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Suzuki charging systems?

Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2013 10:54 pm
by Scorch
Hey, who can educate me about the history of Suzuki motorcycle charging systems? What did the 1960s-70s bikes use? A magneto? Generator? Alternator? When did they change from one to the other?

I watched a few videos about charging systems, how alternators create AC and the rectifier converts it to DC, vs a generator that makes DC but is not suitable for high speed engines...and what is the deal with magnetos? How do they fit in?

Re: Suzuki charging systems?

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 7:12 am
by jabcb
A lot of bikes of that era used single-phase alternators, but even these had variations:
lighting coil, full-wave rectifier & no voltage regulator (see T250, T350, early GT250)
lighting coil, full-wave rectifier & AC voltage regulator (see later GT250, GT500)
lighting coil, full-wave rectifier & DC voltage regulator (see T500)
lighting coil, half-wave rectifier & no voltage regulator (see B100P)

Some models had combination starter/generator. (see GT185)

GT500 had PEI as did some dirt bikes.

Re: Suzuki charging systems?

Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 11:24 am
by jabcb
GT triples used a very reasonable design for the time: three-phase alternator with field coil, full-wave rectifier & voltage regulator.

But they went "creative" with the GS bikes of the mid 70s. Had three-phase alternators with permanent magnet rotors & full-wave rectifiers. One phase was used as the lighting coil and they used an AC voltage regulator on another phase.