Headlight relay install and Carb??

Ducdude

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Well I finally got the garage up to working temps with the thermal jumpsuit
on and so I installed all the new 6Vdc H4 quarts halogen head light bits
on/into my 52 shadow

I did discover a few things...The relay kit takes the main power directly
from the battery bypassing the toggle switch and the bikes wiring and uses
heavy gauge thin strand braded wire and low resistance automotive relays.
The harness then is wired to the bike wiring to allow the stock toggle to go
from high beam to low. It all works fanatically. The hella 7 inch reflector
and lens fits perfectly and casts a solid beam of white light as it should.
The discovery came when I found that the Ammeter of course did not register
the headlight's Amps as now it was no longer using the stock wiring. With
the bike running at 3-4K RPM the Ammeter showed 6-8 amps (full range)
charge...I did ponder a creative way to wire in the stock Ammeter but my
weak E+M training did not provide a successful wiring solution..

So, any body out there care to instruct me on the best way, if possible to
add the headlight load to the stock Ammeter? The relay kit came from
http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Products/H4_Kits/h4_kits.html and I used
the H4 Single Headlight Weatherproof Relay Kit.

In a completely unrelated exercise, while running the bike up to operating
temp with the chokes off I found I had a bit of popping from the rear carb
when the RPMs were coming down. There would be one or two pops with
associated smoke coming from the rear carb intake.

The temp in the garage was about 50F and the fuel in the carbs 32mm MK1's
with 210 jets is about 2 months old. My thoughts range from, not really at
operating temp, incorrect air mixture or cable adjustment , excess fuel in
the cylinder allowing for combustion of the fuel on exhaust stroke or old
gas to an evil curse...:)

All of this is a guess really as I can not ride the bike due to ice, snow
and salt so we are not really testing at operational conditions but WTH I
though I would ask...What do you all think..It is only at the rear
cylinder..Why the pops?

Engine felt strong and ran smoothly at idle, loud but smooth for a Vincent
as far as I know..(I do not know much about Vincents)

Thanks all...

Cheers,
Eric
 

Chris Launders

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi Eric,The only way to monitor the current your headlamp is taking is to take the main supply off after the ammeter,the best place would be directly from the ammeter terminal but make sure your battery/ammeter lead is up to the job if not you could use the wire supplied to "double up"this.(in effect breaking the wire and inserting the ammeter leaving your existing circuits still in place).

Cheers.
Chris.
 

Ducdude

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi Eric,The only way to monitor the current your headlamp is taking is to take the main supply off after the ammeter,the best place would be directly from the ammeter terminal but make sure your battery/ammeter lead is up to the job if not you could use the wire supplied to "double up"this.(in effect breaking the wire and inserting the ammeter leaving your existing circuits still in place).

Cheers.
Chris.

THANKs Gents...I should have known that but in my defence it was freakin cold in the garage..:) Eric
 

Tom Gaynor

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
My Vincent has ALWAYS popped from the carbs until the motor has warmed up a little. Even in summer it does it. Once warmed up, the problem disappears. In winter the distance to warm up increases from 200 yards to half a mile...
FWIW, the succinct advice on setting the mixture on classic (i.e. Manx) Nortons is to lean it out until it pops on the overrun, then richen one. This is much easier with Gardner carbs, when one click of one screw is one Amal jet size...
 

Ducdude

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
My Vincent has ALWAYS popped from the carbs until the motor has warmed up a little. Even in summer it does it. Once warmed up, the problem disappears. In winter the distance to warm up increases from 200 yards to half a mile...
FWIW, the succinct advice on setting the mixture on classic (i.e. Manx) Nortons is to lean it out until it pops on the overrun, then richen one. This is much easier with Gardner carbs, when one click of one screw is one Amal jet size...


Thanks Much Tom!! I really need to get this bike out on the road for a good 100 mile romp to see what I really have...While running her up in the garage moves the soul I am sure it is not helping the bike any and really is not the best way to tune the bike up..lol

Must...make.....it.....to......spring..

Eric
 

Tnecniv Edipar

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
There is no chance of reaching full working temperature without having the motor under load. Also, it's not advisable to run the motor without riding upto full temp as condensation will rapidly form in the engine and oil tank with inevitable consequences. Don't forget Vin engines run cool anyway, the oil takes ages to reach proper working temperature even when riding the machine. The best way by far to set up carbs and ignition is on a rolling road dyno, if you have one anywhere near you it is more than worth the expense.
 

mercurycrest

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
and so I installed all the new 6Vdc H4 quarts halogen head light bits
on/into my 52 shadow

Hi Eric,
Assuming that is a 35w/35w 6v H4, why would you need a relay? I've been running that combo for over ten years with no problems.
cheers, John
 

Ducdude

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
and so I installed all the new 6Vdc H4 quarts halogen head light bits
on/into my 52 shadow

Hi Eric,
Assuming that is a 35w/35w 6v H4, why would you need a relay? I've been running that combo for over ten years with no problems.
cheers, John

Hi John,
Yes it is a 35W/35W 6v H4 and I am sure the stock 60 year old wiring would work fine...BUT with the relays and the power coming directly from the battery I am doing two things...Taking the strain off the contacts in the miller switch and reducing the resistance in the power line feeding the light...So in theory I should get a hotter brighter whiter light from the bulb...Other then that it could not hurt..
Cheers,
Eric
 

Howard

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi John,
Yes it is a 35W/35W 6v H4 and I am sure the stock 60 year old wiring would work fine...BUT with the relays and the power coming directly from the battery I am doing two things...Taking the strain off the contacts in the miller switch and reducing the resistance in the power line feeding the light...So in theory I should get a hotter brighter whiter light from the bulb...Other then that it could not hurt..
Cheers,
Eric

I'm not sure what your relay setup is, but have you got a headlamp earth back to the battery. You could lose 5 of your 6 volts (slight exageration) through a greasy steering head bearing.

H
 
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