Rectifier problems

Anyone know of any good rectifier symptoms?

During the summer months I identified the problem with my battery
consistently dying. The rectifier connector had a slight meltdown and the
wiring was touching occasionally. I clipped the connector off and used push
connectors to the rectifier. I been running ok. However, I noticed when I
have the signal light on and other instrument panel light slightly dims each
time the signal light blinks. Eventhough my voltage levels at 3000rpm were
reading at about 13.8 -14.5 I suspect the rectifier may have been damaged by
the wires once touching.

Also my idle speed dips about 200 rpm intermittently.

Any advise?

-Ron
95' CBR600 F3

 >From: "Vader" d_vader42 DeleteThis @hotmail.com

 >However, I noticed when I have the signal light on and other instrument panel
light slightly dims each time the signal light blinks.

That's relatively normal...

When your turn signals are flashing on and off, you have a large surge of
current going through the flasher to heat up the bimetallic contacts that turn
the signal lights off, plus you have a large surge of current going through the
filaments of two bulbs to make them start glowing brightly. The surges of
current consume more wattage than the turn signal bulbs would use if they were
lit continuously, so the instrument panel lights and headlights will dim a bit
when the signals are flashing...

If your battery is old and weak, the lights will dim a lot more...

 >Eventhough my voltage levels at 3000rpm were reading at about 13.8 -14.5 I
suspect the rectifier may have been damaged by the wires once touching.

Your rectifier would have six diodes in it. Diodes either work, or they don't,
there is no in-between state where they don't quite pass the normal amount of
current...

If you blew out a pair of diodes, the output from your alternator would be cut
in half, and your rectifier regulator output would probably be down around 12
volts...

 >Also my idle speed dips about 200 rpm intermittently.

Is the tach digital or analog or cable driven? The voltage variations while the
turn signals are on might affect the RPM reading on an analog tach that has a
needle driven by a coil inside the unit. A digital tach that just shows numbers
should be accurate because the ignition unit usually counts the number of
ignition pulses from the signal generator that tells the ignition unit when to
fire the spark plugs...


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