The BSA A7-A10 Forum
Technical (Descriptive Topic Titles - Stay on Topic) => Lucas, Ignition, Charging, Electrical => Topic started by: bsa-bill on 12.05. 2014 18:34
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No output from my dynamo so took it off for a look, have had trouble with it previously with a stuck brush and it would seem the same has happened again.
Gave all the little terminals a good clean and checked the brushes, although they did seem to have continuity from the top of the brush to the armature the brushes themselves could not be moved, I had to tap the brush holder quite firmly while tugging on the brush wire, they came out but slowly and covered in a white powdery deposit.
I cleaned them up and relieved them a wee bit with a fine file (messy), put it all back together and it's working fine now.
My question though for our resident Lucas Gurus is this, would it have been ok to put something on the brushes like battery terminal paste or copper slip, I didn't as I thought the carbon of the brush should be slippy enough and don't want to encourage more chalky deposits on them. but maybe there is something on the market that might cure this
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A smal, carefully applied, amount of copperpaste (the brake pad mounting stuff) should'nt hurt. You do the experiment and tell us how it went ? *smile*
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You can rub them down smaller, on sandpaper or a file.
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You can rub them down smaller, on sandpaper or a file.
Thatès what I did TT
You do the experiment and tell us how it went ?
Ah too late it's together again, but if the brushes stick again I'll try it
Unregulated voltage was way over 12 at times 18 even, 21 was seen but fleetingly probably an unsteady hand on the voltmeter probe ;)
Tomorrow I'll try the meter between battery and negative lead to see how my Vreg is working and think about a voltage indicator of some kind (maybe a LED that goes off at 11v or similar).
Thoughts regarding electronic ignition
1. quite amazed how well the bike started considering the low voltage (7.3)
2. although obviously not going properly it did go at this voltage
3. had I not had electronic ignition I could have been caught out if a ride went into evening with a flat battery
4. OTOH I nearly got caught out and away from home - still more than happy with it though *smiley4*
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Thoughts regarding electronic ignition
1. quite amazed how well the bike started considering the low voltage (7.3)
2. although obviously not going properly it did go at this voltage
3. had I not had electronic ignition I could have been caught out if a ride went into evening with a flat battery
4. OTOH I nearly got caught out and away from home - still more than happy with it though *smiley4*
Worries, worries, worries Bill. Makes me think sometimes selling the bikes and spend the rest of life in happiness... Naaah, just joking!
Although I must confess since going 12V & electronic I find myself riding with half an eye on the ammeter to see if the needle's well on the + side of the scale *smile* ;)
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I find myself riding with half an eye on the ammeter
I have an ammeter that is a few degrees on the positive side even at rest so always wondered about it even though it went minus if the lights were switched on (bike not running).
After refitting the dynamo it showed a good charge going in and even balanced when the light switched on (although allow for the off centre at rest), I might replace it sometime, for now I'm looking at a low battery voltage indicator of some kind, maybe a row of those voltage dependant LED that would come in when I sitch the ignition on.
You could buy a lot of that chocolate your countrymen make for the price of bike *smile*
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Bill, at risk of telling what you may already know, and maybe not all, but the ammeters I've seen have a 'set-screw' on the back....??
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a 'set-screw' on the back....??[/quote
I just presumed that a screw on the back was for damping the needle, and as it doesn't jump haven't bothered. I'll have a look and if it has give it a turn and see what it does - thanks
PS the correct term when referring to my knowledge is not "what you may already know" but more like "what you may have known at some time in the past" *conf*
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Bill, Paul Goff sells a battery status monitor that sounds like the kind of thing you mention....
http://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/goffyelectrex.htm
I keep on meaning to try one myself but haven't got round to it yet...
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Bill , that rings a bell!!just can't remember why , Bob ha ha
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Bill, Paul Goff sells a battery status monitor that sounds like the kind of thing you mention....
http://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/goffyelectrex.htm
I keep on meaning to try one myself but haven't got round to it yet...
Something similar on ebay for half the price, anyone tried one? Can be used on 6 or 12 volts systems.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6v-12v-24v-LED-Battery-level-voltage-monitor-meter-J-/200627678428
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With the brushes set to the right size and the holders clean, I would not use a lubricant, it is more likely to jam when it collects the dust. Carbon is a good dry lubricant itself.
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You could buy a lot of that chocolate your countrymen make for the price of bike *smile*
They say that eating chocolate makes you happy so I got a couple of bars tucked away in the shed for when things go wrong (again)
And if it goes really wrong, I got a bottle of that fine gin your countrymen make ;)
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Something similar on ebay for half the price, anyone tried one? Can be used on 6 or 12 volts systems.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6v-12v-24v-LED-Battery-level-voltage-monitor-meter-J-/200627678428
and things like this
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quality-multi-function-Temperature-Thermometer-Detector/dp/B00E37SUE4/ref=sr_1_6?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1400013206&sr=1-6&keywords=voltage+meter (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quality-multi-function-Temperature-Thermometer-Detector/dp/B00E37SUE4/ref=sr_1_6?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1400013206&sr=1-6&keywords=voltage+meter)
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With the brushes set to the right size and the holders clean, I would not use a lubricant, it is more likely to jam when it collects the dust. Carbon is a good dry lubricant itself.
Yes. Grease sticks brushes.
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Yes. Grease sticks brushes
Yep TT I think I kind of had come to that conclusion but wondered if things had moved on, as a young apprentice electrician many moons ago a regular job on washing machines was freeing stuck brushes so I knew a fine file would help.
update - my ammeter has no adjusting screw of any description, it moves up with revs and down when the lights are put on so guess it's fine, just not lying on dead centre annoys me - illogical I know
Dynamo still pumping out lots of volts so happy with that, not so happy with the V reg regulator, checked it's input to the battery goes over 15 volts and not even half throttle, didn't think it wise to see what it would do with more revs.
Battery down a bit this morning 11.95 from 12.3 yesterday, tested wiring for leaks to earth nothing found at all, these Cyclone batteries are not supposed to dorp like that, could be they've been overcharged at some point if that's how the Vreg has been working - DVR2 to be ordered
One other issue has came to light, when I wired the bike I read somewhere it was not a good idea to solder wires into crimped spade connectors as it made the wire stiff and lead to breakages, seemed to make sense at the time but have to say you have to take care when subsequently breaking joints as it's not as difficult as you might think to pull the wire out of the spade. right or wrong I'll be soldering the next ones