Electrical qestions

[nofxfan125]

Can anyone give me any insight on what exactly a CDI box does and how it works?

What really is the advantage in an aftermarket CDI box? They're not real expensive and I'm wondering if it would be with the little effort in installing it.

What EXACTLY does the voltage regulator regulate? Is it just for the headlights, tail light, etc? Or does it have something to do with the spark too? There was a point in time when my voltage regulator wire was broken and I did not know it. When I found the broken wire, I was surprised because nothing happened to the quad, and no headlights blew out. I do have a custom headlight on the quad though.

 

[J4M1E333]

as for the CDI i dont know to much, it receives signals from the engine telling when to send the electrical pulse to the coil, for that to then bump it up in voltage for it to spark. im assuming it has some sort of Rev limiter incorparated aswell as the 03+ models have the tors and parking brake sensor wiring built in to the CDI also, i know that on the blasters it recieves 3 wires direct from the engine, a 12V red/yellow from stator, and necassary black/white for kill switch.

As for the voltage regulator, it does exactly that, as there is no way of determined how much energy (volts, Amps) comes out of the stator, and there is no battery to dump this energy into, the voltage regulator simply dumps any unused energy to earth, as to much can blow components, Eg, when the lights arent on, the stator is still creating electrical current, the only thing using this electrical current is the CDI, providing you have nothing else on your bike, say the CDI uses 10 watts of current and the stator output is 55 watts, whats stopping the stator dumping 55 watts onto the CDI, well the voltage regulator is, the regulator will sense whats left floating after the CDI has used the 10 watts and dump the other 45 watts to ground for safe operation, however with headligh and tail light on assuming these are 45 watts+ the 10 watt CDI then there is no surplus energy and the regulator doesnt have to do anything I:I


Sorry if ive waffled, just trying to be as clear as possibly.

 

[nofxfan125]

sounds good to me! thanks. rep+

 

[dlporkchop]

The voltage regulator only reduces current when necessary to the headlight, taillight and oil indicator light. These components receive their current directly from the magneto. It does not control any current going to your CDI or leaving the CDI. The only advantage I could see in an aftermarket stator would be if your adding after market lights or coil.

 

[Awk08]

the aftermarket cdi's supposedly advance the spark curve, which means it will spark at a more optimal time during the cycle for more power and allows a slightly higher rev limit, i have a hot shots cdi coming right now, but dont know how much i'll be able to report on it, cause i'm having troubles gettin this 34mm pj carb setup correctly, i may wait till i get it running till i do the cdi, so i can detect any differences,

 

[nofxfan125]

the aftermarket cdi's supposedly advance the spark curve, which means it will spark at a more optimal time during the cycle for more power and allows a slightly higher rev limit, i have a hot shots cdi coming right now, but dont know how much i'll be able to report on it, cause i'm having troubles gettin this 34mm pj carb setup correctly, i may wait till i get it running till i do the cdi, so i can detect any differences,

I feel your pain on the 34mm PJ. I went to hell and back trying to get that thing set up right. I ended up putting a HUGE pilot jet in it, and that did the trick.