I hope to explain my question more fully in due course, but, for a start,
is/was there an option to fit a Manual Advance Magneto to a (forward mag) single?
Thanks,
Robin.
Mag Matters
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dogwheel
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- Location: WORCESTERSHIRE UK
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wilko
- Posts: 2337
- Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:45 pm
- Location: victoria AUSTRALIA
Re: Mag Matters
Only if it's not an SR.
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Trefor
- Member
- Posts: 230
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- Location: South Australia AUSTRALIA
Re: Mag Matters
My 1952 G80 has a front mounted manual advance magneto. I think the 500s went to auto advance in 1954, the 350 stayed manual for a bit longer. If you are changing from manual to auto don't forget the bump in the mag chain cover.
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dogwheel
- Posts: 467
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- Location: WORCESTERSHIRE UK
Re: Mag Matters
Right, thanks folks, I'd better explain----------
Foolishly I traded a nice simple uncomplicated G3L for a later Swinging Arm AJS 18. ( I've been a prat and bought myself a dog)
The AJS is equipped with an Alton Generator and a SR Mag, converted to Electronic Ignition, using a Boyer Bransden unit. When the battery is well charged the bike starts dead easily, but, when pottering in town or traffic the Alton seems unable to provide sufficient charge even using only the LED pilot and tail lights, (yes the Alton DOES work), the engine starts to miss and splutter until I turn off the lights, when all is well again.
The wiring is all tidily done, but, having little idea how it all works, I have little faith in bike. So-----I need to convert back to a proper Magneto, manual advance is fine by me, and the mag chaincase has no bump.
I need to know what I should ask for in a wanted ad. on the forum, so help please!
Thanks,
Robin.
Foolishly I traded a nice simple uncomplicated G3L for a later Swinging Arm AJS 18. ( I've been a prat and bought myself a dog)
The AJS is equipped with an Alton Generator and a SR Mag, converted to Electronic Ignition, using a Boyer Bransden unit. When the battery is well charged the bike starts dead easily, but, when pottering in town or traffic the Alton seems unable to provide sufficient charge even using only the LED pilot and tail lights, (yes the Alton DOES work), the engine starts to miss and splutter until I turn off the lights, when all is well again.
The wiring is all tidily done, but, having little idea how it all works, I have little faith in bike. So-----I need to convert back to a proper Magneto, manual advance is fine by me, and the mag chaincase has no bump.
I need to know what I should ask for in a wanted ad. on the forum, so help please!
Thanks,
Robin.
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dogwheel
- Posts: 467
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:25 pm
- Location: WORCESTERSHIRE UK
Re: Mag Matters
Right, thanks folks, I'd better explain----------
Foolishly I traded a nice simple uncomplicated G3L for a later Swinging Arm AJS 18.
The AJS is equipped with an Alton Generator and a SR Mag, converted to Electronic Ignition, using a Boyer Bransden unit. When the battery is well charged the bike starts dead easily, but, when pottering in town or traffic the Alton seems unable to provide sufficient charge even using only the LED pilot and tail lights, (yes the Alton DOES work), the engine starts to miss and splutter until I turn off the lights, when all is well again.
The wiring is all tidily done, but, having little idea how it all works, I have little faith in bike. So-----I need to convert back to a proper Magneto, manual advance is fine by me, and the mag chaincase has no bump.
I need to know what I should ask for in a wanted ad. on the forum, so help please!
Thanks,
Robin.
Foolishly I traded a nice simple uncomplicated G3L for a later Swinging Arm AJS 18.
The AJS is equipped with an Alton Generator and a SR Mag, converted to Electronic Ignition, using a Boyer Bransden unit. When the battery is well charged the bike starts dead easily, but, when pottering in town or traffic the Alton seems unable to provide sufficient charge even using only the LED pilot and tail lights, (yes the Alton DOES work), the engine starts to miss and splutter until I turn off the lights, when all is well again.
The wiring is all tidily done, but, having little idea how it all works, I have little faith in bike. So-----I need to convert back to a proper Magneto, manual advance is fine by me, and the mag chaincase has no bump.
I need to know what I should ask for in a wanted ad. on the forum, so help please!
Thanks,
Robin.
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dave16mct
- Member
- Posts: 3248
- Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
- Location: LANCASHIRE UK
Re: Mag Matters
You need a Lucas N1 and also an advance /retard cable and lever.
