Rectifier Installation (Non Standard) ZXR 250

[Kwakka Kilt]

Allo,

Just got a 35 Amp 6 wire rectifier from EBay, to replace the (Second) shite old stock one on my ZXR250.

Looks good, was just wondering though :

There are 6 wires, as follows : 3 for the alternator (Doesn't matter what order they get plugged in, as the rectifier (Diode Bridge), sorts out the AC input, and outputs a constant DC charge, Am I right ??)
2 more wires, 1 for the Battery +, the other for -
Then the final wire, which I am told is for the " Remote " - Is this for a power source when the ignition is turned to the " Accessory" position ?

Would the Remote wire need to be wired in, or can this be left alone, would the rectifier run anyway (I think it would ....??)

All I need to do is solder the plug from the old rectifier to the new one - I got a cool gas powered soldering iron and some heat shrink from Dick Smith today, should end up being a pretty tidy job.

Any ideas on the remote wire, or other tips, would be greatly appreciated.

Maybe then I won't have to push start the bugger twice a day, like for the last MONTH !!

[bonester]

I think the remote wire you refer to is actually a sensing wire for a reference voltage which allows the regulator to charge within a certain voltage range. Do you have a wiring diagram for the bike? Would give you a good hint where to connect it.

[Gosling1]

......There are 6 wires, as follows : 3 for the alternator (Doesn't matter what order they get plugged in, as the rectifier (Diode Bridge), sorts out the AC input, and outputs a constant DC charge, Am I right ??).....2 more wires, 1 for the Battery +, the other for -........Then the final wire, which I am told is for the " Remote " - Is this for a power source when the ignition is turned to the " Accessory" position ?

Would the Remote wire need to be wired in, or can this be left alone, would the rectifier run anyway (I think it would ....

You are pretty much bang on the money mate.

3 yellow wires are inputs from alternator.

1 red wire is direct feed to battery

1 black wire is earth

1 brown wire (or whatever the last colour left is) - Should be the main +ve 12v feed that runs through the harness, and has a number of +ve connections coming off it (brake light switch, dash lights, horn etc) - It may also be the +12v supply to your ignition switch.

Check your standard wiring diagram for the above to confirm, or even trace the old connectors from the previous rectifier. Just about any 3-phase rectifier off any Jap bike can be used on others, its often only the plugs that change.....

[dave#3]

I got a cool gas powered soldering iron ...... other tips would be greatly appreciated

Be careful with the gas powered soldering iron - they're OK for when you cant use a proper soldering iron, but at $10 DSE soldering iron will do a much better job. The heat is quite hard to get right, and if you get it too hot the soldering tip will melt away - mine's more pitted than a 15 year olds chin; if you don't have it hot enough you'll end up with dry shitty joints that will fuck with you for the remainder of your natural life.

[Kwakka Kilt]

You are pretty much bang on the money mate.

3 yellow wires are inputs from alternator.

1 red wire is direct feed to battery

1 black wire is earth

1 brown wire (or whatever the last colour left is) - Should be the main +ve 12v feed that runs through the harness, and has a number of +ve connections coming off it (brake light switch, dash lights, horn etc) - It may also be the +12v supply to your ignition switch.

Check your standard wiring diagram for the above to confirm, or even trace the old connectors from the previous rectifier. Just about any 3-phase rectifier off any Jap bike can be used on others, its often only the plugs that change.....

Be careful with the gas powered soldering iron - they're OK for when you cant use a proper soldering iron, but at $10 DSE soldering iron will do a much better job. The heat is quite hard to get right, and if you get it too hot the soldering tip will melt away - mine's more pitted than a 15 year olds chin; if you don't have it hot enough you'll end up with dry shitty joints that will fuck with you for the remainder of your natural life.

Gos, Dave, Thx for the tips !! Well, I wired up the rectifier, and fired up the bike, got 13.8 volts at the battery above 4000rpm - Sweet !!

But then I took the bike for a good 30 min hard (High revving) run, got back, battery still flat, and now only getting 12.6 volts at the battery, no matter how you rev the motor .... and I have been using the bike to and from work for the last week, no charge getting to the battery.....

So, as a last resort, I have now purchased another loom from EBay, which I will do a FULL continuity check on, then fit it - Also getting another magneto and Stator from a 19,000 klm bike - If this does'nt work, I am buggered if I know what there is left to do, except that the tail lights on my bike have now blown (Not the brake lights, just the running lights) - When I bought the bike (With a buggered rectifier), the cable running from the loom to the rear brake pedal switch, had melted into a glob of plastic ...... A short in the current loom somewhere ????

Wish me luck boys ....

[dave#3]

Wish me luck boys ....

Good luck KK

[Gosling1]

........ - When I bought the bike (With a buggered rectifier), the cable running from the loom to the rear brake pedal switch, had melted into a glob of plastic ...... A short in the current loom somewhere ????........

thats a perfect example of how the excess current is not being *absorbed* by the battery - the rear brake switch is often the first place in the harness where regulated 12v DC is directed - more so because of its location right near the battery than anything else - so a problem with excess voltage being shunted into the loom can often manifest here.

In the old Z-series kwakkas, the problem used to appear in the plastic fuse-box, where the main 20A fuse clips would actually melt into the plastic box ....

Your problem may be dud alternator output as well, the output needs to be tested against the manual specs to see if this is the problem.

How new is the battery ? Can you swap it out with a good one from another ZXR 2fiddy to check ? You won't stuff the other battery doing a few electrical tests and a ride around the block.........

[Kwakka Kilt]

Gos Wrote :

Your problem may be dud alternator output as well, the output needs to be tested against the manual specs to see if this is the problem.

How new is the battery ? Can you swap it out with a good one from another ZXR 2fiddy to check ? You won't stuff the other battery doing a few electrical tests and a ride around the block.........

Hey Gos, Well, the battery is brand new, after I talked to you about possible sulphur build up in my old battery, and plus I did'nt know how old it was, I bought a new battery (Only $45, and could cure a lot of evils ....)

So the problem is the same with the old and new batteries.

Awesome tips old mate, going to check the alternator output (The only thing I did not check from the manual !! ), the replacement magneto and alternator coming is off a low-ish Kms bike, so I reckon I may as well do the swap.

Mad to hear about fuses melting into the fuse box, reminds me of my old rectifier plug, looked in a bad way....

Let's see what I can dig up in the next week ay ??

Cheers.

[Gosling1]

good luck mate, keep us posted aye ?