Rectifier - burn out!

[Boubepo]

I have gone through 3 rectifiers in 2 years. The first one was no great surprise -being the original finless unit but the following two were CBR 125 finned rectifiers

So a couple of questions - what are the possible reasons for rectifiers to burn out after 7 or 8 months?

And

I'm sure I read on here? about a guy doing a modification [with photos] adapting a much bigger rectifier from a Yamaha XJR 1300? - Has anyone tried this? was it easy enough? and what was the result?

Thanks in advance and Happy Xmas everyone

[Boubepo]

I just found the post, I mentioned above, it wasn't an XJR 1300 R/R but an Yamaha R1 or R6 R/R used

[macdee]

heres a great post from tweety
http://www.superhawkforum.com/forums/kn ... how-25117/

[VTRDark]

It's pot luck with 2nd hand older shindengen style RR's. 3 in two years is a bit much though. Are you sure the wiring is all good and not shorting or something. Also check the battery is good and taking a charge. If the battery wont take a charge then the RR has nowhere to send it''s currant accept shunt it which burns them out if excess.

yet another reg/rec question

(:-})

[lloydie]

I went through 3 in two years too .
Two of them were from a r1 and the other was a standard none fined honda .
Now I have a real honda fined r/r and I will be fitting a MOSFET soon .
Second hand parts are always a gamble it's the chance we take .

[Boubepo]

Thanks for all the info

As far as I can tell my battery is still okay and able to take a charge and all connections seem pretty good. The bike appears to have spent it's whole life in a garage, as there's no sign of corrosion or weathered or loose connections etc

The article about the MOFSET R/R's was interesting and something I knew very little about - I guess that's the direction I need to go, if I can find one at a reasonable price.

In the meantime I was going to try a standard R1 R/R which I thought would at least give me a decent run for my money - but if you have also burnt out two of there lloyde? it doesn't give me a lot of hope

[VTRDark]

I have had an R1 RR for the last couple of years with no bother and it's only connected up with crimp terminals as well . It's like Lloydie said Second hand parts are always a gamble it's the chance we take. The one advantage with the R1 RR's is that they are in abundance and cheap, also that they have a very large surface cooling area. But yes if you want something solid and reliable then MOSFET is the way to go but they are not cheap.

(:-})

[Boubepo]

Thanks cybercarl, I have to factor in the costs, I'm running four bikes on the road at the moment and I'm not a rich man by any stretch of the imagination! So I'm looking to get it sorted at a reasonable price.

I have yet another second hand CBR125 R/R winging it's way to Spain, to get the bike back on the road, a cheap alternative idea was to buy another R/R from Hong Kong/China as a back up, for when this one invariably blows 6 -12 months down the road

Has anyone tried a Hong Kong, Chinese R/R and if so, did they last the week? Or am I being cynical?

[Wicky]

Wouldn't bother with a Chinese sourced R/R. Even Honda SH marked finned R/Rs have a finite lifespan as I've just had to replace my replacement after 8 years after it ate a battery. Ideally go for a FH marked MOSFET replacement.

[Stratman]

If you buy cheap rubbish then expect the same results. I replaced mine years ago with one from Electrex. Not cheap, but it's been no trouble and no pissing around with spare wires etc.

[Boubepo]

Funnily enough I wrote to 'Electrex' last night, still waiting for their reply. The direct [finned] replacement is £78 - I don't mind paying that if it lasts but I'm lacking confidence in this unit if I'm honest, I know the two I've burnt out were both secondhand but i still expected them to last more than 6 months each
I've asked Electrex if they have a MOSFET alternative

[Boubepo]

According to Electrex the R/R they have listed [RR58 for £78] is MOSFET

It looks very much like the two I've already blown!

[Stratman]

According to Electrex the R/R they have listed [RR58 for £78] is MOSFET

It looks very much like the two I've already blown!

Well, I replaced mine about 6 years ago and it's been fine since.