Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all, if I fit a powerbox and wire it as per Hitchcock's instructions here:
https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycl ... 9&_xt=.pdf

Does that also power the headlight with DC rather than AC? Is there another change to do this?

Thanks

If you have the four wire alternator stator for the AC lights it would normally only be used to act as a reg/rectifier/capacitor for the DC part of the electrics - ignition, stop/tail light, horn, indicators, pilot/side lights. The AC feed for the headlight is electrically isolated and will run via its own AC regulator as before.

If you want the whole electrical system DC, the Pete Snidal manual shows you how to wire up all four wires to a single reg/rectifier (the Powerbox in this case).

The other idea would be to have TWO Powerboxes, one for the DC electrics as currently wired, and the second one converting the AC lighting output to regulated DC. Maybe not such a stupid idea, as there would be less load with half an alternator's output than all of it.

By the way, the Powerbox is not the most economical way of doing this, if it fails it's an expensive replacement. A couple of cheap generic single phase far-eastern reg/rectifiers with separate capacitors will be MUCH cheaper, and if a reg/rectifier OR capacitor fails, you won't have to replace both.

A.

Thanks Adrian, I'll have a look at the Pete Snidal manual. Hadn't thought of two reg/rectifiers, makes sense.

Why would you want single-phase, regulated DC lighting when you have single-phase, regulated AC lighting already? Especially if you're not going to be using a battery? You're effectively dumping half the power for no good reason. Those AC regulators are compact and reliable and I've never been out in the dark on my 350 bullet and been anything but impressed by the headlamp.

I can think of two reasons to convert to wholly DC. One is if you want to use an LED headlamp, the other is if you want to use switchgear off another bike. Even then, keeping the lighting circuit totally seperate wouldn't allow you to do the latter.

Any old reg/rec of a japanese bike will work on them. I have a ZX6R one on my 350 bullet that I picked up for a fiver at an autojumble. You can bung two or three phases into one, it'll still work.

Thanks Stinkwheel, to be fair not ridden at night yet. My experience in the past with ac lights hasn't been the best but I'm going back a long way I guess. Maybe I just need to give it a chance to prove itself?

My 350 has an AC headlight. I don’t normally intend to ride it after dark but I was late home from a bike meet one night and was pleasantly surprised how good the headlight was.

I certainly won’t be messing with it.

Wheaters wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:06 am

My 350 has an AC headlight. I don’t normally intend to ride it after dark but I was late home from a bike meet one night and was pleasantly surprised how good the headlight was.

I certainly won’t be messing with it.

I'd agree with this. My bikes never saw daylight use in the winter, and the only mod I made was put in the headlight and bulb out of a Suzuki SJ 413 Jeep, mainly because I had one lying around.

A question, possibly ignorant.

What is the Powerbox for on my 350? I have an AC headlight; only works when running.
I also have a red Boyer ignition.

The reason I ask, having just read the Hitchcock instructions, is that I'm pretty sure the original reg/rec is still there; maybe disconnected, I haven't look closely yet.

If I understand your question (and it's been a long morning!).
The Powerbox will replace the rectifier and regulator for the DC component but not the ac lights which will still need the engine running.

That's what I thought, but I think the reg/rec might still be there... but I could be making that up; I'll take a look.

Thanks