disappointing DC conversion...

[coaster]

interestingly my readings on the rectifier output of only 3v DC without the battery had been with the lights off, when i turned the [standard] lights on, the reading went up to around 9v DC, enough to run the lights and probably as much as a usual electronic ignition system puts out [in AC]...

I think that's normal now youn mentioin it Jarv, you'll get the same effect if you try the same on an AC rugulator I think it just shunts everytingh to earth if it doesn't have a load attached. I think that was the issue we were having with the Caios regulator experiments round mine on the Butty morning

I have noticed the effect myself since whilste buggering artound with my half baked previous attempts to get DC

No promises but I have managed to wwriggle out of ther work I had on tomoz so if I can sneak outside I'll checvk some more outputs for you

colin

[byron]

No promises but I have managed to wwriggle out of ther work I had on tomoz so if I can sneak outside I'll checvk some more outputs for you
colin

cool. thanks Colin. that would be great
On two of the Wassell units I have tested so far, I'm getting the following :

3-4v AC at the yellow wires before unit

on the red output wire
with the battery disconnected :
2-3v DC lights off
8-9v DC lights on

with the battery connected :
13-14v DC lights off
11-12v DC lights on

Be interesting to see how yours compares.
Merry Christmas
Jarv

[joespeed]

Great post guys, a real insight. I was always going to have this problem with the KX project, it only has a very small flywheel and stator. There are no lighting coils on it at all. One coil can be fitted but it only outputs enough for a brake light bulb. So I did some digging and have found the worlds smallest alternator. It is from a small digger, Bobcat etc. This thing is only about 100mm long, and gives out upto an amazing 40 amps at 13 volts. This will be mounted on a small bracket and driven by a small V pully from the flywheel.

this is a similar thing i did 30 years ago using a lucas 15 acr in place of the lambretta toolbox i used a nylon electric motor fan mounted on the flywheel boss never ran out of bright lights and you could buy one of these alternators in any town!
regards
joe

[coaster]

No promises but I have managed to wwriggle out of ther work I had on tomoz so if I can sneak outside I'll checvk some more outputs for you

colin

Sorry mate, best laid plans and all that I'll get on it as soon as I can in the new year.

[mark]

does anyone know what voltage a px battery regulator puts out to battery?

[byron]

does anyone know what voltage a px battery regulator puts out to battery?

is that the same as the one you gave me to try ? looks like a P2 one ?? just finishing off my testing, will post results later. should be writing cards and wrapping presents now...

[byron]

Sorry mate, best laid plans and all that I'll get on it as soon as I can in the new year.

no worries Colin, have a good one, hope you get some snow!

[byron]

results of my time in the shed this week with olly's bike :

[I can resize that or do something with it if it's a chore to see or have on here]

so what does that tell us...?

that none of them really seem up to keeping the battery charged whilst using lights...? and that was just with standard lights, of course the voltage dropped further with the lamps on...

the Wassell units were all the same , suggesting that's how they are.

the Ducati P2 one looks favourable ? with the additional AC option.
I think I'll leave this til after christmas now and I have some nice mechanical jobs to do on my scooter, and some presents to buy and all that...

seasons greetings one and all


oh, and just talking to mark about rewiring the stator to give more amps, so that may well be the next testing...

[byron]

I was just thinking, the only difference between ours and soulsurfer's & coaster's systems is the size of the battery..... iirc they are using 5.4 Ah [?], whereas we have 7.2Ah.
Would that be sapping more power to keep charged....? So leaving less for the lights, unable to maintain charge...?
Or am I way off the mark there....?
quite probably...
I need to stop thinking about lambretta electrics for a few days

[soulsurfer]

Isn't it amps rather than voltage that charges the battery and this will only increase on demand? I don't think battery size will affect performance.
As far as I can see, and understand, your limiting factor is the stator and not the Wassell unit as the stator will never provide enough power for sustained use without draining the battery regardless of the regulator. The 120w BGM stator, I reckon, kicks out around 90w, If you run just one headlight and two 35w halogens, that's 105w required, you're never going to get enough from the stator.
I think you'll be surprised if you run it and see how it works in practice