Author Topic: Headlight option recommendations for a newly upgraded 6v to 12v A10  (Read 6005 times)

Offline Greybeard

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Greybeard (Neil)
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Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Offline BrianS

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sounds frustrating. are you sure the ones you received match the description of the part number? theres a spreadsheet on the forum somewhere with most bolts listing their size thread etc

They are as advertised so its my fault  *sad2*

I will get the headlight out again and try and measure properly.
1955 BSA A10 Golden Flash
Exeter, Devon, UK

Online chaterlea25

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Hi Brian,
Original headlight and almost all other 5/16ths fasteners on BSA A10's etc are 26 tpi, cycle thread (the same as an old front cycle axle)
"Spurious" replica headlamps I have found to be  5/16 UNF

John
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)

Offline BrianS

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In a senior moment I forgot about this thread and started a new one on headlight bolts but I will let that one run and take this thread back to my A10's lighting.

After issues with trying to wire up the upgraded 12v dynamo (my fault - turned out I had trapped a dynamo wire under the tank breaking the insulation and allowing it to short against the frame) I eventually got it sorted and the dynamo is charging perfectly through the DVR2 regulator.

Turning to the non-sealed beam headlight, HLW4700 with 45/40W bulb, I thought I had a faulty bulb as there was such a difference between the bright white main beam and the dull orange glow of dipped beam. My very patient supplier sent a replacement bulb but it performs in the same way. To rule out the dip switch and wiring I swapped the leads around and the bulb lights the same - bright white main and dull orange dipped beams.

I thought that maybe I had another faulty bulb but tried a spare 35/35W halogen bulb and got the same result. 

I really wouldn't have expected such a difference between main and dip especially on the 35/35W bulb where both beams are drawing the same amount of current. The bulbs are seating properly in the reflector.

Do other owners experience the same please?

Photos below:

1955 BSA A10 Golden Flash
Exeter, Devon, UK

Online chaterlea25

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Hi Brian,
You have the bulb connector wired incorrectly, the dull light is both filaments in series
The earth is one of the side connections not the centre

John
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)

Online JulianS

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Looking directly at the back of the H4 bulb the earth is on the left, dip in middle and main on right.

Offline BrianS

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Brilliant diagnosis! Now sorted  *smile*

It turns out that the blue wire on the headlight connector is the earth - now why would I have thought the black wire was the earth  *conf*

Every day is a school day here....

Brian

1955 BSA A10 Golden Flash
Exeter, Devon, UK

Offline rocker21

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for my A7ss i bought a cibie headlight unit with an H4 fitting and a pilot light, bought one of Paul Goffs LED hedlight bulbs and led stop tail light bulb as well, absolutely brilliant, good light pattern and my total lighting load is less than 30 watts, bit expensive to buy all the bits, but i live out in the country with poor street lights and sometime none at all as they often don't work , so good lights are a must., done basically the same with my bantam, cibie unit led lights all round as that only has a 50 watt alternator ,
done my 2 older motoguzzi bikes as well,  so i am a big fan of led lights and if things are done right you get a good result.
1960 A7SS, 1954 Ariel fieldmaster 500 twin, motoguzzi Monza 500, motoguzzi V7III special, Yamaha sr400 (2014)

Offline a101960

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I have done the same thing, only I retained the the original Lucas lens and reflector. Unless I "blip" the throttle I never see my ammeter move any more.