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Africa Twin, 3 yellow alternator wires Africa Twin, 3 yellow alternator wires
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  #1  
Old 24 Aug 2010
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Africa Twin, 3 yellow alternator wires
There are 3 yellow wires which come from the alt. and which are normally joined to the reg/rect. by a connecting plug. Without a connector to tell these wires apart, how do you tell what way to connect it to a reg/rect?

The Haynes manual shows no way of telling which is which.

Any experience of this????
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Old 24 Aug 2010
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They go whatever way you like :-)

Have you removed the connector? (smart move)
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Old 24 Aug 2010
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Originally Posted by AliBaba View Post
They go whatever way you like :-)

Have you removed the connector? (smart move)
The connector is fried and was cut off a while back. I'll have to just connect the yellow wires individually. D'you think the cnnctrs are crap anyway? Maybe you're right.

Have you actually connctd the yellow wires in any sequence? Is it OK?

Ta!
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Old 24 Aug 2010
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Originally Posted by Caminando View Post
The connector is fried and was cut off a while back. I'll have to just connect the yellow wires individually. D'you think the cnnctrs are crap anyway? Maybe you're right.

I've been through this on a friends bike.
This connection is extremely important, if it fails you can get an over-voltage that can give you one or more of the following symptoms:

*Light-bulbs burn
*Electronic devices burn (instruments, ignition-module etc)
*Battery boils
*Alternator fails

The symptoms will often be temporarily (worse in wet weather).

I'm sure this connector worked on the bike when the bike was new but what happens is that the spade-connectors gets corroded and simply put this make your regulator go bananas.
So yes, remove it or replace it with a heavy duty industrial plug.


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Have you actually connctd the yellow wires in any sequence? Is it OK?
The three yellow wires are three-phase and you can connect them as you like.
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Old 25 Aug 2010
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Thanks for this info - I appreciate it
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Old 25 Aug 2010
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I have had the same problem.For now I have removed the plug,cleaned the terminals and sealed them with heat shrink.I plan to chop the terminals out and solder in new wiring fairly soon.
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Old 25 Aug 2010
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I have had the same problem.For now I have removed the plug,cleaned the terminals and sealed them with heat shrink.I plan to chop the terminals out and solder in new wiring fairly soon.
I have been working today on this stuff. I have added an extra earth wire to the reg. (reg to neg battery terminal)as recommended by two different people.

I have cut off the connectors which remained, and am replacing them as Ali Baba suggests. I am sick of this problem - I've had it so often.
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Old 25 Aug 2010
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I am sure that I read somewhere that you can take the positive wire from the rectifier directly to the battery,you must use a 30 amp fuse.This avoids any corroded terminals in the loom.
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Old 29 Aug 2010
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A few weeks ago I fitted a PC cooling fan to the R/R on my AT as it was getting hot,too hot to touch comfortably.The three yellow wires were also getting very hot.As I mentioned in a previous post I chopped off the plug,cleaned up the connections then put it back together sealed up with heat shrink.Anyway the R/R was cooler but the three yellow wires were still getting very hot.
Today I chopped out the old spade terminals on the yellow wires and cut the wire back by about 30mm to get good clean wire.I reconnected then using new spades rather than soldering them as I think it makes roadside replacement of the R/R easier(I carry a spare)I then sealed it all up with heat shrink.
The R/R seems to run even cooler,barely even getting warm.The yellow wires are now cool to the touch.Tested the charging,all is good.
I will keep an eye on it but hopefully it's sorted,for now,at least.
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Old 30 Aug 2010
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Originally Posted by trophydave View Post
A few weeks ago I fitted a PC cooling fan to the R/R on my AT as it was getting hot,too hot to touch comfortably.The three yellow wires were also getting very hot.As I mentioned in a previous post I chopped off the plug,cleaned up the connections then put it back together sealed up with heat shrink.Anyway the R/R was cooler but the three yellow wires were still getting very hot.
Today I chopped out the old spade terminals on the yellow wires and cut the wire back by about 30mm to get good clean wire.I reconnected then using new spades rather than soldering them as I think it makes roadside replacement of the R/R easier(I carry a spare)I then sealed it all up with heat shrink.
The R/R seems to run even cooler,barely even getting warm.The yellow wires are now cool to the touch.Tested the charging,all is good.
I will keep an eye on it but hopefully it's sorted,for now,at least.
Apart from the fan, I've mostly done what you did, and found that good connections are not only a good idea but absolutely vital. I too have found that temps are lower. I am also, like you, checking the heat in the wires when I stop.

But this is really such a hassle that I wish Honda had sorted it out. They had enough time on this long production bike.

I dont know where you get your spare rectifiers, but WeMoto's are about £80. Honda charges about double I think.
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Old 5 Sep 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by trophydave View Post
A few weeks ago I fitted a PC cooling fan to the R/R on my AT as it was getting hot,too hot to touch comfortably.The three yellow wires were also getting very hot.As I mentioned in a previous post I chopped off the plug,cleaned up the connections then put it back together sealed up with heat shrink.Anyway the R/R was cooler but the three yellow wires were still getting very hot.
Today I chopped out the old spade terminals on the yellow wires and cut the wire back by about 30mm to get good clean wire.I reconnected then using new spades rather than soldering them as I think it makes roadside replacement of the R/R easier(I carry a spare)I then sealed it all up with heat shrink.
The R/R seems to run even cooler,barely even getting warm.The yellow wires are now cool to the touch.Tested the charging,all is good.
I will keep an eye on it but hopefully it's sorted,for now,at least.
Hi TD

I forgot to say that if you ride with your headlamps on, that reduces the temperature of the reg/rect. I'm just back from the Alps and the bike ran well without wires overheating.

Like you though, I need to keep an eye on things.

Next thing to worry about is the fuel pump! I suggest a Facet pump as an alternative.
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Old 6 Sep 2010
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Being a tightwad I have replaced the points in an old fuel pump with a new set from Wemoto.That pump is now on the bike and the one off the bike that was working fine is now a spare.
Hopefully with a spare pump and R/R I should not have any problems with the bike.
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Old 6 Sep 2010
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Thanks TD for the info that Wemoto sells points. I didnt know that and have a pump just waiting to be refurbished, as a travel spare.
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Old 7 Sep 2010
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Thanks TD for the info that Wemoto sells points. I didnt know that and have a pump just waiting to be refurbished, as a travel spare.
There is a trick to make the fuel-pump last longer, do you know someone with electrical knowledge? If so ask him to install a suppressor diode as close to the contacts as possible.
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Old 7 Sep 2010
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Thanks AB. I have an article about fitting a relay there but I know bugger all about electrics. I will note your info till I find an autoelectrician
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