disappointing DC conversion...

[oldbiker]

The factors that limit the power you can get from a stator are;
the size of the laminates,
the strength of the magnets (flux density),
speed at which the magnets pass across the face of the laminates,
the amount of wire on the bobbins.

You can increase the voltage produced by having a large number of turns on the bobbins but this is at the cost of current available,

It`s swing and roundabouts, if at 5000 rpm the stator puts out 20volts / 5 amps that is 100watts, most of us know that.

If you rewire the stator to deliver 40 volts at the same rpm you will still only get 100watts but the current will be reduced to 2.5 Amps.

If the physical properties of the stator core and magnets limit the electrical power to 130 watts, that is all you will ever get out of it no matter what you do to the stator.

The trick is to find a sensible and usefull compromise.

The three phase systems that are becoming available at the moment seem to be the best way forward for powerfull lighting systems. These should be able to deliver about 180Watts around 6000 rpm and proably a maximum of about 200Watts. Many of these systems are copys of what the jap bikes have been running for about 25 years. These stators also feature very reliable ignition systems often with mappable electronic ignition. the big drawback is the cost.

[soulsurfer]

Or you could just disconnect the batttery and bypass the unit, this would give you un-regulated AC so you would have to keep the revs right down or risk blowing the bulbs

On my system I can just unplug from the battery and use regulated DC straight from the reg/rect, I did it to and from IW this year as I had a wiring issue that needed sorting and couldn't be arsed to spend pleasure time on it, so just removed the battery from the circuit.
You could also earth the spare yellow to the frame an use a normal Ducati type of reg for AC power.

[oldbiker]

On my system I can just unplug from the battery and use regulated DC straight from the reg/rect, I did it to and from IW .

at least you had some lights to get home

[firekdp]

ok, how about this ?
tap into the [unmodified] yellow from the stator and connect this to the original rectifier unit, then get some AC for the standard lights from this.
I have just tested this and the battery is still getting the same charge as before, even with a headlight bulb connected to the AC.
I have been running a similar setup on my scooter [without a battery, just to get some DC for my tacho] for 4000 miles without any issue.
The advantage of this is in the event of battery failure everything is all in place to revert to a "standard" 12v system.
But would there be any long term damage to the components ?

Been waiting for "the brains behind the system" to reply, but as he hasn't I'll have a go.
If the stator has been isolated from earth and the yellows connected to the podtronics, then taking a tapping off one of the yellows would result in the AC side only receiving half wave.
I don't know much about alarm batteries but if they're lead/acid and the acid inside is free to move around then it must be kept upright or the plates will partially be uncovered and damage will result.
If there is no flow to the battery when only normal lights are on, then either the stator power is down or it's going elsewhere. Have you measured the rectifier output without it connected to the battery?

[cezeta]

slightly off topic.....but it seams that the pathfinders are hard to power. even 120 w bgm is not big enough to power 2x 35w bulbs on top of the standard lighting.

taffspeed have just started advertising a new set up at 200 watts which should be enouigh to do the job. looks variatronic at a glance, not of interest to me but i thought you guys may want to take a look. they have them on ebay.

Thanks Cezeta, I've seen those too but the dowside I'm hearing is the fact that you will be generating amperage just to dump it as heat through the regulator for most of the time Not sure how much in terms of HP that relates to though (also, the BGM saps more power than a std stator too)

its worth checking this out as i was under the impression that a generator is rated at its potential wattage rather than what is being generated all of the time. ie if no load is present then it is not putting any load on the engine but as soon as an electrical load is applied then the engine is put under load to provide the power.......something to do with apposing magnetic fields from the coils which only exist with a load present v the magnets on the flywheel...... ooh...distant memory, i could be wrong.

you can sometime hear this in your car when you flick the lights on or air con for that matter as the same applies. a mate of mine is trying the same thing, he is not a forum user so if he goes for the taffy kit i will report back. worth keeping on the back burner incase you are not happy with the outcome of what you are doing

[soulsurfer]

On my system I can just unplug from the battery and use regulated DC straight from the reg/rect, I did it to and from IW .

at least you had some lights to get home

Even without a battery in the circuit, the standard lighting is brighter than the AC alternative.

[coaster]

its worth checking this out as i was under the impression that a generator is rated at its potential wattage rather than what is being generated all of the time. ie if no load is present then it is not putting any load on the engine but as soon as an electrical load is applied then the engine is put under load to provide the power.......something to do with apposing magnetic fields from the coils which only exist with a load present v the magnets on the flywheel...... ooh...distant memory, i could be wrong.

you can sometime hear this in your car when you flick the lights on or air con for that matter as the same applies. a mate of mine is trying the same thing, he is not a forum user so if he goes for the taffy kit i will report back. worth keeping on the back burner incase you are not happy with the outcome of what you are doing

I find recalling electrical theory difficult too The Lammy/ vespa sytems are different to the alternators used on cars and generators, possible to do with the alternator needing power to the feild coils rather than using permanent magnets? Maybe one of out electrical gurus can explain

I do remember at college being having a small generator (onpowered) on the bench which was connected to a load via a switch. We were invited to spin the generator by hand which was easy until the laod was connected at which point it was almost impossible to turn it

[sean brady scooters]

struth chaps
all you need to do is eat more carrots...........

either that or get your eyes tested...
what is this fascination about extra lights all about....do you all only ride around in the darkest of nights mostly....?

[soulsurfer]

struth chaps
all you need to do is eat more carrots...........

either that or get your eyes tested...
what is this fascination about extra lights all about....do you all only ride around in the darkest of nights mostly....?

BE SAFE, BE SEEN

[coaster]

struth chaps
all you need to do is eat more carrots...........

either that or get your eyes tested...
what is this fascination about extra lights all about....do you all only ride around in the darkest of nights mostly....?

You should try living in Norfolk..........street lightsd havn't reached here yet