Wiring Solid State Rectifier on '77 XS650D

ozzyxs

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Hey Everyone! So I recently ordered a solid state rectifier to install in my '77 xs650. I've been doing a lot of reading, but everything I read (including a wiring hardness I found for my year) says the regulator has 4 wires. Two of the wires are the red and black (power and ground) while the other two are said to be green and brown. The only problem is my regulator has red, black, red with a white stripe, and a yellow wire. I am having trouble figuring out which one goes to my green and brown cable on my S.S rectifier (it has OEM colored wires). I came across a post with a reply from XSLeo that suggest my Red/White wire goes to the brown wire on my S.S. Rectifier and the Yellow goes to the green, but before I go ahead and wire it up like that I wanted some input. Does anyone have any suggestions, or experiences with this? For reference I had include a picture of my rectifier wiring and a picture of my regulator. Thanks in advance for your input.
 

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OK... I think I see where you're going but lets clarify.... A rectifier converts the A/C coming from the alternator to D/C for the batt. A regulator controls the voltage output of the alternator. A combined reg/rec does both. In your post, it isn't clear which one you're trying to wire up. Give us some pics of what exactly you're trying to install... regulator, rectifier or both and we'll go from there.
 
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OK... I think I see where you're going but lets clarify.... A rectifier converts the A/C coming from the alternator to D/C for the batt. A regulator controls the voltage output of the alternator. A combined reg/rec does both. In your post, it isn't clear which one you're trying to wire up. Give us some pics of what exactly you're trying to install... regulator, rectifier or both and we'll go from there.
Hey, thanks for the reply! Sorry about that I didn't realize I wasn't being clear. I am trying to wire up a combined regulator/rectifier since my rectifier was bad (tested it and it was overcharging), so I figured I'd just replace both the regulator and rectifier with a single regulator/rectifier unit. Here's a picture of what I am trying to wire up. The discrepancy came up when I looked at the wiring to my OE (or what I presumed was OE) regulator.
 

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Gotcha. Now we need to know more about the new combined rectifier/regulator. There's 2 types... type 'A' controls by grounding one of the alternator brushes with the green wire. A type 'B' sends 12V to the brush on the green wire. Your 77 came stock with a type B and that looks like a type A regulator. Give us some manufacturer data on it.
And... your 77 could have been converted to a type A in the past. Give us a closeup pic of your alternator brushes. We need to see wire colors and mounting screws.
Ya didn't think this was gonna be easy didya? ;)
 
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Looking at your first pic, I don't think that's your regulator. It appears to be the safety relay? What side of the bike is it on?
 
Looking at your first pic, I don't think that's your regulator. It appears to be the safety relay? What side of the bike is it on?
Hey thanks for all the input! This is the regulator/rectifier that I purchased; https://www.ebay.com/itm/REGULATOR-RECTIFIER-FITS-YAMAHA-XS400-XS650-FJ600-1978-1985-MOTORCYCLE-NEW/290798826230?_trkparms=aid=111001&algo=REC.SEED&ao=1&asc=20160908105057&meid=a4cf40b09db54f16a2d2eb8799076d54&pid=100675&rk=1&rkt=15&sd=290798826230&itm=290798826230&pmt=0&noa=1&pg=2481888&_trksid=p2481888.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci:96730b30-e4c6-11e9-b75e-74dbd1801b5c|parentrq:8a8f6f4216d0a4ea9b2bbe01fffc797e|iid:1

After reading your comment I think you are correct! I looked at the wiring diagram just now and according to that the safety relay has a red/white and yellow wire going to it. It is mounted on the right side of the bike (relative to rider seating position). Here's the picture of the alternator brushes (let me know if you need a better picture), and I'll also include a better picture of what I thought was the regulator. Once again, thanks for all your help so far I appreciate it.
 

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Yeah, that's an A type. The title in that Ebay ad is misleading. 79 and earlier used the B type... 80 and up use the A. If you scroll down to compatibility, it fits 80 and up only.
Your brushes are set up for a 'B' type. Use the SEARCH FORUMS button up top and search for "nylon brush screw mod" if you want to use the reg/rec you bought. Otherwise do a search for making your own combined reg/rec. There's stuff in here for that. Consider that your "reading assignment." ;)
Post back here after you've decided what you want to do and we'll go from there.
.... And yeah, that's the safety relay. Regulator's on the other side.
Another option would be to clean and adjust the original regulator. Do a search for that too... and the adjustment is in the manual.
 
