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help!!!! do i need a new rectifier????

Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:13 am
by bridgey
Hi, I was out yesterday had done about 10 miles and had parked up. The bike was running mint. When I tried to restart it, nothing happened but a small clicking noise from the starter. I bumped the bike and rode home. I tried again to start it and now got a louder clicking noise.

The battery is fully charged and was brand new two weeks ago. I had to replace the battery when it failed completely when I was out. Do I need to get a new rectifier???????

Any help will be much appreciated.

Cheers
Allen.

Re: help!!!! do i need a new rectifier????

Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:14 am
by bridgey
Sorry should have said I have got a vfr400 nc30. oops ;)

Re: help!!!! do i need a new rectifier????

Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:56 am
by CMSMJ1
You need to get a multimeter and check if the battery is getting any charge when running.

If you don't havea Haynes I would get hold of one. Also, do a quick search on "reg rec" adn see what you get ;)

My bet is that you are not getting a charge and running it drains the battery.. bummer!

Welcome to the site too 8-)

Re: help!!!! do i need a new rectifier????

Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:07 am
by bridgey
cheers. and thanks for the welcome. I have got a manual on cd so I will go through that.

Re: help!!!! do i need a new rectifier????

Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 2:47 pm
by Neosophist
Here is the abridged guide to testing your reg / rec.

Get a multimeter set to DC volts, if it doesn't have auto-range set its range to 20v. Red lead to +ve on battery, -ve lead to negative on battery.

Start bike and hold revs at 5000rpm. Make sure headlights are off.

Note voltage. It should be around 14.2v

Anything outside these ranges, and somethings broken. Usually reg/rec / generator or both.

Post back with results for more suggestions.

Re: help!!!! do i need a new rectifier????

Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 3:57 pm
by bridgey
I'm gonna give it a go tomorrow. Thanks for your replies. I will post the outcome.

Cheers
Allen

Re: help!!!! do i need a new rectifier????

Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:49 pm
by wullvfr
the clicking noise you hear is more than likely the starter relay.....
usually when you hear that and the starter isnt really turning over then your battery is really flat.

the voltage output should be between 13.5-15.5volts at 5000rpm.

from what you say though i believe you battery will not be getting charged at all.
so what will happen is when you rev the bike to 5000rpm the voltage should drop as its getting drained.
:D

Re: help!!!! do i need a new rectifier????

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 3:38 pm
by bridgey
I charged the battery fully overnight and got the same clicking noise when I tried to start it. I bumped the bike and got it running but when I put the multimeter on the battery it caused the bike to cut out (doh!!).

I can't start the bike with the multimeter attached as it only has the pin type leads. I am gonna order a rectifier anyway as from what I have read it sounds like it is that.

Cheers again for the help.

Re: help!!!! do i need a new rectifier????

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:49 pm
by Neosophist
Nah

If you've fully charged the battery you should be able to start the bike even if the rectifier is dead.

Sounds like the batterys wasted.

Fully charge the battery, let it sit for 2 hours and measure the voltage in it before its in the bike.

Battery sounds dead.. which might have killed the reg/rec and alternator too

Re: help!!!! do i need a new rectifier????

Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2008 6:05 pm
by bridgey
The battery is only two weeks old. It has probably been used for about eighty miles.

Basically I was out and the bike cut out. I tried to re-start it and then the lights went dead and the battery was totally dead. I phoned my local honda dealer to price a new rectifier and battery. He said it was the battery only. I wish I had of replaced the lot!!!

Cheers
AL