What polaritywould this regulator be?

wld50

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Non-VOC Member
IMGP8447.jpg

I'm rebuilding a Comet ex a deceased VOC member and found potted into the Miller cover a regulator, 3 wire output (Brown, red, orange). There are stainless hex bolts (5BA?) on the shorter sides and the base of the regulator is a stainless plate with six, 6 star (6 way) socket screws attached to a plate which disappears into the potting compound. Difficult to photograph.

Assuming that it's actually 6 volts, from the 6v bulbs in the headlamp, how do I determine what polarity the battery should be (-ve or +ve earth)?


see pics
IMGP8449.jpg

bike doesn't yet run but hopefully will soon

don't want to destroy the regulator by driving it in reverse voltage

If it was made by a particular supplier, can they help? (the ex-owner kept no records and had the bike for many years)

wld
 

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mercurycrest

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If everything is as before, you can disconnect the regulator from the circuit, hook up a battery, then turn on the lights and see which way the ammeter points. If it shows a discharge, polarity is correct. If it shows a charge, you have it backwards.
cheers, John
 

wld50

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That would have been a simple answer, but unfortunately, the wiring was a disaster and it had to be totally rewired, I'm hoping that someone will recognise the regulator and say 'that was only made with negative earth' or vv or failing that 'it's a xxxx regulator, why don't you ask xxxx which version he supplied
 
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van drenth

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look at the website of dave lindsley, he did make and sold those V tec regulator in Miller case in the late 90's
van Drenth JC
 

Len Matthews

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VOC Member
View attachment 823

I'm rebuilding a Comet ex a deceased VOC member and found potted into the Miller cover a regulator, 3 wire output (Brown, red, orange). There are stainless hex bolts (5BA?) on the shorter sides and the base of the regulator is a stainless plate with six, 6 star (6 way) socket screws attached to a plate which disappears into the potting compound. Difficult to photograph.

Assuming that it's actually 6 volts, from the 6v bulbs in the headlamp, how do I determine what polarity the battery should be (-ve or +ve earth)?


see pics
View attachment 824

bike doesn't yet run but hopefully will soon

don't want to destroy the regulator by driving it in reverse voltage

If it was made by a particular supplier, can they help? (the ex-owner kept no records and had the bike for many years)

wld

I believe that is a Ken Bell Regulator made in USA and sold through VOC Spares Co.some while ago.
 

Hugo Myatt

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Regulators

I believe that is a Ken Bell Regulator made in USA and sold through VOC Spares Co.some while ago.

I have a Ken Bell regulator (12vt) negative earth and a Ken Bell converted E3L dynamo (12vt field coil and armature). The regulator has a stainless base but the Miller type cover is actually made of some kind of plastic. The wires appear to be (age discolouration, poor eyesight and British winter daylight) red to headlamp, Yellow to D and Green to F on the Lucas Dynamo.

The very early JG regulator supplied by Dave Lindsley was only available with a positive earth, at least, in the 12vt version and he required you to supply a gutted original Miller Regulator for him to fit it into and so the base would not be stainless. The wiring on my very ancient one is black to headlamp and blue and green to the dynamo. I have forgotten which way round. Subsequently the JG was supplied with either positive or negative earth, 6 or 12vt, in a metal replica Miller cover with a stainless base. I have no experience with JG 6vt versions.

Looking at the photos I am sure this is a JG unit as supplied by Dave Lindsley. I thought he always used JG units and not V-Tec which required different internal wiring in the Dynamo,
 
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Hugo Myatt

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I have been searching my records and have turned up wiring instructions from Dave Lindsley for JG regulators with negative earth.
Red to ammeter.
Orange to D terminal on dynamo.
Brown to F terminal on dynamo. 6vt system only.
Green to F terminal on dynamo. 12vt system only.
 

A_HRD

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Hugo is spot on; I've just dug my identical one from deep down in the back of the garage. This is a Dave Lindsley JG regulator built into a Miller mock-up case and heavily potted.
Red is to the Ammeter
Brown is to the Field Terminal
Orange is to D Terminal
There is no black earth wire because the unit is earthed by the 2 mounting screws (make sure this is so!).

The colours prove that you have a 6 volt negative earth JG unit. Hope this helps.

Peter B
Bristol, UK
 

wld50

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The colours agree with you Peter. No green wire, so we have 6v

I looked at dave linsdsley's website and it certainly looks like the one there - his part number 84. in the downloadable catalogue
http://www.davelindsley.co.uk/jg-electronic-regulators.html

It says that this 6v (and the 6/12v) miller type JG unit are both negative earth. but I've emailed him just in case this was not always so.



Many thanks to all

best
lyn
 

wld50

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Non-VOC Member
yes, negative earth

It took six days for the emailed answer:


"Yes, your Regulator is a 6 volt, negative earth JG unit. If it requires testing, please send it to us.

Thank you,

Dave Lindsley,"
 
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