Flaming RR51

[damien666]

I’ve just looked and mine is the FH020AA. When i got it a few years ago from an american site, i also ordered from them a charge status LED. It has one colour for charging, one for OK and another ( or flashing, can’t renember as not seen it triggered) for over charging.

[jerry]

I have had 2 fires on my S4 one was a genuine RR51 from electrex ,, but the stator and battery both ok and next time was a chinky copy Schindengren ,, again Alternator and battery OK ,, I reckon both times were bad connections in wiring loom connectors ,,


my 1991 750ss and 2000 M750 are both on factory originals !!!!

I am using Yamaha schindengen FH12 on the S4

[Nasher]

Well the good news is that the starter appears to be OK.

I think that at the side of the very busy and noisy A3, after the battery had been shorted out and discharged I must have mistaken the rapid clicking noise of the starter not able to turn the engine over because of the battery.

Just need to know if there is a more modern unit available that can support the standard warning light?

Thanks for the suggestions, but I love the simplicity of the early Monsters, and don't want to go adding anything like Voltmeters or constantly illuminated LEDs.

Electrix World didn't reply to my email today, perhaps they have more important emails than those from customers showing their units having gone up in flames!!!

Nasher.

[Nasher]

So I bit the bullet last night and ordered a Shindengen FH020AA and cables

Plus one of these to show the charge status:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-3-Col...53.m2749.l2649
Which I’ll build into the dash in place of the original light.

Nasher.

[damien666]

That LED is a lot smaller than the one i have. A good find. I might order one myself

[Nasher]

Yep, I reckon I can replace the existing Red lens in the warning light assembly with a piece of Semi-Opaque White plastic and it will fit in behind.

Nasher.

[Mr Gazza]

Pleased that you have survived this episode without too much collateral.
Impressed that some public spirited individual called the Fire Brigade for you.
Thanks for the heads up with the LED widget. I just ordered two, one for the Monster and one for the Commando.

I always use Gold connectors on the charging circuit for corrosion free, low resistance joints, in the hope of avoiding an incident like this, but the widget should add a bit more peace of mind.

[Flip]

Yes definitely glad there was nothing more serious although must have been a scary few minutes until the flames died out.

Like Jerry, my 1997 900 is still on the original RR but a few years ago I bought an Electrex one thinking I would fit it as a precaution after thinking it was different to the standard shunt type due to their rather mis-leading wording.

When it arrived I realised it was not any different in the way it works to the original with the disadvantages of not only bypassing the bikes' fuse for the charging system but also requiring the wires lengthening to get it to fit.

They were quite unresponsive when I pointed this out asking for a refund and so it was sent back recorded delivery with a letter along the lines of it not being fit for purpose being sold as a 'direct replacement'- my money including postage was in my account the day after they received it without a word from them.

I would say avoid their products based on such appalling customer service alone.

As for connectors I am a massive fan of the Tyco (Amp) Super Seal ones as used elsewhere on the Monster (along with many other makes and models) and have replaced many of the plastic block, 'mini-fit' type, along with the bullet ones from the alternator/RR with them.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tyco-AMP-...de17e6263cb017

Although strictly speaking soldering as well as crimping isn't always good practise, it does add an extra level of security if done carefully and the conductors can be cleaned of any oxidisation using an aggressive flux beforehand and a bit of Silicone grease before clicking them together and you're good to go.

You can even get the neat little boots to add another level of water and road crap protection if you like:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/High-Qual...Kau_5Kps5_jmcQ

[Nasher]

Flip Hi.

I fully agree about how good the Super seal Tyco connectors are.
It was a nice surprise for me when I got my M900 that they were used on it as I've used them for years on boats, and have quite a stock of bodies, Crimps and seals etc.

Electrix World have replied to my email late this afternoon after I chased them for a response, suggesting it must have been caused by a Bad Battery or a Short.
I'm not expecting any more from them, but will be quite vocal if anyone on here or elsewhere asks for an opinion on them.

Nasher

[Nasher]

Aarrghhhhh

Just had a message from the EBay seller I brought the FH020AA and cables from.
He's realised he's swapped the labels on my parcel and another he sent today, so my stuff has gone to Scotland and I'm getting something I don't want.

He's posted us both a prepaid first class label to stick on the parcel to send them to each other, so I just hope matey does it quickly.

That's my plan of fitting it Saturday and getting a ride on Sunday Fu**ed!

