Alton generators

[Shadowman]

I have the latest version Alton on my touring Rapide. It works really well and shows a charge at just over 30mph in top gear. However it did have a tendency to slowly drain the battery if you don't use the bike for a week or so. To fix that I rewired the lights (call me a Luddite but I use a magneto for ignition) so that when the switch is in the off position the battery is isolated. The consequence of my rewiring is that the lights come on as you start the engine even if the light switch is off. I see that as a positive as I always ride with the lights on anyway.
Now, to put that into the context of the question, I sometimes forget to put the switch to the on position and therefore use the Alton as if there were no battery. The only thing I notice is that the lights are dim while the engine is ticking over, otherwise there appears to be no problem.

 

[Tom Gaynor]

One is advised (or at least I was, you evidently weren't) that if one didn't disconnect an Alton overnight, it would slowly drain the battery. Or move the Earth off its axis. I forget. This perhaps has something to do with it being a permanent magnet device. Or perhaps not. Damned if I know. Anyway, I fitted an ignition switch, under the battery platform, where even I have difficulty reaching it. And the earth remains "on axis", so far as I can tell. When I forget to disconnect, which is often, it doesn't seem to make an hellacious difference, and with an electric starter, I'd notice. Maybe after a week it has a significant effect.
I was encouraged by your finding that rewiring had unexpected results: I found that too. For reasons I don't fully comprehend, when I switch "the ignition" off, the starter won't work. Which is OK: I deemed it a security device, and left it. (It would be fair to say that I don't even partially comprehend it, despite poring over the wiring diagram.)

I have concluded that the ammeter approximates to what is happening: it would be unwise to rely on the actual charge / discharge it is showing. It's qualitative, not quantitative. (I've waited decades to get that into print.) 8 amps just means it is working hard to restore the battery, not that it will boil it in 5 minutes. Hadn't tried riding with ignition off (I too have a magneto) but I will, soon.
Sounds as though I've had my question answered.

I have the latest version Alton on my touring Rapide. It works really well and shows a charge at just over 30mph in top gear. However it did have a tendency to slowly drain the battery if you don't use the bike for a week or so. To fix that I rewired the lights (call me a Luddite but I use a magneto for ignition) so that when the switch is in the off position the battery is isolated. The consequence of my rewiring is that the lights come on as you start the engine even if the light switch is off. I see that as a positive as I always ride with the lights on anyway.
Now, to put that into the context of the question, I sometimes forget to put the switch to the on position and therefore use the Alton as if there were no battery. The only thing I notice is that the lights are dim while the engine is ticking over, otherwise there appears to be no problem.

 

[Hugo Myatt]

One is advised (or at least I was, you evidently weren't) that if one didn't disconnect an Alton overnight, it would slowly drain the battery. Or move the Earth off its axis. I forget. This perhaps has something to do with it being a permanent magnet device. Or perhaps not. Damned if I know. Anyway, I fitted an ignition switch, under the battery platform, where even I have difficulty reaching it. And the earth remains "on axis", so far as I can tell. When I forget to disconnect, which is often, it doesn't seem to make an hellacious difference, and with an electric starter, I'd notice. Maybe after a week it has a significant effect.
I was encouraged by your finding that rewiring had unexpected results: I found that too. For reasons I don't fully comprehend, when I switch "the ignition" off, the starter won't work. Which is OK: I deemed it a security device, and left it. (It would be fair to say that I don't even partially comprehend it, despite poring over the wiring diagram.)

I have concluded that the ammeter approximates to what is happening: it would be unwise to rely on the actual charge / discharge it is showing. It's qualitative, not quantitative. (I've waited decades to get that into print.) 8 amps just means it is working hard to restore the battery, not that it will boil it in 5 minutes. Hadn't tried riding with ignition off (I too have a magneto) but I will, soon.
Sounds as though I've had my question answered.

Tom,
I may have said this before on the Forum. On my Rapide with an Alton, I have a small key switch in the headlamp. This is a two position switch. One position disconnects the battery positive to the ammeter but also connects the magneto cut out to earth. The other position disconnects the magneto cut out but connects the battery + to the ammeter. This way it is impossible to start the machine with the switch in the magneto cut out position and the battery remains isolated. Vice versa in the other position. Result no draining of the battery and no forgetting to operate the switch before starting the engine. Unfortunately I have no idea where I obtained the switch and have never been able to source another.
Hugo

 

[Peter Stokes]

Ignition switches

When I rewired my old 750 Ducati after most of its electrical components self-destructed (very soon after I bought it) I used an ignition switch intended for a BMW. It was the most suitable I could find at the time and it has been perfectly good and has not needed any attention. Although I use it simply as an on/off switch it has various terminals and three positions and probably has lots of uses.

The most similar I can find on the net is –

http://www.motobins.co.uk/displayfinal.php?q=ignition switch&s=3




Pete

item 94700, lower left of page