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Message started by Kuyarey on 08/30/11 at 07:35:03

Title: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Kuyarey on 08/30/11 at 07:35:03

So my battery keeps on draining but I am having a hard time isolating the problem between the charging system and the battery. I checked my stator alternator according to Clymer instructions. But Clymer is also stating that in order for me to check the rectifier I have to take it to a Suzuki dealer. Is there another way I can check the rectifier without taking it to a dealer? Do I need tools other than the multi meter? I will appreciate any help. Thanks.

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Oldfeller on 08/30/11 at 07:57:26

Put your volt-ohm meter into 20 volt range DC setting.

Stick the proper leads on the proper terminals on the battery (you can get into do this just by taking the seat off, the square cut outs are big enough).

Note the resting voltage of the battery as it sits before being started. Write it down. 12.0 to 12.6 is a common resting range.

Crank the bike and get it to a good fast idle (at or over 1,000 rpm) check the battery voltage again with the engine running.

If resting voltage is over 12 volts and the running voltage is just over 13 volts you have a charging system that is working, but the regulator rectifier is getting marginal and old. This bike may have issues with the battery not getting charged enough with short trips.

Running voltage at 13.5 to 14.5 is pretty sweet, your regulator rectifier isn't getting old and tired yet. Your bike should recharge itself on short trips.

Over 15 volts, regulator rectifier is sick and is over charging your battery.

Stators rarely ever go bad, regulator rectifiers crap out much more often. This test isn't hard to do and a Stealership will charge you $65 to $100 to perform it since you were silly enough to carry it to them to do it for you.

They like your money in their wallet ..... that's why we call them Stealerships.

They can test your stator separately, both for resistance and for output voltage -- but get this ....

If the battery voltage on a running bike is in the right range, the stator and the regulator rectifier must be operating correctly for it to be there.

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Kuyarey on 08/30/11 at 08:18:50

Thank you for your reply. Now a question on battery tenders. I have a battery tender Jr. And the way I understand this is the only difference tender Jr Has against the bigger tender is CHARGInG TIME.battery tender Jr. Takes longer time charging. Do I understand this correctly?

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by thumperclone on 08/30/11 at 10:25:53

tender is a low current charge maintainer

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Oldfeller on 08/30/11 at 10:58:32

General consensus is that you fully charge your battery with a normal charger to FULL SATURATION AND VOLTAGE POTENTIAL, then you put the battery tender on it to maintain what's there.

Battery tenders electronically maintain what's there -- they are not chargers per se. They are maintainers mostly -- especially the Harbor Freight units.

Hooking up a battery tender to a discharged battery is worse than useless -- you will kill the battery tender over time due to overwork and you will teach your battery to remain "half charged" for a long period of time which tends to kill it too, especially if it is already weak.

Voice of experience here -- I and others on the list have done this to ourselves.

Battery tender literature from Harbor Freight and others now covers this -- it didn't originally. Charge the up all the way, then put on the tender.

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by thumperclone on 08/30/11 at 11:46:22

5k rpm when checking output voltage

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by arteacher on 08/30/11 at 11:57:55

5F435E465B4E59484744454E2B0 wrote:

5k rpm when checking output voltage

200,000th post.

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Kuyarey on 08/30/11 at 17:20:47

So here's the deal. I tried to start the Bike and it just didn't have enough power to start. Then I checked the battery with my volt meter and the voltage read 12.66. this has been the case for the past couple of weeks. If I put the battery tender Jr. on this, It will start back up and it will be enough for a week until it dies again. Any thoughts?

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Havezoom on 08/30/11 at 17:28:42

Dumb, but lightly sand all connections and tighten all the earth lines.

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Kuyarey on 08/30/11 at 17:40:21

What parts should I sand? Except for the obvious positive and Negative Cables. Any other thoughts?

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by verslagen1 on 08/30/11 at 18:15:42

I wouldn't sand anything. Might fix a bad connection today, but you'd have to do it again tomorrow and again...

The trick is to remove the corrosion but not the plating.
chemically it the best way.
next best is to polish.

