Author Topic: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket  (Read 1720 times)

Offline mikeb

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i don't like the low power fuzzy pattern BPF reflector and bulbs in my super rocket. 3 questions:
1. is it possible to mangle a h4 bulb to fit and focus a BPF headlamp/reflector as is on my a10? ( i guess not)
2. it sounds like I can buy a 7inch H4 headlamp (eg like on paul goffs site) and stick it in the rim and shell (with the existing 'W' clips), install a suitable h4 bulb (even possibly an LED like the new dynamoregulators ones). is it that simple? (i guess it is)
3. is there any down side to this plan or gotchas (apart from $$, or ££ if that's your local) (i can't guess)


thanks
Mike
New Zealand
'61 Super Rocket  - '47 B33 -  '21 Triumph Speed Triple RS

Offline Klaus

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #1 on: 12.08. 2016 06:23 »
Hi Mike,

1. no
2. yes
3. no

I have fited all my Beesas with H 7  50/65 Watt feed by an Alton generator.

A realy bright light, that seems burning hedges *grins*

cheers Klaus


If you think, everything is under control, you are not fast enought.

BSA DB34 Goldstar, BSA A10 Road Rocked, BSA A7 Shooting Star, BSA M33, BSA M24, Kawa W650

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #2 on: 12.08. 2016 21:49 »
Hi Mike,
If you still run the Lucas dynamo, you will have to keep the bulb wattage down to something like 45/40w
I burned out a dynamo with a 60/55w bulb  *angry*

John
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)

Offline duTch

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #3 on: 12.08. 2016 22:32 »

 Mike, I had a play with the inserts to see if there was an easy way, but I bit the bullet and bought a H4  Hella reflector/lens, with 6V 35/35W insert from Anthony Pearson @Classic and Vintage Bulbs, works ok but never used a BPF to compare it with, although for some reason I did buy one but never used it. (I also bought a 60/55W, but haven't used it, and after what John said maybe won't)
 The Hella reflector unit is not cheap (~$120), from Ashdown-Ingram (they're the auto-electrical part of Repco). I used a cheaper Narva unit on the Gutzzi when the last Hella one got a stone hole, but I don't like the spread pattern of it.

 I'm sure Bosch and other reputable makers will also do it.
 Apparently motorcycle units are different to cars, must be to do with the spread.
Started building in about 1977/8 a on average '52 A10 -built from bits 'n pieces never resto intended -maybe 'personalised'
Have a '74 850T Moto Guzzi since '92-best thing I ever bought doesn't need a kickstart 'cos it bump starts sooooooooo(mostly) easy
Australia

Offline trevinoz

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #4 on: 13.08. 2016 00:27 »
Lucas did make one and it was fitted to probably mid 70s bikes.
My T65 had one on it when I got it but I didn't like the overly spread beam pattern so I changed for a BPF one.

Offline mikeb

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #5 on: 13.08. 2016 00:44 »
thanks for the replies.
John - I'm going LEDs as yes I'm using the E3L at 6v and want to keep the amps down. dynamoregulators (aka manor mike?) now have 6v and 12v h4 leds which show a good pattern, tho they have regulator boxes and are $$$++. (btw i have no interest in 12v on the a10 due to higher charge revs, and i have 6 to 12v steps-up for my new led INDICATORS!)
dutch and trev - good to hear reports on the lucas and navara. and i thought all h4s were supposed to have a better pattern than the BPF *eek*.  in NZ there are hella H4s or import a lucas (eg from paul goff - he sells left-hand-dip ones).
so sounds like navara is out and the next question is if having 'lucas' on the new reflector is more of a + or a - compared to hella
New Zealand
'61 Super Rocket  - '47 B33 -  '21 Triumph Speed Triple RS

Offline BSA_54A10

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #6 on: 13.08. 2016 09:01 »
I used to run VW kombi van headlamps in all my 6V bikes , A 10, A 7, B 40 ,C15 & C10L.
Bosch used to make a Halogen globe that replaced the old tungsten glob and it really made a massive difference.
A lot better light and a better beam spread.
Although a 6V kombi headlamps now days are probably going to cost the same as an A 10.
Bike Beesa
Trevor

Offline Dynamo Regulators Mike

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #7 on: 13.08. 2016 10:18 »
thanks for the replies.
John - I'm going LEDs as yes I'm using the E3L at 6v and want to keep the amps down. dynamoregulators (aka manor mike?) now have 6v and 12v h4 leds which show a good pattern, tho they have regulator boxes and are $$$++. (btw I have no interest in 12v on the a10 due to higher charge revs, and i have 6 to 12v steps-up for my new led INDICATORS!)

Just want to clear up a common confusion. I run Dynamo Regulators Ltd (DRL), and our website is www.dynamoregulators.com
We design and supply the DVR2, and do not deal with LED replacement bulbs. The LED suppliers are Classic Dynamo Regulator Conversions, who have the long web handle 'www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com', this has caused much confusion and wasted time over the past years. We supply CDRC with regulators, hence the mark-up.

