I dunno where else to ask so I figured I'd rake you guys's brains. I've got a honda mb5 that keeps popping light bulbs. I thought the wiring was just shorted but I took out the bulbs and noticed that instead the head light and tail light both popped at the same time. Any idea as to what can cause this or any ways to prevent it? I'm thinking that the rectifier has gone bad but I'm only guessing and I'm pretty much a novice to electrical systems and I honestly don't exactly know what a rectifier even does. I've just been looking at the wiring diagram and I've narrowed it down to that. I don't know how to test any of that or even find a new one. Thanks for any help.

 

did this just start happening, or has it been happening for a while? do they pop as soon as you turn the key? or do they pop after they have been on for a while?

have you checked the fuses? is the one in the slot that handles this circuit at the right spec? if its too big, then the bulbs will pop instead of the fuse... need a little more info

 

Oh sorry, it's a kickstart and I'm running it w/out the battery. The bulbs all popped after the bike was idled for about five minutes. I haven't owned the bike for too long and I just decided to hook lights up to it (it didn't previously have any lights on it).

 

It sure sounds like the rectifier. the rectifier takes the stators output of AC and converts it to a usable DC voltage. It also regulates the amount of volts to your electrical system. If the bulbs are popping, then they are getting too many volts. Start the bike, measure the volts at battery leads. it should not exceed 14.5 volts. if it is, the regulator is bad.

But, a bike designed to run with a battery should have a battery. I"m not sure on that model, but most bikes that have batteries require them to run. I doubt that has anything to do with your bulb situation, but it should have a battery... Unless your battery cables are touching together or your hot is contacting the chassis.... if this happens, it will blow all the bulbs..