Tutorial - YZ450F (06 & up) Electrical System For Lights

[Kitt]

I ran my lights on my klx 110 pitbikes in an AC circuit, sharing the frame as the ground...

What is the problem with running a headlight in AC form? If the dc/ac common ground is burning CDI's - wouldn't this solve the problem?

I have no problem leaving the lighting circuit on it's own isolated circuit, but I really don't want to deal with a draining battery that requires charging often.

[grayracer513]

AC lighting is fine until you run into one of two problems:

• Street legality almost always requires the lights to burn with a dead engine, which mandates a battery, which mandates DC current.
  
• LED lights and HID lamps with their own built-in DC ballasts require DC current.
  

Straight off-road halogen or normal incandescents are OK with AC as long as it's limited by a regulator.

[Kitt]

AC lighting is fine until you run into one of two problems:

• Street legality almost always requires the lights to burn with a dead engine, which mandates a battery, which mandates DC current.
  
• LED lights and HID lamps with their own built-in DC ballasts require DC current.
  

Straight off-road halogen or normal incandescents are OK with AC as long as it's limited by a regulator.

OK, I have extra regulators laying around from my race bikes, but am unsure of the compatibility (I'm strictly a Mechanical Engineer - hate EE!). However, I am not too concerned with inspection of the bike, so battery dead when motor dies is fine with me.

[cowboyona426]

swatdoc, did you ever get your issues resolved? I'm starting to consider the options of having a plated bike, which right now involves either rigging something up on the YZ or (as much as I hate the thought) selling or trading the YZ for a KTM.

Have the issues with the aftermarket stators been resolved?

What headlight options are out there? I don't want anything bar mounted, I would prefer a "regular" headlight. I was thinking stock WR but if they aren't DOT legal then what? And what are the chances of anyone noticing the light isn't DOT legal if I were to get stopped?

Just trying to weigh the options here.

[Wiz636]

Here's my light...unfortunately it is simply a total-loss system.

[grayracer513]

Here's my light...unfortunately it is simply a total-loss system.

That was about $700, wasn't it?

[Wiz636]

That was about $700, wasn't it?

The light, battery, new lead wire to connect battery to light, battery mounting kit, and a neat little billet 'brake line holder' totals up to right about $700 on the full retail side.

Being able to run 5th gear WFO at night = priceless

[LumpyBoy]

Being able to run 5th gear WFO at night = priceless

Must be carrying a lot of batteries.

When I went for my inspection, they didn't check to see if anything was DOT. Nonetheless, I am running a Polisport MMX 35w DOT headlight, DOT LED turn signals and Polisport DOT LED tail light with license plate light. Floating ground DC system using a Turn Tech 5Ah (65Wh) battery mounted in airbox. Proracing 50w stator (only 4 hours of time so far).

KTM certainly the easier way to go, particularly if you get an EXC. But I have 3 KTMs and wanted something different. I'll post a build sheet shortly.

[swatdoc]

Cowboy - I gave up for now and am running my lights on battery power only. Our one glimmer of hope at the present time is Lumpy's Pro Racing stator that he got from the UK. As far as I know, it's the only stator out there that's not a chinese made piece of crap. "Supposedly" Electrosport is redesigning theirs, but i've already thrown away close to $400 on their crap and I'm not gonna hold my breath. Besides the Polisport like Lumpy is runing, the Acerbis 35w headlight like on my bike is DOT legal. You take your chances running a non DOT light - totally dependson the knowledge each individual officer has on the subject, as well as what you were doing to get stopped in the first place and your demeanor. Roll of the dice whether you're gonna be ticketed fo rit.

[cowboyona426]

I'm fine with battery power, I won't be running lights often I just would like to be able to get a plate as anymore its hard to do any good trail riding without using roads to tie it all in.

[LumpyBoy]

The burning question is whether I can get to 10 hours on the Proracing stator without a Moose-like melt down. At 6 now!

[tahoeacr]

any updates? Proracing stator holding out?

