Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob KellyIII
Oh I believed you Sir Honest ! I had just never seen a Zener Diode in use on a motorcycle myself..... but it is a logical progression for Adding over charging protection to a selenium rectifier type bike.... my earlier bikes just had ONLY a selenium rectifier and NO Zener diode at all.... including the ancient 1959 or so Zundapp 200cc 2 stroke that I scattered on the centerstand threw the rod right through the front of that engine ! long stroke 2 cycles do NOT like RPM ! ( lesson learned at that young age!)
....
this Triumph has both a selenium rectifier and a Zener diode BOTH and it's new to me.... even though it is a Classic machine.......
back in the day if your Alternator put out say17volts at cruising RPM there wasn't much you could do about it except start replacing parts... like alternator and selenium rectifier ,battery and wiring...
I had a alternator go Hot on me like that on my 1968 Honda 90 and I replaced the alternator with the other one I had from a parts bike and got it under control.
I've had selenium Rectifiers go out as well, all they are is a stack of diodes
a bridge rectifier with good heat sinks... when they go bad there's no fixing them you just replace them !
my vt700 Honda had a rectifier/regulator go out and I had a no charge situation and it cost $120.00 back then to replace it...( about 20 years ago)
.... the regulator/rectifiers are a better solution by far and now days you can find them fairly cheap !
....but I'd like to keep this bike as stock as possible, on "Reasonable" things essentially... the things that make it Function like points and condenser NEED to be upgraded to me ! .
....
Bob........
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P.S. there not called a alternator there called stator as they used permanent magnet where automotive alternators use an electro-magnet.