Ignition light with Alton single phase generator

tjcassar

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I have just installed a single phase ALTON generator this hopefully to cater for the needs to run a battery ignition system plus good lights. I now wish to have an ignition light wired in so I will know if and when I do not have charge going into the battery plus an indicator should I leave the ignition switch ON.
I have contacted ALTON, with no luck as they do not know how to wire this up!!! Strange but its so!! Can anyone kindly give me a design that works. I would like this to be Light ON with ignition switch on and OFF as soon as the voltage of the charging system is above the battery voltage. I have two wires out of the external regulator. One is RED and the other one BLACK.

Thank you. Tony
 

tjcassar

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Hallo Nulli Secundus,

Thank you for your advise. I will contact these people hopefully it will work.
Very much obliged.
Tony
 

tjcassar

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Hi Sid,
I will have a look at these too. At the least, I have possibilities. Thank you for the bother to help.
Tony
 

Tom Gaynor

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Buy an LED light. Mine fits into a hole drilled in the headlamp shell - 8 mm I think. FIT IT WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT WHEN YOU GET OFF THE BIKE. Don't ask why that was in caps. Bearing in mind that LED lights only work when connected the right way round, take off the headlamp rim, switch the Alton ON, and try to find two connections (one'll be earth, obviously) that will light the lamp, but extinguish it when the Alton is switched off. Connect the LED to those.
Even cleverer is to arrange a flashing LED so that it flashes when the ignition is OFF, thus giving the impression you have an alarm system (linked by satellite to (fill in organisation of choice) missile-firing assasination drones, natch). So when the light is on the Alton is off, and vice versa.
I might say that while I do have a switched Alton, I frequently forget to switch it off (see caps above...), and although I start the twin a la Grosset, heve never had any problems with flattened batteries.
 

tjcassar

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Hi Tom,
I have seen the LED lights suggested by Sid. I have purchased one so I will know that the battery is fully charged or not. These are three LED lights of different colours. Is this what you mean? Or do you suggest a simple LED light that is ON when the ignition is switched ON and OFF when the ignition nis switched off??
Thank you for your help and humour
 

Tom Gaynor

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Let me warn you first that my knowledge of electricity is limited to the fact that it is a pale blue fluid, with the ability to travel backwards and forwards at the same time, that lurks behind skirting boards in houses.

The lights suggested by Sid sound like a good idea, but would need someone who knew what he was doing to fit. See above.

From VWP (Google), I bought first a green warning light that lit when electrickery was passing through it. It was fitted to the right side of the headlamp. (Drill a hole, push light unit in, connect.) I now had a switch that told me the ignition (the Alton "off" switch) was on. Then I saw they did a flashing red one. I had hoped to conceal this, but when I put the green light in, I failed to realise that it was masked by the Shadow clock when I got off the bike on the nearside, as I always do. I almost always forgot to switch "the ignition" off. This is how I come to know that it doesn't seem to matter much. Particularly if you have a magneto.
So I bought a red flashing one, fitted it symmetrically on the left so I COULD see it, and connected this so that it was live when the Alton was dead, and vice versa. When the Alton is dead, so is the electric starter. There is no point in asking how I did this, because I don't know. Lucky, I guess. Or my wiring loom defies electro-logical analysis. Or both. But I'm sure you'll admit it is a desirable outcome.
YOU know your Alton is disconnected, and potential thieves, who will have to kickstart your Vincent (not a lot then...) think it has an alarm fitted. A win-win situation, I'd say. A red flashing light, when you finally notice it, also serves to explain why your starter is mute. It's switched off, dummy.
And if the thieves have a van, they MIGHT still be discouraged.
 
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tjcassar

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Non-VOC Member
Hi Tom,
Thank you for this info and advise. I will surely be careful when wiring the unit I purchased. This is a sort of battery condition spy which glows in three colours according to the voltage of the battery at the time. As suggested by you, I will have to install on the near side where one dismounts and in full view. My Alton is switched on automatically via relay once the ignition switch is activated. I intend to connect the diode lighting on the same circuit. I will obviously do this prior to drilling the headlamp!!! Will advise of outcome once I fit it.
Cheers Tony
 
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