Recent content by tmittelstaedt

Replacing my rotor with one from Custom Rewind fixed the charging problem on my bike.

You can burn out the rust with acid, I would do that if I were you. Here is a typical guide http://donscycleware.com/howtoclmogas.html You might be able to get another model to fit but the K had the biggest (and in my opinion) the best tank. I have a K and a C. The C tank was designed for...

If you can avoid winterizing I would do so - if you live in an area of the country that gets 4 months of ice and snow you are stuck of course - but otherwise, your better off starting and running it once every 2 weeks if you can. One trick is to keep a small light bulb (like a night light bulb)...

Thanks! No we haven't bumped heads too much I've always enjoyed your posts in the Focus group! Most mechanics out there are parts-changers, and most designers out there are myopic and only focused on one teeny tiny little thing, and that cuts across all industries. 20 years ago when I was...

Yes, I am saying those numbers are meaningless - on a DVM. A DVM works by sampling then averaging the samples, I don't know what your average DVM samples at but here's a discussion about a fairly newish DVM from Radio Shack that uses a serial port outputting at 4800bps...

I really doubt a cheap volt meter would have the resolution to make any sense out of 3000Hz ripple on it's A/C setting, these voltmeter chips are designed assuming 50-60Hz power input for A/C. A Focus alternator at idle - maybe 700rpm with an alternator having a stator with 6-8 poles in it -...

A voltmeter works in those auto systems because they use a belt to spin the alternator quite fast even at idle so there is always enough mechanical energy available at the alternator to generate full voltage even at idle. Since the engine computer is so dependent on consistent readings from a...

A scope will tell you if a diode failed, a voltmeter won't. Good trick on the acetone. The insulation I praised earlier appeared to be a coating. My guess is the lack of a key was more because they were concerned about shock if the bike fell over and something bent in the stator cover.

I don't think the inertial forces are the issue, I think the magnetic forces are the issue. If the motor goes up to 9500 rpm the regulator should just about completely kill power to the rotor with barely any magnetism being spun around inside the stator. A normal good rotor should have the...

I don't know what Custom rewind does, the coil wasn't saturated with enamel or vanish, though. He may have used tape, though, in between layers, Essex sells specific polyester tape for this purpose. In looking at the spec sheet for the Thermalex 200, abrasion resistance is the second quality...

The insulation on the magnet wire he used has a softening/melting point way above that of electrical solder. In fact they recommend copper welding for terminating this particular wire. The easiest way to get cooling on it would be to mount a 1U 12v computer fan on the bike, (this has about a...

I just got via UPS today my newly rewound rotor, from Custom Rewind Inc. Cost was $125. I was a nice guy and shipped him my old rotor as a core. The rotor arrived in a box with Essex's branding all over it - obviously he buys magnet wire from Essex. The wire part was Thermalex 200, here is...