Bad Rectifier or Short

zeolig · Post by **zeolig** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 2:55 pm

Hi
Now that I got my scooter running great . Here is my second problem. I think I have a short . Maybe from reversed polarity. When my rectifier is plugged in I get a drain on the battery and the fuse gets burning hot until it melts. It doesn't blow it melts. There were a couple of green wires on the negative side of the battery in the wiring harness that melted. I traced them until they looked good again and repaired them. When I plug the rectifier in I still get the draw. When I unplug it again everything is good again. I do have unconnected directionals but I doubt that this would cause the problem. I think I have a fried rectifier? Any ideas? Thanks Zmann.

mousewheels · Post by **mousewheels** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:30 pm

Yes, your symptoms not only sound consistent with a bad regulator, your diagnosis that reversed battery polarity triggered the problem sounds correct. Bad regulators, blown fuses, bad stators and melted wires, have been the result of reversed polarity. But the last two failures don't always occur.

If you've got a kick start, leave the regulator disconnected, then start your scooter. Check that the headlight is working, that's the quicky stator check.

I can dig up some threads if you are interested.

Bear45-70 · Post by **Bear45-70** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:17 pm

I agree that the regulator/rectifier is bad. I find it interesting that there is no test procedure in the manual for the regulator/rectifier. Usually there is an test procedure with a volt/ohm meter to check the unit when disconnected from the stator.

mousewheels · Post by **mousewheels** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:49 pm

Bear,
Oh, good point - Honda left out the regulator testing info in the Spree manual. But they have testing info in the Elite 50 service manual, and I believe the regulators and tests will be close.

So zeolig, give the tests a try if you are interested.

zeolig · Post by **zeolig** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:09 pm

Thanks guys, My headlight is not working either and fortunatley I have another harness with a regulator on it but I think I tried the switch already and the draw was still there? I'll try it again. I have a nice digital multimeter but admittedly I don"t know how to use it on 12volt systems. zeolig

Kenny_McCormic · Post by **Kenny_McCormic** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:04 pm

IIRC the headlight comes before the rectifier. Your main stator coil is probably smoked, ohm it out as the service manual tells you to.