Hot Battery & Hot Rectifier

masbroboy · Post by **masbroboy** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 6:35 pm

Hello I have had my 1965 AJS 14 CSR for about 6 months now and have problems with the running of it (misfiring).In the past I have changed the plug, coil, points & condensor. As I have took the battery off as it was getting hot, I started the bike on emergency setting and it ran better than with the battery .(currently on charge)
I understand that the battery could be the problem but is there something else as the battery was very hot.

Thanks
John

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 7:05 pm

Batteries do get warm when being charged but should not get very hot is it being overcharged ie lot of gassing off,does it hold a charge perhaps a cell has gone down.

wilko · Post by **wilko** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 11:44 pm

Perhaps the switching circuit is wired incorrectly causing full charge all the time. Are you still using the six volt system?

Janet · Post by **Janet** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 8:11 am

The misfiring when you got your bike could have been down to several things but, since you've changed most possible causes and it's now running fine on emergency, I'd think you've sorted anything wrong there with your plug, coil etc working properly. Therefore your problem seems to be with things to do with the battery. I agree with Wilko. Over-charging will get it hot and boil out the electrolyte. Did you notice what the ammeter was reading when you were running it?

In your thread title you also mention your reciifier getting hot. They normally get warm when working but not excessively. This may be another place to look for your fault. A better man than I am will be able to advise but I know that the orange wire from the alternator, that comes into circuit when on emergency ignition doesn't go through the rectifier. As you probably know, the alternator stator has six coils wired in two sets of three. On normal ignition there should be one set in circuit and when on emergency, the second set kicks in to give a big boost. The orange wire from the alternator goes directly to the switch while the light green goes through the rectifier. What I don't know is, on emergency, whether both carry current for a set or whether the orange wire then carries the current for all six. If the former, swapping them over shouldn't make a difference there but if the latter, you'll have full current going through the rectifier, which may be bad for it.

At this point, Janet looks around pleading for someone to turn up who knows what they're talking about.

masbroboy · Post by **masbroboy** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 12:55 pm

Thanks for the replies , the system is the 6volt, I have taken the battery off charge and did not get hot while charging, Only getting hot while on bike.the battery is holding 6.5 volts and dropping about .2 volts with ignition on (on multimeter)

wilko · Post by **wilko** » Sun Jul 17, 2011 10:56 pm

Too hard box for me! Unless the wiring was in front of me.You will have to get a wiring circuit and start from the alternator wires to the rectifier then to the switch then ammeter back to battery step by step and draw it on a piece of paper as you go so your head doesn't go into a spin!