First time rehab of a 1976ish basket case

Should I cut down front fender or leave it?

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The reg and rec replacements we rig up are based on what Pamcopete came up with but we've refined the substitutions some. We've discovered more automotive regulators that will work, and gone to a single 3 phase rectifier instead of having to wire 2 single phase ones together. Here's a thread that covers it .....

http://www.xs650.com/threads/regulator-rectifier.21485/

I don't recommend buying any of the motorcycle specific regs, recs, or combo reg/rec units. They're very expensive and a total waste of money. You can adapt these substitutes for a fraction of the cost and they work just as good, if not better. I also like the idea of staying with separate units as opposed to a combo. That way you can replace either one by itself if it happens to go bad.
 
5twins said:
The reg and rec replacements we rig up are based on what Pamcopete came up with but we've refined the substitutions some. We've discovered more automotive regulators that will work, and gone to a single 3 phase rectifier instead of having to wire 2 single phase ones together. Here's a thread that covers it .....

http://www.xs650.com/threads/regulator-rectifier.21485/

I don't recommend buying any of the motorcycle specific regs, recs, or combo reg/rec units. They're very expensive and a total waste of money. You can adapt these substitutes for a fraction of the cost and they work just as good, if not better. I also like the idea of staying with separate units as opposed to a combo. That way you can replace either one by itself if it happens to go bad.
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Thank you 5t! I very much like the ideas of 1. Not overspending 2.learning 3.seperate units. Looks like I’ll grab a vr-115 and a 25 amp 3-phase rec, maybe like this one? https://www.ebay.com/itm/25-Amp-400...761524&hash=item25e6b64d5e:g:2zwAAOSwevdaIgrX if anyone knows off-hand what size open-barrel spade connectors I need to buy give me a holler. Otherwise, I’ll just wait till it gets here and measure unless I can find the info buried in a thread here (I’m sure it’ll turn up) thanks all!
 
That is a single phase rectifier that you linked to, so you would need 2 of them wired together. This is what you really want, a 3 phase unit. Then you only need to use one .....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2Pc-AC-to-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

You will need to mount it on a heat sink of some sort, or you could get something like this already mounted on a heat sink .....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2Pcs-Alumi...m=152959800498&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

The smaller square unit should just take standard 1/4" spade crimps. The larger one on the heat sink takes wider spades, 5/16" I think, but they are hard to find. But it's easy to cut the spade tabs down a little with a cut-off wheel in a Dremel so a normal 1/4" spade fits .....

c0FrOdO.jpg
 
5twins said:
That is a single phase rectifier that you linked to, so you would need 2 of them wired together. This is what you really want, a 3 phase unit. Then you only need to use one .....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2Pc-AC-to-DC-Bridge-Rectifier-Three-3-Phase-Diode-35A-1600V-Current-Converter/372342823584?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

You will need to mount it on a heat sink of some sort, or you could get something like this already mounted on a heat sink .....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2Pcs-Aluminum-Bridge-Rectifier-3-Phase-Diode-AC-to-DC-Current-50Amp-1200V-new/152959800498?_trkparms=aid=555018&algo=PL.SIM&ao=1&asc=20131003132420&meid=e6d56ed92eed4f0fab1b278a7be90b46&pid=100005&rk=5&rkt=8&sd=372342823584&itm=152959800498&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

The smaller square unit should just take standard 1/4" spade crimps. The larger one on the heat sink takes wider spades, 5/16" I think, but they are hard to find. But it's easy to cut the spade tabs down a little with a cut-off wheel in a Dremel so a normal 1/4" spade fits .....

c0FrOdO.jpg
Click to expand...
My bad, looked before i leaped on that single phase. Didn’t order it though luckily. Thanks so much 5t, I’m off to throw more money at eBay right this second
 
well, I pulled the trigger on new reg/rec components, and still ended up spending more than I could have for a combo unit, but where’s the fun in that? I found a shiny vr-115 (the one with two mounting tabs) for $30 and a set of 2 3 phase 50-amp rec with built in heatsink $10 (I know they’re available straight from China for cheaper but this one has free 2 day shipping) so ill be reading about wiring them up until they arrive and do a quick write up with install. Here are the links
Regulator
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Standard-M...5?pageci=9b73fd44-6906-4f5d-a9b0-ed6211ac89da

Rectifier
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07BGR2JFV/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 

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mrtwowheel said:
Instead of the spade connectors on the rectifier I use small stainless machine screws, lock washers and nuts with round terminals on the wires. Better contact and much more solid connection than spade terminals.

Scott
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I like that idea much better, and I already have the components so one less stop at the hardware store. Thanks Scott!
 
5t, I saw some as low as 30something but if the $100+ combos are junk I can’t imagine they’d be worth the money.

Scott, that seems to be the general consensus! Even if the two set-ups had a similar expected life span, I’ll already have a back up rectifier (two-pack) and would imagine it will be easier to troubleshoot by keeping the units seperate
 
I bought 2 single phase rectifiers and linked them,............It gives me a spare diode (front second from right), if by some chance one craps out..

I used heat shrink over the male terminal then over the whole connection after assembly.............Extra precaution to help keep out dirt and water.

DSCF7821.JPG
 
650Skull said:
I bought 2 single phase rectifiers and linked them,............It gives me a spare diode (front second from right), if by some chance one craps out..

I used heat shrink over the male terminal then over the whole connection after assembly.............Extra precaution to help keep out dirt and water.

View attachment 136770
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That looks reallll element-proof. I’ll be doing the same on my terminals. Read about the “spare diode” while running the two single-phasers and like the idea, but I already pulled the trigger on the 3-phase. Maybe after these two burn out.. good lord willing and the river don’t rise that should be a while
 
Im waiting for parts to assemble my new reg/rec. I was out labeling wires and double-checking all of my work to prep for loom and routing, and decided to crack open the cover on my regulator. lo and behold it’s in excellent shape (aesthetically anyway). the charging rate adjustment (lock nut and jic head on bottom) was almost all the way in and touching the copper coils. Two turns out got it dialed in to perfect charging range. I’m still going to swap the new unit on, but it’ll be nice to know I have a functioning spare
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Also, once the charging system got dialed in the bike started running much better. Still some backfiring and a baddd sputtery/dead spot just above idle, but I’m not going to address that just yet. Here’s a video of her running currently and some pictures with the tank and seat in place
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Sounds good !
I've got a stock tail light you can have, altho I imagine you might be going with something more custom....
Ill send you a pic if youre interested.
 
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YamadudeXS650C said:
Sounds good !
I've got a stock tail light you can have, altho I imagine you might be going with something more custom....
Ill send you a pic if youre interested.
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Thank you for the offer! I do love the round tail light, but you’re right. I’ll be fabbing up a short rear fender and re-using the big square tail light/plate holder combo that came with the bike. Hopefully someone can use that xs2 light where it belong, on a good resto project :cheers:
 
Soo, quick wiring question to anyone with a few brain cells to spare. I’m sitting here at work looking at wiring diagrams and it looks like from ignition (key) switch, in the “on” position I should be getting power to both the brown and blue wires, whereas in “park” it should only be to blue. I have two of each color, blue only hot in “park” brown only hot in “on”. Should I run second brown as tail light power with a blue connected as well for “park” lights? Or just completely bypass the “park” lights as I’m not sure they’re even necessary
 
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