Topic: rectifier again....

[scottly]

Nope, 'cos the other ground to frame is up by the coils and the dtarter current has to use the small wire!

I think you're right, it's a grounding issue: if the rectifier was shorted, the red wire would have melted as well as the green wire. 

[wilson889]

Nope, 'cos the other ground to frame is up by the coils and the dtarter current has to use the small wire!

Ah, ok. Well I guess Ill have to find the shorts/bad grounding..

[Spanner 1]

Wow!, good one Bryanj... if the starter current can't 'return' to the battery (-) thru' the main battery to engine /frame ground then it will attempt to on the little 16 or 18 gauge ground  connected to the frame at the coils and overheat or melt it into neighboring wires in the loom.... clever call 
Further to that , the massive cranking amps loaded across the ground wires ( all green wires ) could very easily fry the rectifier, so the OP's new rectifier probably got fried the first time he pressed the start button !!........... good info to file away.

[scottly]

Wilson, unplug the rect, turn on the ignition and headlight, and measure the voltage between a bolt on the engine and the negative post on the battery.

[wilson889]

Wilson, unplug the rect, turn on the ignition and headlight, and measure the voltage between a bolt on the engine and the negative post on the battery.

 4.6 mv. I believe

[wilson889]

Did you test the rectifier? 
12 measurements.
Yellow to Red both meter polarities  Use the lowest ohms scale you have.
Yellow to Green both meter polarities  Use the lowest ohms scale you have.
Report findings.
Does the bike have stock wiring?

and as far as this goes... My meter is one of those auto ranging ones, so it didnt want to spit out a certain number but was in the range of 14-19 ohms.. according to the FAQ is quite alright.(5-40 ohms being the correct range... which is quite the range)

[scottly]

Wilson, unplug the rect, turn on the ignition and headlight, and measure the voltage between a bolt on the engine and the negative post on the battery.

 4.6 mv. I believe

Do the same test, except this time measure the voltage between the neg batt post and the green wire in the plug where the rectifier was plugged in. (BTW, these tests assume the battery is not totally run down)

[scottly]

Did you test the rectifier? 
12 measurements.
Yellow to Red both meter polarities  Use the lowest ohms scale you have.
Yellow to Green both meter polarities  Use the lowest ohms scale you have.
Report findings.
Does the bike have stock wiring?

and as far as this goes... My meter is one of those auto ranging ones, so it didnt want to spit out a certain number but was in the range of 14-19 ohms.. according to the FAQ is quite alright.(5-40 ohms being the correct range... which is quite the range)

It can be difficult to test diodes with a digital meter using the ohms scale. Does your meter have a setting with a symbol something like this: -|<-  ? If so, that is specifically for checking diodes. In one direction, you should get an open reading, and in the other direction you should read about .5. If you touch the two probes together, you should read a very low number like .003. If you get a very low reading like this in any of the 12 tests, it indicates a shorted diode.

[scottly]

I have a theory: the battery tray is isolated from the frame by the rubber mounting grommets. The only connection to ground is through the green rectifier wire and the main harness. If the battery + terminal, the heavy cable from it to the starter solenoid, or the smaller red wire on the same solenoid terminal were to come into contact with the battery tray, even for a couple of seconds, it would cause the damage you have.

[wilson889]

Wilson, unplug the rect, turn on the ignition and headlight, and measure the voltage between a bolt on the engine and the negative post on the battery.

 4.6 mv. I believe

Do the same test, except this time measure the voltage between the neg batt post and the green wire in the plug where the rectifier was plugged in. (BTW, these tests assume the battery is not totally run down)

27.8mv and I dont believe I have that setting..  
About your theory, any way to ground the tray? lol

[scottly]

My guess is you have an intermittent short from the positive battery terminal, or the wires connected to it, to the battery tray. Take a good look at these areas. 

[wilson889]

My guess is you have an intermittent short from the positive battery terminal, or the wires connected to it, to the battery tray. Take a good look at these areas. 

interesting.. alright. thanks for the help   I'll take some pics of the the area and post to see if theres anything odd. Nothing seems to be wrong though.. i might just rewire this rectifier and see what it does then... do you know anywhere I can get that metal clip? or should i just solder it/add a wire for ground??

[scottly]

Yeah, post some pics. I have yet to see a clear pic of the metal clip, so I can't help there. Worry about the rectifier AFTER you find the original problem. Do you have the original rect? I would like to see a pic of it too, just out of curiosity. 

[wilson889]

Yeah, post some pics. I have yet to see a clear pic of the metal clip, so I can't help there. Worry about the rectifier AFTER you find the original problem. Do you have the original rect? I would like to see a pic of it too, just out of curiosity. 

yep yep, will post pics when i can

[wilson889]

Well, I got tired of not being able to ride my bike, so I eyed up rewiring the ground and soldering the chipped metal piece that connects ground wire to bolt-which then bolts to frame- and my theory was correct, that metal piece had to be broke before I installed it. It all worked fine, it charged and worked well with no fried wires for the hour I had it out to test it.