Returning to AC

[Bilko]

I’m done with DC. Constant trouble. Always down to my own inadequacies. So I’m going back to AC, but first a few questions if I may.

Is it a problem Running speedo’s sat nav and USB chargers? If so, would a Vape set up help this?

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

Surely you won't be beaten by something that is curable in your existing set up

Seems to me that if you can make your scooter as rapid as it appears, then regulation/rectification problems must be solvable, & cost you a lot less money. After all, being a bit more obvious with lights in the event of a stall or breakdown might just save your life......

[Bilko]

I’m very sure it’s easily curable to someone who knows what they’re doing, but I don’t. I’ve just had a second battery pack in. It lasted 2-3 months. The second one this year. I Don’t want to keep wasting £46 a battery.

I’ve been battling with DC for nearly 10 years. Always hassle. Lights pack up at awkward times. Was supposed to go over to see my Daughter tonight. No lights.

A few years ago I was riding through England and had to make a sudden change of plan so I could find somewhere to stay because the lights packed in.

I appreciate your moral boost. I’m really thick when it comes to most things and manage to bluff my way through, but with electrics I’m really really thick! Likely I’ll bc still have problems with AC. But I’m fed up buying batteries all the time.

[Knowledge]

I have got to agree with WT1. You should not be beaten by a solvable problem, but if you do return to AC, then I reckon the Intelliconvertor from Anthony Tambs would be the route to go for any DC components you wish to power or charge from your AC system. I fitted one to Roy “Super” Hooper’s scooter “The Love Missile” and it put out a steady 13v from tickover to WOT. Nice.

I have just bought a VAPE to fit to a mate’s scooter. I am very impressed with the quality of the components, but I am yet to fit it.

PS are you buying burglar alarm batteries? Surely they are not costing you £46 a pop. It should be about £20.

[dickie]

Don't bother with a battery, I don't. Just stick a big capacitor on. You only need a battery to operate without engine running.

I love full DC more than my offspring. Or at least it's a close run thing.

[Bilko]

Hello Martin, As I said to WT. I’m sure it’s easily fixable to someone who knows. I don’t and it’s a constant nightmare.


No the bike batteries. The spade connectors on the alarm batteries always break on me.

[Fast n Furious]

The batteries are burning out because they are being overcharged.
Lambretta's (and lots of other bikes) use crappy Shunt regulators which are by design, simple, cheap and a bit shit, especially when they are tasked to do all of the work all of the time.
If you ride with your main lights on permanently, then the regulator has less work to do because the lights are doing part of the job and thus provides a more 'friendly' charge rate to the battery, which extends its working life.
It's the easiest fix in the book and makes you more visible on the road. Win win.

[Bilko]

The batteries are burning out because they are being overcharged.
Lambretta's (and lots of other bikes) use crappy Shunt regulators which are by design, simple, cheap and a bit shit, especially when they are tasked to do all of the work all of the time.
If you ride with your main lights on permanently, then the regulator has less work to do because the lights are doing part of the job and thus provides a more 'friendly' charge rate to the battery, which extends its working life.
It's the easiest fix in the book and makes you more visible on the road. Win win.

Lights on permanently is what I have, unless, the faults appear.

[dscscotty]

Stick the vape on, you wont be disappointed, the best ignition by far, better starting, starting, lights etc, these are very well made systems built by a very reputable company,

[Bilko]

Stick the vape on, you wont be disappointed, the best ignition by far, better starting, starting, lights etc, these are very well made systems built by a very reputable company,

Thanks Scotty.

[Sticky]

Stick the vape on, you wont be disappointed, the best ignition by far, better starting, starting, lights etc, these are very well made systems built by a very reputable company,

Thanks Scotty.

I think the SIP ignition is great, but if you haven't tried the new Ducati Casatronic then it's quite a stretch to say 'best' Scotty.

There are some great features of the Ducati - digital timing for one - but best of all is something simple. A waterproof single plug that fits through the stator hole, doesn't need that fucking stupid plate/olive/plate/gasket/2tiny screws arrangement. One plug to detach and you can drop an engine and its impossible to reconnect it wrong. IMHO its the better or the two offerings but it also costs more.

What both these ignitions do is solve the issues of the many unreliable systems or shite lights output (IDM 4-pole systems). Either will be an improvement.

[bert one]

I’m done with DC. Constant trouble. Always down to my own inadequacies. So I’m going back to AC, but first a few questions if I may.

