96 J112TSLEDR Rectifier Replacement Question

[timalabim]

Last season I had a battery go weak.

The battery checked out OK so I suspected the charging system.

I drained the battery to 12.4V.

Connected and noted no change from 12.4V with engine on or off.

Ohm tested stator and was within spec.

Ohm tested Rectifier, came up with 1 bad leg on the yellow wire test, so have ordered a replacement.

I don't have an Amp meter to load test, but am I on the right track?

What could cause the rectifier to go bad?

I am sure I have never cross connected the battery. I do have one of those solar powered chargers which I keep connected during the week when docked in case the bilge pump needs to run. Could that be an issue?

 

[ezeke]

Re: 96 J112TSLEDR Rectifier Replacement Question

Rectifiers can be damaged by anything that allows any voltage to flow the wrong way, thereby destroying a diode in an instant.

That includes reversing cables, running or not, and disconnecting the battery while running as in loose cables.

Running a charger while connected to the engine has been known to do it. Faulty/failing ignition switches cause a lot of rectifier failures.

 

[timalabim]

Re: 96 J112TSLEDR Rectifier Replacement Question

Thanks for the info.

I'm betting the "loose battery wire thing"

 

[timalabim]

Re: 96 J112TSLEDR Rectifier Replacement Question

Just wanted to report back a successful repair.

Took about 2 min to replace, started up the engine and voila, 13, 13.4, 13.5, 13.8... while running at 1K rpm.

If I had popped the old rectifier off I wouldn't have needed the test to know that it was bad. The back seal was cracked and frazzled and brown goo leaking out.

I'm thinking back, "did I throw the charger on the battery before I launched last season while it was connected to the engine...?" Oh well only a $38.00 lesson.