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Voltmeter and regulator upgrade from SH678A-12 to Shindengen mofset type

1207 Views 14 Replies 2 Participants Last post by  rcannon409
I install voltmeters on every bike to keep an eye on battery health. They also provide an early warning should your stator fail on the road. On startup the reading at idle was 15.1 but dropped to 14.7 within a few seconds. On the road the reading was generally 14.4 - 14.7 but varied a bit depending on whether you idled or activated blinkers or high beam. According to the manual, those readings are within Kawasaki's normal range but I judge 15.1 to be high. Other bikes with Shindengen mofset type regulators are much less variable and don't exceed 14.4.

I've attached a picture of my voltmeter installation and a diagram of how the Shindengen might be wired in. In the diagram, that's a rear view of the oem regulator with BL/W at top left. Can someone check me on the wiring? I haven't been able to find good instructions.

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PS After further research, here's how to wire the Shindengen. Color coding is for the 2006 - 2008 650R.


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Did you do this yet? If so, did you bypass the stock harness?

If someone is worried about this and wants an easy fix....easy, not cheap....it's possible.

This Ricks regulator plugs in and is much more stable, but it has a massive plug if you use the stock harness. I have not found a way to do this that doesn't have a GIANT plug. I've even ordered accessory connectors and I end up with about the same as the Ricks regulator.

I don't think this is a real concern, overall. In reality our cheap, unstable stock regulators have kept my Shorai battery alive for 10 years and the battery still tests out over 95%capacity. I expected the stock reg to damage the Shorai battery. That's my reason for going down this rabbit hole.

I actually have a Ricks regulator and have not installed it. I'm like you in the way I like too solve problems that will never happen, but could. If they do, I am prepared. I have plugged in the Ricks regulator and it runs in the 14.6 range and doesn't move around d as much as the stock part does.


I also have a cbr1000rr regulator that I can install and by-pass the stock harness. I wish we were neighbors. We would get this figured out.

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There is a bunch of good info here that gives us several options and ways of doing this .

I don't have any affiliation with any of these companies I've mentioned.

Did you do this yet? If so, did you bypass the stock harness?

If someone is worried about this and wants an easy fix....easy, not cheap....it's possible.

This Ricks regulator plugs in and is much more stable, but it has a massive plug if you use the stock harness. I have not found a way to do this that doesn't have a GIANT plug. I've even ordered accessory connectors and I end up with about the same as the Ricks regulator.

I don't think this is a real concern, overall. In reality our cheap, unstable stock regulators have kept my Shorai battery alive for 10 years and the battery still tests out over 95%capacity. I expected the stock reg to damage the Shorai battery. That's my reason for going down this rabbit hole.

I actually have a Ricks regulator and have not installed it. I'm like you in the way I like too solve problems that will never happen, but could. If they do, I am prepared. I have plugged in the Ricks regulator and it runs in the 14.6 range and doesn't move around d as much as the stock part does.


I also have a cbr1000rr regulator that I can install and by-pass the stock harness. I wish we were neighbors. We would get this figured out.

My voltage was OK but a little high for my taste at times hitting 15.1. Kawasaki says that is normal so my regulator is in spec. For the upgrade, all the parts are on hand now or coming in shortly. I went with a used Shindengen FHO12AA ($38.86) and a plug kit ($15.99) both sourced from EBay. I also bought some 12 gauge wire in black and red. I had an inline fuse, shrink wrap, etc. on hand. I'm going to cut the OEM plug so that the whole operation is reversible if necessary although that will never happen. I've done this upgrade on two other bikes and find the mosfet regulator runs cool and keeps voltage in a narrow range never exceeding 14.4. I'll mount the Shindengen under the seat in the compartment just to the rear of the battery. That location is accessible by extending the cables and won't require any cutting. It's dry there and that will be kind to the connections. I'll use rubber and zipties to steady the assembly the same as on my Triumph TT600 in the picture below. For my Suzuki SV1000S, I rigged a location next to the forward cylinder. Wiring for a 2006 - 2008 650R and family is: 1) 3 stator outputs to the Shindengen grey plug 2) Shindengen + to battery and Shindengen - to battery. Alternatively I could wire Shindengen plus to Blue/White and Shindengen negative to Brown/Yellow. The remaining OEM wire is not used for a mosfet.

