Enduralast from Euro Motoelectrics

[Donkey Hotey]

One more thing to consider: my 1986 Gold Wing used to charge at 14.1V for about an hour on the interstate, then tapered back to about 13.8V. Not sure if that was intentional or a byproduct of the regulator getting hot. It may be a designed-in taper of the charging rate.

14.4V / 6 cells is only 2.4V per cell. That's really just a strong charging level, not overcharging.

[Steve G.]

Originally Posted by Malindi

Yes. Just to test, clip it to the + on the battery directly. Make sure the plug attached to the wire is not the one it came with. Clip it off, strip the end and attach to battery plus. Remove all intermediate steps... just to test.

K, I'll try this Tues or Wed. If it prooves to have a better effect on the charge rate [less voltage that is], would you think a thicker wire to this switched power? Or a different switched power? I must admit, this switched power is pretty handy, no runing lines out to rear runing lights or anything like that. Plus, switched power to the coils, if the bike runs, means it's good power.

BTW, I bought a new multi-tester [$110,,geez], and borrowed 3 of my buddy's. Turns out the higher readings were correct, the lower readings are from a mini multi tester I use in my travels on bikes, that I got from Radio Shack.

[Malindi]

Originally Posted by Steve G.

K, I'll try this Tues or Wed. If it prooves to have a better effect on the charge rate [less voltage that is], would you think a thicker wire to this switched power? Or a different switched power? I must admit, this switched power is pretty handy, no runing lines out to rear runing lights or anything like that. Plus, switched power to the coils, if the bike runs, means it's good power.

BTW, I bought a new multi-tester [$110,,geez], and borrowed 3 of my buddy's. Turns out the higher readings were correct, the lower readings are from a mini multi tester I use in my travels on bikes, that I got from Radio Shack.

If the readings were right, the reg unit is probably dead. If the direct connect to battery fails to provide lower voltage, a thicker wire isn't going to help.

[Steve G.]

Originally Posted by Malindi

If the readings were right, the reg unit is probably dead. If the direct connect to battery fails to provide lower voltage, a thicker wire isn't going to help.

Ok, I've put a direct line off of the reg/rectifier black wire to the positive side of battery, and fired the bike up. Here are the results:

800rpm - 13.15
1500 - 14.1
4000 - 14.2
4500 - 14.5

So, I've reduced things by 1/2 volt pretty well across the range. I like these numbers. I'm wondering if my battery is perhaps not in the best shape. I will get a new battery now to eliminate any possibility it could be something else.

[Malindi]

Originally Posted by Steve G.

Ok, I've put a direct line off of the reg/rectifier black wire to the positive side of battery, and fired the bike up. Here are the results:

800rpm - 13.15
1500 - 14.1
4000 - 14.2
4500 - 14.5

So, I've reduced things by 1/2 volt pretty well across the range. I like these numbers. I'm wondering if my battery is perhaps not in the best shape. I will get a new battery now to eliminate any possibility it could be something else.

14.5 seems acceptable indeed. Still some metering error no doubt. 14.2-14.4 is optimal. Jumper your car battery to your bike, start the bike and see what it does. I predict it'll be a lot less than 14.5 as the car battery will be sucking juice too. At least that way you know the reg is fine.

[Grayghost66]

I just installed the Enduralast in my 1992 GS100PD last year. After using the sensing wire to a relay then to the battery (so the VR gets a true read of the voltage) I achieved essentially the same RPM verses Voltage values you posted. I am happy with the result.

[Steve G.]

Originally Posted by Grayghost66

I just installed the Enduralast in my 1992 GS100PD last year. After using the sensing wire to a relay then to the battery (so the VR gets a true read of the voltage) I achieved essentially the same RPM verses Voltage values you posted. I am happy with the result.

So instead of using a switched power from the bike [coil, running lights, etc] for the black wire, you are using a relay as switched power? Which switched power source are you using to flip the relay? Isn't that kind of the same thing?

[Steve G.]

Originally Posted by Grayghost66

I just installed the Enduralast in my 1992 GS100PD last year. After using the sensing wire to a relay then to the battery (so the VR gets a true read of the voltage) I achieved essentially the same RPM verses Voltage values you posted. I am happy with the result.

Is there a certain specification relay you sourced? Are you talking about a micro relay similar to what is under the GS's fuel tank right now?

Steve

[Steve G.]