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dogwheel
- Posts: 467
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:25 pm
- Location: WORCESTERSHIRE UK
Re: Mag Matters
Thanks Dave, I'll post a wanted ad.
Sorry about previous duplication, I think it was a machine glitch.
Robin.
Sorry about previous duplication, I think it was a machine glitch.
Robin.
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Colin F
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- Location: NORWICH UK
- Contact:
Re: Mag Matters
I would suggest that you need to investigate this electrical problem before spending large amounts of money on other parts, because the problem is still going to be there.
You say the Alton is working, what sort of output are you getting from the regulator box? Have you got a leak to earth on your lighting circuit?
If you have this problem with not charging the battery even if you put a proper mag back on it and you do any amount of night time riding you could end up with engine running fine but no lights to see where you are going!
You say the Alton is working, what sort of output are you getting from the regulator box? Have you got a leak to earth on your lighting circuit?
If you have this problem with not charging the battery even if you put a proper mag back on it and you do any amount of night time riding you could end up with engine running fine but no lights to see where you are going!
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dogwheel
- Posts: 467
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:25 pm
- Location: WORCESTERSHIRE UK
Mag Matters
Thanks Colin,
the Alton/reg is charging at 13.7volts when running at a "fast idle", I'll try to investigate the possibility of an earth leak, I have no idea what are the electrical needs of the electronic ignition system, I do know that modern batteries are not too wonderful. I've been offered a freshly recon N1 Mag by a totally trusted local supplier for very reasonable money, but I'll investigate further before committing my money!
I'll be out there in that cold shed tomorrow, mind you not as cold as your Norfolk, where my daughter in Diss said it was -12C last night, which woke the grandchildren.
the Alton/reg is charging at 13.7volts when running at a "fast idle", I'll try to investigate the possibility of an earth leak, I have no idea what are the electrical needs of the electronic ignition system, I do know that modern batteries are not too wonderful. I've been offered a freshly recon N1 Mag by a totally trusted local supplier for very reasonable money, but I'll investigate further before committing my money!
I'll be out there in that cold shed tomorrow, mind you not as cold as your Norfolk, where my daughter in Diss said it was -12C last night, which woke the grandchildren.
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Colin F
- Member
- Posts: 936
- Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
- Location: NORWICH UK
- Contact:
Re: Mag Matters
Robin,
The fact that you have 13+ volts at a fast idle is great, but how much power is coming out? You need to set your meter to Amp DC and disconnect the feed wire coming off the control box and insert the meter there. Start bike and rev it SLOWLY (a large "blip" of the throttle can blow the meter if it is not a really good one and the regulator is faulty), then switch the lights on and the reading should start to rise, increase throttle a little and note how the readings rise and if and where they level off.
If you work out how much power you are using (take wattage of each bulb etc and divide by 12) that will give you the amps drawn, add all these together and add a couple for resistance losses (assuming a fully charged battery) should be the reading you are getting and this should then remain constant as you rev harder.
If you think of electricity as water and you connect a garden hose and a 1/4" tube to the water main, a pressure gauge will show the same pressure on both (voltage) If you now open the end and let the water run, the flow (amps) a lot more water will come out through the garden hose. So if anything is acting to restrict the "flow" it won't charge your battery properly even though it is showing the Voltage.
Hope that makes sense.
The fact that you have 13+ volts at a fast idle is great, but how much power is coming out? You need to set your meter to Amp DC and disconnect the feed wire coming off the control box and insert the meter there. Start bike and rev it SLOWLY (a large "blip" of the throttle can blow the meter if it is not a really good one and the regulator is faulty), then switch the lights on and the reading should start to rise, increase throttle a little and note how the readings rise and if and where they level off.
If you work out how much power you are using (take wattage of each bulb etc and divide by 12) that will give you the amps drawn, add all these together and add a couple for resistance losses (assuming a fully charged battery) should be the reading you are getting and this should then remain constant as you rev harder.
If you think of electricity as water and you connect a garden hose and a 1/4" tube to the water main, a pressure gauge will show the same pressure on both (voltage) If you now open the end and let the water run, the flow (amps) a lot more water will come out through the garden hose. So if anything is acting to restrict the "flow" it won't charge your battery properly even though it is showing the Voltage.
Hope that makes sense.