.7v with the standard dumb rec/reg... Make sure to install the standard 12N12A battery.. I have seen some guys have 12N9A batteries which would run the starter but weak... Am very excited I could come up with something important for all the virago lovers...have fun guys...
Kelum Posted August 3, 2014 Author Posted August 3, 2014 Guys guys...this set up still working beautifully...after the install none of the bulbs had to be replaced...amazing!
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