TOPIC:

1976 kz900. Should the rectifier be too hot to leave your finger on more than a second or so?

I had a fuse blowing problem last week, when gunning hard up to about 6,500 to pass a line of cars. Happened 3 times. Found what I thought might be a short and corrected it but noticed in passing that the rectifier was real hot.

Haven't tried the gunning test again yet. just thought I'd ask the recifier question first. Thanks.

Yes, Barney it gets pretty hot because any power that the battery or accessories isn't using from it is directed to ground which can cause quite a lot of heat build up. It doesn't hurt to take it off once in a while and clean the contact areas on the frame where it mounts to give it better heat transfer to the fram.
Ride safe,
Les

Thanks Milkman.

I've actually just recently rebuilt/soldered all the joints and totally cleaned the whole four plug/rectifier/solenoid set-up so that whole mess of wires is now VERY clean & totally tidied-up.

At the same time, I fitted a "new" (cleaner than my old one) rectifier. Just never thought about or noticed the old one getting that hot.