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[Off to the shed again]

Hi,Norm. So glad you are around and about again! I know from experiance how long and frustrating recovery can be from injury... Anyway, I have been following this thread, and others about converting to dc headlight operation, my bike is a reasonably good 1955 350 with a trashed engine, converting it to Indian 500 until I have the funds to rebuild the 350. I am trying to build a dual purpose wiring loom, so when the 350 is done, I wont have to rewire the bike. I would ask you to clarify the reason for the relay operated from the brake switch, please? In live or earth? what size?Not super on electrics, but know enough to keep out of trouble. Damn, shouldnt have said that!
Best REgards, Chris in Devizes.

[Norm]

Hi Chris this is only for converting electric start bikes which are fitted with a 4 wire stator. Problem with the A/C headlight is it dims with low revs and if sitting at the lights at idle it can virtually stop working. I assume that part of the reason apart from wanting to not flatten the battery with the headlight so the starter wouldn't work, but most starters are redundant now, the other possible reason is probably America that requires motorbikes to have the headlight on at all times. Not good with the Indian stators. The thing is the 4 wire stator is pretty good because they will very easily push 50 volts A/C so they will easily charge the battery and give you a good headlight. The fitting of the relay is a way of cheating to keep it nice and simple and compact under the seat without running extra wires up to the front. Just pick up a suply from the battery, through the relay and back into the yellow wire that the A/C regulator plugged into. The reason for using the brake switch wire as the relay trigger is because it is easy to get to and is ignition controlled. Turn the ignition on and the relay is then active and you have power up at the headlight switch

[Off to the shed again]

Norm, thank you so much for that, I see where you are going, I should have realised you were talking about an Electric boot! The engine I am using is a NOS from I guess about 1999 with a 4 wire alternator, colour coded as you have described. I have the bits I need, just dont have the time at the moment, I think we imported a bit of your summer!
Many thanks for the explanation, and best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.
Chris in Devizes.

[Norm]

Ok rode it to last nights meeting, good half hour each way lights on all the time, ran like a charm and none of this headlight dimming as you slow down and sit at the lights. I think it could easily run a higher wattage bulb no problems

[JTL]

Hi Norm... I have decided to do the full dc conversion. As you stated in another post, there is no reason for having two different systems complicating things unnecessarily. I also read the Pete Snidal manual on the subject, and he mentions to be aware of joining the wires correct to keep it in phase (se below):

• Connect the four output wires into a 2-wire AC output to feed the rectifier, thus retaining your all-DC system. This is a relatively straightforward operation, with the following caveat: the 2-coil pair must be connected to the 4-coil pair such that the two pairs deliver their AC in phase with one another.
Use shrink tubing and solder for all connections. Without delving into the AC theory of this operation, it is sufficient to say that there are two ways to connect the wires, one correct, and one wrong. The steps are simple.
• 1. The Amber (orange) output line may be grounded to the stator frame. Check for grounding with a circuit tester. If continuity is detected, find the point at which the amber wire is grounded and unground it.
• 2. Strip the wires, and connect the two Rectifier lines (both purple - or black and red) to the rectifier inputs. Strip the other two "AC Headlight" lines (usually orange and red) - extending them to reach to the rectifier - and have them ready to connect in parallel to the first pair. Although these will be connected in parallel to the rectifier input, their polarity (actually phasing) is important. The trick will be to find out which way.
• 3. Start the machine and warm it to where it runs reliably. Then, with engine running, conduct tests at about 1500 rpm:
• 4. Confirm that the Yellow output line does not spark when flashed to the chassis. If it does, repeat step 1) above. Then connect it to either one of the rectifier lines.
• 5. Intermittently strike the other AC light line (Orange) to the other rectifier line, looking for a spark as you do so. Then reverse the first connection, and try the second again. The fattest spark was the sign that the connections were out of phase. Actually, in most cases, there will be a spark both ways, but the way that showed the smallest spark is the correct one.
• 6. Your multimeter, set to ACV, may be used in place of the "spark" method above. The lowest ACV reading should indicate the proper connection.

I will use the multimeter for this operation. My question is, will the reg/rec stand the out-of-phase current going in the two yellow wires on it? By the way I will use a 200W reg/rec only unit; not the Powerbox... all the best Jacob

[PeteF]

Mmmm. Bit of an anomaly here. Norm says to use the higher ACV from the alternator when sorting the wires. JTL says to use the lower value.

[Gwilly]

Lower reading is correct, out of phase creates a power spike (higher reading) every revolution..

Remember regulator has to deal with this by dumping the excess, creating heat.. 4000 times a minute...

[Norm]

I have always used the higher reading without any problems, bearing in mind the output from an Enfield stator isn't big in the first place

[JTL]

Well PeteF, it is actually Pete Snidal who says to use the lower reading in his manual. I'm a novice in the electrical field, so I always have to read, see, analyse and most of all seek good advice as here in this forum. I couldn't do without every bit of info I'm getting here... Jacob

[Roger the old]

This is an interesting thread, can't wait for more info, (better than the TV). As I have never before had a bike with DC and AC can someone please tell me of the origins of how/why this came about? I thought Villiers electrics were odd! Regards,R.