Home built charging system

[verner]

The charging system on my OH160 in my Argo did not work when I bought the machine. I put this together today because I had the parts already. I don't know if the original voltage regulator is still available or how much it would cost. I you have to go buy these parts, you'll probably spend $30-$40.

What I did:
Charging coil leads to a full wave bridge rectifier.
Rectifier to a 7 amp solar panel charge controller. (How much power can the OH160 produce?)
Charge controller to battery.

I like this because the controller has two status LED's that tell you, 1-it's charging, 2- charge complete.
It stops at 14.2 volts.
The rectifier was mounted to the metal surrounding the 'hood' opening with a little heat sink grease to keep it cool.
I mounted the controller on the firewall upside down just to hide the wires but the LED's are visible while riding. The picture was with the engine running.

Fun little project, time will tell if it will last.

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[brushcutter]

So... I guessing that your charging coil was good. Neatly done, no multi colored spaghetti here, nice job! Hopefully it will last a long time for you, I see no reason it shouldn't, but then I'm not Sparky the electrician guy either... But I have been struck by lightning ... 3 times ...

Leaves a kinda metallic taste in your mouth. Sorta like you just ate a couple of batteries... painful too

You're laughing at me... but I am OK with that

[LarryW]

I love stuff like that. Outside the box custom work. Nice Job!!!

[6X6]

...... But I have been struck by lightning ... 3 times ...

UUUmmmm, Seriously??!?! While I hope to meet you at a ride sometime, please don't be offended if I stand 20 or so feet away OK, I'll shake hands, but I get to wear my lightning proof hat

[brushcutter]

Yup seriously, the first time, it got 8 of us at once, although nobody was hurt, other than the hella shock of course, the next time it hit a building during a downpour, at EXACTLY the instant I grabbed the door to enter. It was hard to write the next couple of days, but the instructor of the class, whose door I had grabbed, didn't seem to mind. The third time it hit a tree about 20 feet from my '74 Datsun p/u as I drove by during a thunderstorm, entered my left arm at the funnybone exited through the middle finger(elbow resting on the door at the bottom of the window fingertips touching the top of the window frame). Man I ain't never seen a truck act like that one did right then. It was like when you hit the panic button, but that was way before they even had them. Ya know for some reason I don't really like thunderstorms all that much any more

Lightning proof hat now thats funny
Ummm maybe I should look into getting one of those myself

[verner]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Brushcutter, maybe you should consider on of the WW1 German helmets while out riding, you know, the one's with the lightning rod on them. (don't forget to trail a ground wire)

[dezi]

bwaawawawaw good one Verner..

Nice job on the rectifier...