SCR or FET R/R on M620?

[Syscrush]

Hi folks.  Bad experience with the R/R on my old SV650 made me a huge believer in FET-type R/R and gave me a deep hatred of crappy SCR-type R/R's.  I've been digging around a bit and haven't been able to determine which type is used on the M620, but given that I've seen some stories of them getting hot and crapping out on people, I'm getting concerned that it's the time bomb SCR-type.

More info about what I'm talking about here.

My wife's M620 is currently fitted with a voltmeter (I won't have a bike without one since the aforementioned bad experience), so we're able to keep an eye on the charging system but I'd rather have a setup that I know I can trust and have the voltmeter as confirmation/reassurance rather than a warning of impending doom.

Can someone please confirm for me what the type or model # of the R/R is?  If it is the SCR-type, then I'll be preemptively swapping to FET and will make a tutorial.

[Speeddog]

I think it's as you fear:
http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=38021.0

[Syscrush]

Thank you.

Mounting an FET-type (like the CBR600RR one) shouldn't be hard.  From the bit of digging I've done, it looks like the ElectroSport one is SCR, too.  Too bad, the stock mounting and connectors are a nice perk with the ElectroSport.  I've emailed them to ask.

I don't understand why anyone even makes SCR-type R/R's.  What's it main weakness? Heat.  What's its main byproduct in normal use? Heat.  Ummmm...

I love my wife and her bike and don't want her to get John Britten'd.

[Howie]

The trick to keeping the OEM regulator alive is keep it (relatively) cool and well grounded.  Also makke sure all connections are clean and solid.  10 years and 57K miles on my OEM regulator (knocking wood). 

[Syscrush]

The trick to keeping the OEM regulator alive is keep it (relatively) cool and well grounded.  Also makke sure all connections are clean and solid.  10 years and 57K miles on my OEM regulator (knocking wood). 

I can appreciate that the stockers can be helped out a lot by those kinds of measures.  I just prefer to preemptively eliminate it as a point of failure.  Getting stranded by a charging system failure 1000 miles from home is a pretty good formula for lifelong paranoia on this.

[Syscrush]

I will probably go with a CBR600RR unit since that worked so awesome on my SV (14.4V from idle to redline).

However, I can't blithely rule out an ElectroSport unit, since they offer a model with the stock mounting and connectors.  I contacted them to ask about if it's an SCR or FET type, and the response was:

The regulator/rectifier that we sell for the Ducati Monster 620 is a hybrid of both.

Hmmm... Not reassuring.  Nor is this thread that's supposed to be a testimonial for the ES R/R.  The guy is seeing spikes to 17.1V and thinks that means that he's got a great R/R.  Someone else pipes in to state that he killed one on his bike.

Does anyone know the story on the design of these units?

I'm inclined to go with the CBR unit and do what I did with my SV - 10ga wire straight to the battery via a 30A fuse.  Do that, and there's no reason to ever wonder/worry.

BTW - I'm a big fan of this voltmeter:

Signal Dynamics Heads-Up Voltmeter.

It's cheap, easy to wire, takes up almost no space and it's super easy to do a nice stealthy install.  It indicates very low i.e. might not start if you turn off (flashing red), discharging (red), weak charging (yellow), good charging (green), and overvolt conditions (flashing green), all via a single LED that you can read at a glance.

WAY better than finding out about a charging problem when either the bike won't start or you're replacing your 3rd headlight in a month...

[Buckethead]

Bookmarked.

[Syscrush]

BTW - I'm a big fan of this voltmeter:

Signal Dynamics Heads-Up Voltmeter.

It's cheap, easy to wire, takes up almost no space and it's super easy to do a nice stealthy install.  It indicates very low i.e. might not start if you turn off (flashing red), discharging (red), weak charging (yellow), good charging (green), and overvolt conditions (flashing green), all via a single LED that you can read at a glance.

WAY better than finding out about a charging problem when either the bike won't start or you're replacing your 3rd headlight in a month...

Incidentally, it was that voltmeter that first made me suspicious that the bike has an SCR R/R because below 1200RPM the light goes yellow.  I'll post some pics of how I've got the VM installed, too.

[battlecry]

Not to threadjack, but since you brought the topic of voltmeters as diagnostic tools, this one costs about twice as much as the SD unit:

http://www.datelmeters.com/cgi-bin/webshop.cgi?config=ent-dcvoltmeters

I'm running the two wire red LED unit and it is a solid unit.  Visible in almost every condition except when hit with direct sunlight. 

I'm hoping my VR will last long enough to buy a unit that will reliably charge the new LiPo batteries.  I'm scared of getting one of those lit under the gas tank.   

[booger]

^ LOL those look like early 1980's clock radios - you put that on your Monster???  looks like KITT's speedometer

[battlecry]

I do, and it does indeed!  Plus a Digi gear indicator, a Garmin GPS, a V1 RADAR detector, remote display, volume controls, Marc Parnes visual alert heads up display, clock, garage opener, and St. Christpher's medal, all inside an R90S-like fairing.

[Syscrush]

I do, and it does indeed!  Plus a Digi gear indicator, a Garmin GPS, a V1 RADAR detector, remote display, volume controls, Marc Parnes visual alert heads up display, clock, garage opener, and St. Christpher's medal, all inside an R90S-like fairing.

What, no realtime stock ticker feeds?

Let's see some pics!

[WarrenJ]

I managed to fry two Electro-Sports.  I installed a new OEM one from Ducati and it is currently still working but it certainly makes me not feel real comfortable.  I'm surely interested to see how your proposed change works out.

[Syscrush]

I managed to fry two Electro-Sports.  I installed a new OEM one from Ducati and it is currently still working but it certainly makes me not feel real comfortable.  I'm surely interested to see how your proposed change works out.

OK, even though that could be due to a wiring harness problem, you just helped me entirely eliminate the ES solution as an option.

[battlecry]

Here you go:





Like Howie, I'm running the Ducati OEM VR, which is a later version than the one that got so much flack on DesmoTimes book.  I removed the oil vapor separator under the seat and fabbed a mount for the VR so it is upside down exposed to whatever airflow is between the tire and the seatpan.  It has two extra braided ground straps and the spade connector has dielectric grease to protect it.  Even then, one terminal was beginning to show burn signs.  If I'm still running this next year, I may cut out the connector and solder the wires  together.


You may want to also check these other threads from our friends Down Under:

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=2463.0

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=38021.0