Bad rectifier?

[koolstrike]

My RE5 last week died while riding. I had turned on the headlamp and 1 minute later the bike died with zero electrical power.

A fuse under the seat was blown. Upon replacement it blew again, so there has to be a short someplace.

The gray wire to the headlamp was melted and a wire near the rectifier was also melted.so I am thinking the rectifier might be bad.

Anybody have any clue or experience based on the condition I described?

[Al Corelli]

Probably best to unwrap as much of the wiring as possible to find the initial short. There is a lot of "stuff" in that headlight shell. I'll bet it was initiated in there.

[CPKID]

Check your rectifier . Unplug it and ohm through the diodes on the rectifier .....200 ohm scale should do . Red wire on plug to all the yellow ones at the plug That is your cathode to anode on the rectifier diodes . You should not have a short . Then go from all your yellow wires on the plug to a good ground on the rectifier that is you other 3 diodes .
Or simply try unplugging rectifier plug and replacing the fuse. If fuse doesn't blow you found your short . Certainly repair and insulate wiring before test . Also unplug lamp and switch off headlamp to further try and isolate it if rectifier is ok.
Regards,
CPKID