My wife bought me this for X-mas and now I have to figure out how to power it or?

http://www.rigidindustries.com/product_p/rgdac10mt.htm

If I go with the wr stator, why the need to change to the wr CDI?

[grayracer513]

My wife bought me this for X-mas and now I have to figure out how to power it or?

http://www.rigidindustries.com/product_p/rgdac10mt.htm

If I go with the wr stator, why the need to change to the wr CDI?

Well, good luck with that. The unit you linked to draws 69 watts of DC power at 12v, according to that page. As has been posted, the most you can get from a modified YZ450F stator is 35w after the conversion to DC, and that's at speed.

The reason you need the WR CDI with the WR Stator is twofold:

1. The WR stator (an approximate $850 conversion if you do the work) provides no AC power for the ignition system, and the WR CDI runs on DC. A clever electrician might work around this, except...
   
2. The YZ CDI uses a chassis ground, and runs on AC. Since the DC components of the WR system also use a chassis ground, the ground then becomes a point at which AC and DC contaminate each other, which is not acceptable. Either the AC or DC system has to be isolated from the chassis. In the WR, as with most AC powered DC systems, it's the AC side that's isolated.
   

[tahoeacr]

If a run a aftermarket stator I risk buying a few of them as reliability seems marginal. 10 amp 3.75lb. Lithium battery would not be the best type for this app but the lightest and would net 3 3/4 hour run time with the stator. If I drop down to the six inch ones I could get 12 hour run time. Just don't know if dropping down from 6,400 lumens to 3,840 could ruin my night:cripple:

I was running a TT eclipse 8" with 100 watt bulb and two 35w HID helmet lights but that was on my wr250 that was lucky to pull 75mph on pavement.

[swatdoc]

beware of what TYPE lithium battery you run. With a Lithium-Polymer ( LiPo) battery, you CANNOT hook itup to your stator to be charged by the bike - you will have a very high risk of explosion and fire. They require very specialized chargers or a smart battery pack that has a built in circuit board to oversee the charging process.

With Lithium-Iron you would be fine. Might even be OK with Lithium-Ion.

[grayracer513]

beware of what TYPE lithium battery you run. With a Lithium-Polymer ( LiPo) battery, you CANNOT hook itup to your stator to be charged by the bike - you will have a very high risk of explosion and fire. They require very specialized chargers or a smart battery pack that has a built in circuit board to oversee the charging process.

With Lithium-Iron you would be fine. Might even be OK with Lithium-Ion.

A lot of the pre-packaged LiPo batteries, like the LiIon batteries, have a charge/discharge control board built into the pack, so that they are fairly safe charging from most regulated sources with the correct voltage. But it's a good point, and one should be careful to purchase a battery pack that includes this feature, as it also extends the life of the pack as well as preventing damage, fire, or explosion from discharging too quickly.

[glawson]

Swatdoc,

Great info. So I'm in the middle of option one.

Blew the rod on an 07 yz450 and put a wr bottom end in, so I've got the crank, stator and flywheel form the wr. What about the CDI on the yz, can I run it from the wr stator or do I need a WR CDI unit as well. Need a voltage regulator also of course.

[grayracer513]

We talked about that already. The answer is still no, not without rewinding the WR stator to produce a separate AC feed to the second circuit of the YZ CDI.

I guess you didn't believe me?

[snowdave]

I am entertaining the idea of this swap since I have my engine completely torn down to weld up the cases from the prior owners kickstart crack. Before I really did thorough research and found all the wonderful detail in this thread I picked up a really cheap WR crank from Ebay since it required a rebuild. Not a big deal since I figured I could do it myself with my 20T Harbor Freight press. Anyhow, I am still on the fence about the swap especially since the cases are now welded and I would like the get the bike out on the ice yet this winter. I thought I would post a pic of the two cranks in case someone is interested. Sure would be nice to put the WR crank in now and deal with the remaining swap later, just don't see how that is possible.

[grayracer513]

in order to put a WR crank into a '03-'05 YZ450, you have to use the WR ignition cover, flywheel, stator, AND crankcases. Might want to reconsider.