Is it a problem Running speedo’s sat nav and USB chargers? If so, would a Vape set up help this?

If you're serious about binning the DC off Bilko, you'll not go far wrong with the aforementioned Intelliconvertor from Anthony Tambs. I bought one about 18 months ago which has 2 x usb ports, and can therefore power my Sat Nav and charge my mobile simultaneously which does me fine (It'll obviously not charge anything whilst the beast is asleep).
I too am a dummy with leccy, and even I managed to wire it up easily, it does come wit th'instructions (as Fred Dibnah would say ). I have mine underneath my leggy toolbox, so I did thread an extra length of cable from the back, then I've (gently) 'trapped' the Sat Nav cable behind the toolbox rubbers (right in the corner where the crease is) and straight into 1 of the usb's ..... job's gud'n.

If I'm not mistaken Knowledge (Martin?) did a review in a previous Jet Set, and Sticky did a You Tube walk around.

[Bilko]

Very serious.

I’ve been using the intelli converter over the years that Anthony has been making.

[coaster]

Bilko, your lights failing wont be due to having a DC system. the battery is only there to store lecky for when the engine isnt running and the lights will run off the 2 yellows from the stator while the engine is running. Your lighting failures will be down to bad connections either in a connector (spades are very unreliable) or switch and you'll have the same problems no matter which system you use, even the VAPE. Bad connections are really easy to test for using yout multimeter set to DC volts. just put one probe on either side of the connection, if all is well you should get zero volts but if you see voltage of any amount, this would indicate resistance (bad connection) and the higher the reading the higher the resistance. Give my a call (07775 680 458 next time they fail if you like and I'll talk you through it. Thinking of electricity flowing through a circuit like water flowing through pipes is a good way of understanding it.

[Bilko]

Hello Colin, hope you’re well.

Yes, I agree, but I’ve now got a second dead battery and will need another. I don’t know how long it’ll last. I’m not spending another £46 on one. My setting up is always a disaster and always fails at some point. So. I’m going to strip the lot out, loom and all at try again with AC.

I’ve tried so many times over the years to get an understanding of electrics and I’m just too thick! But that’s just the way it is.

I’m not keen on riding with no lights horn brake lights so it’ll be off the road next week and I’ll start stripping it down.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

The batteries are burning out because they are being overcharged.
Lambretta's (and lots of other bikes) use crappy Shunt regulators which are by design, simple, cheap and a bit shit, especially when they are tasked to do all of the work all of the time.
If you ride with your main lights on permanently, then the regulator has less work to do because the lights are doing part of the job and thus provides a more 'friendly' charge rate to the battery, which extends its working life.
It's the easiest fix in the book and makes you more visible on the road. Win win.

Lights on permanently is what I have, unless, the faults appear.

Fast n Furious is spot on about the reliability of your current set-up to control effectively what is being fed into the battery. That said, vibration is a killer of many electrical/electronic components & should be borne in mind.

Before you throw out the baby with the bath water, consider whether the rest of the motorcycling World also have problems with bullet proof DC supplies to batteries, because you will find the same problem exists.

Here is such a replacement regulator/rectifier claimed to be "bullet proof" & there must be others:

https://www.classicbritishspares.com/bl ... ier?page=3

[Bilko]

Thanks for the reply.

I use the Wassell Regulator which I believe is the same thing?

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

Whilst some sellers list products as "Wassell/Podtronics" I do not know that they are the same, even if they are supposed to do the same job.

I believe that a Wassell regulator/rectifier may be suitable subject to being modified & that a heat sink with sufficient surface area is used to mount it. I trust your set-up fulfills the required criteria

On the other hand, Podtronics claim their product "bulletproof" though I have not fully read any stipulations they make regarding fitting requirements.

I confess to not running either system as my SX has the old Lucas rectifier with a zenner diode 12 v positive earth. The reason that I want to consider other (points based for reliability ) regulation is that negative earth tends to be more likely a requirement for certain items, such as LED lighting.

Ultimately, if I were you, it would do little harm to investigate further with a methodical approach to find out the culprit for the battery frying you are experiencing.

[Bilko]

Thanks WT. input much appreciated

[Bilko]

Finally got round to checking and it was a dodgy earth from the rectifier.

The battery is dead and reads 3.6 volts and the charger won’t charge, only giving a warning sign.

So I had a look around interweb and I see that if voltage drops too low modern chargers won’t work? Is this right or am I reading it wrong?