Voltage Regulator...How Warm?
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Brighton, MI
Voltage Regulator...How Warm?
Don't know if I am being paranoid or what, but while letting my bike warm up for a few minutes checking for an oil leak, my hand touched the wires that go from the stator plug at the block and they felt warm. I followed the wires up to the voltage regulator and that felt warm also. I let the bike run for a few minutes longer and kept feeling the voltage regulator getting warmer and warmer.
It got to the point where it was hard to hold my hand on the fins of the regulator for much more than a 10 count. So I initially checked output voltage and was about 14.3 DC while running at fast idle (about 1000 to 1300 rpms). Battery has always held a good charge. I did remove the regulator mounting bolts, cleaned them up and reinstalled. Checked resistance to the mounting bolts and the fins with each other, and checked it with the regulator fins to the frame, a bolt on the engine, and the neg battery post. All at 0.00 ohms. So I know the regulator is getting good ground.
Went step by step thru the Dr. Hess "How to Diagnose your Charging System" and everything checks out perfectly. It is 87 degrees F here in Michigan today. I just don't recall ever feeling it that warm or don't really recall ever feeling it at all so I don't know if the warmth could be considered normal or not??? Again, paranoia? Thanks YD
It got to the point where it was hard to hold my hand on the fins of the regulator for much more than a 10 count. So I initially checked output voltage and was about 14.3 DC while running at fast idle (about 1000 to 1300 rpms). Battery has always held a good charge. I did remove the regulator mounting bolts, cleaned them up and reinstalled. Checked resistance to the mounting bolts and the fins with each other, and checked it with the regulator fins to the frame, a bolt on the engine, and the neg battery post. All at 0.00 ohms. So I know the regulator is getting good ground.
Went step by step thru the Dr. Hess "How to Diagnose your Charging System" and everything checks out perfectly. It is 87 degrees F here in Michigan today. I just don't recall ever feeling it that warm or don't really recall ever feeling it at all so I don't know if the warmth could be considered normal or not??? Again, paranoia? Thanks YD
Last edited by Yankee Dog; Jun 20, 2016 at 04:06 PM.
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Grand HDF Member
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From: Brighton, MI
Just got back from a 40 mile ride. Stopping and checking the regulator along the way. It seems all is fine. It ran a fair amount cooler while out on the road. I guess it was just from a hot day and the regulator not out in the wind.
One thing I did notice while running the Dr. Hess diagnostic, the higher the RPM's (and higher voltage output around 14.6), the warmer the regulator got. At Idle (around 13.6 volts), the regulator felt cooler. Makes sense and is just an observation.
Now if I can just get that damn stator plug to stop leaking without pulling it, I will be a happy man. My last shot before pulling will be trying the O-ring trick. YD
One thing I did notice while running the Dr. Hess diagnostic, the higher the RPM's (and higher voltage output around 14.6), the warmer the regulator got. At Idle (around 13.6 volts), the regulator felt cooler. Makes sense and is just an observation.
Now if I can just get that damn stator plug to stop leaking without pulling it, I will be a happy man. My last shot before pulling will be trying the O-ring trick. YD
Seasoned HDF Member
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From: West Central FL
Check your wires for chaffing that may have rubbed through the rubber causing an intermittent short. Also make sure the regulator is grounded properly.
Last edited by Hey Man; Jun 21, 2016 at 08:54 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
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From: NW AR
They used to sell chrome covers for regulators. I would highly recommend not using one of those. They didn't sell the silicone base heat sync paste to go with them, so what you were effectively doing is reducing the cooling of your regulator.
Seasoned HDF Member
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From: West Central FL
School me, please.
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Grand HDF Member
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From: Brighton, MI
It's used in the electronics industry. It is a paste used to conduct heat away from electronic components to a heat sink.
Think of a transistor or a chip mounted to a hunk of metal with fins on it. The paste is used in between the transistor and the finned heat sink. It closes the gap and allows for a better pathway (conduction) of the heat to carry over to the heat sink, keeping the electronic component cooler.
Can be found at any electronics supply house. YD
Think of a transistor or a chip mounted to a hunk of metal with fins on it. The paste is used in between the transistor and the finned heat sink. It closes the gap and allows for a better pathway (conduction) of the heat to carry over to the heat sink, keeping the electronic component cooler.
Can be found at any electronics supply house. YD
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Seasoned HDF Member
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From: NW AR
Yeah, even Crap Shack (if they are still in business) carries a tube of it. Without the paste, the internal fins have nothing to dump heat into besides a few small contact points. "Chrome won't get you home" as we used to say. The cover may look nice, but you are limiting the ability of the regulator to dump heat, not improving it. IN MY OPINION.
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From: Ohio
Yeah, even Crap Shack (if they are still in business) carries a tube of it. Without the paste, the internal fins have nothing to dump heat into besides a few small contact points. "Chrome won't get you home" as we used to say. The cover may look nice, but you are limiting the ability of the regulator to dump heat, not improving it. IN MY OPINION.
You don't need the paste, dump the cover!