Voltage

SierrasCafe530 · Dec 29, 2011

Ok I'm looking into upgrading the ignition to electronic but now I'm questioning do I have a 12v or 6v system? I have two Lucas 45222A 17M6 6v coils, but I am still unsure what that means. Thanks...

ntst8 · Dec 29, 2011

The standard Commando system is 12V, with two 6V coils in series - so 12V across the pair.

Hobot · Dec 29, 2011

Hm, my points systems Cdos had/have 2, 6 volt coils that are fed 12 V each by separate leads for a short time until the ballast resister heats up and lowers volts to 6-ish to the coils so they don't burn up. 12 v coils don't use a ballast resistor and don't make as much hot a spark on start ups, especially on E-starts. To convert to electronic ign that retains the 2, 6 v factory coils the coils are re-wired in series to take 12 v w/o a ballast resister in the feed line. The electron brain box controls the current the coils charge with to protect them. Many Electro sparkers run a single dual coil. Main deal is the coil resistance is in the range the ignition requires or ignition can fry.

Diablouph · Dec 29, 2011

If you gota 12 volt battery, you got a 12 volt system.

SierrasCafe530 · Dec 30, 2011

Diablouph said:
If you gota 12 volt battery, you got a 12 volt system.

I figured it was a12v system. Just wanted to be sure. I was a little confused reading other post about electronic ignitions. They say to convert the coils to 6v but they are already 6v. I have only had my Commando a little over a week. Haven't purchesed the battery yet. Putting in the battery number 12N9-4B-1 pulls up both 12 and 6v's. Still working on the tear down. I'm wanting to do it right, not just get it half ass running.

Thanks all for the input. I'm sure I will have many more questions before my build is finished.

L.A.B. · Dec 30, 2011

ntst8 said:
The standard Commando system is 12V, with two 6V coils in series - so 12V across the pair.

Not correct, in the standard points system from 1971-on, two 6V coils are fitted, wired in parallel to each other but both are in series with the ballast resistor therefore each coil operates at 6V. Prior to 1971, no ballast resistor was used so two 12V coils were fitted in parallel.

SierrasCafe530 said:
I was a little confused reading other post about electronic ignitions. They say to convert the coils to 6v but they are already 6v.

Possibly generic information, as various other British bikes (Triumph, BSA) usually had 12V coils and no ballast resistor, also early Commandos (pre-'71) had two 12V coils and no ballast resistor. When electronic ignition is fitted, due to the way it operates (wasted spark) this normally requires the removal of the ballast resistor and the two 6V coils to be re-wired in series so each gets half the voltage from the 12V supply.
Where two 12V coils were part of the original ignition system, EI manufacturers usually recommend that although two 12V coils wired in series will just about work provided the engine compression ratio isn't too high, it is preferable to replace them with 6V items or to fit a 12V dual output coil with the correct primary resistance.

rvich · Dec 30, 2011

SierrasCafe530 said:
Diablouph said:

If you gota 12 volt battery, you got a 12 volt system.

Click to expand...

I figured it was a12v system. Just wanted to be sure. I was a little confused reading other post about electronic ignitions. They say to convert the coils to 6v but they are already 6v. I have only had my Commando a little over a week. Haven't purchesed the battery yet. Putting in the battery number 12N9-4B-1 pulls up both 12 and 6v's. Still working on the tear down. I'm wanting to do it right, not just get it half ass running.

Thanks all for the input. I'm sure I will have many more questions before my build is finished.

Get yourself a manual and study it. You can download one from the tech section as a .PDF. I saved it to the center of my desktop and use it regularly. You won't be sorry, if nothing else it makes asking questions a lot easier when you know what the items are called. Good luck, post some pics, get to work!

Russ

Diablouph · Dec 31, 2011

BUT........don't be afraid to ask questions. The stupidest question is the one NOT asked.

SierrasCafe530 · Dec 31, 2011

Diablouph said:
BUT........don't be afraid to ask questions. The stupidest question is the one NOT asked.

Thanks... Trust me, I will have a lot of questions before the end of this project.

The previous owner had made changes to the wiring system, which is giving me some trouble. They spliced into the harness. Im having trouble following the manual due to this... Ugh! If ur going to change/add wires, at least use the same color/color combo. It is giving me a real headache. Not to mention he changed the rectifier. Now I can't figure out how to rewire it. Wiring has never been my strong suit. :|

Oh another quick question... How do u post a photo? Do i need some kind of permission from the site? I have tried everything.

pete.v · Dec 31, 2011

SierrasCafe530 said:
Diablouph said:

BUT........don't be afraid to ask questions. The stupidest question is the one NOT asked.

Click to expand...

Thanks... Trust me, I will have a lot of questions before the end of this project.

The previous owner had made changes to the wiring system, which is giving me some trouble. They spliced into the harness. Im having trouble following the manual due to this... Ugh! If ur going to change/add wires, at least use the same color/color combo. It is giving me a real headache. Not to mention he changed the rectifier. Now I can't figure out how to rewire it. Wiring has never been my strong suit. :|

Oh another quick question... How do u post a photo? Do i need some kind of permission from the site? I have tried everything.

