Honda GX390 13HP Charging Problems

[Rob R 966]

So I have a Honda gx390 OHV engine in one of my Sears Suburban's which runs great and has cut my lawn for at least 5 years, it has electric and pull start. The engine was installed by the PO as was the wiring. Since I have owned it, it has never charged correctly. It has two wires coming from the engine one black and one brown... The black is currently connect back to the B+ through a small 1 inch plastic connector that has the symbol for a Diode on it I suspected that this is the juice back to the battery don't know if this is also some sort of rectifier (very small like one inch X one inch plastic) I took the voltage reading off this and it was a very low reading ….. like 2.5 volts DC.  The other brown wire to me was more like it this wire is just hanging not connected voltage measured 27-32 volt AC.... Both wires have the same push-on connector and I seriously considered switching the wires (connecting the hanging 27-32 volt AC to the Diode and see what happens but I didn't have the courage to do it). 

 

Questions :   Could I install a new circuit using a external rectifier to the 27 volt AC drop?  Note there is only ONE wire from the stator putting out the 27 volts DC all the Wheel Horse rectifiers I have seen have TWO wires and a B+ tab. Would you try connecting the hot AC volt line to the current Diode/Rectifier?  Could doing this take out the Diode, also If yes and this provides DC output how would I control the amount of charge to the battery.  Do they make ONE wire (AC input Rectifiers) ?

 

Lots of questions I really need to solve this problem so that the battery stays charged and I can use the starter.  Thanks in advance