Any reason for a regulator/rectifier shorting?

gthotchkiss · 02-22-2006, 12:21 PM

I recently bought a Electrosport regulator/rectifier for my bike and it shorted out within a month and a half... Could there be something causing it to short? Or is it probally just a bad part?

My stock reg/rect died on me a couple months ago, then when I replaced it with this one, this one shorts out.... any ideas? Or could this just be shitty luck?

ConqSoft · 02-22-2006, 12:22 PM

Which model 'blade? There were issues with the reg/rect on the 900RR's I think...

gthotchkiss · 02-22-2006, 12:26 PM

Its actually a '95 VFR.... Its supposed to have had a history of shorting too... but the electrosport was supposed to be better..... they shipped me a new one REAL quick tho...

ConqSoft · 02-22-2006, 12:30 PM

Oh... Not sure. (BTW, you posted in the FireBlade forum.

)

gthotchkiss · 02-22-2006, 12:40 PM

Ahhhh..... yes..... I see now... whoops...

lol

gt702 · 02-22-2006, 1:06 PM

Is it Electrosport, or Electrex? I've heard much varying reports on Electrex, so I'm assuming quality control might be spotty.

The new Honda regulator is probably the best bet, the one with the heat sink.

As for causes of failures, the general concensus on the VFR list is that there is excess resistance in the system causing the regulator to over work. Check out all of the connections, especially the big one with the yellow wires in it. This will probably look a little burned. If so, you are one of the many victims of the connections getting dirty/corroded. Many have had to replace or remove this connection (splicing in directly) to get the regulator to last. Also check all of your grounds.

Do a search on the VFR homepage (http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~john/vfr/) for information. There have been several good write-ups including part numbers, alternative controllers, and things to look for.

Good luck.

So far I've been pretty lucky with both of my '94's. Hopefully that keeps up

gthotchkiss · 02-22-2006, 1:49 PM

Thanks man!

Red Rider · 02-22-2006, 2:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gt702

Do a search on the VFR homepage (http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~john/vfr/) for information. There have been several good write-ups including part numbers, alternative controllers, and things to look for.

Be prepared to do a LOT of reading. This subject has been discussed on the VFR List ad nauseum...

tailgunn · 03-15-2006, 3:22 PM

I put an r/r from an f4i on my 96 six months ago, not a problem since. I got it off ebay for $25, matched the same color wires together and voila! There are more wires on the f4i than the vfr r/r, but just splice the same color extras together. Factory regs from the 90s are junk and I hear the electrex ones are also, but you might want to trace the wiring back to the stator just to make sure there is no short or burned wiring.

LexVFR800 · 05-04-2006, 5:08 PM

All stock RRs fail.

They don't just go out all together. They will work/not work/ work/ not work.

A new RR with the same part number from Honda is actually an entirely different RR. Plate, more fins, bigger fins, etc. Get a new Honda RR.

Frog4aday · 08-30-2006, 1:26 PM

I had a '97 VFR that ate RRs like a kid eats M&Ms. Got so pissed off about it I sold the bike and bought a CBR929RR.

But before I sold the bike, I did actually fix the problem. I rode it for over 2,000 miles after doing the mod and never lost another RR (they were burning up every 200 to 300 miles before this.)

This will work for the '94, '95, '96, '97 VFR model years. Other VFRs...I don't know.

You will need to add jumper wires from your RR wiring loom. They sell these little blue clip things at Radio Shack that make adding a wire to an existing wire easy. They are described here: 18-14 fem.T-tap discon/50 - 13 T-Tap Disconnects

Anyway, splice into the green wire and add a wire that goes straight to the negative terminal of your battery.

Next, splice into the red wire and add a FUSED WIRE (needs to be a fuse in this length of wire - WARNING - do not blow this part off) that goes to the positive terminal of your battery.

Problem solved. Nightmare over. Ride and enjoy.
Michael in Monument, CO

FASTFREDDY · 06-19-2007, 11:27 PM

I also have a m&m R/R eating vfr.Said wtf and went and got a r/r that looked the same at bent bike,what model it was i didnt care and ran the wires to the right side of the fairing under the headlight and bam no more problems and runs VERY cool.electrex is a inferior product.Go to a used bike boneyard and pick a r/r that has the same wires and move it into the air and forget about it.I know its not proper but neither is the price they charge for crappy parts.

Nailer45 · 06-30-2007, 6:18 AM

If your VFR keeps eating R/R units , check the ground wires and have the stator checked.. If the stator is going bad you will keep burning up R/R units and batteries.. I replaced my r/r at 9,300 miles and am now at 24,000 miles without any problems..

Dont buy "electrosport" R/R units as they are Junk to begin with.
Check out VFRD - vfrdiscussion home the riders on this site can tell you ust about anything you need to know about your VFR ..

DUX · 07-05-2007, 6:36 PM

The RR was weak on my '95 last year, so I replaced it and the battery.

Evidently it was common with the original stock unit in '95, but the Honda replacement is actually an upgrade. I haven't had any problems in 1yr and 2K miles.