upgrading to modern charging system

hi everyone, I have a fairly heavily modified 1974 Z1 900 and I am currently replacing the entire wiring harness with a custom harness and removing what is no longer needed.
I want to upgrade the regulator/rectifier with a modern one, I am wondering if this is possible? I did once swap a GSXR regulator with one off a CBR and it worked fine..
I assume since nothing origional is left on the bike I can just easily hook up the 3-Phase AC from the stator to the modern rectifier and hook up the negative and positive and I shouldn't have any issues, but I want to make sure the stator can handle it.

Thank you for your help, and nice forum I will stick around!

If you have the seperate rectifier and regulator, get the newer style(combo package) as your older style has been known for potential fires: www.redlinecycle.com/rectifiers.html
And they have new main wiring harnesses: www.redlinecycle.com/Wire%20Harness.html

A good troubleshooting page is at www.electrosport.com

MFolks wrote: If you have the seperate rectifier and regulator, get the newer style(combo package) as your older style has been known for potential fires: www.redlinecycle.com/rectifiers.html
And they have new main wiring harnesses: www.redlinecycle.com/Wire%20Harness.html

yah, the newer style is what I'm looking to use, with the regulator/rectifier combo. Right now it has the seperate one.
I no longer have any stock plugs.. the wiring was a HUGE mess, for example one wire that was a foot long had 2 butt connectors and a solder joint, the entire harness was connected with butt connectors :sick:. the front suspension is off a gsxr so a lot of wiring was done by the previous owner so the controls work, and the ignition is a boyer bransden box and it was also sloppily installed and lots of wires were left over from stuff that doesn't exist anymore. So now the harness is all brand new and just has what it needs.

so anyways, is that modern reg/rectifier box just like any other? could I just grab one off a gsxr, or crb, or yamaha and wire it up? Three 3-phase wires and a 12v positive and negative.

The regulator/rectifier plug on the 80’s bikes usually has six wires in it:

A. One (1)WHITE with RED stripe, this is the bikes main power wire usually 12 gauge in size.

B. One(1) smaller Brown wire, probably 18 gauge or so, the voltage sense wire for the regulator/rectifier, helps keeping it from overcharging the battery(some bikes may not have this brown sense wire as it has be incorporated internally.

C. One(1) BLACK with YELLOW stripe wire, part of the ground circuits, maybe 16 gauge in size.

D. Three(3) YELLOW wires, maybe 14 gauge in size, the alternator output wires going to the regulator/rectifier which converts the Alternating Current(A.C.) to Direct Current(D.C.) using rectification, producing the power to run the motorcycle and charge the battery.

MFolks wrote: The regulator/rectifier plug on the 80’s bikes usually has six wires in it:

A. One (1)WHITE with RED stripe, this is the bikes main power wire usually 12 gauge in size.

B. One(1) smaller Brown wire, probably 18 gauge or so, the voltage sense wire for the regulator/rectifier, helps keeping it from overcharging the battery(some bikes may not have this brown sense wire as it has be incorporated internally.

C. One(1) BLACK with YELLOW stripe wire, part of the ground circuits, maybe 16 gauge in size.

D. Three(3) YELLOW wires, maybe 14 gauge in size, the alternator output wires going to the regulator/rectifier which converts the Alternating Current(A.C.) to Direct Current(D.C.) using rectification, producing the power to run the motorcycle and charge the battery.

cool, I plan on using a 5 wire from a recent bike (within the last 10 years) so it will not have the voltage sense wire.

Here's another option for the rec/reg combo:
www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=261

Good Fortune!

You probably know this, but Honda uses different color codes for their wiring than most other jap bikes. Just make sure you know which is which. (Honda uses black for hot a lot of the time.)

loudhvx wrote: You probably know this, but Honda uses different color codes for their wiring than most other jap bikes. Just make sure you know which is which. (Honda uses black for hot a lot of the time.)

I have a reg/rect off a ZX7R....it has 6 yellow wires! :laugh:

Had to download the service manual to sort that out.

tachrev wrote:

loudhvx wrote: You probably know this, but Honda uses different color codes for their wiring than most other jap bikes. Just make sure you know which is which. (Honda uses black for hot a lot of the time.)

I have a reg/rect off a ZX7R....it has 6 yellow wires! :laugh:

Had to download the service manual to sort that out.

Yikes. That's crazy.

is there also fuse upgrade available??

Upgrading fuses:


Fuse And Fuse Holder Designations

1. The older Kawasaki’s use a glass tubed fuse with the designation of AGX 1” long. Most good auto parts stores can get them for you,and boating supply stores. They are ¼” in diameter.

2. The more common AGC is 1 ¼” long and may not fit the smaller fuse clips. Again, ¼” in diameter.

3. To clean and polish the fuse clips, I use a cotton swab(Q- Tip) and some Brasso metal cleaner or Turtle Wax Chrome Polish. I suppose any good metal polish would work.

4. These fuses can fail internally but look good, only by removing them from the clip and electrically continuity checking with either a self powered test light, or a multimeter set on OHMS can they be determined to be in good shape.

5. A physical inspection of the metal end caps for tightness will tell you if the fuse is serviceable.

6. Most modern motorcycles are now using the automobile “Blade” style fuse with the designation of ATC or ATO.

7. The reduced sized “Mini” Blade style fuse holder uses the ATM size of fuses.

8. If the fuse and fuse holder overheat, it could soften or anneal the grip of the clip, it might require squeezing the clip to restore the tightness.

9. A list of where to purchase “Blade” style fuses and holders:

www.waytekwire.com order.waytekwire.com/productdetail2/M50/...20%20%20%208%20FUSE/

www.rallylights.com www.rallylights.com/detail.aspx?ID=765

www.delcity.net www.delcity.net/cartviewitem?item=73805&search=y

10. A source for the glass tubed AGX fuses:
www.boatownerswarehouse.com/browse.cfm/2,4986.html