Thought I would awake this old thread rather than start a new one. The recommended replacement HD regulator rectifier (RR) for M3W seems to offer greater reliability especially if mounted to improve cooling however it appears to be also of the crude
shunt type common even to current budget motorcycles. These simply dump excess alternator stator current to ground in order to maintain a battery friendly charge/float voltage around 14.4 volts irrespective of load from the electrics. This translates as the alternator running flat out all the time which itself produces excess heat as well as heat dissipated through the coollng fins of RR itself. I wonder therefore if anyone has retro-fitted a typically MOSFET controlled
series type RR which simply switch the stator on/off at high frequency to maintain correct battery voltage. One such example is the
Shindengen SH847 a popular retrofit on bikes, and rated up to 50 amps, stressing alternator stator less by essentially only taking current needed to maintain battery and power electrics, as well as running cooler themselves
Apologies if this is already common knowledge but couldn't find any reference to such in a search.
