Comet Electrics

coomo

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Hello.Im new here! Have finally decided to start work on my Comet/Norton Bike.At present the bike is mocked up, so I can plan all the frame fixings, prior to coating.
I intend to convert to 12v.My question is what provisions will I need to bear in mind.ie apart from a battery box, is there anything else that i need to make provisions for on the frame,/Brackets, lugs etc.
Any help would be gratefully received.
 

Martyn Goodwin

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I suggest you sit down with a BIG sheet of blank paper and do a diagram of all the electrical components in roughly the correct locations and then using many different colour pens, draw up the interconnections. This will give you a really good idea of what you need to account for and what the eventual loom must look like. Do NOT make the mistake of using the bike frame as your earth path - the electrical flow through the swing arm and steering head bearings will eventually damage them. Run a god earth wire into the headlight shell and also into the RFM.

My experience is you will create a number of drawing before you come up with something you are really happy with .
 

Albervin

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Do you intend to attach indicators? Decide what type and where to attach them. What sort of generator are you going to use? Potential to install various relays and extra maybe a power socket for GPS, heated handlebars etc. You will have a choice of Halogen, HID and LED globes. Good luck and keep asking questions.
 

Albervin

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Martyn, I think he is using a Norton frame so no RFM. Good idea to draw a diagram. If I ever get around to converting the Rap to 12V I will keep that in mind.
 

vibrac

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I fitted a walkernator to my Comet in my mind it looks the part closing up the gap where the other cylinder should go (What is that about a good motorcycle is one you cant spit through?)
I would however like a small charge light that went red or green when charge occurs in a housing I could put in where the ammeter was. my present led is just visable via a small hole in the plate that covers the ammeter hole but it is such a small dim light I cannot see it and I need something more robust
 

BigEd

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I fitted a walkernator to my Comet in my mind it looks the part closing up the gap where the other cylinder should go (What is that about a good motorcycle is one you cant spit through?)
I would however like a small charge light that went red or green when charge occurs in a housing I could put in where the ammeter was. my present led is just visable via a small hole in the plate that covers the ammeter hole but it is such a small dim light I cannot see it and I need something more robust
I made up something from a kit that has an LED that turns from red to green when it reaches a certain voltage. You can set the threshold voltage you want by adjusting a small potentiometer in the circuit. It was some time ago, I'll see if I can find the details.
 

redbloke1956

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I suggest you sit down with a BIG sheet of blank paper and do a diagram of all the electrical components in roughly the correct locations and then using many different colour pens, draw up the interconnections. This will give you a really good idea of what you need to account for and what the eventual loom must look like. Do NOT make the mistake of using the bike frame as your earth path - the electrical flow through the swing arm and steering head bearings will eventually damage them. Run a god earth wire into the headlight shell and also into the RFM.

My experience is you will create a number of drawing before you come up with something you are really happy with .
Hi Martyn, from experience, the amount of current likely to flow through swing arm bearings is not likely to cause damage for a couple of hundred years BUT I still agree with running a separate Earth....while on the point of Earths, last week I was having intermittent problems with the Beemer....slow crank speed (even though I had just stripped and overhauled the starter motor) intermittent operation of ABS (which puts you into "hobble home" mode aka No F#@kin Brakes), and another few intermittent problems.
All this after a big strip down to replace rear main seal (which destroyed the clutch) So, remove all Tupperware, Tank and everything else you could think of only to discover....:oops: hadn't connected one of the Earths:oops:
Ya gotta love the ergonomic design of Beemers, 40 minutes of Tupperware removal just to remove radiator cap.
Was even worse on an ST1100 I had.....then the wind picks up (on side of road) 20 minutes chasing Tupperware across peak hour traffic only to find retaining screws, that were sitting in the removed plastic, had fallen in gutter, half of which fell into a drain (That will teach me for buying a Honda)

Kev
 

Howard

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I made up something from a kit that has an LED that turns from red to green when it reaches a certain voltage. You can set the threshold voltage you want by adjusting a small potentiometer in the circuit. It was some time ago, I'll see if I can find the details.

Ed, I got mine from ebay for about £10. It pushes into about a 10 mm hole and changes from red to amber to green depending on the charge voltage, it can also be set to be used as a battery condition indicator. It's very reassuring to glance at a little green light, instead of trying to judge if the ammeter needle is showing a charge more often than discharge. Having an Egli, I haven't fitted one on a real Vin, but I think a small hole in the headlamp shell (is this where the "keep it standard brigade" appear on my doorstep?) would be all that's required, then it's just a power (lightswitch?) and earth connection.

H
 

b'knighted

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The first one I bought (AO services BSM) has its 5mm LED on leads from the cicuit box. I stuck the box, square flasher unit sized, inside the headlamp shell with the wires running from the main cable hole to where the LED nestled between the left headlamp stays and the shell. The black PVC tape used to secure the wires to the shell are totally inconspicuous and the LED, while easily seen by the rider, does not get noticed by anyone else.
 

timetraveller

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Dick Sherwin got someone to put the small multi colour LEDs into the face of his Shadow clock. There is enough spare space in there for the wiring and no one is likely to notice the LEDs other than the rider. Of course if you are the kind of person who cares about matching numbers then you are never going to have a Shadow clock on your Rapide or Comet, are you?
 
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