ebay power regulator - opinions please

[monkeybrain]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380181943069&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_12733wt_1167

Is there a point to this magic box?

 

[Rob Farmer]

I bought one of those from the same seller. s'ok but no better than the standard one.

 

[John Armstrong]

Is there a point to this magic box?

If you do lots of stop start riding in town then it's supposed to charge the battery a bit quicker than the stock one. I'd guess most airheads already have the higher output regulator already. IIRC the stock one gives 13.7v and this gives 14.5 which is why the battery will be charged quicker, and it'll loose water quicker as well.

 

[Thunder]

Police bikes used a 14.5v regulator as they had additional electric equipment fitted. It does not do anything for the power output but as John says means your battery gets an extra charge which is no bad thing especially for town riding.

The police spec regulator from BMW would cost you £71.30 so this ones cheap by comparison.

 

[monkeybrain]

thanks for the advice. i will order one then...

 

[(RIP) philgunn]

Hawker Battery at the same time

The Hawker Thin Cell i think 680 for older airheads likes 14.5 Volts
this might make a nice pair if you can afford one

pg

 

[monkeybrain]

Ok - I will look into that. Thanks.

Do you guys think the a R100 will be able to handle heated grips?

 

[John Armstrong]

Do you guys think the a R100 will be able to handle heated grips?

They were an option, but I'd be wary of using them in town, with the lights on, and doing lots of engine starts without giving the battery a charge every now and then. And if you use the bikes electrics to power a heated jacket, I hope your bike has a kick starter.

 

[Shep]

And if you use the bikes electrics to power a heated jacket, I hope your bike has a kick starter.

They do bump start very easily DAMHIK

 

[John Armstrong]

They do bump start very easily DAMHIK

That's handy to know, any tips on bumping them? Apart from try not to have to do it

 

[Shep]

That's handy to know, any tips on bumping them? Apart from try not to have to do it

I don't know I got the Mrs to do it But she managed OK

I'll ask her

 

[John Armstrong]

I got the Mrs to do it But she managed OK

Good reason to have a pillion then

 

[Roger Chatterton]

They were an option, but I'd be wary of using them in town, with the lights on, and doing lots of engine starts without giving the battery a charge every now and then. And if you use the bikes electrics to power a heated jacket, I hope your bike has a kick starter.

Different heated jackets draw different number of amps. A can bus 1200 will reject some heated jackets if run via the aux power sockets, as they draw too much. But, for example, will be fine with the Klan Jackets as they only pull about 4.5 Amps. Not exactly sure of the cut-off amperage of Can Bus, but who cares, that's why I run an Airhead.
So, not quite so bad as it could be. However, I would not run heated grips, heated jacket and headlamp at the same time, even with the Hi Output Volt Reg , especially if engine's not going above about 3000 RPM!!!

 

[John Armstrong]

Different heated jackets draw different number of amps. A can bus 1200 will reject some heated jackets if run via the aux power sockets, as they draw too much. But, for example, will be fine with the Klan Jackets as they only pull about 4.5 Amps. Not exactly sure of the cut-off amperage of Can Bus, but who cares, that's why I run an Airhead.
So, not quite so bad as it could be. However, I would not run heated grips, heated jacket and headlamp at the same time, even with the Hi Output Volt Reg , especially if engine's not going above about 3000 RPM!!!

So the 1200's electrics try and stop you flattening the battery, whereas you can be warm on the airhead from having a working heated jacket, and then from bump starting it

 

[Shep]

I'm installing a heated rear numberplate on mine, just keep her hands warm

 

[Roger Chatterton]

So the 1200's electrics try and stop you flattening the battery, whereas you can be warm on the airhead from having a working heated jacket, and then from bump starting it

The 1200's battery is not exactly its strongest point -lightness being the battery's main virtue, but I won't labour over these points.
My point was, and hope it wasn't too difficult to glean, that if you use a heated jacket that draws less current, then it is possible to use it on an airhead, but NOT if you are just pottering around in slow moving traffic. Provided you can get above 3000 revs or so, for a length of time, this will then start the charging of the battery.
Not sure what a headlamp draws, but must be a few amps, so around 4 amps for a heated jacket for short periods wont harm too much.
Application of some common sense will also help in these situations.
The Can Bus is obviously drawing it's own conclusions !!!

 

[monkeybrain]

Well - I found that in the winter hand guards work best. Thick gloves and heated grips are pointless in my opinion. I never feel the heat anyways.

I would use the headlamp - kind of important - and a Zumo. I was planning of wiring that to the bike. If I want heated gloves I would use rechargeable batteries or stop every 65 miles and have a cup of coffee.

 

[MickDB1]

Not exactly on the thread topic but someone asked of a best way to bump start a bike
KTMMark on here gave me a simple but helpful tip
We all know that you need 2nd or 3rd to bump but if you press the starter button as you bump it give whatever is left in the battery to help you turn the engine over to start
That is a good tip I recon, and I know it works

 

[John Armstrong]

Some good info here: http://www.motobins.co.uk/motobins-hints-and-tips.php and the "Commuting on a boxer" where the thought is that a dipped beam is enough to hammer the battery due to lack of charging.

This gives some very usefull info:

http://www.gunsmoke.com/motorcycling/r100gs/charge_diagnostics/index.html