Incidentally going to 12 V is a great way to keep the Amps down, and needing a converter for 6 to 12 V to power energy saving indicators is a little inelegant, in my opinion. Better to fit one of our belt drives, the one with the 15 mm wide belt, and 20% up gearing and move up to 12V? There are many on this forum who agree (about 50:50 split at last count)

My A10 uses a reasonably modern, easily available Wipac unit which takes a 45/40W halogen and gives a good light.

cheers
Mike Hutchings, known here as manormike as Manor was the company name where I started the regulator business.
Mike Hutchings
A10, T800
Director, DRL www.dynamoregulators.com

Offline mikeb

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #8 on: 13.08. 2016 10:36 »
sorry for the mix-up Mike - I'm now slightly less confused, for a while at least. I've fitted a DVR2 to both my BSA's and thoroughly recommend. side note: those names are confusing.

i agree its not elegant to have voltage step-up units, tho neither is a flat battery when running around the city at lower revs if 6V E3L and 12v battery. your site says the charge speed (in 4th) is still 38mph at 12v even with your belt kit, tho that debate is for another thread....
New Zealand
'61 Super Rocket  - '47 B33 -  '21 Triumph Speed Triple RS

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #9 on: 13.08. 2016 13:39 »
Just to say, re charge speed etc, I've been running mine at 12v with a DVR2 for years and an LED from CDRC for the past nine months, and I have the lights on all the time now.
Even with an extra tooth on the g'box, the battery stays up and the ammeter shows the (low) current requirement is balanced from a shade over 30mph in top (which is an impracticable top gear speed anyway on my gearing).
With a 45W halogen (SRM belt the past 7 years, until it breaks and I get one of Mike's) it needed 45mph to to balance in top with the larger sprocket; with 35W about 38mph as per what Mike says. (That's with a mag, so no ignition demands.)
I also run Oxford 'Hot Hands' in winter, which take another 34W I think - that does require a few revs to keep things balanced; and quite a few more with a halogen bulb, natch.
Which raises the related question whether it's good to force the dynamo to run in its unregulated phase quite so much due to heavy demand - which Mike could answer better than I  . . .  My standard dyn's done 50K km-odd though, so can't have done much harm methinks.
This isn't the 6v:12v thread, no, but I can't think you'd have a problem with the combination Mike outlines.
(The fact that the LED units are expensive and aren't always satisfactory - I have them on three bikes and 2 aren't as good as I'd like - is another matter for yet another thread - it's here somewhere!)
Bill

Offline Dynamo Regulators Mike

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #10 on: 15.08. 2016 10:17 »
your site says the charge speed (in 4th) is still 38mph at 12v even with your belt kit, tho that debate is for another thread....
Just to clarify our information sheet http://www.dynamoregulators.com/documents/improved%20charging%20BSA%20A7-10.pdf the 38 mph is the speed at which a standard geared A10 with DRL belt drive & DVR2 provides 84 Watts from a standard 6 V E3L dynamo. Point is that is more power than an Alton at similar modest revs. The initial charge cut in speed with minimal load (trickle charge battery) is actually little more than 30 mph in top. Any fewer revs is probably labouring the poor old engine.

Bill, my A10 with extra engine sprocket tooth, balances my 46W headlight plus Boyer ignition in mid thirties. Have never had cause to top up battery with an external charger (except if bike laid up for a few months to keep battery healthy). The field certainly gets driven hard up to the cut-in speed but as you have found this does not cause unreliability. Never had a customer complaining of burnt field winding with a DVR2 yet. I have not bothered with getting a dynamo ideally wound for 12 V. That is with some more turns than standard, but not so many as most, if not all, of the available 12 V machines. 
Mike Hutchings
A10, T800
Director, DRL www.dynamoregulators.com

Offline mikeb

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #11 on: 15.08. 2016 11:00 »
thanks manormike that's an interesting clarification re 2900 dynamo revs being 14v at 6A on a nominally 6v E3L, and with the no-load charging starting effectively at 30mph with 6v E3L and 12v battery (with your kit).
i guess the 7v at 8.5A at 2000 dynamo revs translates to charging from about 20mph in top (with dvr2 etc and if the bike could manage it), and means a 6v system should never go flat  *smile*.
still, it makes me feel less firmly attached to 6V
New Zealand
'61 Super Rocket  - '47 B33 -  '21 Triumph Speed Triple RS

Offline Scott and Jay

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #12 on: 15.08. 2016 23:00 »
Hi Mike,

I have a standard-wound E3L dynamo (no 12v armature or field coil). This seems to be more robust. I have the DVR2 regulator wired for 12v. There is no other drain on the dynamo except the 55-60w Halogen headlight bulb. That is because I have a Magneto and all other lights are LED (including pilot, speedo and back/ brake). It doesn't seem to blow the dyno. The cut in speed seems low. This is because I have the DRL belt drive kit. I only notice it going on to discharge at idle.
I used to put cheap H4 semi-sealed units into the headlight shell, from Repco or Super Cheap. The semi-sealed seems better than the fully-sealed because you can replace the bulbs, that are readily available. However, these units all had little extra reflectors just behind the bulb. These always vibrated loose. I sourced a semi-sealed H4 insert unit from KSS Red BAron. It is Xanadu. It didn't have these extra "half" reflectors. The reflector unit was available without the headlight shell. It cost me $75
Just in case this helps...

Offline mikeb

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Re: H4/p43 headlamp to upgrade BPF for a super rocket
« Reply #13 on: 18.08. 2016 02:25 »
supplementary question:
in nz i can get hold of 7" h4 semi sealed headlamps manufactured by
  • hella (has flat front),
  • autopal (rounded-ish face) or
  • lucas (via the UK, eg Paul Goffs site).
can anyone comment on having used these units from these 3 manufacturers?
(so far Dutch has commented on the hella but i'm not sure about the flat face look on an a10)

thanks
New Zealand
'61 Super Rocket  - '47 B33 -  '21 Triumph Speed Triple RS