Replacing rectifier/regulator for 1979 kz650b3

Hello all,
I am looking at rectifiers on line for my 1979 kz650b3 and I have a few questions. They range in price from $35 to $150 and I am wondering if the expensive ones are much better or are they simply overpriced. Secondly, all of the units I find have 4 leads, 2 yellow and a black to the plug and a red with a pin connector. My regulator has 5 leads, the 5th lead is a brown lead with a pin connector. If these regulators on line are true replacements, what am I supposed to do with the brown lead?
Thanks,
Joe

I replaced my original rectifier and regulator with a modern combo unit from this guy about 6 years ago for around a hundred bucks "I think" it was pretty much a plug and play,
Works great and opened up a nice spot for a modern (blade style) fuse box.
My bike is a 78 1000 and I'm not sure if yours is the same setup but it is worth a try, good luck!
 jim@redlinecycle.com

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationThe best 3 phase R/R's are SERIES type, which help protect your stator from cooking itself.  Shindengen SH775 is the denotation, and they can be had for about $50 from ebay (used.)  Don't buy from ebay unless SH775 is printed on the top fin.  There are lots of fakes  around.  Triumph sells an adapter harness for about $10.  Going this way is a little more fussy than buying a $100+ plug and play unit, but those are shunt type and inferior, so it's worth the slight extra work.



eBay item number:
384953978912

To get the ebay link, hit quote when replying to my post, and you will see the link.  The forum software knocks down ebay links these days for some reason.

Great feedback, as always.. my current rectifier is a shindengen. I will have to check to make sure it is a sh775. I will look on eBay.
thanks
Joe

Looked on eBay, but I still don’t see any rectifiers with the fifth brown lead. That lead brings power to quite a few components, like the horn and others. What do I do with the missing brown lead?
joe

Info I have indicates the use of the additional brown line started in 1980.  It is a sense line of what the entire electrical system draw is.

I have attached a file / table that shows the different charging systems on the 650s with stock part numbers 

wrote:

Info I have indicates the use of the additional brown line started in 1980.  It is a sense line of what the entire electrical system draw is.

I have attached a file / table that shows the different charging systems on the 650s with stock part numbers 

File Attachment:

File Name: generator systems.txt
File Size:1 KB

Can a 3 phase R/R be used on a 1 phase charging system?  If not, my apologies to the OP.

Edit: an internet search suggests that a 3 phase R/R will work with a 1 phase generator, but it's not ideal.  Something about the total number of diodes doing the work and the system stress will be higher in the R/R than using a proper 1 phase R/R.  

That chart disagrees with the wiring diagram in my clymer manual which does show the 5th brown lead on a 1979 kz650b3 r/r. Maybe they changed mid year. 

I suppose that if the brown was added as a sensor for total system load, it should be expendable. Simple is good!
thanks again,
Joe

rick's motorsport electrics may have a single phase voltage regulator.

diagrams.kz650.info/wiring/WiringDiagrams.htm

www.partzilla.com/catalog/kawasaki/motorcycle/1979/kz650-b3

It could be that some 79 model year bikes did have the 5 lead r/r.  Here are the FSM wiring diagrams for the B3 models, note 1 phase r/r.

 

Bought a new r/r with 5 wires from mad hornets. Fingers crossed.