Expiring leccy parts

z1100r · Post by **z1100r** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:14 pm

Its been along time since I have been chased by the coppers. However, The Prince of Darkness struck again and again and again on me before I finally gave up and replaced the whole freaking shooting match. Fed up with no lights at night - except blue ones chasing me!!

I tested the dynamo, I tested the regulator, both OK, ammeter charging, off for a ride i go, on the way home I'm plunged into darkness. Did this a couple of times and both times next day all was Ok again. I still dont know what it was...I suspect the dynamo...it was the 40,000 original from 1952 (mind you so was teh regulator). It seemed to be heat related maybe a field coil breaking down.

So I bought a new kit of guts for the dynamo (approx £100), and I also got one of them solid state DVR2 (approx £50) thingies. Bloody brilliant..!!! All sorted.

I hacksawed through the fibre board and rivets on the old reg and bolted the DVR to the old mounting plate. All the connections and wiring fitted inside the old reg aswell - so reallly neat.

The Satisfying thing afterwards was ....it looked like I'd done absolutely sod all, but I knew there was brand new stuff hidden in there. HEh HEh

1608 · Post by **1608** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:23 pm

I had/have the same problem, seems the dynamo starts to pack up when hot ( new solid state reg etc so don't suspect that ). I wonder if its a common problem with AMC because the dynamo is so closely attached the the engine which, being a twin does get hot.Never had a problem on previous BSA's which were mag/dynamo fitting! I'm wondering if the dynamo is up to coping with the Halogen 6v h/light.
However, you don't know which was at fault the dynamo or the regulator, but glad to hear its all sorted.Edited by - 1608 on 22 Aug 2012 2:24:59 PM

z1100r · Post by **z1100r** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 3:39 pm

Thanks....yeh..never thought of that it does clamp direct to back of crankcase out of any airflow, cant do it much good I guess...Still it was dammed old, and probably the dodgy old shellac could take it no more.

Interestingly though it was fine right up until I got bike running great. The carb was sorted (much leaner) and I made a new silencer altering the terribly restrictive Armours crappy thing. Added about 20mph to bikes comfortable cruise speed...amazing...of course it ran hotter as a result...??

paul knapp · Post by **paul knapp** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:51 pm

quote: Added about 20mph to bikes comfortable cruise speed

...you'll be able to give the 'plods' a run for their money now!.

TommoT · Post by **TommoT** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:06 pm

...I'm off to the garage to de-gut that Armours can on my G80. Can't wait to show them my license plate...

Rob Harknett · Post by **Rob Harknett** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 8:30 pm

eemmm how do you know if the solid state regulators are OK?? Mine was fine for years also cyclon battery's always charged. Then a dynamo went, cleaned up another and that only lasted a couple of days, got a rebuilt dynamo, My cyclon battery's went flat, charged them up, they went flat again, new rebuilt dynamo never used and never worked. After a 4 year lay up got a new battery, rebuilt dynamo still waiting to be fitted. Hours later, new battery flat, recharged battery,on checking the re built dynamo, that had never worked's wirning, SPARKS, wow battery was draining to the dynamo. So I paid the price of 2 rebuilt dynamo's much checking and renewing of wiring, without getting a dynamo to show a charge. All that time it was the solid stae regulator that had gone. Now in the old days if a dynamo stoped working, I could see if the old CVC unit was working and checked it. So how do I check a solid state regulator, except spend x£ trying a new one to try. My battery should not drain to the dynamo, and I only see this solid state regulator as the cause, allowing current to pass through it to the dynamo when stationary.Edited by - Rob Harknett on 22 Aug 2012 7:33:38 PM

en7jos · Post by **en7jos** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 3:20 am

quote:
eemmm how do you know if the solid state regulators are OK??

Like this!

I guess that that's the downside with these solid state electronic reg's, there's nothing really to see in operation. But then is it always really that helpful with an old mechanical reg either? My old MCR2 seemed to be working just fine - the contacts opened and closed as expected as revs went up and down. So why the intermittant charging? Then I found this:

..a melted solder joint which kind of explained things, although still not sure whether this was the cause or merely a symptom of a fault elsewhere. But anyway, I'd already ordered a DVR2. So I'm not convinced that the mechanical reg is so much better than a modern black box in this respect anyway (although I'm sure those with years of experience fiddling them will know otherwise!). But for my money a hidden DVR2 is the way to go!

Had a few rides out with my new charging meter now and it's quite interesting to see what the dynamo and reg are actually doing, being able to see both volts and amps and with more sensitivity/accuracy than the Lucas ammeter. Seems the DVR2 gives a slight (less than 1/4 Amp maybe) drain to the dynamo at low engine speeds, although still need to check the calibration. Nice big charge showing (both in terms of voltage and current) at reasonable revs (even running a short E3N dynamo at 12v) above speeds of above 25-30mph. LED lights don't even register but 35W halogen headlamp really sucks some juice.

Very reassuring to know what's going on to help avoid the 'Prince of Darkness'!

Regards, James

z1100r · Post by **z1100r** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 9:05 am

An improvement of 20mph was maybe a bit of an exageration.. but there sure was a big improvement from it having a secondhand 2-stroke jetted monobloc, and a stupidly restrictive exhaust. It was a very slow bike. Maybe it was just a coincedence that the old electricals started to play up as soon as engine ran faster and hotter.

Was out on the Matchbox last night again. Its so nice to see a small charge with the lights on.

Anyone heard of a electronic replacemet magneto. Last night a mate mentioned that he thought they were making a replacement modern electronics look alike mag nowadays aswell.

Done some searching this morning and found Thorspark...anyone use one.

I'm also a touch fed up with the magneto being a tad temperamental - when hot.
Now my charging system is OK, (I have changed to a sealed modern battery in old rubber case aswell)

I'll be much happier to change to an ignition system I can fix myself, rewinds and re-magnetizing are not in my scope.
Edited by - z1100r on 23 Aug 2012 10:57:53 AM

Rob Harknett · Post by **Rob Harknett** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:53 am

At best most of us only have a multi meter, and perhaps not understand how to use and read them. as we are not all electrians etc. If we all had all the skills need in mantaining our bikes, we would not be talking here. I recently had to fill a new battery, with acid. ( You now get a bottle with the battery as thats how they come now, I was told ) My old hydrometre was found but after many years builb was rotten.
My muliti meter gave a reading it never ment much to me as the leaflet with the acid seem to apply to a 12 v battery saying I should see 12.7 or something if fully charged. I saw about 6.5v reading, so was fitted the battery and checked how bright the lights were. Its would be nice to have a workshops full of machines and test gear, but I'm a wood machinst. not an electrian or engineer, who would probably not even be able to start up some of the huge wood working machines I have worked on, each to there own.

paul knapp · Post by **paul knapp** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 12:00 pm

OK z1100r,
have a look at this mobs catalogue, page 40, just what you are possibly looking for, though pretty pricy!

http://www.srmclassicbikes.com/

Cheers
Paul