So finally getting around to installing the new generator. I've been wanting to keep everything original but this area seems like reliability may be more important to me. Switched over to a Cycle Electric gennie as I have run them before and they are great. Looking over the wiring instructions I am having trouble believing it could be this easy. (See instruction sheet) Run a wire from the 'B" terminal to the battery, fuse in between. I don't have a generator light though the wiring diagram in my service manual says I do.............hmmm.
I may install one later as this whole bike could use all new wiring. I thought I'd just run it by y'all as electronic regulators can be fried pretty easily. Any thoughts or recommendations???

 

I have a CE gen also, but mine is the one that installs and connects the same as a standard gen. Sp no comment here on those aspects.

I agree with your comment on the modern electronic/solid state regs - a local mechanic puts it this way "They are like light bulbs, may last for years or may pop today". So i always have a backup good reg in the shop - along with the backups for the gen, solenoid, and battery.

I am not familiar with the CD reg. But for the normal electronic regulators I always attach a separate extra ground to a good ground point somewhere. I believe the reg dumps excess current to ground. If it is not well grounded it will cook itself to death.

 

Thanks Mick, as I learned in the aircraft world, solid grounding is essential. I shall make that happen as well. Really lovin my Ironhead!!!!!!

 

Just getting back around to this new generator. Pulled the gear but I have a question.

Does the bearing cover just spin freely? On the old gennie, see pic, it turns when you rotate the gear and shaft. After putting the cover on the new one it just stays put or may spin with the shaft once it's rotating. Just seems odd so I thought I'd ask. These are the little things that aren't in the service manual.

And Mick, wouldn't the mounting bolts provide a pretty good path to ground?

 

It is common practice on these IronHeads, with the standard electronic regulators, to run a separate ground wire in addition to the mount bolts. Perhaps not by everyone, but common practice among at least some of us.

I do not know about the DGV500 in this regard.

I have had that oil deflector spinning sometimes and not spinning other times on various generators. I think it is not supposed to spin. Perhaps the drive gear needs to be pressed on just a little more?

 

I ran the extra ground wire when I installed my latest new electronic regulator. Mick is right - the regulator sends excess voltage to ground, and if the ground isn't good, the regulator overheats and eventually fails.

 

So with this Cycle Electric generator the regulator is attached to the end. What did you attach your ground wire to?

 

I have no experience with the CE gen-end mount regulator. I do not know if it would benefit from the extra ground wire or where to connect it if it does.

 

So I'm getting ready to bypass the old regulator and just use existing wiring in place, see wiring diagram and proposed wiring diagram without all the crap in the way. I didn't write all that stuff on there btw. Item #10 is the "Overload Circuit Breaker". In Cycle Electric's instructions they recommend installing an in-line 20A fuse. Any idea what rating the overload breaker is? I can't find anyplace in the service manual that talks about it. If it will serve as an in-line fuse then I don't see the need to install another unless a redundant one would be a good idea.