This would be an original regulator, and it's original mounting location on the left side of the battery box .....

x88WFGp.jpg


This is how your brushes are currently mounted and wired .....

FsP8L7r.jpg


The 3 screws attaching the inner brush ground it full time to the alternator housing. The black wire attached to the inner brush isn't sending a ground to it, it is picking one up and sending it back to the regulator.
 
Yeah, that's an A type. The title in that Ebay ad is misleading. 79 and earlier used the B type... 80 and up use the A. If you scroll down to compatibility, it fits 80 and up only.
Your brushes are set up for a 'B' type. Use the SEARCH FORUMS button up top and search for "nylon brush screw mod" if you want to use the reg/rec you bought. Otherwise do a search for making your own combined reg/rec. There's stuff in here for that. Consider that your "reading assignment." ;)
Post back here after you've decided what you want to do and we'll go from there.
.... And yeah, that's the safety relay. Regulator's on the other side.
Another option would be to clean and adjust the original regulator. Do a search for that too... and the adjustment is in the manual.
Cool I did some research on it and found out about the nylon screw mod and having to splice the black wire (that used to be the ground) to the switch power wire (the brown one). Since I already have this regulator/rectifier combo I think I'm going to go ahead and try to install it. I'm going to go to my local hardware store a little later tonight and look for those nylon screws.
 
This would be an original regulator, and it's original mounting location on the left side of the battery box .....

x88WFGp.jpg


This is how your brushes are currently mounted and wired .....

FsP8L7r.jpg


The 3 screws attaching the inner brush ground it full time to the alternator housing. The black wire attached to the inner brush isn't sending a ground to it, it is picking one up and sending it back to the regulator.
Thanks for the reference pictures! I can't believe I didn't come across them somewhere before embarrassing myself with Jim. I did some research and found out that 80'+ XS's grab power from the alternator (stator) housing instead of grounding (like pre-80's) which is why I would need the nylon screws if I wish to proceed with installing the new regulator/rectifier combo, correct?
 
grab power from the alternator (stator) housing
Not quiet. Here's what you currently have. You need to un-ground the brushes (nylon screws) AND... you need to cut the black wire at the red X on the left. That wire goes to ground and we have to un-ground it. Then cut the black wire at the red X on the right and splice it into the brown wire. This is where your rotor power comes from.

b to a reg.png


That will give you the type A reg. wiring like this...

b to a reg 2.png
 
OK... I just checked an old harness and that ground splice is about 4-6" away from the engine connector. But as the black wire goes out to the regulator, it splices into other connectors at various places... where you'd have to cut and isolate also. That's doable, but your best bet will be to just cut the black at both connectors and install a new wire. That'll be much easier than trying to isolate the existing black.

B to A reg 3.jpg
 
Not quiet. Here's what you currently have. You need to un-ground the brushes (nylon screws) AND... you need to cut the black wire at the red X on the left. That wire goes to ground and we have to un-ground it. Then cut the black wire at the red X on the right and splice it into the brown wire. This is where your rotor power comes from.

View attachment 151028

That will give you the type A reg. wiring like this...

View attachment 151029

Thank you for the diagrams that clarifies it a lot! Then I'll trace the black cable and snip it where I have to before splicing it into the brown wire. Besides wiring up the regulator, I also had a quick question about the 3 white rectifier wires. Do I have to keep it consistent with the diagram, or if I wire it up and plug them into the wrong pins would that cause issues?
 
OK... I just checked an old harness and that ground splice is about 4-6" away from the engine connector. But as the black wire goes out to the regulator, it splices into other connectors at various places... where you'd have to cut and isolate also. That's doable, but your best bet will be to just cut the black at both connectors and install a new wire. That'll be much easier than trying to isolate the existing black.

View attachment 151031

Jim, thanks for being awesome and checking that out for me! Alright I'll go ahead and do that. Just to clarify, when you say cut the black wire on both ends you're talking about cutting it at the engine side connector and then at the regulator connector right? Then just route a new cable from the engine side connector to the brown wire on the regulator connector end, correct?
 
Yes... correct. I think we're gettin' into semantics here, but "engine side" implies the connector on the engine harness. leave that one alone. You want to cut on the "bike" side of the engine harness.
There's no particular order for the white wires... any white to any white.
 
Yes... correct. I think we're gettin' into semantics here, but "engine side" implies the connector on the engine harness. leave that one alone. You want to cut on the "bike" side of the engine harness.
There's no particular order for the white wires... any white to any white.

Cool, thanks for clarifying! I'll report back once I have everything done. I'm hoping I can get to it tonight.
 
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