Alton generators

Tom Gaynor

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Looking at the why and how of the Alton generator in Whitakerpedia, I see that Herve Hamon remarks that the Alton can be used without a battery. The article was written in 1993, and Altons have since gone from single phase to several phase and back to single phase again.
But has anyone tried using an Alton without a battery? Is the statement still true? I have no plans to do so since a battery is necessary for my Grosset starter (YTX14H-BS - the H is important - is the best I've found) but I'm curious.
 
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roy the mechanic

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Tom, i don't know about alton without battery, but have got used to battery without alton! I'm on the third alton within three years due to failiures. Roy.
 

timetraveller

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Well Roy, it is a pity you do not like the look of the 'Walkernator'. Several purchaser of these have been in exactly the same situation as yourself and now enjoy many long distance trouble free miles with enough power to allow the use of heated garment etc. The 'heavenly twins' no, not Castor and Pollux, but John Appleton and Russell Kemp, both had them fitted for their 'Turkey Trot'.
 

Tom Gaynor

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Altons

A simple mistake to make, TT, but surely you meant to type "heated argument etc"...

Tom
Well Roy, it is a pity you do not like the look of the 'Walkernator'. Several purchaser of these have been in exactly the same situation as yourself and now enjoy many long distance trouble free miles with enough power to allow the use of heated garment etc. The 'heavenly twins' no, not Castor and Pollux, but John Appleton and Russell Kemp, both had them fitted for their 'Turkey Trot'.
 

Tom Gaynor

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I'm surprised. The first one I bought was one of the ill-fated three phase ones, and it failed after a year, as it seems many did. The "single phase mark II" supplied FOC under guarantee has lasted 5 years and some 13,000 miles. Which is little consolation to you, I expect.

A friend has one on a Velo which until recently worked perfectly. It still does, but now when he connects it into the wiring loom and starts the engine it blows the main fuse. Disconnected it delivers 21 AC volts unregulated and 13 volts DC regulated, which is as it ought to be. An acquaintance learned in electrickery has told him he knows exactly what the problem is, but since he's been in Baku since he dropped the remark, we're none the wiser. If I ever find out, I'll post it.
 

Black Flash

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when we fitted an electrnic ignition to my brothers twin about12 years ago we also fitted an Alton, but I don't know wetherit was MKI or II. the ignition was built by Kirby Rowbotham and was based on a Boyer product. these ignitions usually play havoc if the voltage sinks below 10 volts, resulting in massive flames out of the exhaust, as on my Commando. in the twin the Alton was producing so much power that you could easily start and run the bike without a battery.
I don't know if that is recommended though.
Bernd
 

Tom Gaynor

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Pazon was apparently started by ex-Boyer people when Boyer would not uprate their kit to deal with common problems. A major problem with Commandos was that when voltage dropped below 10 volts the ignition defaulted to fully advanced, exactly what you want to electric or kick start one. Pazon fixed this. I believe that Boyer has since done the same. Kirby R built the Pazon system for my Sunbeam S7 into the existing distributor housing so it looks the way it always did. But it idles and goes.
Twelve years ago it would have been a Mark I Alton. I think the 3-phase Mark II was around 2002 to 2007, maybe less.
when we fitted an electrnic ignition to my brothers twin about12 years ago we also fitted an Alton, but I don't know wetherit was MKI or II. the ignition was built by Kirby Rowbotham and was based on a Boyer product. these ignitions usually play havoc if the voltage sinks below 10 volts, resulting in massive flames out of the exhaust, as on my Commando. in the twin the Alton was producing so much power that you could easily start and run the bike without a battery.
I don't know if that is recommended though.
Bernd
 
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