Re: 12V DC CONVERSION - HOW TO

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coaster
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rosscla wrote:^^

That's pretty much where I am and the conclusion I came to in looking for a switched live in position 1.

Everything in the headset is live all the time but controlled by the switch. The only thing that worries me is the brake light switches. All it takes is some funny fecker with a brick or a rubber band and your battery is flattened.

I was wondering if it might be worth including a battery isolator of some description?
Fit an LED rear light and it won't matter, the drain in that unlikely event would be minimal.
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coaster wrote:
Fit an LED rear light and it won't matter, the drain in that unlikely event would be minimal.

Yes, went down that route too :bigsm:

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ArmandTanzarian
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I found that my battery kept going flat after a few days without using the scoot. I fitted a battery isolator switch which seems to have done the trick. I'm not sure where the current was flowing. The only thing I could think of was that it was somehow leaking through the stator windings but that's just a wild guess based on very little knowledge.

I recall that the 80s AF Ignitions did the same thing if you used them in DC mode.
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purple_pill67
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coaster wrote: Fit an LED rear light and it won't matter, the drain in that unlikely event would be minimal.
Got one too, alswell as a H4 conversion and led speedo bulb (found a pair of 2inc post on ebay for about £1.70-think they are the same as some car interior lights)
rosscla
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I think there must be some leakage somewhere along the line as I seem to get a reading of 0.3 - 0.5 VDC on some of the wires and earth even when the switches are off.

I've fitted a battery isolator switch now too.
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vRSG60
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Ive had this conversion done for a couple of months now so I decided to use my Pathfinders (Phillips Vision bulbs) when riding during the day instead of my headlight. The battery powers them for about ¾ of an hour before they look like candles :cry:

So not enough charge put into the battery to recoup the power needed to run the lights. LED re-installed now, I'll see how these go on.
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coaster
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vRSG60 wrote:Ive had this conversion done for a couple of months now so I decided to use my Pathfinders (Phillips Vision bulbs) when riding during the day instead of my headlight. The battery powers them for about ¾ of an hour before they look like candles :cry:

So not enough charge put into the battery to recoup the power needed to run the lights. LED re-installed now, I'll see how these go on.
That's only to be expected, the combined current draw from those Pathfinders will be more than a Lambretta stator can produce. If spots are wired to only be swoiched while high beam is on then and then only when really needed, the battery should hold up for hours provided it is big enough (7 amp/hour.
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vRSG60
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[quote="coaster
That's only to be expected, the combined current draw from those Pathfinders will be more than a Lambretta stator can produce. If spots are wired to only be swoiched while high beam is on then and then only when really needed, the battery should hold up for hours provided it is big enough (7 amp/hour.[/quote]

Yeah, it's as I thought.
I have my lights switched via the key switch.
0 = ignition off
1 = ignition on, lights off
2 = ignition on, headlight or side lights on
3 = ignition on, Pathfinders on & headlight or side lights on

I've been running position 3 with Pathfinders & sidelights.
LED technology is coming along nicely. Soon they may even project some light onto the road ;)
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If I've already converted to DC, do I just need to connect a cigar lighter socket to the DC output from the Wassell reg to be able to charge mobile phone etc.??
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soulsurfer
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You could, but I'd recommend taking it from a battery being charged from the red output of the Wassell, otherwise you could blow the device, as this isn't a stable voltage.
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