Electrical systems :- Alternator and Eletronic Ignition conversions.

FNDAVID

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Non-VOC Member
I am a new member (1949 Black Shadow) and sought advice through the forum recently about +ve or-ve earth for my rebuild. I am grateful for the responses and am now asking advice about alternators and electronic ignition conversions. As previously I am keen to preserve original appearance but incorporate tried an tested improvements. Thank you in anticipation Frank DAVID
 

vibrac

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VOC Member
Get a rebuild dynamo 12v and a electronic regulator don't expect too much but barring a long night ride it should be enough to get you back from a rally in the gloaming and still work your stop light. (OK I am being a little disingenuous)
Get a new BT-H electronic mag and hide it under your cowl
and enjoy trouble free riding
 

Martyn Goodwin

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Non-VOC Member
No need to hide anything if you get the original magneto rebuilt - done properly it will work a treat.

No matter what you end up doing re the magneto make sure you lap the magneto shaft to the ATD ( or in the case of a BTH, the drive gear) else in use the timing will slip, starting will become more and more difficult etc.. Based on bitter experience.

Martyn
 

b'knighted

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VOC Member
You spoke of getting an electric start. I suspect that for that you will need something better than an original dynamo, however well it is rebuilt. If you are going to M.Grosset for a starter setup he may well advise on what ignition and charging systems work best with it. Personally I would go for non standard but reversable appearance of the Walkernator or similar belt drive alternator to maintain a suitably sized battery. This will let you run all the mod cons that you'd expect to run on a modern tourer. For ignition I'd go for a Lucas Moira coil set up which will let you run without an ignition switch with all bits hidden under the magneto cowl. This will fire the plugs at much lower revs than a magneto and should give even better starting/running than the BTH. It has fully electronic advance so requires no ATD.
 

highbury731

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VOC Member
"For ignition I'd go for a Lucas Moira coil set up"

Rita, perhaps? Never heard of Moira. Did find Lucas Moura via Google....
 

b'knighted

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Rita is no longer in production - superceded by Moira
Try google again, I found this - http://www.b50.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3275

From http://www.hoppybikes.co.uk/moira.htm

As a response to the unavailability of the Lucas RITA AB11 amplifier, we embarked upon a course of action to develop a replacement amplifier that would be capable of undertaking more advanced tasks than the AB11 RITA, be fully compatible with the RITA trigger system, and maintain the existing mounting arrangements of the AB11 .

Here is the result, the MOIRA.

MOIRA will serve single cylinder engines, parallel twins, V-twins, and 120 degree triples , according to it's internal setup configuration. As supplied, the MOIRA replicates the existing RITA advance curve , yet can be programmed to produce a modified curve if so required, and will handle 20,000 sparks per minute without reducing its accuracy, which is greater than that of the AB11 RITA amplifier. MOIRA incorporates a shutoff facility that prevents coil damage , as it shuts down after six seconds without recieving a trigger pulse, but as it switches back on again with the next pulse that it detects, this feature presents no handicap to push-starting in racing situations. The MOIRA has been especially designed with low cranking speed starting in mind, and will give a powerful spark down to below 60 rpm. All standard supplied units will be 12 volt, negative earth systems. The amplifier housing is a cast aluminium box of rugged design and pleasing appearance that has the same mounting arrangement as the AB11,and very similar space requirements.

Complete new MOIRA kits for all previous RITA applications will be available from Mistral Engineering of Chigwell, Essex, who had for many years been the manufacturers of the RITA ignition kits that used the AB5 and AB11 amplifiers.



Mistral Engineering,

Unit 12, Taylors,

Gravel Lane,

Chigwell,

Essex,

IG7 6DQ.



Phone - +44 (0) 2085012161
 
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vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
FNDAVID Did you really think the choice would be simple?

You must indeed be a new member

Two basic models a single and a twin hardly altered in 7 years or so of production

Ten thousand modifications with two thousand ardent independant advocates... simple its not
 

Bill Thomas

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VOC Member
Hello Ian, How long has the Moira been around ? Have you run one for long ? I am running a Rita and I am sure it's not doing a good job, Do you think I could just change the box to Moira. Cheers Bill.
 
D

Deleted member 1085

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Not forgetting D Type points, Alton or rebuilt dynamo, 12V regulator with electric start and Shorai battery.
 

BigEd

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VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
Dear Frank,
Carl Hungness wrote a series of articles in MPH a little while ago. If you have not already seen these articles go to the VOC Main Site: Click on "Articles" and then from the drop-down menu choose "Hungness Mods". This is a copy of a series of articles in MPH where Carl listed many of the available modifications for Vincent machines and a short description. You will have to trawl through a little but you will find information on ignition systems, generators, batteries, starters, etc.

I am a new member (1949 Black Shadow) and sought advice through the forum recently about +ve or-ve earth for my rebuild. I am grateful for the responses and am now asking advice about alternators and electronic ignition conversions. As previously I am keen to preserve original appearance but incorporate tried an tested improvements. Thank you in anticipation Frank DAVID
 
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