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What did you use to go between the Stator and the New regulator?

I like this upgrade because I've converted the bike to use LED lights. They don't use as much power so the regulator works harder. That idea shouldn't matter as much with an upgraded regulator.

I say "idea" as it's a problem I have invented, but even still, I think you and I both enjoy doing this work as much as the upgrade would help, if not more.

I wanted to use my stock wire harness, but it would have been nice to extend the wires and move the regulator. For some reason, Kawasaki placed the Ninja/z 1000 regulator directly in front of the rear wheel. If you are in the rain, the regulator might as well be in a dishwasher. Unless you seal the connector, it will cause trouble at some point.

It looks like my Shorai battery is ready for year 11. I brought it in from the freezing garage. It took about five minutes on the Shorai charger to say it was ready to use.
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What did you use to go between the Stator and the New regulator?

I like this upgrade because I've converted the bike to use LED lights. They don't use as much power so the regulator works harder. That idea shouldn't matter as much with an upgraded regulator.

I say "idea" as it's a problem I have invented, but even still, I think you and I both enjoy doing this work as much as the upgrade would help, if not more.

I wanted to use my stock wire harness, but it would have been nice to extend the wires and move the regulator. For some reason, Kawasaki placed the Ninja/z 1000 regulator directly in front of the rear wheel. If you are in the rain, the regulator might as well be in a dishwasher. Unless you seal the connector, it will cause trouble at some point
That's
What did you use to go between the Stator and the New regulator?

I like this upgrade because I've converted the bike to use LED lights. They don't use as much power so the regulator works harder. That idea shouldn't matter as much with an upgraded regulator.

I say "idea" as it's a problem I have invented, but even still, I think you and I both enjoy doing this work as much as the upgrade would help, if not more.

I wanted to use my stock wire harness, but it would have been nice to extend the wires and move the regulator. For some reason, Kawasaki placed the Ninja/z 1000 regulator directly in front of the rear wheel. If you are in the rain, the regulator might as well be in a dishwasher. Unless you seal the connector, it will cause trouble at some point
I went ahead and cut off the plug that connects to the OEM regulator. Identify the now bare 3 wires from the stator and extend them to the new regulator. Discard the 3 remaining wires leading to the Kawasaki plug. You could use two of them but there are enough questions about the circuit raised to me by an engineer that I chose to "cap" them and leave unused. Shindengen plus and minus from it's black connector are connected to the battery. This is the tried and true "universal" way of mounting a Shindengen at least with a 3 pole stator output. If you could find a connector matching the female plug on the oem regulator it would be possible to leave the oem plug intact - oem wiring plug to newly found plug and from there 3 stator outputs to grey plug on a Shindengen FHO12AA or equivalent.
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We both have different bikes, but we both use the same "awesome" stock regulator.

When you are finished, let's do some sort of comparison. I can easily test the stock regulator and the Ricks Hotshot regulator.

You'll have the most popular upgrade regulator so it could be interesting to see if we get this stability.

It would be interesting to see if that upgraded Ricks mosfet Regulator is as stable as your "for sure" good regulator.

I don't know if mine is as good. It's supposed to be, but we know how that goes.

I buy it, and live happily ever after. It would be nice to know, for sure.

Did you ever consider using the SH847 reg? I did, but spending 150 for a back up part, that I wanted to play with, felt ok so I bought the Hotshot regulator.

Spending 250 on the 847, to solve a problem I didn't have, felt expensive and excessive .

I know I don't need to explain either idea to you.
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We both have different bikes, but we both use the same "awesome" stock regulator.

