Non-Chinese high output Alternator

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Lucas RM23 stator (Lucas #47239) is standard on Mk3. Used with a good hi-output electronic regulator/rectifier (200watt Podtronics) will provide plenty of juice. For more juice at lower rpm, the stator from a Lucas RM24 3-phase (Lucas # 47244 or 47252) and a 3-phase electronic regulator/rectifier. All rotors are the same, so a good "welded" center one works (Lucas 54202299).

I have the 3-phase on my Interstate and #47239 on my cafe racer, both with Podtronices regulator/rectifier. I have had no issues with either combo.

Wassell also makes a Lucas replica, but I have no experience with it and no idea where it is actually made.
 
The problem I have is that Wassell's are made in China, I have found 2 potential sources for genuine, new production Lucas RM27's (190W, 2 wire, single phase).

I have no idea what the difference is between single phase and 3 phase but folks that know seem to be telling me that I don't need 3 phase.

Here is what I know about Electricity:
It's invisible,
It hurts,
It might be Magic (maybe even Black Magic),
That thingee (thingee is the technical term for it) in the back of a Television is called a Flyback because if you touch it you will fly back across the room,
Electric systems work on smoke, if you let the smoke out they do not work anymore,
If you don't pay the bill the house gets dark.

Unclviny
 
Unclviny said:
The problem I have is that Wassell's are made in China, I have found 2 potential sources for genuine, new production Lucas RM27's (190W, 2 wire, single phase).

I have no idea what the difference is between single phase and 3 phase but folks that know seem to be telling me that I don't need 3 phase.

Here is what I know about Electricity:
It's invisible,
It hurts,
It might be Magic (maybe even Black Magic),
That thingee (thingee is the technical term for it) in the back of a Television is called a Flyback because if you touch it you will fly back across the room,
Electric systems work on smoke, if you let the smoke out they do not work anymore,
If you don't pay the bill the house gets dark.

Unclviny

The only thing I could have added to that is beware of Lucas electrical equipment....but I'm not sure anymore...seems they have competition! :roll:
That, and electrons travel opposite to the current flow.
 
Well, that makes me feel smart because I KNOW that AC/DC goes great with Beer.

Unclviny
 
Folks,
Well I give,
Apparently there are 3 alternatives in the Commando Alternator-world.

Wassell (Chinese) 190W, single phase,
Sparx (Chinese) 140W, 3 phase or
Lucas (Indian) 180W, single phase.
I will not whine anymore about the lack of a British, American or non-Asian alternative for my BRITISH! bike.

Does anyone have a preference or experience with any of the above? I am leaning towards the Wassell unit (but it's Chinese!).

Unclviny

By the way:
I think I had the Electrons once, a shot from the Doctor cleared them right up!
 
The single phase units give there maximum output at high revs. They are fine if your bike sees highway use enough to keep the battery up. The three phase units give there max output at lower engine speeds and are really nice if you see a lot of city driving with the headlight on. I have used several Sparks units with no problems other than the need to ream the rotor hole on some of them or relieve a little of the plastic around the mounting holes on some. Some suppliers will have already checked and reamed the center hole if needed. All of them are built by the lowest bidder and sometimes the fit and finish suffers. Jim
 
Single phase- your power fluctuates from 0-max with each pulse cycle, 3 phase is the same, but you have 3 waveforms pulsing in the same time period so the energy is at a higher level more of the time giving it a higher average. Maybe someone else knows how to explain it an easier way.
 
I think I get it, 3 phase is a "shorter" wave so that there are more of them.

I will have the headlight on all the time but I'm not too worried about getting the Revs up as that is what the Norton is for!

My main concern here is having a "healthy" charging system as ideally I want to run the smallest Battery I can get away with (5AH?), my thinking is if the charging system is healthy all the Battery needs to do is fire the Tri-Spark once.

Unclviny
 
Unclviny said:
I think I get it, 3 phase is a "shorter" wave so that there are more of them.

I will have the headlight on all the time but I'm not too worried about getting the Revs up as that is what the Norton is for!

My main concern here is having a "healthy" charging system as ideally I want to run the smallest Battery I can get away with (5AH?), my thinking is if the charging system is healthy all the Battery needs to do is fire the Tri-Spark once.

Unclviny

Remember that your biggest draw is not the ignition, but the headlight.
 
Here is what I know about Electricity:
It's invisible,
It hurts,
It might be Magic (maybe even Black Magic),
That thingee (thingee is the technical term for it) in the back of a Television is called a Flyback because if you touch it you will fly back across the room,
Electric systems work on smoke, if you let the smoke out they do not work anymore,
If you don't pay the bill the house gets dark.

Wow,

You know waaayyyyy more than I do.

Wait until the forum tells you your rectum-fryer may be bad!

One thing: buy the biggest and baddest battery you can possibly fit into the compartment. i just replaced the one on my Norton with a 16AH beast and have loads of juice once it is charged up. I run my headlamp during the day and have the higher output 180A alternator and have no problems now (touch wood).

The battery I put into my harley will turn over my truck and no shortage of electric magic on that machine either.

my $0.02
 
I just spent a while learning about Resistors.
I have been trying to figure out how you'd wire an LED into a 12 Volt system without frying it and now I (think) I know.
I'm getting conflicting versions on how to wire resistors, does the Resistor go on the (red) hot wire before the LED or on the (black) ground wire after the LED?

Unclviny
 
Unclviny said:
I just spent a while learning about Resistors.
I have been trying to figure out how you'd wire an LED into a 12 Volt system without frying it and now I (think) I know.
I'm getting conflicting versions on how to wire resistors, does the Resistor go on the (red) hot wire before the LED or on the (black) ground wire after the LED?

Unclviny

It doesn't matter. The resistor is there to limit the amount of current through the LED. Resistors aren't polarity sensitive.
 
maylar said:
Unclviny said:
I just spent a while learning about Resistors.
I have been trying to figure out how you'd wire an LED into a 12 Volt system without frying it and now I (think) I know.
I'm getting conflicting versions on how to wire resistors, does the Resistor go on the (red) hot wire before the LED or on the (black) ground wire after the LED?

Unclviny

It doesn't matter. The resistor is there to limit the amount of current through the LED. Resistors aren't polarity sensitive.

Did you look at this page?

http://ledcalc.com/

It even shows you how to wire the resistor and LED together.

(+) to resistor (doesn't matter which way) to (+) longer leg of LED from (-) shorter leg of LED to ground (-)
 
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