CB250/350 K4 regulator Rectifier

[mike73]

Hi All,
A while ago I replaced the separate regulator and rectifier On my '73 CB250K4 with a nice new modern single unit. I agonized long and hard over this as I found the charging system was the very devil to get my head around, but I do remember that at the time I knew what I was doing (or thought I did). I've now got a second bike to sort, and although I recall physically how to do it (its very straightforward as I recall- just junk the regulator and connect up the new unit), I remain curious about the how original system was meant to work as there are parts I never understood; in particular the regulator itself. This had three wires- one was earth (Green). Black was the DC connection that presumably allowed the regulator to sample the voltage in the loom and dump anything over the limit, this is what I expected the regulator to do anyway and so no problem with these connections. (I think the new unit achieves this inside the "box" and before the DC is output to the battery so the black connection is no longer required to the new reg/rect.)
However my main question concerns the third wire that went to the regulator. This is yellow and originates from the stator- it therefore carries AC output from one coil (or two if the light switch is on) but what was the regulator doing with an AC feed? Maybe this reduced the output from the alternator to protect the rectifier? But how did the regulator cope with both AC and DC regulation? Has anyone looked inside this mysterious box?

Thanks
Mike
____________________
If you have eliminated the impossible- hit everything that's left with a hammer

[WD Forte]

The correct long winded name is Rectifier Regulator
often shortened to Regulator/Reg or Rectifier/Rec or rectumfrier
or whatever
I use RR
AC I what you get when you whiz a magnet past a coil of wire
On many bikes its magnets and coils plural

This AC is only useful as its being generated
DC is useful and can be stored too! ( battery)
Soooo
The rectifier uses diodes to turn the generated AC to DC
The regulator as you guessed keeps the voltage
within a useable safe range
HTH
____________________
bikers smell of wee

[mike73]

Not sure that that really helps as I was enquiring about the original honda setup with separate rectifier and regulator.
Thanks anyway.
____________________
If you have eliminated the impossible- hit everything that's left with a hammer