Rooster Booster ?

[RSMike]

back to stock and running good again, I got one or two backfires near full throttle, but I did have to remove and refit the bean can to get the condenser reconnected and as my only twice used timing light, seems to have already given up the ghost, I had to manually guess/ check timing, looks close but might be a bit off (possibly slightly advanced)

Rooster Ignitions: Check that the voltage regulator is not passing any more than 14.4v at ANY throttle settings even momentarily on blipping.

Next I decided to check voltage based on the advice above from Rooster, I'm assuming measuring voltage at the battery will show whats coming through from the regulator ? , If thats the correct way to do it, then I have to say, What Regulator?,  As I increased revs up to 6K the voltage just kept going up, I made it to 17v  

Besides the rooster booster, hopefully nothing else has been damaged, I guess I am going to be needing a new regulator.

Anyone else had this issue?

[Justin B.]

If you are reading 17v across the battery then your regulator is either not working or you have a wiring issue!  But, I bet your lights are nice and bright!

[Barry]

Mike

Your regulator if original will be the mechanical type. If you are interested in trying to adjust it I have done it sucessfully following Snowbums instructions. http://www.bmwr65.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1299944454/0#0

On the other hand if it's failed altogether new electronic regulators are cheap and you can buy any nominal 14 volt regulator with the correct 3 spade terminations. They are really very simple.  All voltage regulators have 3 connections D+  D-  and DF (These designations are historical and stand for Dynamo + Dynamo - and Dynamo Field)
D-  brown wire connects to one of the alternator brushes which is also earthed

D+ blue wire connects to the diode board and then the gen light

Df  black wire connects to the other alternator brush
http://www.bmwr65.org/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1298784311/4#4

If you have been running long with a faulty regulator the battery if it's a wet type is sure to need topping up and yours bulbs if they survived will likely be blackened on the inside and will have lower than usual light output when back to 14 volts.

[RSMike]

Thanks Barry,  I suppose in retrospect a warning sign about two weeks was when I was fitting the screen, I decided to throw in a new H4 "blue light" headlamp bulb as the existing one seemed rather yellow, These "blue light" ones are not really blue but I find they do give a crisper white light, I fitted one to the triumph last year

Well after one ride the blue light bulb's dipped beam was blown ( I always ride with at least dipped beam on) and around the same time my tail light blew also, When I stuck the old headlamp bulb back and it has been fine since, I just thought the blue bulb was a dodgy one, and put the tail light down to age

If I had a variable DC supply handy I would take a go at adjusting the old one, but I don't and as you say a replacement seems to be not outrageous £27, from my friend James Sherlock, I assume I don't need a high output regulator (£47)?

I have not physically looked at the regulator yet, Is there any other logical explanation fort he uncontrolled voltage or should I just go ahead and order a new regulator

[Barry]

I assume I don't need a high output regulator (£47)

A "high output" regulator is just set at a slightly higher voltage say 14.5 volts instead of 14.0 volts. There is no excuse for it to cost so much more as it's the same circuit with just a simple adjustment or different value component. They should really be called a high set point regulator but that doesn't sound expensive.

A high output regulator is nice if you do a lot of short journeys but given Rooster Ignitions comments about max 14.4 volts you might want to be wary.

For the alternator to be giving full voltage output there must be a permanent rather than switching voltage on the DF terminal which can only be due to a faulty regulator or short somewhere between D+ and DF wiring. The short seems unlikely though. Any chance of borrowing a regulator to carry out a test.

[RSMike]

Thanks Barry, appreciate the insight & suggestions, given limited time, I have gone ahead and ordered a new regulator from Sherlocks (standard electronic)

BTW, here is an update from Rooster Ignitions

We manufacture the RB1 to allow operation at low battery voltages in case of emergencys and therefore your module will continue to operate at around 8v or even lower if your ignition coils still pass a spark. As a result of this the high end of the range is no where near as tolerent and 14.5 is about it.

