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Can Connie Handle It?
- Thread starter docdan
- Start date
Just did it myself. Voltmeter indicates that when my GPS is playing MP3's and I am plugged in at full strength with the same jacket plus gloves, there is a need for more revs at stoplights. Backing off the thermostat one notch seems to solve the problem, however. Note I am not using running lights or any other accessories except those listed at this time.
slybonesjesse
Sport Tourer
Battery should have enough capacity to make up the difference for a short time you sit at stop lights etc. Then when you ride off, it will charge back up again. You'll probably have to sit there a while like this to totally drain the system.
Having said that it can be hard on the battery. All that charging and discharging. I once found my stock maintenance required wet cell battery with little to no juice in it. Its a wonder it worked. Caused from running 110 watts of Hella FF50's as my DRL's. So I recommend as much battery as you can afford. And as mentioned a voltmeter so you know whats going on.
I now use LED lights as the Daytime Running Lights and only use the FF50's for extra driving lights when needed. I also recently did a LED 1156/1157 bulb experiment to lower power consumption such that you can run the electric gear at a stop with the brakes on, turn signals, etc and still maintain 14 volts. It works but at the cost of reduced light output. Even the expensive tower model super bright SMD LEDS with 42 counts and all that are just not up to speed.
The stock Connie alternator will handle 90 watts no problem while running down the road. Dont waste your money on LED bulbs, get the most battery you can get and install a volt meter. Dont sit with the liner running on high at a light with the brakes on and turn signals, etc for extended periods of time. Or in some downtown stop light after stop light environment where your hitting red light after red light.
Having said that it can be hard on the battery. All that charging and discharging. I once found my stock maintenance required wet cell battery with little to no juice in it. Its a wonder it worked. Caused from running 110 watts of Hella FF50's as my DRL's. So I recommend as much battery as you can afford. And as mentioned a voltmeter so you know whats going on.
I now use LED lights as the Daytime Running Lights and only use the FF50's for extra driving lights when needed. I also recently did a LED 1156/1157 bulb experiment to lower power consumption such that you can run the electric gear at a stop with the brakes on, turn signals, etc and still maintain 14 volts. It works but at the cost of reduced light output. Even the expensive tower model super bright SMD LEDS with 42 counts and all that are just not up to speed.
The stock Connie alternator will handle 90 watts no problem while running down the road. Dont waste your money on LED bulbs, get the most battery you can get and install a volt meter. Dont sit with the liner running on high at a light with the brakes on and turn signals, etc for extended periods of time. Or in some downtown stop light after stop light environment where your hitting red light after red light.
Ranger Jim
Sport Tourer
According to Slybones, the ZZR alternator doesn't produce more juice until the engine is spinning above 2500 rpm (IIRC), so it really won't help much in town and in stop/go traffic. He did extensive research (as he is wont to do) to determine the ZZR alternator output. Hopefully he'll chime in.
slybonesjesse
Sport Tourer
The ZZR1200 alt is rated at 45 amps at 13.5 volts at 8000 rpms. 45 * 13.5 = 607.5 Watts. But thats at 8000 rpm. I have found a more practical limit in the 525 range at 4000 rpm Connie freeway speeds and still hold 14.0 volts on my voltmeter.
At 1100 rpm idle, I don't find it to be any better than the stock alternator. With the stock 1156/1157 incandescent bulbs I still found sitting at a stop light in the morning with the brakes on, turn signals running, heated vest, heated gloves, etc that even the ZZR alt is not up to all the extra load. I have to bring the idle up to about 1500 rpms to maintain proper voltage.
Having said all that, read my comments above. IMO the battery has enough capacity to manage sitting at a light for a short time. When you ride off it will charge up again. This works fine. This is how many many COG riders ride around with the stock alternator and all these accessories and have little issues. -- Personally I think all the charging/discharging can be hard on the battery. Get the best battery you can afford.
