TOPIC:

I've done a little digging on the output of my '78 KZ1000's stator. I can't find an exact output anywhere. The best guess seems to be in the neighbourhood of about 120-150 watts.

People have talked about re-winging stators or buying the over wound ones that offer 10% more output. These ideas all depend on a 30 year old permanent magnet (in my rotor)

What if we ditched our current setup and used a reasonably modern automotive alternator?

Here's my idea:
1. ditch current stator and rotor (don't throw away incase this doesn't work!)

2. Get one of these starter plates: www.kzzone.com/starterplates.html

3. Take out your starting motor.(Your kick start still works right?)

4. Find a small alternator that doesn't use a permanent magnet setup and stuff it somehow into the space occuped by the starter.

We could have it belt driven off of the starter nut(supplied by APE)

Besides all your harley buddies will be envious of your "open primary drive belt"

Is this nuts or do-able?

I know that field coil alternators need power to make power, but there's got to be one that makes 250-300 watts and isn't too big to fit in there.

Who knows, maybe loudhvx could make one!

later...Sam

That type of alternator is already on a 1977 KZ650 and everybody hates it. The alternator seems more powerful than the permanent magnet ones, but the regulators are old mechanical ones which suck, and the wiring is a little more complicated.

However, I believe I've seen what you are describing, and from what I remember, it did look cool as hell!

Loudhvx, Correction: NOT everybody hates it! My entire electrical system (including alternator) has worked flawlessly since I bought my '77 KZ650C1 in April, 1977. I can't imagine a better track record for a 30 year old machine. (Having said that, it will now probably catch on fire and burn my house down Please keep in mind though that I am not using any accessories that might place excessive load on the system. Ed

I stand corrected. I hope your insurance is paid up.

Over the past year one by one the startor wires burnt up. It seems like 30 years is the max on these systems do to some other treads in the past month.
Better find you a peice of wood to knock on.

Having said that, it will now probably catch on fire and burn my house down

Mine did catch on fire years ago. Wire from regulator grounded out...lots of smoke.

The 77 charging systems are different than the later models. Some do hate them....but not me. Both my stators (on both my bikes) work just fine.
But like Ed said, I'm not running anything extra to pull more of a load from it.


So, is that the answer to Samwell's question? Buy and old 77 stator for more output?

mariozappa wrote:

Having said that, it will now probably catch on fire and burn my house down

Mine did catch on fire years ago. Wire from regulator grounded out...lots of smoke.

The 77 charging systems are different than the later models. Some do hate them....but not me. Both my stators (on both my bikes) work just fine.
But like Ed said, I'm not running anything extra to pull more of a load from it.


So, is that the answer to Samwell's question? Buy and old 77 stator for more output?

Its probably the sensible answer, but I'm sleep deprived right now, so I'm gonna go with the cool as hell option! If/When I ever get it working, I'll post some pics.

Sam

Well, he'd need the stator, the rotating pole-inverter, and the field coil. It'd be interesting to know if that stuff even fits into a KZ1000. The 77 650 alternator runs dry, I thought the KZ1000 alternator runs in oil. That may be the killer on the idea.

I wish I could find that photo of the cool-as-hell option. No luck so far.

what about the external alternators like klasmo offers?those sure look cool with the external belt drive.

mariozappa wrote:
Mine did catch on fire years ago. Wire from regulator grounded out...lots of smoke.[/quote]

Mine caught on fire 5 weeks ago. Krispy wires and rectifier. Now that it is rebuilt (home-made rectifier), it charges like mad. I think that I will be able to add the grip warmers this winter now.

The mechanical regulator does suck. A voltmeter wired into my electrical system shows the voltage fluctuating spasmodically. But it is now as strong as a bull.

Check the klasmo site.

Qdude wrote:

mariozappa wrote:

Mine did catch on fire years ago. Wire from regulator grounded out...lots of smoke.

Mine caught on fire 5 weeks ago. Krispy wires and rectifier. Now that it is rebuilt (home-made rectifier), it charges like mad. I think that I will be able to add the grip warmers this winter now.

The mechanical regulator does suck. A voltmeter wired into my electrical system shows the voltage fluctuating spasmodically. But it is now as strong as a bull.

Eventually you want to get that www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com
regulator.