I have a dream...

[Bloodweiser]

Looks like only a rectifier.



You know what's a kick in the pants?
I've got a replacement rectifier, just not on the bike yet.
It's a readily available part from radio shack, paid like $3 for it.

I didn't already think the original was kaput,
and I thought I could just go for a ride around the block;
two bad thinkings, ruined my new battery.

Is it suicide to try and run that battery again?
It's reading 11.5v, but looks a bit lumpy.




I'm kicking myself for not running a voltmeter on it when it was running.
Could anything else have gotten damaged from the battery overcharging?

[ivantheterrible]

I'm very ignorant as it relates to electronics, but I wouldn't run that battery.

Many people have done the radio shack conversion, and you can't beat $3. I'm old and my memory is fuzzy, but i don't think it's a simple bolt on affair. Needs a heat sink, something or another?? Anyway, the one I found was only $12 and did bolt on. not that any of that matters, I'm just blabbnin'.

[Bloodweiser]

I appreciate any thoughts you have ivan.

I've done the RD rectifier on another bike before,
a cb350 and I didn't know about the heatsink then
- but it never was a problem.

I did buy a $1.50 heatsink at RD to go along with the rectifier.
It seems fairly straight forward,
although like you, I really don't know much about wires
'cept to see if both ends are connected.

Still contemplating rewiring the whole beast.
Everything is a mess, or at least unorganized
- I can't tell what's going on.
Maybe at the end of it, I might know a little more about wires.

[ivantheterrible]

i had the same thought when I had my dream. Seems like if you were going to take on re-wiring a bike the dream would be a good choice. I remember seeing a source for the proper connectors and crimper. Probably wouldn't be too hard to find with a little searchin'.

When you got your dream a few months back, i guess it was about last summer going into fall, i put an ad up on CL for a honda dream because I missed mine. a couple of months after the ad was up the guy who bought mine emailed offering to sell it back to me. I'd just bought a 1980 Bajaj Chetak so i couldn't at the time, but he said he'd wait. Hopefully he still wants to sell it to me and I'll be able to pick it up soon.

[Bloodweiser]

ah shucks, there doesn't seem to be any special connectors that can't be had locally I don't think.
Maybe I should do a little investigating before I tear it apart,
you know, see what I need before I start.

Haven't gotten back to her since the other day,
fucking back to reality.

[Precis]

FWIW and not connecetd to your charging system, but in your very early pictures, the ignition coil you have looks very much like the ones that were standard on small-block Moto Guzzi twins.
Whether they're italian or Japanese I have no idea.
Just $0.02...

[mattomoto]

I know this is old, but did you ever get your bike re-wired/fixed? I had a similar problem with mine, but it was a wire that shorted and caused a smoldering mess that wreaked my rectifier and some wiring. Gotta pull the rats nest and fix it up.

Love these little bikes.

[Bloodweiser]

Jesus, this happened in May?

never fully resolved.
Spent the rest of the summer riding and now working too hard.

I had thought it may be the rotor, as I had read that a shit rectifier can spill extra juice over in that direction and demagnetize the sucker. So I pulled my cover off and see how well I could stick a 18mm spanner on there.
I had bought parts off a guy a year ago, rang him up and asked if I could come stick a spanner on his rotor Had the same pull as mine.

So I'm back to figuring I should just rewire the sumbitch.
Just no time now anyhow.

She got out a handfull of times since, even starting learning the Mrs. on it.
I just throw the battery on the tender before I want to take her out,
good for a few hours anyhow.

I did gain a couple extra volts by cleaning contacts. Check the handlebar switches.

[Rathlindri]

Hey Bloodwweiser, what's happenin' ??

[Bloodweiser]

Like, with life?