Join Photobucket.com (free) and upload photos to your account. Size the picture to 640x 480. There is a list of "share" options next to the picture. Click on the "IMG link" and it will automatically be copied to clipboard. Simply go to where you are posting in a thread and right clip and select "paste".

rvich · Dec 31, 2011

This was sent to me by another member. I can send you the file so that you can print it out for your manual if it helps. My 750 is nearly stock so I can take photos of specific stuff if it helps (like the rectifier). The other option you have is to move straight into upgrading the system and customizing the harness to suit. You would be amazed at what kind of help you can get here.

Swooshdave did a number of threads during his build that document almost everything including his custom harness.

practical-custom-wiring-t6551.html?hilit=harness

swooshdave · Dec 31, 2011

pvisseriii said:
Join Photobucket.com (free) and upload photos to your account. Size the picture to 640x 480. There is a list of "share" options next to the picture. Click on the "IMG link" and it will automatically be copied to clipboard. Simply go to where you are posting in a thread and right clip and select "paste".

640x480 is too small. Some of the folks here (old guys) can't see that well. :mrgreen:

pete.v · Dec 31, 2011

swooshdave said:
pvisseriii said:

Join Photobucket.com (free) and upload photos to your account. Size the picture to 640x 480. There is a list of "share" options next to the picture. Click on the "IMG link" and it will automatically be copied to clipboard. Simply go to where you are posting in a thread and right clip and select "paste".

Click to expand...

640x480 is too small. Some of the folks here (old guys) can't see that well. :mrgreen:

Some people don't have 40" monitor or know how to zoom there browsers in and out (lower right).

Don't worry about the size. Experiment!

Thanks for your 2 cents, SD. You always seem leave one with that dead end feeling. Don't slip on that peel!

SierrasCafe530 · Dec 31, 2011

rvich said:
This was sent to me by another member. I can send you the file so that you can print it out for your manual if it helps. My 750 is nearly stock so I can take photos of specific stuff if it helps (like the rectifier). The other option you have is to move straight into upgrading the system and customizing the harness to suit. You would be amazed at what kind of help you can get here.

Swooshdave did a number of threads during his build that document almost everything including his custom harness.

practical-custom-wiring-t6551.html?hilit=harness

PLEASE!!!! I need pictures of the wiring around the battery, rectifier, and the harness above the battery area. My email is sierra.copeland@att.net THANK YOU!!!!

SierrasCafe530 · Jan 1, 2012

swooshdave said:
pvisseriii said:

Join Photobucket.com (free) and upload photos to your account. Size the picture to 640x 480. There is a list of "share" options next to the picture. Click on the "IMG link" and it will automatically be copied to clipboard. Simply go to where you are posting in a thread and right clip and select "paste".

Click to expand...

640x480 is too small. Some of the folks here (old guys) can't see that well. :mrgreen:

Ok here it is... Thanks

This brick is the rectifier. The original one was still there but unconnected. Wires have been sliced and wire colors do not match. HELP!!!

I believe the green unconnected wire in the back is the ground. Not sure if it should be connected to the rectifier or not.

This is just some kind if wacked out splice job. I have started to unwrap to find what is connected to what but most of the wire colors all over don't match the wire diagram.

SierrasCafe530 · Jan 1, 2012

Soooo, After much reading, I believe that I don't need my rectifier if I put in the electronic ignition. However, I do still need to figure out the battery wiring. This could be fun :|

Brooking 850 · Jan 1, 2012

After fiting my Pazon Surefire EI, i retained the capacitor and rectifier, but removed the ballast resistor and condensors. you ned something to control the output of the alternator.
regards Mike

L.A.B. · Jan 1, 2012

SierrasCafe530 said:
After much reading, I believe that I don't need my rectifier if I put in the electronic ignition.

You certainly need the regulator (Zener diode) and rectifier, unless you replace them with one of the modern reg/rec units.

rvich · Jan 1, 2012

SierrasCafe530 said:
swooshdave said:

pvisseriii said:

Join Photobucket.com (free) and upload photos to your account. Size the picture to 640x 480. There is a list of "share" options next to the picture. Click on the "IMG link" and it will automatically be copied to clipboard. Simply go to where you are posting in a thread and right clip and select "paste".

Click to expand...

640x480 is too small. Some of the folks here (old guys) can't see that well. :mrgreen:

Click to expand...

Ok here it is... Thanks

This brick is the rectifier. The original one was still there but unconnected. Wires have been sliced and wire colors do not match. HELP!!!

I believe the green unconnected wire in the back is the ground. Not sure if it should be connected to the rectifier or not.

This is just some kind if wacked out splice job. I have started to unwrap to find what is connected to what but most of the wire colors all over don't match the wire diagram.

Oh man, this is going to be a long thread. That "brick" you have in your hand is not a stock rectifier. Does it have any information on it? Like a manufacturer?

The stock rectifier looks like the thing in this photo that is on the left side forward of the shock mount.

swooshdave · Jan 1, 2012

SierrasCafe530 said:
Ok here it is... Thanks

This brick is the rectifier. The original one was still there but unconnected. Wires have been sliced and wire colors do not match. HELP!!!

You did read through the wiring thread from the previous page? Right? viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6551

Aftermarket parts will not have the same color wires as a Norton as they are used on many different brands. But most of the time you can count on red = positive and black = negative. But before that happens you need to know if your bike has been converted to negative ground.

The device you have is probably a rectifier/regulator. The two green wires are connected to your alternator (yes?). Then the red and black will be your ground and power.

But determine what type of ground you have first.

Be patient, if the folks here can help me understand wiring they can help anyone! :mrgreen:

Voltage

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