|
|
Post by ramblinman on Jan 3, 2014 17:33:22 GMT -5
i've seen a few websites and videos on making your own CDI. if you do a little searching you will find many vids and sites. i don't have any electrical background but i am guessing the main cause of failure is a blown capacitor.
so that got me thinking... instead of starting from scratch, why not attempt to repair one of my many dead CDI's? has anybody tried to open a CDI?
i have 3 or 4 broken CDI's. one of them worked very well and i am hoping i can fix it. if all it needs is a new capacitor and it can be opened then it shouldn't be too difficult. or will it?
thoughts?
|
|
|
|
Post by alleyoop on Jan 3, 2014 17:40:02 GMT -5
If one likes to tinker sure one can try to fix one, but why when you can find some for under$10.00.
Alleyoop
|
|
|
|
Post by ramblinman on Jan 3, 2014 17:48:32 GMT -5
If one likes to tinker sure one can try to fix one, but why when you can find some for under$10.00. Alleyoop i have 3 cheap ones that work (sorta, lol). the one i want to fix is about $30-$40 to replace. plus i hope to learn something by doing it (assuming it can be done). considering how much i have spent on CDI's this year, it will be great if i can figure out how to build a reliable one or at least learn how to fix them for cheap. |
|
|
|
Post by carasdad on Jan 3, 2014 20:23:55 GMT -5
If one likes to tinker sure one can try to fix one, but why when you can find some for under$10.00. Alleyoop i have 3 cheap ones that work (sorta, lol). the one i want to fix is about $30-$40 to replace. plus i hope to learn something by doing it (assuming it can be done). considering how much i have spent on CDI's this year, it will be great if i can figure out how to build a reliable one or at least learn how to fix them for cheap. The 2 components that typically fry on the CDI are Electrolytic Capacitor because they are cheaply made and leak. The NAND gate is made of cheap transistors as well..while transistors are the ultimate component to be used for ultra fast switches..incoming voltage must be well regulated and without spikes...or their Base Emitter Diode becomes saturated too soon closing the gate prematurely which builds heat and burns out that switch. If China could bring their component quality and surface mount technology up to Japanese standards..our CDI's would last longer. I had a 32 yo Yamaha 250 Enduro Motorcycle that had the original CDI it came from the factory with. The engine had been rebuilt twice...HOWEVER..the factory CDI never failed in its total of 59,000 miles.(Take note China) Btw..my father was an electronics engineer and my cousin is as well. My cousin has disassembled many of my bad Chinese electrical parts and showed me faults he finds in them. He says the design is great..but component QC can in no way exist. Also he says he has first week students that can solder better than an experienced Chinese Tech...lol. But they are repairable..he has done a few...just hard to saw open with all the epoxy they put them together with..  |
|
|
|
Post by nulldevice on Jan 4, 2014 13:02:19 GMT -5
If you have fried multiple CDIs you need to start looking outside the CDI for your problem. I suggest you start with checking the voltage regulator. By the way, is you battery life short as well?
|
|
|
|
Post by ramblinman on Jan 4, 2014 17:39:13 GMT -5
If you have fried multiple CDIs you need to start looking outside the CDI for your problem. I suggest you start with checking the voltage regulator. By the way, is you battery life short as well? i burned up 3 or 4 when i first bought my used scoot. i haven't checked or changed the voltage regulator but i did replace the ignition pick up trigger and haven't fried a cdi since. battery seems fine but i don't have a meter to test. edit: oops, i take that back. i did replace another cdi about 2 months ago. installed the new pick up trigger in august. they seem to be lasting longer since i changed the pick up trigger but i don't know if my scoot is functioning properly without a meter or an electrical background. |
|
|
|
Post by JerryScript on Jan 5, 2014 10:45:49 GMT -5
Perhaps both the pickup trigger and the CDI are being damaged by bad voltage from the regulator (just thinking out loud here).
|
|
|
|
Post by ramblinman on Jan 5, 2014 11:29:30 GMT -5
Perhaps both the pickup trigger and the CDI are being damaged by bad voltage from the regulator (just thinking out loud here). perhaps. i really don't want to spend anymore money on this scooter though. so unless it isn't running or the performance is noticeably effected then all my cash is going into a new scoot. looking at my broken cdi again, i don't know if i can get it open without doing more damage. maybe it would be easier to start from scratch. i'll have to research it more when i have time. |
|
|
|
Post by rockynv on Jan 7, 2014 4:41:06 GMT -5
Tesla built them from scratch 100 years ago but they were too bulky for use in anything mobile.
You might find the cost of quality components in the limited quanties you would be purchasing along with the cost of the equipment to assemble them and purchasing the test meters cost prohibitive.
|
|
..BAD TO THE BONE..