OK, success! I sourced a new 4 pin SPDT micro relay, 30 amp. Fastened it near the previous location of the old voltage regulator. I used 10 guage wire for the 'trigger' side, and 10 guage for the 'delivery' side of the unit. The results are as follows:

800rpm - 13.05 volts
1200rpm - 13.25volts
3000rpm - 13.75volts
4500rpm - 14.10volts

Tried it again with high beam on, heated grips on high, electric vest plugged in:

800rpm - 12.79volts
1200rpm - 13.20volts
3000rpm - 13.75volts
4500rpm - 14.10 volts

Alot of work to change a system that worked well before, but wanted to get rid of the possible rotor failure. I guess I'm glad I'm rid of the diode board as well, and also glad I have a brushless stator now. Had there been an updated rotor available, and a more robust diode board, I would have gone with that. There never was a charging problem with my bike, never a dead battery from slow engine rpm use. Electric repair/install is not my strong point, and quadruple checking all my work is part of my deal as a result. Once it warms up, I'll be conducting testing to see how it works over an extended period.
Thanks for the help lads.

[Tripletreat]

"Had there been an updated rotor available, and a more robust diode board,...."
Why do you consider that the available after market items are not "updated"?
I'm very happy with my Thunderchild diode board (its been in service a good ten yrs. w/o any issues) and I think both EME and Rick offers new rotors (although I have no personal experience with either one of those items).

[chasbmw]

The 450w upgrade as sold by Rick and various vendors in Europe works well, +1 on the Thunderchild diode board. You don't need to sweat the last .5 of a volt, snow bum has some comparisons of both types of alternator upgrade on his site.

[Malindi]

Originally Posted by chasbmw

The 450w upgrade as sold by Rick and various vendors in Europe works well

True, but it still has wear items, like brushes and a wound rotor. If the rotor goes, you can't replace it with a stock rotor, as Rick's rotors are larger in diameter. You need to get one from him or one of the Euro vendors. If the Enduralast cube fails, you can get them from many places, including an aftermarket English vendor (non-Italian engineering)
Still, we have a lor more options either way than say ten years ago.

[Steve G.]

I actually wasn't aware until last weekend that there was stuff available from Thunderchild. This whole airhead-alternator upgrade thing was totally off my radar because I had no issues with my bike over 120,000kms. It was only after a buddy of mine last Sept. had a catastrauphic rotor failure to his '93 GS near Escalante, Utah, where he essentially had to rental/truck his bike back to Victoria BC, and, Shail [local airhead shop in Langley, BC] mentioning that there were rotors failing, that I realized that I had a new Enduralast kit sitting on my shelf, from the giant amount of stuff my brother had before he passed away in 2007. I do remember my little brother having charging issues on his '90 Paris Dakar, but he had so much stuff in his inventory[he'd recently bought up the entire inventory of a closed down shop] including 12 bikes, the kit was just one of those things that just sat there forgotten. When all this rotor thing came to my attention, I would have been a silly fellow NOT to use the kit.

I'm still glad I've got this new system. However, I'm now thinking I'd like to descreetly install a voltage meter somewhere to casually observe the output levels. I've boiled a battery before, twice [thanks Nippon Denso reg/rectifiers] and with this new system have so much capability to do so should there be some kind of component failure [reg/recifier, relay] , and an ingrained distruct for solid state electronics on machines that may be subject to vibration, jarring, etc, I'll never really be able to trust this bike for a long time.

Steve

[Donkey Hotey]

Lets just set the record straight: just because the Enduralast is simpler and easier for non-electrical people to diagnose, does not make it a superior system. A variable output alternator (like the stock system) is superior in every way. That's why so many motorcycles and ALL cars & trucks use that type of alternator.

BMW made a few fatal mistakes when implementing it: the lame grounding on the diode board and the diode board design itself. The Motorrad Elektrik fixes both problems and bumps the output to 450 watts.

The Omega is far superior to the Enduralast. The Enduralast is a fine adaptation of stone-axe technology (if it's broke, it's the handle or it's the head). They didn't do anything technically 'wrong' with the design. They're two different charging philosophies and the Omega is the better of the two in every way except simplicity of troubleshooting and replacing parts (the stator or the regulator).:

[Tripletreat]

Your bud had a rotor go out in Utah and, faced with trucking the bike to Canada or replacing the rotor there where the bike died, he rented a truck and hauled it home???
Are you serious?
Naw, you gotta be pulling our leg here....