Rectifier/reg Problem

[customGS550L]

Hi I am new to this site i just started looking on here about a week ago and there is alot of great info on this site. Well anyway I will get down to my problem I have a 1982 GS550L that I got for free from the inlaws and I know it has been sitting at least two years i am not sure for how long to be honsest but when ever I went threw all the eltrical I hooked up the ground wire on the rectifer/regulater it imdently blew the main fuse. I check and re checked every thing and removed all the ground wires and then put them back on one at a time till i found out which one blew the fuse and it was the rectifier/reg when i ground it out with the wire comming off it i am sure that is a ground wire (am I right) but I then checked the wires coming out of the rectifier and every one of them was a constenent ground. So my question is does this mean this is a bad rectifer and is there a way to bypass it and check to see if it will start i just want to check everything i can get the starter to turn but not engage is there a way to engage the soliened on the starter. Any information would help thank you all.

[jbs80106]

in short..yes...

your bike should run without the Reg/Red connected. The Reg/rect only 'does' something once the bike is running to convert A/C coming out of the stator to D/C which can operate your lights (I think) and recharge the battery.

[Steve]

Hi I am new to this site

WELCOME \\/

I hooked up the ground wire on the rectifer/regulater it imdently blew the main fuse.

Are you sure it was a GROUND wire? There should be five wires going in/coming out of the r/r. Three (they might all be yellow) will go to the stator, one (probably red) that is a bit larger will go to the positive side of the battery, the last (probably black) usually ends in a ring terminal and is connected to the chassis. It is this black one that needs to go to the negative terminal on the battery. It is acceptable to add a jumper wire from the same mounting bolt where the r/r is grounded and run that wire to the battery.

I then checked the wires coming out of the rectifier and every one of them was a constenent ground.

How did you check them? Click here to see a well-written guide on how to check the stator and the r/r.

So my question is does this mean this is a bad rectifer and is there a way to bypass it and check to see if it will start

Not necessarily. If you were not checking it correctly, it could easily give misleading results. No need to 'bypass' it, just hit the starter button. If the battery is not charged, connect jumper cables to your car IF THE ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING. Do NOT connect your bike to a car with a running engine. EVER.

i can get the starter to turn but not engage is there a way to engage the soliened on the starter.

Actually, the only way to get the starter to turn is if the solenoid IS engaged. It is possible that it is not catching because of low battery voltage or a stuck starter clutch.

Hope some of this will help. 8-[

[customGS550L]

Thank you i will try this

I tested the wires coming out with a ohm metter and they had contanutey to ground i didnt see a red wire that goes to then postive side of the battery maybe that is my problem. but the black one i hooked to the negtive side did have a loop on it so i was sure it was ground. I can manuly jump postive power to the battery but it just spins it doesnt engage, but let me try some things with all of this new info from you all so thanks so much for all your help i will let you know the results when i try them tonight. sorry not the best speller

[Billy Ricks]

Black wires aren't always ground. Was this a large gauge wire or small? The small gauge grounds are black with a white stripe and black is usually positive to turn signals.

[justmount1]

when i had to replace my rectifier it was doing the same thing. on an 80 550L there is only four wires the ground wire should be seperate from the other wires. the other three should be in a group with connectors on the end. the ground should have an eye at the end. if you hook it all up right and it blows the fuse the rectifier is bad and you need to get a new one.

[jbs80106]

Hmmm

".....I can manuly jump postive power to the battery but it just spins it doesnt engage,"

Something else is wrong besides the Reg/Rect. Reg/Rect bad or not shouldn't effect the bike running...only charging the system and possibly operating the lights. According to Electrosport check list one proc is to run it w/Reg/rec disconnected from battery...

When you say 'it just spins', are you saying the starter spins? Does it sound like its turning the engine over or no?

[justmount1]

on my bike iot would blow the fuse just because my rectifier was bad and that was an 80 550L changed rect and put fuse in and good to go.

[customGS550L]

Tryed and looked you will laugh

Ok know i feel like an idot let me first say that i work on cars for a living in the millatary USAF and when i went to check everything you guys said i relized i had hooked my battery up backwards i hooked the negitve to the positive and the positive to the negitive know i feel like a idot. but thanks for all your help i have a new problem know well a couple of them i think they are just wireing issues the first is no spark at the wirs but the soliends are getting power with the key on and the secound so far is that the starter button does not work when i push it nothing happens i know its getting power so any thoughts on these thank you for your help so far

[nabrams]

See my reply in this post: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=110239