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Does the regulator/rectifier need to grounded to the frame?

37K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  lance328 
#1 ·
I have been under the impression that the r/r is grounded through the wiring harness. However this article from gYpSy`s website indicates that adding a 12 gauge wire ground strap from the r/r mounting bolt to the battery ground cable bolt on the frame cured her bike`s poor starter performance and weak spark.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050317103346/ourworld.cs.com/moonmist115/chargingproblems.html
>>>printed in full below, bold and color emphasis is mine.

"I wanna share what I found out about my 750 this past week because a good many of you have mentioned symptoms similar to what I was battling recently with wierd bike performance.

I was in a group ride 2 weekends ago, and my bike was having "a bad hair day"! She was tough to start and the battery was weak. Embarassingly, it got so bad that I had to be push-started every time we'd stop by the other riders in the group.

I suspected a dying alternator/regulator and the battery wasn't being charged consistently--that would explain the weak battery and missing due to low voltage.. I addressed the weak battery condition by suspecting either a faulty battery or poor charging flow to the battery. In all cases, (running or not) the voltage tested fine as per the Kawa Service Manual—12.5 volts without engine running/13.5-15 volts revving engine to 4000 rpm (at the battery terminals). It wasn't until a friend suggested a similar problem he once had with an old Harley and he ran a "jumper wire" from the metal regulator case (under battery) to a good ground (frame) that his problems went away. I figured what's to loose in doing so, so I tried it and my battery cranking amps suddenly worked like a miracle! Quite noticably, a battery that once only cranked the starter 3 trys with a great deal of effort, now spins the starter into outer space (!) and I can now run all my light accesories without that idling fear of the battery being undercharged. I simply ran a 12 gauge wire with eye connector ends, from the regulator fastener (bolt head and I put a star washer underneath it) up to the frame ground fastener tab for the battery. Difference of night and day....!

Corrosion over time has a way of "insulating" any electrical connection, and the ground side is completely dependent on clean connections. Since the regulator on the Vulcan 750 is dependent on good ground conduction *through the battery box*, it's no wonder with all that tortuous sheetmetal and the fact that Kawasaki uses a smooth surfaced fastener flanged bolt at the regulator mount, it's entirely possible that if your bike has seen some goodly miles, this may help you too!

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So I have a question for our electrical guru`s. What happened here?
Does the r/r need to be grounded even though there is a ground wire in the 6 pin connector?

Or did she just have a poor/dirty/corroded frame ground connection at the battery cable bolt, that was cleaned enough just by removing the bolt and replacing it when attaching the jumper cable?
 
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#2 ·
To the best of my knowledge the R/R does not need to be grounded. Someone had asked this awhile back because they were worried that the relocation bracket they made, and had painted, would not ensure a good ground.

The reply from one of the electrical guru's said that the R/R has does not need to be grounded...via its shell. it should work even if you are holding it in your hand.

This is of course how I remember it ..... so any of the electro-phobes here is welcome to contradict me... ;)


KM
 
#3 ·
no it grounds through the harness if ou ground the r/r to the battery it just provides an extra ground to the frame but does not affect the r/r redundant grounds are not a bad thing though. bad grounds are the most overlooked problem on bikes cars trucks you name it any electrical problem always check your grounds first
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the input km and vj. That`s what I thought, and even gave that answer on another thread in the last week or so. I have no doubt that gYpSy reported her experience accurately as it happened. She just attributed the cure to the wrong thing, ie. grounding the r/r , rather than just a better frame ground for the battery.
 
#6 ·
first off, the Black/Yellow wire (pin G on the R/R) is a direct wire ground to the frame (bullet connector that splits off of the Main frame/Battery Cable). Secondly the R/R doesn't have any continuity through the casing to the ground pin, therefore grounding out the R/R through the body would have no relevance.
 
#7 ·
As I have posted several times before, grounding the R/R heat sink will do dothing.
 
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