best remedy-lighting

[mbovino]

This 6v battery from Shorai is quite small and should fit in most battery boxes. It is not position sensitive and can go in sideways if needed. Though at 18 Ah equivalent it is way more amperage than likely needed, they are reliable and super light - almost as if there is nothing inside. I use 12v versions on my electric start Italian bikes. Note however that a special charger is suggested for top maintenance of these advanced batteries. https://shoraipower.com/lfx18l2-bs06-p98

[marcus whatling]

Hi john walsh does your Huntmaster have a belt drive to dynamo a good conversion which increases the rpm to the dynamo
Ted Samon can check your dynamo

[johnwalsh]

Hi Marcus, thanks, but I'm well aware of the belt conversion. Ted has already passed the dynamo as fit ( fitted new bearings though). I've fitted an AGM battery ( 13AH) which I believe has sorted the initial problem, plus the old, but not very old, battery wasn't much good, didn't hold a charge for long when fully loaded and left on the bench for a few days even! I'm considering a belt conversion though as I believe its a bit quieter than the chain that needs changing anyway.
thanks again
John

ps. Ted has retired, but his son ( a chip off the old block) has taken over the reins and does a good job with a reasonably quick turn around ( for me anyway) I've known them for years and have had numerous dynamos and mags refurbished by them with never a problem. Unfortunately, they never answer the phone though.

[marcus whatling]

Hi John like you Ive been seeing Ted and now his son for repairs . They have even worked on an old car before my Dad owned it (1928 Swift) . As for the phone your right they never pick up . I just call in they have always been in .

[ken-drink]

re LED lights, it depends on what you buy, there are some very cheap and nasy ones about which don't focus well, best thing to do is go to 12v and fit a cibie Z beam headlight which takes an H4 fitting then you can get a really good LED that does focus properly and gives a good light pattern that does not dazzle on coming drivers, not a cheap conversion but it works, i live in a very rural area with no street lights so i need to be able to se where i am going, LED on main beam uses less that 24 watts and with a led stop tail as well the lighting load is less than 30 watts so a 60 watt dynamo can cope quite easily. done this in my A7ss which is very similar to the huntmaster as that really is an A10, also doing something similar to my leader with a cibie light unit, 12v conversion and the small alternator should cope as again the lighting load will be less than 30 watts. do not buy one of the double dip units as they don't light up the middle of the road but light up the side when on dip beam, very poor, buy a good one that gives a proper dip and does light up the road where it should.

Ken

[simon.holyfield]

Can you share a picture of the head light bulbs that you are using?

[ken-drink]

try this http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.c ... Render.jpg
and this is where i bought it from http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.c ... s-shop.php
amazing light and work well on my leader thats now fitted with a cibie light unit instead of the knackered lucas unit.
i an a great fan of cibie light units, got one on my A7ss as well with the same bulb and it works a treat.
not cheap, but if you want good lights then this conversion works well and seems to last for ages as i have not had to replace one yet, got them fitted into my more modern Motoguzzi bikes (1982/83) works well on those as well. and it reduces the lighting load to less than 30 watts if used with one of paul goffs stop tail led's as well.

Ken

[ian williams]

i have the double dipper LED from dynamo conversions and it runs fine with an E3L dynamo and 6v battery , the headlamp needs to be one of the modern lucas ones though or else a cheapy one will give a pattern up i the sky on high beam .
i think the lucas ones are what they use in the royal enfields in india , well thats all i have and its ok for me .

the LED only draws one amp on main beam and 600ma on dipped , plus i have a LED rear brake and tail light so the current is less than 1.5amps total drawn .

my problem with losing battery charge was one you might consider looking into , basically i had been slowly getting oil into the dynamo from the timing side and in the end the dynamo stopped charging , and when i removed it i could see the oil residue in there straight away .
so i stripped the dynamo , replaced the brushes , bearings and seal and had cleaned it all with brake cleaner and an airline , dried it out and reassembled it , now it works fine .
worth keeping an eye on the internals once in a while in case you get oil residue into the dynamo and it loses ability to function properly .

they are an easy job to do except you need to pull the smaller bearing off with the right kit and not damage the internal thread in end of armature shaft .

there are 2 small keys in the shaft that are a little fiddly to get in and get the drive gear over easily but its just a job that needs a little more close attention and good glasses .

some fellas use a 6 to 12volt dc-dc converter and run a 12v led headlight bulb from it but i think you need to use an adjustable type voltage converter and fiddle with the voltage output adjustment so it will light the led quickly and reliably from the input source .

hope you sort it all easily .
ian .

[bob.keevil]

Hi all you electric experts
It is nice to hear that L E D s take less out of the battery and that bulbs are available but could you tell me a simple smokie rider what bulb holder is needed for the head light if it is to be changed .I am on a lucas prefocus at present.

Cheers Bob K

[ken-drink]

Hi ian, if you have a huntmaster i know the problem of oil in dynamo, it gets past the idler gear bush which should have scroll in it to pust the oil back into the ingine when it is running, seen some replacement bushes that don't have that. there should also be a felt washer under the drive sprocket and that copartartment should be full of grease not oil.
Ken