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Thread: Converting AC to DC

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    South Dakota, Sioux Falls area
    --
    60
    Make mental notes on how you do this, or give me a call when you do it. If it really is as simple as people say it is I'd be interested in doing this to mine and would love the help. Hopefully that'll give me a bit more light too.
    83 200x - auto-x - wide axle
    84 200x - long term project
    78 XS750
    82 XJ750
    08 Sportster 883

  2. #17
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Wichita, Kansas
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    1,359
    You guys have over complicated this. Converting AC to DC is ULTRA SIMPLE. You just need a diode bridge . AC goes in, DC comes out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diode_bridge . This is the part: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bridge-Recti...item417d55095f

    This only converts it to DC, it does not regulate the voltage. Keep the AC voltage regulator, feed that into the Bridge... and regulated DC up to 35 amps! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Trail-Tech-A...6fc506&vxp=mtr

    Lighting coil -> ac regulator -> bridge -> 12v out! -> battery/capacitor recommended for power smoothing.



    This style bridge is classified as a full wave rectifier. The output is DC, but it's not a constant DC. The wiki article explains in more detail. A battery or capacitor will smooth this out. I recommend super caps (Heres a 10 farad pack http://www.ebay.com/itm/SUPER-CAPACI...electric start). They charge in a matter of seconds, can discharge 100% hundreds of thousands of times, their smaller, and they way considerably less than lithium ion or lead acid. A 350 farad Pack http://laserhacker.com/?p=110.
    Last edited by RubberSalt; 03-26-2015 at 02:15 AM. Reason: More information
    I just wanna go fast. If your not first, your last!!
    Reproducing the Tecate CDI. Contact me if you need one. I'm most accessible on FaceBook. You can find me on the 1984-1987 Kawasaki Tecate KXT250 Group.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Wichita, Kansas
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    1,359
    I've just purchased a capacitor bank and an ac voltage regulator. I've already got a few 50 amp bridges. I'll post up a thread if I get it all working correctly. I'll be doing this on an 84 Tecate.
    I just wanna go fast. If your not first, your last!!
    Reproducing the Tecate CDI. Contact me if you need one. I'm most accessible on FaceBook. You can find me on the 1984-1987 Kawasaki Tecate KXT250 Group.

  4. #19
    f76's Avatar
    f76 is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerAt the back of the pack
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    South Dakota
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    323
    Do you have first hand experience with this method? I'm on a tight budget for this and want to purchase parts once. Obviously there are different methods of converting but if you're correct, the method you described appears to be the easiest and cheapest. I would like to see or hear about some actual working setup for my application. Thanks for the suggestion!
    85 Kawasaki KLT 160
    85 Kawasaki KLT 110
    82 ATC 70
    2000 Scrambler 500

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Crest California
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    3,014
    With a bridge rectifier you would still need a voltage regulator to help smooth out the power, otherwise you could potentially wind up with power spiking to 50v+ which can easily short out certain lights. The regulator/rectifier from TrailTech has both of these items built into it and at 50 bucks it's an inexpensive option. The other option is to use a regulator/rectifier from some other modern motorcycle that would be a bit more efficient than the TT unit but that's another story. Ultimately it's up to you. Converting to DC power is literally as simple as it sounds, there's almost zero complication with it.

    I myself prefer to run a battery in the event the engine dies for some reason, that way I'm not stuck totally in the dark. That and I tend to put glowy LED's underneath to turn on while the bike is parked at camp

    Regarding the coils- one set is for powering your lights, and another set is for powering your ignition. They are not electrically connected in any way. The ignition tends to be the smaller of the 2 and is easy to identify because it's generally wrapped in some material. The lighting coils tend to be exposed copper. Just follow the leads off of the stator to the component they power and you will find out which does what.
    LED obsessed
    2015 Yamaha FJ-09

  6. #21
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Wichita, Kansas
    --
    1,359
    I want to say the 350x has a 12v AC regulator.

    Everything is in the mail, I'm testing this on my Tecate. Picked up the 80w ricky stator (they recommend a regulator), the 5 farad capacitor back rated up to 16.2 volts, and the trail tech AC voltage regulator. I've already got the bridge rectifiers.

    Total damage:
    Ricky Stator, $125
    Trail Tech voltage regulator (Adjustable voltage): $17.95
    5 Farad Capacitor back: $13.25
    Diode Bridge: $ 3.49
    -------------------------
    Without stator: $34.69
    With stator: $159.69
    I just wanna go fast. If your not first, your last!!
    Reproducing the Tecate CDI. Contact me if you need one. I'm most accessible on FaceBook. You can find me on the 1984-1987 Kawasaki Tecate KXT250 Group.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Texas
    --
    5,046
    can we not just get a regulator/rectifier from a Honda of some sorts like off a 400ex or something and do the same?
    ________________
    I'm just a squirrel "Trying" to get a nut!

    Nearly every kind of Honda ATC (plus some custom ones
    several Yami Quads (mostly custom built for MX racing)

    https://www.mikesatvfix.com

    "Freedom is not free...but the U.S. Marine Corps will pay most of your share."

  8. #23
    f76's Avatar
    f76 is offline At The Back Of The Pack Arm chair racerAt the back of the pack
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    Jun 2014
    Location
    South Dakota
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    Added update progress and pictures.
    85 Kawasaki KLT 160
    85 Kawasaki KLT 110
    82 ATC 70
    2000 Scrambler 500

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