The Hodaka Club Forum

Has anyone done a test procedure on these regulators to see if they are good before being used?

Mike Perrett

I am not aware of a test procedure for the solid state 6V regulator such as was installed on the Road Toads. But if I were going to try to use one, here is what I would do to check the regulator before bolting it on.

Using alligator clip "jumper" wires, I'd clip on to a "hot" (not ground) connection somewhere in the lighting system and to the proper wire on the regulator. Then another alligator clip "jumper" wire would be used to connect the other wire on the regulator to "ground". Also connect a volt/ohm meter set to measure voltage to the same "hot" connection, with the other VOM lead connected to "ground". Start the bike, make sure the lighting system is turned on and watch the VOM voltage reading . . . rev the engine, if the voltage level NEVER exceeds 6V (hmmm possibly 7.2V) . . . then the regulator is working. If voltage climbs over 6V (? possibly 7.2V?) with increasing RPM, then the regulator is not "regulating".

These regulators work by "dumping" excess voltage to "ground" - they "dump" the higher voltage part of the AC sine wave - so your volt meter should not "see" voltage over the regulator specification.

Ed

Because this is “clipped” AC, you really need an oscilloscope to see what is going on. An AC volt meter is going to bounce around and depending on the quality of your meter, and whether it is analog or digital, you could get varying results. You could certainly do a with and without (regulator) comparison and I think you would see the effect of the regulator when it is in the circuit.

I have been working on a 1978 XT500 Yamaha for future vintage road racing. The lighting coil has two leads, one DC and one AC. I am assuming that coil was a more costly than a AC only coil found on Hodakas. Anyway, I believe it is a efficient way of power the lights and battery off of one unit. The Hodaka volt limiter is going to be used for this project, since I am installing lights. And the reason for this is the fact is that this 500 will have antique plates and be ridden on the public roads occasionally.

Mike,
When you say voltage limiter I hope that you are referring to the square voltage regulator (Road Toads and 03 Wombat) rather than an actual limiter that was used on the 94A Wombat?

Yes, the Toads, 03 and 175SL limiter.