[ICEG]

parade cool

[The CyberPoet]

Fan on demand... I'm planning to put one. One question... when a car starts, all voltage is coming out from the alternator, therefore, does not drain your battery. How about Kat? Hmmm just a thought.

Huh?

When a car is starting, all power comes from the battery. Once it's started, the alternator takes over, producing power, and the rectifier pack turns the power being let through from the alternator to the rest of the system up/down depending on the power needs of the car and the charge state of the battery. There is an exception to this for some race-vehicles, where the alternator's output is insufficient at low RPM's to generate sufficient power (minimizing output based on expected high-RPM use and a desire to minimize total weight & mechanical drain on the engine to generate electricity).

On a motorcycle, the system works the same way, except for bikes generally designed as race-reps (SS/RR bikes), where, like the race cars I was talking about, the alternators don't put out sufficient power to break-even until (typically) 4k - 5k RPM. The stock Kat is not an SS/RR bike, and as a result, the stock electrical system is designed to have a positive charging state from healthy idle (1250 RPM) upwards, given only the stock bike's needs & a charged battery.

Hope that answers your question.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Fullmetal]

Just went through a ~2 mile parade in the Kat. New and interesting things I learned:

1. Oil isn't the most efficient cooling medium.
2. Instead of going in and out of first gear because your hand is cramping up on the clutch, walk it.
3. Idle revving for the kids is fun, but it will make copious amounts of heat over time. See #1.
4. Because of #1, without a oil temp gauge the oil cooler will start smoking.
5. Just when #4 starts to happen, the clutch is going to slip like CRAZY.

Moral of the story, if you want to take the Kat through a long parade, trailer it. Also order oil gauge and sender from CP.

Made my night!

[StevieB]

Many good suggestions. But everybody forgot the best one:

Don't do parades. They are for Harley riders and Shriners. (LOTS of overlap between those two groups.)

[KatDawg]

They are for Harley riders and Shriners. (LOTS of overlap between those two groups.)

You mean dunlap? As in their belly dun lapped over their belt?

[H-2 CHARLIE]

a full syn. oil is great for summer mos. or always .

[Shipster]

You mean dunlap? As in their belly dun lapped over their belt?

[jonathanmaples]

ok guys i'm going to bring this one back fora few reasons. i was thinking about doing something like this to the kat soon (after i get a good battery) anyway but since you guys beat me to it i have a few questions for ya. first off from your idle test it seems to work pretty good. you mentiond that it draind your batt,, was the bike off while the fans were running? if not does the fans draw more than our charging systems can keep up with? maybe we could bump up the charging system to push some more amps? rewind the alternator? onward have you thought of running a temp probe to turn on and off the fans a set temps? i know 0reillys sells a compleat setup for this without the fans just all the relays, temp probe and wireing i used it on my s10 that i dropped a vette motor in http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2971126
sorry i didnt say anything sooner but i missed this thread altogether.

[Rok_Stars_Bars]

ok guys i'm going to bring this one back fora few reasons. i was thinking about doing something like this to the kat soon (after i get a good battery) anyway but since you guys beat me to it i have a few questions for ya. first off from your idle test it seems to work pretty good. you mentiond that it draind your batt,, was the bike off while the fans were running? if not does the fans draw more than our charging systems can keep up with? maybe we could bump up the charging system to push some more amps? rewind the alternator? onward have you thought of running a temp probe to turn on and off the fans a set temps? i know 0reillys sells a compleat setup for this without the fans just all the relays, temp probe and wireing i used it on my s10 that i dropped a vette motor in http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2971126
sorry i didnt say anything sooner but i missed this thread altogether.

When you say Vette motor that really doesn't impress many ppls. I think ppls have realize over the years especially from the 80's that a vette motor isn't much better then a camaro or many other gm v8 cars. But after looking at your page. I see you have a LT1 which in my book is which more respectable then saying vette motor. Cuz my first thoughts was ole 350. Not bashing but LT1 sound much better. LT1 is a really strong engine............................................ ................................................. CP sells a temp sensor. That is installed into the oil pan (I have one installed in my bike). But it is not a switch. But Im sure that a switch of the proper size could be easily installed also. In fact I might play around with it idea. Once I get closer to this step of my build............................................. .........And the charging system. Im not really sure. But I think the charging system only put out enough charge to run the bike and components. So yes, the fan is taking more out then the bike can put in. And like CP was saying it takes a higher rpm to have full charging potential.

[jonathanmaples]

ya the vette motor thing is debateable but there was alot of them from the old 350 carb to the new ls9, that comes stock supercharged with 638 hp and 604 flbs of torque? anyway i see what your saying. im going to play with the alternator on the kat and see if i can get it to push some more amps out and look for aftermarket high output upgrades i'll let you guys know what i find if you keep me in the know as well.

[katitoy]

Going all stock on engine parts is the way to go. I'll just spend my money improving the looks like rims, fairings, tires, lights and air cooler...etc.