[utopia]

I also like superseal connectors ...but
I'm not sure that they have a high enough rating for the alternator connections.
When I looked into this a few years ago (after my std reg/rec fried itself) I decided that Delphi Metri-Pack 630 series connectors were the ones to go for .. rated at 46 amps and available from "Kojaycat".
They're similarly sealed and probably not a lot bigger than superseals.
However, at the time I needed a quicker fix so I made a few micro butt-crimps (!) out of rolled up thin copper sheet.
After crimping, I then covered the whole joint in glue-lined shrinkwrap.
This makes a stunningly neat joint between electrical wires, sealed from the elements and bonded to the insulation to reduce stress on the joint .. by the glue.
And no flux residue from soldering.
This arrangement, coupled with a replacement reg/rec from Electrex, has been on my 750 for 7 or 8 years now and has given no trouble whatsoever ..... at least,not yet.

I still have some of the copper sheet left and could knock you up a few crimps if you like, Nasher.
I might even still have a bit of the glue lined shrinkwrap in the right size.
Though the Delphi connectors are probably a more user friendly method than hard-wiring.

It was quite funny when my first reg/rec went actually.
It didn't melt .. there were no external signs actually .. but it was obviously overcharging.
So, I'm sat at a rural, B-road T-junction, behind a car.
I blip the throttle, cos you just do sometimes on an exuberant, sunny day, don't you ?
As I blip it, I hear multiple "ping" noises, as would be made by small objects hitting a larger, hollow, thin-walled vessel.
The battery (a wet one) had boiled almost completely dry and my blip had boosted said boiling just enough to pop three or four of the battery caps clean off .. which then hit the underside of the tank.
This was early in my Ducati experience and I learned the maintenance-friendly nature of the (early type) monster that day.
Seat off, tank up, fish the caps out of the battery box with bit of wire gleaned from nearby hedge, pop 'em back in, cross fingers, press start .. she runs .. limp home slowly but successfully (about 5 miles).

But that blip .. ping, ping, ping.
Still makes me chuckle.

I'm on thin ice now.
Running a lithium.
I know I should really just say no, but those kilos, once you start, just get so .......

[350TSS]

From memory the amp connectors are rated at 11 amps and even for the single phase alternator I think you would want more than 30 amp rated connectors

[Nasher]

Guys

Sorry, should have said that I wouldn'd be using the Superseals on the alternator connectors I have some much higher rated Bullets for that.
The originals melted soon after I got the bike and my Bullets have now outlasted two RR51s!
The battery charge cables I'll be running direct to the battery with Ring terminals, via a 30A fuse of course.

The Superseals are useful for nearly everything else though.

Nasher

[Mr Gazza]

My Gammatronix charge warning LEDs came today, so I've been reading up.

The 10mm ones that I bought turn out to be a bit on the large side for discreet mounting on the Monster, but I have discovered that there is a 5mm one available that does the same thing (or things). It will mount in a 6mm hole with it's little bezel or 5mm without. So potential to put one of those in the ignition switch cover.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gammatron...4383.l4275.c10

Now both units have two modes; battery voltage or charge voltage. Modes are selected with a jumper pin on the 10mm and a yellow wire loop on the 5mm.
So it's jumper pin out, or yellow wire cut for charge status.
Jumper pin in, or yellow loop intact for battery level.

It goes on to say what was already in my head by this time, and hoped to be possible, that if a switch is added in the yellow loop then the modes become switchable... Woo hoo… Rock and roll.

I don't really need a battery level indicator on the Monster and I can't think quite how to rig an extra switch just yet, but...

The Commando will most likely use a Mk111 Boyer electronic ignition that came with the bike, unused. These early units have the unfortunate feature of failing, to an over advanced position if they suffer low voltage. This makes kickstarting a bit risky and tends to break cogs and ankles! So a battery level indicator was something I was thinking off, if I were to use this ignition.
Bingo the Gammatronix has it all. The 10mm one will fit the original charge light hole with a gentle easing and resemble the original light too. I can carefully add wires where the jumper pin connects and run them to the redundant starter button on the handlebar cluster.
I will be able to thumb the starter to get a green light before kicking the beast safely into life.

What a wonderful little widget. Thank you Simon for the heads up.

[Mr Gazza]

I was just about to post details of this on the Norton Owners forum, but thought I would just check to see if I would be doing a duplicate post.
I discovered that My club mate Al Osbourne has been selling something very similar for ages.
If you scroll down this page you will find that he also stocks a very handy handlebar mount for the 10mm LED. http://www.aoservices.co.uk/data/bsm.htm
He's bringing one for me, to the next meet on Wednesday, so I won't have to make any holes in the Monster to try my widget out.