Since the Connie alternator is rated at 400 watts at 6000 rpms, and most of us don't ride there many speculate about 350 watts is real world figure. I would go with a ZZR alt when you need sustained power above 350 watts not factoring in short duration load like putting the brakes on. -- If you have a heated liner for your passenger too, your both running the heat, then add some driving lights at night, etc. well I would start searching for that ZZR alternator.
Thats how I was testing my ZZR alt, to load that thing down I had to use 2 heated vests on high, heated gloves on high, grip heaters on high, 110 watts of Hella FF50's, high beam, drag the rear brakes just enough to get the lights to come on, the Givi integrated brake lights. And it still held. Then turn on the turn signals to finally get it to dip down some. And Took running the flashers with all that on and the brakes dragging to get it to fall below 13.0 All at 4000 rpm freeway speed. -- Yes this thing really puts out the juice rolling down the freeway. But this time of year with the daily commute using both the Gerbing vest and gloves, sitting at a stop light with the brakes on and the turn signals flashing the ole voltmeter was telling the tail.
At 1100 rpm idle, I don't find it to be any better than the stock alternator. With the stock 1156/1157 incandescent bulbs I still found sitting at a stop light in the morning with the brakes on, turn signals running, heated vest, heated gloves, etc that even the ZZR alt is not up to all the extra load. I have to bring the idle up to about 1500 rpms to maintain proper voltage.
Having said all that, read my comments above. IMO the battery has enough capacity to manage sitting at a light for a short time. When you ride off it will charge up again. This works fine. This is how many many COG riders ride around with the stock alternator and all these accessories and have little issues. -- Personally I think all the charging/discharging can be hard on the battery. Get the best battery you can afford.
Since the Connie alternator is rated at 400 watts at 6000 rpms, and most of us don't ride there many speculate about 350 watts is real world figure. I would go with a ZZR alt when you need sustained power above 350 watts not factoring in short duration load like putting the brakes on. -- If you have a heated liner for your passenger too, your both running the heat, then add some driving lights at night, etc. well I would start searching for that ZZR alternator.
Thats how I was testing my ZZR alt, to load that thing down I had to use 2 heated vests on high, heated gloves on high, grip heaters on high, 110 watts of Hella FF50's, high beam, drag the rear brakes just enough to get the lights to come on, the Givi integrated brake lights. And it still held. Then turn on the turn signals to finally get it to dip down some. And Took running the flashers with all that on and the brakes dragging to get it to fall below 13.0 All at 4000 rpm freeway speed. -- Yes this thing really puts out the juice rolling down the freeway. But this time of year with the daily commute using both the Gerbing vest and gloves, sitting at a stop light with the brakes on and the turn signals flashing the ole voltmeter was telling the tail.
Slybones,
Is the ZZR1200 upgrade as simple as removing the stock C-10 and replacing, or do you have to do some other modifications?
Is the ZZR1200 upgrade as simple as removing the stock C-10 and replacing, or do you have to do some other modifications?
slybonesjesse
Sport Tourer
MizzouMike said:
1. You also need longer bolts to mount it. If you can get the ones that come with it from the ZZR.
2. Wiring -- Not everyone has gotten the ZZR alternator including the wiring harness. Its best if you can get this too. This can save you some extra work. Assuming you get the wiring harness from the ZZR too, is it as simple as just plug it in? This is a yes and a no.
- You will find that some COG members have done just that. Removed the stock Connie alternator, installed the ZZR and plugged the existing ZZR connector into the same plug in the main Connie wiring harness where they unplugged the stock alt. Can be done, but you are then using the stock Connie 30A main fuse for all your electrical needs. And you are not improving the wiring diameter ( gauge wire used ) to compensate for the extra amperage that can be now drawn.
- Most the instructions floating around for the ZZR install all talk about using in 10ga wire, along with a 50A in-line fuse and a relay. And it gets wired to the starter relay, which is basically the same as directly to the battery. Between these two this is the better way. You are improving the wire diameter, and also removing any load from your accessories ( generally connected to the battery ) from having to run through the Connie J-Box as they are both now connected directly to the battery positive terminal.
