Topic: What caused failure rectifier 350F

[Deltarider]

A friend phoned he had some smoke coming from under the left sidepanel of his 350F.
He reported some burned wires but fuse is still good. IF it is a damaged rectifier, what has caused this?
What alternatives are there for a substitute rectifier?
And what needs to be checked before mounting one?
Many thanks.

[MCRider]

A friend phoned he had some smoke coming from under the left sidepanel of his 350F.
He reported some burned wires but fuse is still good. IF it is a damaged rectifier, what has caused this?
What alternatives are there for a substitute rectifier?
And what needs to be checked before mounting one?
Many thanks.

It is not common, but rectifiers do fail just because. Age, etc.

There is a way to test them with a meter. But its also obvious. If the wires on the lead to the rectifier are fried, or if the paint on the fins of the recitifer is bubbled anywhere, the rectumfier is shot.

You need more comments from those that know however, for your questions. I'm just being nosy.

There are solid state rectifiers out there, many people like them. Just google the topic.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Installing the battery backwards or connecting jumper cables wrong can also cause the magic smoke to leak out.

[dave500]

theres a few rectifier/regulator threads here,heres a recent one.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=99006.0

[hoodellyhoo]

I know the rectifier on my 350 got very hot when my dad rode it with a shorting-out kill switch. The paint had bubbled but it still tested fine. I fixed the short and all was well again.

[MCRider]

I know the rectifier on my 350 got very hot when my dad rode it with a shorting-out kill switch. The paint had bubbled but it still tested fine. I fixed the short and all was well again.

Well that puts the lie to my bubbled paint observation. I should probably say, if the paint is bubbled it got real hot, and it may or may not have failed.