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Bad Rectifier or Short

Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 2:55 pm
by zeolig
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.

Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:30 pm
by mousewheels
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.

Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:17 pm
by Bear45-70
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.

Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:49 pm
by mousewheels
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.

Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 5:09 pm
by zeolig
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

Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:04 pm
by Kenny_McCormic
IIRC the headlight comes before the rectifier. Your main stator coil is probably smoked, ohm it out as the service manual tells you to.