What then happens is that the main power resistor gets so hot the solder melts... this is what was causing your misfires and bad running. As it cools and the solder solidifies the module continues to work again. It is possible for the main power resistor to fall out of the pcb but this kind of acts like a fuse and stops any other damage.

The chances are, your module is ok.

The only other cause of this problem is when the ignition coil or ignition coil array has a low impedance... we recommend 2-4 ohms althouth slightly higher will not hurt the module.

If you ever suspect your ignition coils, simply fit a single dual output 12v ignition coil.

Be-aware however that the high voltage will be harming the rest of your electrical system, especially your battery and your points, condensor and coils. It may also cause premature bulb failure as well.

This last point might explain why I had to replace a coil on the bike a while ago, I just hope that's not happened again (thinking about the couple of backfires I experienced at full throttle yesterday evening), probably also explains why the last set of points was in such bad shape

=================

Update:

Well boys and girls here is a lesson of what can happen to a 2 month old battery when its having a couple of volts too much charge applied,  , seriously depleted electrolyte levels, I need to get some distilled water fast!, but if its that low do I need acid as well?



and here is the accused:



Contacts do not look that bad, while I'm waitinng for a new regulator, I I wonder if I could do some testing with an old battery and optimate charger.....


More money but as I have doubts about what it also may hav edone to 30 year old coils, am considering this:
http://www.bmwbayer.de/Power-Ignition-set-for-Contact-braeker.html

[RSMike]

Been quiet on this for a while, got the new regulator in a couple of days from Sherlocks, but decided to bite the bullet and invest in the Silent Hektik double coil (for points boxer's) , finally arrived yesterday and mounts nicely where the rear coil used to be.

So starting to put things back together, I guess I will try to get everything up and running without the rooster ignition box first.

Here is the new set up:


After I took this shot I rigged up a triple spade connector (using the spade connectors from an old coil) to connect the all three of the former front coil connectors, basically using the black/yellow wire to route the black wires to the -ve terminal on the new rear mounted double coil. The green/blue wire from the old rear coil then goes to the +ve terminal on the new double coil.

To the leccy experts (i.e. Barry,   ) does this sound ok?

[Barry]

does this sound ok?  

Guess you are using the black/yellow link wire because the correct wire is short ?.

In principle to replace twin coils with a single dual output coil:

Connect the +12V green/blue wire from Terminal #15 on the rear coil to one terminal on the new coil

and the front coil Terminal #1 black wire from the points together with the tacho black wire to the other terminal on the new coil.

The new coil may not have terminal markings as polarity often doesn't matter on a dual ouput type.

[RSMike]

Thanks Barry, the diagram helps ( I know you posted it before, I should just have gone back and checked), I think it confirms I should be OK, here is what I have now ( The silent hektik coil does have +ve and -ve terminal markings).
Yes, using the black yellow as the black leads not long enough to reach back to the coil.

[Barry]

It has to work!

BTW I had some how missed your post with the battery and regulator pics.

The battery should only have needed water not acid. Did it ever recover ?

[RSMike]

It has to work!

BTW I had some how missed your post with the battery and regulator pics.

The battery should only have needed water not acid. Did it ever recover ?

Yes, just topped it up with distilled water and recharged, seems to be holding charge fine, though no load applied yet.

The original battery that was in the bike when I got it is a maintenance free type though also seems to have normal electrolyte.  I managed to pry off a cover and get access to the cells, there are no proper filling holes, but I managed to get distilled water in through the vents with a syringe( it was also seriously depleted), that has also charged up and is holding charge too!

[RSMike]

It has to work!

Confirmed, it does,  , had difficulty starting the bike, but tank had been off for two weeks with fuel line open, Once she started she ran well, checked Voltage, now clipped at 14.04V, did a short run and she ran well.

I need to check timing, but also now realized that with the new double coil that only has two solitary spade connectors, I am going to need some piggyback connectors before trying the rooster ignition again.

Are there any piggyback connectors that just create two spades?, The only ones I can find are these:



If it was possible not to cut wires I would prefer it.