Why would rectifier be smoking

[Jmpicking]

Rectifier is smoking bad, turned off the engine , and now can’t get it started cause the batteries died. The thing is the batteries were 12 volts a few hours before. I watched it go from 12 down to 9 in a matter of 15 minutes . Why is that! What’s next!!!!??? Any suggestions

 

[Neutron]

If the voltages went down while the engine was running then the regulator took a dump. Hopefully the stator is still good.
A smoking regulator is a good indication that it quit in my opinion.
The reason the voltages drop while running is that it takes a lot of juice to keep a fuel injection engine running

 

[Liveto99]

Smoking could be from a direct short. That does drain batterys fast and cause smoke and heat.
and that does mean it is shot. But if it was left on it would have burned the boat up by now.

 

[Jmpicking]

Well I turned the batteries off and the boat off , it stopped smoking and I left.. prayers for it not being on fire tonight!

 

[Beachbummer]

With battery switch off you should be safe from a short. Hopefully its just the rectifier.

 

[swatski]

That thing is water cooled, is it not? Could it be an issue causing overheating?
I think this is maybe the first report of the rectifier smoking.

--

 

[ripler]

@Jmpicking

If your batteries are bad and won't charge the rectifier/regulator will get real hot while trying to charge a bad battery, I've experienced this. The hot rectifier/regulator may have melted your connector.

See if your connector looks like mine in this thread.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/i-thought-my-voltage-regulator-failed.21995/

Here's how to trouble shoot, you will need a multimeter.
- Remove plug from rectifier and inspect
- Ohm out the connections in the connector to ground, the only one that should read to ground will be the black ground wire
- The red and black wires on your connector are the rectifier/regulator output and on the opposite side are the 3 wires coming from your stators
- Check the resistance between each of the pins from the stator 1-2, 2-3, and 1-3, the resistance should be the same between each one of them and the resistance should be low, around 1 ohm or below, if it's higher your rectifier/regulator is bad
- If all of that checks out you can check your stator output, put your multimeter on AC voltage and start the motor, measure the voltage between the pins just like in the previous set 1-2, 2-3, and 1-3 the readings between each of them should be close, I think mine was at 20 volts.
- If all of the above checks out, you are lucky because changing a stator will require engine removal
- Now you can check the regulator/rectifier, install a new battery, with rectifier/regulator plugged back in start the motor and rev to about 3500 RPMs and take a voltage reading at your batteries, you should see about 13 volts and it should not be higher than 14.5 volts, if it's not in that range then your rectifier/regulator is bad.
- If you think you have a bad rectifier/regulator you can swap the other motor's rectifier/regulator and do the above check at the battery, if it's not working you either have a bad rectifier/regulator or bad wiring on that motor
- To check the rectifier/regulator you can put it on the other motor and check the voltage at the battery with the motor at 3500RPM, if you are getting about 13 volts but no higher than 14.5 at the battery, then your rectifier/regulator is good and you have something wrong with your connector or wiring.

If you have a bad connector you can order from the link in my above thread, I can confirm that it worked on my 2010 SX210 with he MR1 motors.
If you do have a bad connector send me a message and I can give you a few tips on installing the connector.

 

[swatski]

@Jmpicking

If your batteries are bad and won't charge the rectifier/regulator will get real hot while trying to charge a bad battery, I've experienced this. The hot rectifier/regulator may have melted your connector.

See if your connector looks like mine in this thread.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/i-thought-my-voltage-regulator-failed.21995/

Here's how to trouble shoot, you will need a multimeter.
- Remove plug from rectifier and inspect
- Ohm out the connections in the connector to ground, the only one that should read to ground will be the black ground wire
- The red and black wires on your connector are the rectifier/regulator output and on the opposite side are the 3 wires coming from your stators
- Check the resistance between each of the pins from the stator 1-2, 2-3, and 1-3, the resistance should be the same between each one of them and the resistance should be low, around 1 ohm or below, if it's higher your rectifier/regulator is bad
- If all of that checks out you can check your stator output, put your multimeter on AC voltage and start the motor, measure the voltage between the pins just like in the previous set 1-2, 2-3, and 1-3 the readings between each of them should be close, I think mine was at 20 volts.
- If all of the above checks out, you are lucky because changing a stator will require engine removal
- Now you can check the regulator/rectifier, install a new battery, with rectifier/regulator plugged back in start the motor and rev to about 3500 RPMs and take a voltage reading at your batteries, you should see about 13 volts and it should not be higher than 14.5 volts, if it's not in that range then your rectifier/regulator is bad.
- If you think you have a bad rectifier/regulator you can swap the other motor's rectifier/regulator and do the above check at the battery, if it's not working you either have a bad rectifier/regulator or bad wiring on that motor
- To check the rectifier/regulator you can put it on the other motor and check the voltage at the battery with the motor at 3500RPM, if you are getting about 13 volts but no higher than 14.5 at the battery, then your rectifier/regulator is good and you have something wrong with your connector or wiring.

If you have a bad connector you can order from the link in my above thread, I can confirm that it worked on my 2010 SX210 with he MR1 motors.
If you do have a bad connector send me a message and I can give you a few tips on installing the connector.

Great advice!!
FAQ material?

—

 

[2kwik4u]

Great advice!!
FAQ material?

—

That should definitely go in the FAQ......

Where's @Julian or @Bruce don't they control the FAQ? If not who does?

 

[Beachbummer]

Well you just summoned them, so I'm sure they'll be around soon.

 

[Jmpicking]

Update so everyone knows, took off the rectifier and saw there was rust on the back which means water had gotten in there and the rust had definitely been there a while.
Also, was told my loose bolt on the battery at the terminal could have caused the short at the rectifier causing it to smoke... make sure terminal connections are tight!

 

[Liveto99]

A short! ?
When I was young 5 or 8? My dad showed me a short, he cut a coat hanger. They were metal then, held it with a pair of pliers and went across the terminals of a car battery in the garage. It instantly turned red hot and glowed. That was cool!
Next time he was not home I grabbed that wire and put it across the terminals to see it again. It turned red hot and glowed, I tried to let go but it melted into my thumb and I remember it 40 years later. Times were different then so I had a trench in my thumb that lasted months and I got beat for F.ing around in the garage when he was not around. Good thing he did not catch me putting .22s in the vice and hitting them with the hammer.

 

[Liveto99]

Yesterday I had a “short”. Yes I moved it away from the propane tank as soon as I unplugged it.