How to test/check bridge rectifiers - PinballHelp.com

Here's a short video on how to test/check bridge rectifiers using your multi-meter.
For more, visit: pinballhelp.com/
and
pinballhelp.com/how-to-test-br...

[@jef4130]

A great way to slow down repair work on any give project.... make a video about it. Thanks for taking the time and effort needed to put these videos out there.

[@shabazz18]

As helpful as videos can be, I miss the text version.

[@indranilmondal8234]

The diagram you have drawn is incorrect. All the diodes should be forward bias towards positive output terminal

[@QuentinNeill]

Yeah he should put a note on the video indicating such.

[@Shiozake]

🤓🤓

[@user-pz6cx8zf2y]

Corectly!

[@carlosfields9937]

Great explanation now I know exactly what to do. Thanks for taking the time to share.

[@danijelcar5184]

Great and quick info!👍 Greetings from Croatia!

[@shader26]

I’m not sure why you can test in circuit…I mean usually here are filter caps off the rectifiers, and I thought these might mess up readings, but I’ll try it and see. I have a suspect bad rectifier, and this came in handy even though the drawing he did was wrong. Each pair of diodes across from each other should point in the same direction. But this was very useful for me! Thanks!

[@D4rkS4v4nt]

Thanks - Nice and clear instructions, now I can go and find out if I have a bad bridge rectifier on my reel to reel machine :)

[@Evergreen085]

Trying to diagnose a flipper failure on a Tales From The Crypt pinball machine! Thank you so much for the help.

[@fern629]

Good information, clear explanation nice work!

[@davidrendon9838]

Nice video! I learned something!

[@BlueSwallowAircraft]

Thank you for this great, well made video!

[@PinballHelp]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@YNGBLD80]

Great info mate, look forward to more content, new sub here!

[@guillermorayabatanero6623]

Great tutorial! I have a controlled lamps issue, so I've checked and replaced the blown fuses, but it is still not working. I've read that it could be an related issue with the bridge rectifier. Where can I find the affected bridge rectifier in the PCB? I have the Data East "Tales From the Crypt"

[@sundarsundar1147]

I have one PCBA with Continous fuse blow of issue whenever I tried to power on. Hence I checked all the components in the PCBA and when in come to bridge rectifier I've checked in this aspects as per your comments. It's shows good. Hence I kept the PCBA aside. After few weeks I surfed on Google and some said to check the bridge rectifier in resistance mode. I could see low ohms in AC to AC pins. That's the reason the fuse is always blow when ever I tried to power. Request you to check the diode in resistance mode also.

[@MrRichstu]

Good video, schematic is wrong though.

[@thebrotherhoodofpinball889]

Awesome job!

[@shune2734]

thank you . i learned well

[@georgeallen556]

thank you i realy needed that info

[@locosssss100]

Good job thanks for explaining 😊

[@PinballHelp]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dubdoodle7191]

Can a reading still be had if a bridge rec is bad ? How do you test spec or performance ?

[@Roadsurfer2k11]

On one of my bridges (BR2 on kings of steel) I'm getting .936 / .939 for positive but .450s negative. BR1 is good 450s all around. So is my BR2 bad and that could've cause my F3 fuse blow? I originally thought I had bad mpu board but tracing it down

[@arcadeattic]

Great vid

[@troyhill4270]

Thank you!

[@wernerfries174]

Well done.

[@1976aztec]

I have a Bally Night Rider EM IT WILL not start a game it worked fine until now. The coin door lamps will blow out don't know why I have no continuity to the coin door at all now. In need of help!!

[@sambish1981]

Life saver! Thank you

[@PinballHelp]

Glad it helped!

[@saren6538]

@@PinballHelpyour drawing is incorrect could you update the video please

[@iownslaves]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

[@billwilliams6338]

PINBALLHELP Upgrading the System 3 Driver boards to "Increase the voltage on the switches" Remove the resistors to the voltage that applies to the switches and install JUMPERS. This Upgrade is for the PIA chips to detect the switches being closed easier This upgrade is for can cause "false switch closures issues" ---> 1.) Why would increasing the voltage to the switches make the PIA chip detect the switches being closed easier? and why would this cause False switch closure issues? Upgrading the System 3 Driver Board, there is multiple 27 ohm resistors that are 2watts that are burnt because they are for the Feature Lights. The 27 ohm resistor can be removed and upgrade using different FET's ---> 2.) Which FETS are used to upgrade to not use the 27 ohm resistors for the feature lights?

