Magneto or Coil ignition

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SPRIDDLER
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by SPRIDDLER »

I've found that magnetos work rather well :twisted:
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Harry44
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by Harry44 »

mikeydpippin wrote:Oh well tried but failed, connected the voltage readout to coil and earthed the other cable and it showed the battery voltage, started bike and voltage shows zero whilst engine running.
Connected both cables of display to battery same thing happens.
So not a good idea after all.
I was hoping to see the voltage to check alternators working ok, and to prevent breaking down again with flat battery.

Have you connected to the wrong side of the coil ? If you connect to the contact breaker side of the coil it could do that. You need it on the switch terminal.
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mikeydpippin
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by mikeydpippin »

Yes Harry connected to the coil neg and NOT the contact lead, and the display works with the light switch, all lights work.
Am totally confused now, as I have a brand new 6v 2 wire stator fitted with a new rotor.
And I have a new 6v positive earth wassell regulator, all bought as a set,contacted Alan Osborn who said this regulator should be fitted to dynamo models only, and the 2 wire stator is for 12v, and not 6v.
But looking at Paul Goffs website the alternator is a 2 wire 6v stator.
Maybe I should look at getting a bridge rectifier😱😱
Or starting again drawing a wiring diagram showing every wire.
:headbang: :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by Mick D »

Hi Mike

If you haven't already done so I'd suggest you go back to basics - reverse any changes you have made to install the battery monitor.

Measure the voltage across the battery terminals with the bike at rest.

Run the bike at around 2000 rpm, (third throttle), and measure the voltage across the battery at the terminals - if your alternator and rectifier are good you should see something over the previous reading. If the reading has dropped you need to investigate your charging system, (measure the AC output from the alternator, if that's good investigate the rectifier).

Once you are confident the charging system is working then pop in the monitor, (which I'm guessing is only a digital voltage indication with a switch - in which case you could just connect it straight from the battery terminals with the switch in the circuit).

To be honest, I don't see any advantage offered by a 'voltmeter' - if the ammeter is correctly wired and indicating positive then your battery is being provided with a charge.

To those who advocate a magneto always getting you home - I agree but driving without lights at night is a bit of a gamble :lol:

Regards Mick
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by alanjennings »

Alternator plus mag!!
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Mick D wrote:To those who advocate a magneto always getting you home - I agree but driving without lights at night is a bit of a gamble :lol:
Some of us aren't allowed out after dark. :cry:
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spookefoote1956
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by spookefoote1956 »

SPRIDDLER wrote:
Mick D wrote:To those who advocate a magneto always getting you home - I agree but driving without lights at night is a bit of a gamble :lol:
Some of us aren't allowed out after dark. :cry:
Some of us aren't allowed out! :cry:
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by 56G80S »

"I agree but driving without lights at night is a bit of a gamble"

Fond (!) memories of dynamo packing up on way down from Middlesbrough to North London when in early twenties. G80S running fine and a chap on a Eastern Europe two stroke 350 stopped and then rode along the A1 behind me until we hit the outskirts of London and street lights.

He was on his way to the West Country.

Never even had a chance to thank him.

Nowadays a pair of those cheap LED cyclists lights don't take up much space.

Johnny B

Edit - I think I was on my way home for Christmas.
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by SPRIDDLER »

On the way to the May 2009 International Jampot near Milan 'Thrifty' Peter (coil ignition 1967 P11) came to a halt in a cloud of smoke near Vittel. An electrical fault (duff Zener) had melted/fried much of his wiring loom.
Italy Jampot 2009 (5) (640x429).jpg


I rode my 1954 G3LS back ten miles to a posh main dealership which we had just left following a lengthy and heated argument with the owner (a long story but his wife took pity on us) and with my tail between my legs begged several reels of wire.
Italy Jampot 2009 (3) (640x429).jpg
They only had blue wire with which we rewired the bike and by-passed the Zener and after about two hours we were able to continue to Milan.

On our return from the rally we rode the last 412 mile leg home from the camp site at Nancy in one go except for fuel/fag/widdle stops and the hour or so break on the ferry.
When we disembarked at Dover around midnight I discovered my lights weren't working. I hadn't needed them for several weeks. (I later found that the main feed wire had fractured at the headlight switch).
It was not only pitch dark but there was a thick mist for the 90 miles from Dover to home on the cross-country roads so although I followed Peter as closely as I could there were times when he couldn't see me at all so he taped a torch to my handlebars so that he could check that I was still there.




I wouldn't have got home with a coil and flat battery. ;)
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clive
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Re: Magneto or Coil ignition

Post by clive »

I rode the last 40 miles to one Jampot on my combo down country lanes and with no lights. Fortunately it was a clear night and full moon. It added to the excitment of a rally
clive
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