How do you test one of the Honda R/R’s?

[Guest]

Hello everyone,
Ok, so my bike started having problems starting recently. I checked the battery and one of the cells was dead. Which was kind of odd since it wasn’t that old. So I pulled the electricals and it was pretty obvious what was wrong, the R/R was melted. Even so I checked it and found infinite resistance on all tests.

Anyway I just bought a new battery and a SH532-12 R/R off of Ebay. My question to you all is: what is the appropriate way to test the R/R and make sure it is in working order? It has 6 wires: 3 yellow, 1 red, 1 black, and 1 green. After searching the site I see that the black is the sense wire. Do I ignore it and perform the normal tests? Or…

Oh, and before anyone says anything, yes I am going to test the stator

Willman

[Steve]

My question to you all is: what is the appropriate way to test the R/R and make sure it is in working order? It has 6 wires: 3 yellow, 1 red, 1 black, and 1 green. After searching the site I see that the black is the sense wire. Do I ignore it and perform the normal tests? Or…

Ignore the black wire and test the "normal" way.

Do you know how to do the "normal" tests?

By the way, the only tests you can do with the R/R out of the bike is to test the R/, which is the Rectifier.
The only way to test the /R, the Regulator, is to fire up the bike and measure the output.

.

[willman]

Right you are.
For the rectifier you just check resistance between ground and the three stator legs.
When you have positive on ground you should read infinite resistance on all legs.
With negative on ground you should read 5-6 ohms on each leg, correct?
Repeat with the red wire as ground.
Does this sound right?

The Regulator test will have to wait until I check out the stator.

Thanks,
Willman

[Steve]

Does your meter have a "diode check" function or just "resistance" (ohms)?

If it has a diode check, it will be much more accurate, but resistance can work, too.

It has been so long since I have used resistance to check diodes, I don't really remember what the actual reading will be, but you should see rather consistent numbers in all your checks.

If I am reading your description properly, you appear to realize that you will be doing a total of TWELVE measurements. Six of them should read ZERO, the other six should read some consistent number that is not zero. If any one of those twelve tests is not right, the rectifier portion is toast, meaning that the whole device is no good.

.

[willman]

No, this meter only has resistance.
I had another meter that I think had a diode check, but I can’t find it.
And yep, twelve checks.
Thanks for the help, I’ve never messed with an R/R that had a sense wire and just didn’t know if it came into play at all. I thought that I may have to trigger the sense wire to get continuity or something like that.

Thanks again,
Willman

[willman]

One last thing, I should be getting the opposite readings when checking the red wire, right?
Thanks,
Willman

[Steve]

One last thing, I should be getting the opposite readings when checking the red wire, right?
Thanks,
Willman

Basically the same readings, but your leads will be on different wires.

Meter red lead on R/R red lead: each of the three yellow wires should read zero.
Meter black lead on R/R red lead: each of the three yellow wires should have a reading.
Meter black lead on R/R black lead: each of the three yellow wires should read zero.
Meter red lead on R/R black lead: each of the three yellow wires should have a reading.

All six of those readings will be pretty close to the same number and should be the same polarity.

.

[willman]

Cool, it passes the test.
Now all I have to do is get the new battery in and fire it up to check the stator...
and then test the regulator.

Thanks,
Willman