When you are finished, let's do some sort of comparison. I can easily test the stock regulator and the Ricks Hotshot regulator.

You'll have the most popular upgrade regulator so it could be interesting to see if we get this stability.

It would be interesting to see if that upgraded Ricks mosfet Regulator is as stable as your "for sure" good regulator.

I don't know if mine is as good. It's supposed to be, but we know how that goes.

I buy it, and live happily ever after. It would be nice to know, for sure.

Did you ever consider using the SH847 reg? I did, but spending 150 for a back up part, that I wanted to play with, felt ok so I bought the Hotshot regulator.

Spending 250 on the 847, to solve a problem I didn't have, felt expensive and excessive .

I know I don't need to explain either idea to you.
I'm sold on getting the used Shindengen's. They never fail in use and are cheap and plentiful on EBay and usually sold by professional recyclers who would make good on a defective part. Come to think of it my Suzuki with Shendengen always sits at 14.4 even at idle. My Triumph TT600 is constant at 13.7 until I activate my LED running lights then stays at 13.2. I'm guessing it has a lower output stator than the Suzuki. I'll give a report soon on the 650R/Shindengen combination. Between bad weather and lower back spasms I'm down for a few days.
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I've bought all kinds of parts from breakers. Anything from rotors, seats, throttle bodies. I think you would like my back-up parts supply.

I've purchased from them since about 2010 and not had one issue.

I probably wouldn't buy used chains, sprockets or cables but otherwise I'm all in. I think the projects people like you and I enjoy wouldn't happen if we had to start with new parts and new part prices.

I hope your back feels better.
I bought a used 650r head recently off EBay that worked out very well. Came in nice and clean and looked like a 3K mile part as advertised. The kicker is it only cost $233 delivered.
Here's a video done by someone who knows how to solder well and who is working on a virtuallyt identical plug kit to the one I used. Replacing The Reg/Rec On The VFR800 With A Shindengen FH020AA. Episode 1 - Creating The Wiring Loom. - YouTube

After the upgrade, voltage at idle is a steady 14.3. My back is still out but I expect the same number on the road at every speed.

Below are pictures of the completed Shindengen upgrade. In the first picture:

1) Location of the 3 unused oem wires, ziptied into a bundle.
2) Three red colored 12 gauge wires from stator to Shindengen grey plug
3) Inline fuse. I'm running a 20 amp fuse and don't know if that's optimal.
4) I soldered wires above and to the front of this tank bracket as can be seen in the second picture. After soldering I was able to lift the bracket and pass wires underneath to complete the routing.

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Next shot is after cutting the oem plug leaving an inch or so of wire on the plug. The 6 oem wires were maneuvered to the position you see below for soldering. In the picture two black wire stator outputs are nearly vertical and the third is attached to a red wire coming from the Shendengen grey plug.

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We won't discuss how long I've been "almost finished" with this project.

Here's the Ricks regulator and it's oversize plug.

Here's my attempt at making a smaller plug. It's interesting that I ended up almost exactly where they are in the project. I don't see a good way of sealing the plug that I'm supposed to attach.

Sealed in such a way that I actually improve the situation.
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How about finding something like this in 12 or 14 gauge? ZYTC 6 Pin Way Car Waterproof Wire Connector Plug Auto Electrical Wire Connectors AWG Terminal Pack of 5 (amazon.com)

If you can mount under the seat sealing won't be much of a factor.

Found this seller of 6 pin plugs on EBay. Not sure what gauge wire it can handle but you could contact the seller. Automotive Electrical Male Female Cable Terminal Plug Wire Connector 1 Pin-8 Pin | eBay


Amazon part below....

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I had hoped to keep the bike side 100% stock, but we see the direction that went. I don't like the big box, but I think that's the only option if I do it like that.

I think your option might be the best one if I do the upgrade. This makes good sense if I want to re-locate it to a better position as well.
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