Page 1 of 2

Varitronic

Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 8:37 am
by lambro
Just put my engine back in my special after holing a piston last year and I have no lights.
Standard varitronic set up.
On the way to Wooly last year lights got dimmer and dimmer the further I rode, they were just a glow when I got to the rally site.
Then I holed a piston and didn't think anymore about it.

Scooter side of electrics fine, powered up from a power probe and all works as it should, engine runs fine but no lights when reg plugged in,
Swapped reg for one of my Vespa and still the same.

Is there any tests I can do on the stator/lighting coils itself??

Shaun.

Re: Varitronic

Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 8:45 am
by mick1
With the engine running try and get a test meter on the input side of the regulator (from the stator) you should have 12 + volts when reving up, in fact you meter should be all over the place as the "regulator" is there to calm things down.

If you have no volts you can try a resistance check with the wires going to the regulator from the stator (with wires disconnected from regulator). I'm not sure what resistance (ohms) you should get but i think Cam Lam has a wiring and info' diagram on their site.

If you still have no joy take the stator off and look for broken wires or bad connections....Lighting coils don't break very often....in fact very rarely....

Re: Varitronic

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 12:03 pm
by lambro
mick1 wrote:With the engine running try and get a test meter on the input side of the regulator (from the stator) you should have 12 + volts when reving up, in fact you meter should be all over the place as the "regulator" is there to calm things down.

If you have no volts you can try a resistance check with the wires going to the regulator from the stator (with wires disconnected from regulator). I'm not sure what resistance (ohms) you should get but i think Cam Lam has a wiring and info' diagram on their site.

If you still have no joy take the stator off and look for broken wires or bad connections....Lighting coils don't break very often....in fact very rarely....
0.02 from stator when running,

No chafed wires and nowt obvious.

This logically says the stator which I have changed and all is good now.
First Varitronic fail I have had, done 6 years though so not too bad.

That said, I could have put a daytime MOT on it and it will still be going now :lol:

Re: Varitronic

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 4:41 pm
by mick1
Whereabouts are you ? I'd fancy my chances at repairing it.....lighting coils are pretty robust and take some breaking......suspect a dodgy soldered joint.

Re: Varitronic

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 7:48 pm
by thackers
mick1 wrote:Whereabouts are you ? I'd fancy my chances at repairing it.....lighting coils are pretty robust and take some breaking......suspect a dodgy soldered joint.
I have a dodgy Varitronic stator but mines the L.T coil I think. Do you fix them? You can't buy replacement coils either :(

Re: Varitronic

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 7:54 pm
by mick1
I'm an electrician and like to "mess about". I've repaired some standard stators but never tried a Varitronic. Like i say, lighting coils i fancy my chances with...LT not so sure...

Re: Varitronic

Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 8:04 pm
by thackers
mick1 wrote:I'm an electrician and like to "mess about". I've repaired some standard stators but never tried a Varitronic. Like i say, lighting coils i fancy my chances with...LT not so sure...
Fair play, worth asking. One day the coils might be available :|

Re: Varitronic

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:03 am
by firekdp
thackers wrote: One day the coils might be available :|
Because of the construction method it isn't possible to simply swap an individual coil. So it's only ever going to be available as a complete stator, unless you want to rewire by hand (ignition wire size is about 0.16mm :? ).

Re: Varitronic

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:03 am
by dapper
Why can't you fit a normal LT coil? It's only a length of fine wire coiled around a bobbin. Or is the laminate on the Varitronic a special size so only the Varitronic bobbin fits? The LT coil is separate to all other coils, and only provides the spark for ignition.

Re: Varitronic

Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 10:48 am
by thackers
firekdp wrote:
thackers wrote: One day the coils might be available :|
Because of the construction method it isn't possible to simply swap an individual coil. So it's only ever going to be available as a complete stator, unless you want to rewire by hand (ignition wire size is about 0.16mm :? ).
I looked into having one re-wound it was slightly less than buying the stator brand new @ £100 (just the coils, no plate) If like you say you can't just fit another you would think Tino would offer a part ex or a winding service.