Rectifier just clicks

[grumburg]

Went to ride my 78 GS1000 tonight, hit the starter button, and the rectifier just clicks once, and nothing happens. Does not seem to be passing power. All other electricals work. No power at the solenoid. WAAAAAA?????????????????

[tkent02]

Rectifier?

[grumburg]

Yes the rectifier. Can feel it click

[Guest]

Bridge the solenoid and see if that turn her over. I think possibly your in need of a starter solenoid

[Guest]

I don't think a rectifier can't stop it from turning over. Are you sure the noise is from the R/R ?

[Guest]

You for sure have power at one side of solenoid, if it not's reaching the other side we can't blame the R/R

[grumburg]

Bridged the solenoid. Nothing

[rustybronco]

The rectifier is solid state. It has no moving parts to go click.

[ThrottleBack]

Bridged the solenoid. Nothing

Have you confirmed power to the solenoid from the battery?

[Guest]

The solenoid will click if the battery is too weak to close the contacts. If you bridged the two large nuts on solenoid and got nothing, the battery is just about dead, otherwise you would get some sparks and the starter would turn assuming the starter hasn't gone bad. The main ground to the motor might cause the same thing if it was bad.

[cableguy]

Isn't the rectifier mounted on the plate where the solenoid is? The click is felt through the mounting but it's not the rectifier. Break out your meter and start measuring voltage starting at the battery then follow the path of current until you find the point where voltage is insufficient to power the starter. Of course, make sure all your connections are clean and tight, and your battery charged and load tested.

[ThrottleBack]

I thought the r/r was under the battery cage

[Killer2600]

I thought the r/r was under the battery cage

It varies depending on bike model, mine is in the original factory location of under the sidecover.

[tkent02]

It's not an R/R, he has an early bike with a separate regulator and rectifier. Which don't click, and have nothing to do with starting.

[GelandeStrasse]

A Click when pressing the starter button is most commonly a symptom of a flat battery. It's the starter solenoid closing but the battery doesn't have enough juice to turn the motor. Try jumping it from a good battery. I if you use another vehicle to jump it don't do it with the engine running, that can cause charge system problems.....