Gino Rondelli said:I've run a RGM Belt drive since the mid 80's when RGM first started selling them and done thousands of miles with no cooling and with no apparent problems, just remember not to run the thing that tight as they tighten up when hot and that seems to be what causes problems.!
Keith1069 said:I vented mine after a stator (Wassell from Norvil) started to overheat and fry. Replaced with a Sparxx but with ventilation and for the last 18months with an electronic reg/rectifier from Norbsa02. Since then there are no signs of overheat but don't know if the Wassell stator was faulty or had low temp insulation (Class A/B 105C/120C maybe), if the electronics have helped other than stopping the battery cooking (old zener was not functioning well). Have any BD users had stator issues? Seems like not as it's not been mentioned. This is mine with 22000 miles on the belt.
highdesert said:But what do I know? I don't make my own clutch cables.
Thanks Jean, I think ? that is what I figured although I was more concerned with the battery cooking. Strange thing is the Sparxx stator ran for quite a while with the zener ok. That's why I mentioned the insulation standards. I worked for the Prince of darkness for 23 years and latterly with a US/Canadian DC motor company. Standard practice was to use 130c insulated copper wire for vented cooled motors and 180c for totally enclosed, all 12/24v DC stuff.Do your part to curb global warming, ditch the zener
Great post Jean ,very informative. I have just had an alternator disentegrate on my Norvin[running 50mm belt primary] this resulted in a 60m long strip of rubber on the highway and an increased heart rate, luckily stayed upright. I will be ditching the standard zener and rectifier and fitting podtronics unit. Not sure about the quality of the new ''lucas'' stators/ rotors though, they were only about 3months old, made in India, Taiwan?The problem with the zener regulator is that the alternator will always be under load even if no demand is placed on it, so yes, it will overheat especially at high speeds. The dumb thing is whatever power is being generated has to be shunted to ground by the zener if it is not used, the alternator will heat up, the zener will heat up and all this takes power, not much, but power not doing anything to help the bike go faster. 745 watts is 1 HP, a 120 watts alternator takes 1/6 HP as long as it is producing that 120 watts. An electronic series pass regulator will only let the amount of power needed to power the electrical circuits that are turned on, so without any lights only a fraction the the alternator is used, the rest is not heating up an aluminum footrest bracket thus warming up the earth.
Do your part to curb global warming, ditch the zener :lol:
Jean
Hmm, if you think it's so simple a job, then please go ahead and make your own - I suspect you will discover that there's a bit more to it than "just 2 pulleys"I see most of these kits going for $460+ all it they are is just 2 pulleys , a belt and a cheap sheet metal cover, does anyone make more affordable kits? I have a 71 commando 750
Does your Podtronics unit not also regulate by shunting the alternator current?Great post Jean ,very informative. I have just had an alternator disentegrate on my Norvin[running 50mm belt primary] this resulted in a 60m long strip of rubber on the highway and an increased heart rate, luckily stayed upright. I will be ditching the standard zener and rectifier and fitting podtronics unit. Not sure about the quality of the new ''lucas'' stators/ rotors though, they were only about 3months old, made in India, Taiwan?
Great post Jean ,very informative. I have just had an alternator disentegrate on my Norvin[running 50mm belt primary] this resulted in a 60m long strip of rubber on the highway and an increased heart rate, luckily stayed upright. I will be ditching the standard zener and rectifier and fitting podtronics unit. Not sure about the quality of the new ''lucas'' stators/ rotors though, they were only about 3months old, made in India, Taiwan?
Is it written by an enthusiastic amateur?The MOSFET-based reg/rec mitigates against a lot of the issues that were linked to the older SCR-based technology and they are being fitted as standard on many of the newer Japanese bikes....
...It is well worth noting that the MOSFET regulator/rectifiers that are currently on the market are all short-type...
...In the dead-shorted state though, the alternator stator will still be getting overly hot...