bad rectifier? NO charge

[400x]

First, I will say that I am no electrical genius.

The bike is a 77 xs400. It has given me no problems until recently the "signal" circuit fuse blew and the battery is no longer charging. This happened last year while I was living with the bike out of town with no tools so I brought it home and waited until this spring to look at it. I don't remember which came first, the burnt fuse or the no charge. anyway, the fuse burns out pretty quickly. I did the checks in the manual for charging system and I found that the rectifier shows no continuity between leads where the manual says it should. I am not sure if the resistance between the green wires talked about in the manual is correct because I only have one green wire. I will have to go back and look more into that. but regardless, I am wondering if the blown/ blowing fuse could have anything to do with the bad rectifier, or if they are entirely separate issues. also, from what I have read, it sounds like rectifiers don't go bad often so it seems strange. the bikes been inside most of its life and has only 8k miles.

also, battery is new and reads 12.8 charged, 12.6 running, and does not change at all at any rpm.

any advice appreciated.

 

[400x]

Regarding the field coil test, (if I am looking at the right connector) the wires are green blue black and yellow. I get 4.2 ohms between green and black.

 

[arfstrom]

I am inclined to guess, Voltage regulator. Your bike is 4 years older than mine, so I am just guessing. Be worth while to check the Stator wires too as long as your checking voltage and all that.

 

[400x]

is that a guess based on experience or based on what I posted? Can a bad regulator make a rectifier go bad? According to the manual and my multimeter, the rectifier is bad. Unless I am doing something wrong. Theres no continuity between anything and anything else in the rectifier connector.

 

[arfstrom]

Rec are pretty solid. you can look up my photo album, and look at the voltage reg change I did, I think the original recitier is still good, it was a combination of bad wires, and then the combo rec/VR was only Rectifier, and then after I got the VR replaced, I was able to drive it. So now I am looking at the wires in the stator, and the wires where they connect up to the coil, are really hard. I think this time I will coat them with something enamel. See if that saves the wirres for a bit.