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Kuyarey on 08/30/11 at 18:29:27

Any link to and/or instructions on how and where to get started with chemically removing the corrosion?

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Routy on 08/31/11 at 06:46:21

Whether it be cable to Batt, or cable to frame,...and right or wrong, I grind it to bare steel, or bare lead, then coat it w/ neverseize, then bolt it tight. Then coat it again if you like. It works.

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by arteacher on 08/31/11 at 07:00:23

Electrician's conductive grease works well too.

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Routy on 08/31/11 at 07:15:18

6E4D4547444D4D4453210 wrote:

Note the resting voltage of the battery as it sits before being started. Write it down. 12.0 to 12.6 is a common resting range.

Crank the bike and get it to a good fast idle (at or over 1,000 rpm) check the battery voltage again with the engine running.

If resting voltage is over 12 volts and the running voltage is just over 13 volts you have a charging system that is working, but the regulator rectifier is getting marginal and old. This bike may have issues with the battery not getting charged enough with short trips.

Running voltage at 13.5 to 14.5 is pretty sweet, your regulator rectifier isn't getting old and tired yet. Your bike should recharge itself on short trips.

Over 15 volts, regulator rectifier is sick and is over charging your battery.

Stators rarely ever go bad, regulator rectifiers crap out much more often.

All this while keeping in mind that a standing voltage of 12.0, would be considered a near dead battery, and most likely would not start the bike.

And you could have a low v reading of around 13.0 from a good charging system,....if checking it while the battery is very discharged,..... as the charge comes up, so does the voltage. A fully charged batt should read 14+ volts on a good charging system.

Also voltage readings of 15+ can be seen from a good charging system,.....if the battery is severely sulfated,.....namely.....bad. And altho rare, this can sometimes ruin a rectifier.

AIMEO (all in my experience only) ;)

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Routy on 08/31/11 at 07:26:33

6759554D5E49552C0 wrote:

I believe the difference is.....

After review, I'd say you are right, the Tender is just a larger charging capacity.

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Kuyarey on 08/31/11 at 07:32:27

Another thought, at idle the battery reads 14.33 volts. I am leaning towards the defective battery angle. Should I purchase a brand new battery now?

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by thumperclone on 08/31/11 at 07:47:26

152B273F2C3B275E0 wrote:

Another thought, at idle the battery reads 14.33 volts. I am leaning towards the defective battery angle. Should I purchase a brand new battery now?

take it to a battery shop they can give it the "stress" test...
i think sears does them too

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by mojo on 09/01/11 at 08:29:35

If I were going to have a battery tested, I'd find a "Battery Shop" that has equipment that actually puts a load on the battery (called a discharge test) for a given amount of time. Those little electronic things that WalMart(and others) uses don't actually measure battery performance. My $0.02

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Digger on 06/26/12 at 20:16:06

464D4D444847465C5D290 wrote:

Electrician's conductive grease works well too.

HIJACK....

Where does one find such stuff?

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 06/26/12 at 21:09:04

http://www.permatex.com/products/automotive/specialized_maintenance_repair/electrical_system_maintenance/auto_Permatex_Dielectric_Tune-Up_Grease.htm

Where you been Digger?

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by Digger on 07/30/12 at 20:42:11

647B7D7A6760516151697B773C0E0 wrote:

http://www.permatex.com/products/automotive/specialized_maintenance_repair/electrical_system_maintenance/auto_Permatex_Dielectric_Tune-Up_Grease.htm

Where you been Digger?

Hi Jus.....I just been busy doing stuff less important than learning more about my Savage... ;)

BTW, that link is for dielectric grease, specifically formulated to be a poor conductor of electricity.

I thought art was on to electrically conductive grease. I was lookin' for such an animal a while back....

Title: Re: Ways to check rectifier
Post by RidgeRunner13 on 07/30/12 at 21:09:36

Not really a grease, but you might want to check out a product called Corrosion X. We use a lot of it on connectors & circuit boards to improve connections. I wipe it on the ends of batteries & put a coating on car battery terminals. 8-)