Electrical Questions

Hi all!

73 850, Trispark, CNW coil, Alton Starter system with their more powerful alternator and recommended big battery.

My two alternator wires exit back of primary and I have them going to aftermarket regulator, from there there are two wires, one to positive ground and one to negative battery terminal for DC charging.

The other day I noticed the battery had stopped charging and that the 15 amp fuse had blown.

Everything had been working just fine for the past two years since I installed the Alton.

So to my questions, why did the fuse blow, was it because it was a 15 and not 20 amp as my 45 year old workshop manual specifies? duh, yes that could be.....

the fuse is directly between the regulator and the negative battery terminal, am I correct that it blew because
too much DC from the regulator blew it?

and going to a 20 amp good chance that will not blow..?

would say turning my head light on when I ride "dump" or relieve some of that charging current or lessen the strain on that new 20 amp fuse or accomplish nothing in this regard? Maybe doing so actually increases charging?

or is my speculating about this a waste of time because I just had too weak of a fuse in the first place?


by the way I love the Alton, after four spine surgeries no way can I kick it over any more
-- gas on and tickle Premiers, ignition on and a one second push of the starter button and boom she's running

1up3down said:

My two alternator wires exit back of primary and I have them going to aftermarket regulator, from there there are two wires, one to positive ground and one to negative battery terminal for DC charging.

The other day I noticed the battery had stopped charging and that the 15 amp fuse had blown.

Everything had been working just fine for the past two years since I installed the Alton.

So to my questions, why did the fuse blow, was it because it was a 15 and not 20 amp

Click to expand...

As it has taken two years for it to blow then probably not. I would say it's more likely to have been caused by a short, or vibration.

1up3down said:

was it because it was a 15 and not 20 amp as my 45 year old workshop manual specifies? duh, yes that could be.....

Click to expand...

Which particular "45-year-old workshop manual" specifies a 20A fuse?
Do you mean 15/20A continuous or 15/20A blow?
The standard fuse for all Commandos as stated in the usual factory manuals is 35A blow, 17.5A continuous and unless you buy the original Lucas type glass fuses the nearest modern equivalents are normally 15A or 20A.

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Repai ... mmando.pdf
Electrical section
pdf p.19

1up3down said:

the fuse is directly between the regulator and the negative battery terminal, am I correct that it blew because
too much DC from the regulator blew it?

Click to expand...

Unlikely, but you said previously that the regulator negative wire was connected "to the negative battery terminal"?

1up3down said:

and going to a 20 amp good chance that will not blow..?

Click to expand...

No, as we don't as yet know the reason why the fuse blew.

1up3down said:

would say turning my head light on when I ride "dump" or relieve some of that charging current or lessen the strain on that new 20 amp fuse or accomplish nothing in this regard? Maybe doing so actually increases charging?

or is my speculating about this a waste of time because I just had too weak of a fuse in the first place?

Click to expand...

As the 15A (I'm assuming 15A continuous) fuse didn't blow for two years (and presumably you have done some mileage in that time?) I doubt the fuse rating is problem.

Did you try another (15A?) fuse?

1up3down said:

Alton Starter system with their more powerful alternator and recommended big battery.
The other day I noticed the battery had stopped charging and that the 15 amp fuse had blown.

Click to expand...

Maybe you should have a look at the Alton rotor: new-alton-alternator-disintegrated-t15136.html

Hi,

Just wondering how many fuses you have on the bike? When my fuse blows or melts I know it's not charging cos the bike won't run.

I think Alton starters have got a lot better in the last few years, mine was piss poor hardly had any use out it till is decided to go US and took 6 weeks to get replacement parts.

Jg

I have six fuses on the bike running each live requirement, I redid all the wiring with a PC8 from Eastern Beaver.

Well thanks for the replies, maybe LAB is right that vibration or something else caused the fuse to fail.

I am trusting the new 20 amp will eliminate that happening again. Always carry some spares!



By the way, very sorry to hear that some people had problems with the early Altons.

Mine has been absolutely bulletproof perfect for 2 1/2 years now.

I remember when I first got a Trispark and Matt at CNW replaced it when it failed, no problem at all since 4 yrs now