my rectifier has gone nuclear

[Jack600]

Just to get it out the way, and don't take it to heart, I'm just having trouble at the moment.

I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike!

After spending a fortune getting through its MOT, (new rear wheel, new discs all round, pads, stainless exhaust system, chain and sprocket, Dynojet stage 1 'cos of the exhaust, carburators 'cos of the Dynojet, seat cover) the rectifier blew!

Not a problem I thought, just get one off the net and bolt on, I thought, but NO! No, that one decided to OVER CHARGE the battery and boiled dry!

The garage have tried another but that is over charging too. They've done resistance tests on the alternator but it all falls within the correct ranges. They've also tried a couple of second hand rectifiers from other bikes as a comparision, but still no luck.

Anyone got any suggestions, other than selling it for spares?

It's an S reg 1998 XL600

Please help

[piguglyshandydrinker]

Just to get it out the way, and don't take it to heart, I'm just having trouble at the moment.

I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike, I hate my bike!

After spending a fortune getting through its MOT, (new rear wheel, new discs all round, pads, stainless exhaust system, chain and sprocket, Dynojet stage 1 'cos of the exhaust, carburators 'cos of the Dynojet, seat cover) the rectifier blew!

Not a problem I thought, just get one off the net and bolt on, I thought, but NO! No, that one decided to OVER CHARGE the battery and boiled dry!

The garage have tried another but that is over charging too. They've done resistance tests on the alternator but it all falls within the correct ranges. They've also tried a couple of second hand rectifiers from other bikes as a comparision, but still no luck.

Anyone got any suggestions, other than selling it for spares?

It's an S reg 1998 XL600

Please help

This does sound very odd, I'm no sparky but surely the only thing in the system that corrects the voltage is the regulator/rectifier????

Phil

[Jack600]

Well, after most of the motorcycle experts in surrey were consulted, an alternator expert thinks it is...


wait for it...

the alternator.

So, we are going to try a recon'd alternator. But if that doesn't work, I don't know what to do.

can't fault the garage though. He's spent 2 days talking to people and phoning everywhere.

But he does love a challenge!

Should know if it all works early next week. I'll post then.

[teriyakimonkey]

After spending a fortune getting through its MOT, (new rear wheel, new discs all round, pads, stainless exhaust system, chain and sprocket, Dynojet stage 1 'cos of the exhaust, carburators 'cos of the Dynojet, seat cover) the rectifier blew!
.........
Anyone got any suggestions, other than selling it for spares?

Don't hate your bike!

Sorry to de-rail but your bike failed an MOT because of a seat cover? Oh. Oh very dear. What was wrong with the back wheel?

Think you should brake it and sell me the parts I will probably need for my MOT!

[Jack600]

Well, no, it didn't fail on the seat cover. That was a vanity thing, I guess.

See the thing is I am stubborn and I've come this far. They are going to replace the alternator with a rewind (about £30). If that doesn't work, well, does anyone want some spares? New rectifier and battery for sale, fair back wheel.

The old one was screwed thanks to the dealer bodging the rear wheel spacer, which in turn jammed the bearing, which in turn ground out the wheel hub, which in turn ended up in the bin!

I've got to get a break soon! Surely.

If this does work, it will be a superb bike!

[teriyakimonkey]

Reckon it'll work. Might be that while on the move the alternator winding was intermittently shorting giving more juice than it should. Just a quick theory. But if you're serious I'll have that wheel!

[gravelrash]

Well, no, it didn't fail on the seat cover. That was a vanity thing, I guess.

See the thing is I am stubborn and I've come this far. They are going to replace the alternator with a rewind (about £30). If that doesn't work, well, does anyone want some spares? New rectifier and battery for sale, fair back wheel.

The old one was screwed thanks to the dealer bodging the rear wheel spacer, which in turn jammed the bearing, which in turn ground out the wheel hub, which in turn ended up in the bin!

I've got to get a break soon! Surely.

If this does work, it will be a superb bike!

tell you what mate ive been through rthe same thing only 2 months ago with the rectifier ,im not talking waffle so listen, my battery started boiling and i first thought battery or rectifier ,so i tryed a honda rectifier as people say oh thatl work ok as they all do the same job well thats hogsh** mate ,battery still gettin hot but not as hot and after standing a while gone flat and cant start just when you need it,i got another battery thinking it was this but it was still getting warm and i knew it wasnt right ,another rectifier later [superdream] and it was still doing the same i knew my genorator was ok as it was charging and the rec changes the voltage ,i was goin to buy a new one and ive found out the long way round lol thatyou have to get a certain one with the transalp ,certain ones wont do ,anyway i went to a breakers as after research found out which one might do ,i got a one of a cbr 600f ,[older cbr] same amount of wires and colour apart from one extra green which just earths to the frame anyway ,paid 25 quid and straight away noticed the battery wasnt getting warm [stayed coldish normal] and its been right ever since and im over the moon but ,it took a good few weeks before i sussed all this out and am passing it to you as i know youl be having the same as me ,shops couldnt give me a definate solution ,just suggestions,im good at fixing ect and ive used different recs on other bikes wich worked mint ,but not on the transalp get one of them mate and itl sort it ,take your origional rec and suss one with the same wires ect like i done ,but the cbr 600 f done the bizz ,good luck mate and lets know how you get on ,but remember if your batterys bioiled youl av to get another as itl go flat and not keep its charge ,del

[teriyakimonkey]

Surely the garage would've fitted a correct Transalp rectifier though?

[gravelrash]

Surely the garage would've fitted a correct Transalp rectifier though?

not nesssaseraly mate i for one have been awoke by garages not knowing as ive said ,take your bike for a service and i gaurantee you they wont empty the plug of the drain pipe what gets water in off your condensation engine ect,[underneath your bike],ive just emptied me mates[it was full o water] and that had just been serviced he was mad as hell they hadnt done it and said hel never go to a shop for a service again,its one of them been there got the t shirts as ive had exactly the same bother battery boiling ect and 2 shops i went to as ive said said oh thatkl do the trick [rectifier]and they didnt ,only when i got the one wi wires same[similar]then i solved the problem i found that other rectifiers didnt boil as much but they did overheat the battery and flatten it,mines the dogs bo0llocks now and i can tell you i was well sick [goin to get rid n everything] ,wires out re checked allsorts of clartin about ect ,me head was in a shed ,i only wish i could av come on here and read the information ive posted and it would av saved me weeks of turmoil ect,like i said im not talking waffle ive just been there mate so heed and try it youl not regret it mate ,gravelrash

[Jack600]

Cheers for that guys. Well the bike is in bits and the alternator is being sorted as we speak (i hope). As for the CBR f rectifier, well bugger me if I don't have a jelly mould sat down the side of the house! Guess what I'm doing this weekend!

As for the garage not knowing what they're doing - these guys are good. More of the flat cap and greasy rag old school, and I quote "I'd rather die than buy a new one, if there is any chance I can fix it for less", and bugger me they do.

But will pass on your comments and let you know how it goes.