- However most the instructions you see have you wiring the 12V input signal from ignition swicth and the alternator output together. Then using the ignition signal to trigger a relay. All this is not really necessary.
-- personally if you look at the stock Connie arrangement the alternator output is always connected to the battery via the 30A main fuse. There is no relay that open/closes the alternator output. - Its only the input signal that comes from the ignition switch that is essentially switched.
-- This is also the same on the ZZR1200. A COG member sent me the electrical diagrams from his ZZR manual. On the ZZR1200 the output of the alternator is wired directly to the starter relay. Unlike the Connie it does not go through the 30A main fuse. However like the Connie its always hot to the battery and its only the input signal that is switched.
-- To that end I see no reason to not to take the existing ZZR wiring harness and remove pin at the connector for alternator output lead. then go ahead and plug it in to the existing Connie wiring harness and let the input signal come from the igition switch just like normal. -- Take the alternator output lead just remove from the connector, cut the molex connector pin off and add a ring terminal of the appropriate size. Wire to the starter relay. This will give you the exact wiring the ZZR1200 is wired. Works just fine, however the wire diameter is not so great. Mamma K did not use the largest wire diameter either.
-- Slightly better would be to go ahead and use the stock harness with the hot lead removed, and use the stock ignition signal like normal. Then wire a new 10ga hot lead, using an in-line fuse, run from the alternator output to the starter relay. -- Now you basically have the ZZR wiring diagram and improved wire diameter. And you dont need to do all the relay stuff.
Hope that all makes sense.
slybonesjesse
Sport Tourer
Some scribbling I did a while back. Stock Connie wiring with just the relative parts. The output of the Alternator goes to the j-box via the white wire in the main harness and back to the battery via the 30A fuse and the white/red wire. The brown wire from the ignition switch feeds the alt as well as turn on the ignition relay thereby turning on your tail lights, etc when you turn the key. -- On this note I show my accessories wired to the battery via its own aux fuse box. The problem is the load from all your accessories AND the Connie still run through the J-box and the 30A main fuse.
slybonesjesse
Sport Tourer
A ZZR wiring diagram looks more like this, where the white wire from the alternator goes directly to the battery ( wired to the starter relay ). However he 50A in-line fuse is not there. Thats my addition. Now you have the same 30A main fuse in the J-Box protecting the main circuitry itself. Now you accessory load is not on the J-Box, it still has its own master and individual fuses. And you have a overall fuse at the Alternator as well. -- This is what I am trying to decribe.
slybonesjesse
Sport Tourer
The classic instructions posted in the internet for this upgrade with the relay have you doing something like this. Where the brown wire from the ignition switch triggers a relay. The alternator wires are tied together and the whole thing is switched with a 50A fuse. The nice part is they get you to use 10Ga wire. But I dont think all the relay part is really necessary. -- Kawasaki didnt think so.
Thanks! Wow that is good stuff... after I finish the next round of farkels, I will have a volt meter so I will see how bad I am taxing the system. I have considered heated clothes in addition to what I already have planned (Hella FF-50s, Grip Warmers, J&M CB, GPS). I find myself wary of riding the 30 rural miles of commute in the dark, so i am hoping the new lights will help to see onto the shoulders a bit better. Knowing that they are adding and additional 100W made me consider the loading. Now it is off to ebay and craigs list 
uglydog5656
Bicycle
Do ZZR's actually exist or is this some mythical beast only discussed in recovered manuscripts from extinct civilizations? I must have called every salvage yard in the western united states looking for one. Kawi gets 919 big ones for a new one. Any good resources for a used one of these?
Replacing the headlight/bulb and (if using) aux front light with the current offering of HID would avoid going to a ZZR alternator and also allow accessories to be used at the lower RPM's without breaking the bank (battery power level)