rectifier problems

Posts: 2 · Joined: 17 Aug 2005 Posts: 2 Pictures: 0

I have a Crossfire 150. The rectifier gets real hot and smells. Also the lights are real dim. My question. Do I have to get a new one straight from Tomberline, the manufactuer or is it a common item I can pick up locally? Thanks.

Posts: 1737

dont run your lights all the time if you are ? turn them off

Posts: 1893

The Crossfire only uses the rectifier for battery charging unless someone modified the harness. If it is over heating, you have a short, bad battery or bad rectifier. The rectifiers are common among most GY6 scooters, ATVs and buggies so it should be easy to find.

Download the GY6 service at SpiderboxPerformance.com and go through the electrical troubleshooting section to help isolate your problem.

Posts: 296

The crossfires and Dune's lights run all the time, unless you modify them.

Greg

Posts: 1737

ok then i am wrong disregard my post sorry thought it may be like my buggy with a switch but what do i know lol

btw welcome to buggy news posting as i see you have been here for a while

Posts: 1893

[quote="GMANLV"]The crossfires and Dune's lights run all the time, unless you modify them./quote]
That's because the lights run directly off the stator on AC voltage. Any time the engine is running, it is producing AC and powering the lights.

Posts: 2 · Joined: 17 Aug 2005 Posts: 2 Pictures: 0

Is the rectifier needed all the time? I mean is there a way to bypass it or will the battery run down after awhile? I need this kart for this weekend so I am in a pinch to get the problem solved and I don't have time to order one. Is there a generic rectifier that would work or is there a field modification?

Thanks for your replies. Very helpful.

Posts: 301

Your battery will run down and leave you stranded, probably out in the middle of the desert in the middle of the night in the middle of a sandstorm, watching your friends disappear over the horizon, futilely yelling at them to come back with your angry wife in the passenger seat and no sense of what direction to walk to get back to camp.....oh, wait.....flashback there. Seriously, tho, take it from someone who that exact thing happened to.....don't bypass it and don't drive your buggy with one that is bad.

On the bright side....if you DO take ever have on fail and leave you stranded, don't panic. Just hang out for an hour or so and then try to restart your buggy. Assuming your battery is still good, it will recharge itself enough over an hour of sitting to restart and hopefully get you home.

Posts: 1893

On your buggy, the battery only has one function: Start the engine. Once the engine is running, you could remove the battery and it would be fine until your engine died.

I installed a kick starter so I would not have to rely on the battery since there is no way to push start a centrifugal clutch engine. Prior to that, I always carried jumper cables.

The rectifier's function is to solely charge the battery. As long as you have strong battery and don't shut down your engine often, you "might" be OK - Or you'll end up like Firebird81.

Posts: 3572

Very true. Even the CDI ignition runs directly off stator power. Once running you don't need the battery or the rectifier/regulator.