[@MegaPatrickCampbell]

I have a bridge rectifier in my generator electrical panel. It’s a 9000w starting watt gen. The rectifier I have is a 4 prong. When I test from (+) to the black wire, I’m getting 0.856. The other two wires are grey, one reading was 0.466 and the other was 0.469. Does this seem fine?

[@PinballHelp]

I am not sure about your application. You should talk to the mfg of the panel you're using.

[@user-pz6cx8zf2y]

Measuring from + terminal to - one, you are measuring the total of the diodes, being connected in series internally. This (forward) indication seems to be normal. Nevertheless you must see no indication by reversing the polarity of the test leads of your multimeter. Any indication there, would mean leakage current. The two gray cables are connected to the AC side of the bridge. You have better measure all the four diodes independently using these terminals, for a complete test. The measurement you performed didn't give you the information of an open diode therein. It only gave you the information that you have no shorted diode within the bridge, this being a good information but nevertheless an incomplete one...

[@Junkawayllc]

What If one side test higher one 480 one 503? Would that indicate worn?

[@PinballHelp]

I think there's a certain allowable tolerance level that's ok.

[@arymonem]

My centaur pinball has a 5 to 10 second delay to start after I turn the switch on. Do you know if bridge rectifiers have anything to do with this delay?

[@PinballHelp]

It normally takes a few seconds for these games to boot up. If you look in the head you will see the game goes through a self test where an LED blinks 7+ times to show all the major areas are ok before the game starts.

[@arymonem]

@@PinballHelp thank for reply. I always wondered if there was an issue somewhere with my centaur or not, because my other games like whirlwind or mousin around start right away. I changed all the Caps and tested my bridge rectifier, which tested good and was thinking about maybe +5 volt issue , but your response makes sense.

[@808zhu]

Thanks. How commonly do they fail?

[@PinballHelp]

Not really that often. Heat is the real killer if they're in high-heat environments.

[@doubledigitdreams]

Can a bad bridge rectifier damage other components in the circuit?

[@user-pz6cx8zf2y]

Yes, of course!

[@davidrendon9838]

l. Gorgar. I flip on power. Says “Gorgar!” No credits added, flippers flip. The Ball doesn’t pop Out. Manually Get the ball and plunge it. It Scores on the display pointS with no sound and no solenoids fire. I can add 4 players. All displays bright. 40 pin connector looks beautiful. No batteries damage. Remote battery pack with new batteries. HUO Gorgar, I’m the 2nd owner. F2 fuse not blown. All fuses are correct....any ideas? Thanks....maybe the Solenoid Bridge Rectifier?

[@shabazz18]

Rebuild 40 pin connector

[@dr.davespinballrestoration3764]

If any of your PIA are AMI brand, toss them and install Motorola brand or similiar. AMI brand is junk as PIAs go.

[@kevinnjuliann]

THANK YOU!

[@PinballHelp]

You're welcome!

[@thomasm8699]

Is the circuit diagram correct?? I thought all of the diodes should point in the same direction. That's how it is drawn on another site that I looked at. All should point toward the + terminal. Thoughts???

[@roseelectronics4582]

You're thinking the right thing. That diagram is not correct. Like you said, all the diodes should be in the same direction. This is how you take it; 1) your positve is where two cathodes meet 2) yout negetive is where two anodes meet 3) the AC lines are connected to the points where the anodes and the cathodes meet 4) there are four points in total. a) the point where two cathodes meet b) the point where two anodes meet c) the point where an anode and a cathode meet - of this kind, there are two points on the circuit. I don't mean to offend him. I like his clean table and his video quality. His explanation on how to test them with the multimeter is not bad.

[@johnrooney1749]

Thanks

[@RingZero]

Wrong diagram

[@buddha65281]

it would be beneficial if you would test 4 diodes on a board... not a premanufactured bridge rectifier.. not a terrible video but not completely thorough.. thx